Page 10 of Deadlier Obsessions

We can all see how our little Brit is affected by the knowledge that she has to see them, but that won’t be until tomorrow, when we get the train across from London to Bristol to see them. Lucy’s not fond of trains apparently, but she says it’s the quickest way to get there from here.

“What do you mean we shouldn’t all come with you?” Stella suddenly asks loudly, drawing my attention away from setting up the coffee machine, before we all lose our minds at the lack of caffeine.

“What?” I turn to see everyone staring at Lucy in shock. Did we all fly here with her, for her to try and ditch us the first chance she gets? Didn’t Stella just get a full Gage reminder about trying to leave us?

Mav slams his fist down on the kitchen counter, and Lucy jumps.

“This is bullshit, Lucy. You know we’re all fucking coming with you, because we’re all a fucking family now.”

Stella wraps an arm around Lucy’s shoulders and leans close.

“Peanut, just talk to us, what’s going on in that weird old writer brain of yours? You don’t want us with you now? Remember how you said they’ll make you feel like your decisions were bad ones, and that you should be home with them. You said they crush your confidence and look at you now. Look how you’ve grown since you’ve been with us. Don’t you want to show them who you are now? So, they can be proud of you too?”

“Stop babying her, Stella. She doesn’t need to be talked down to like that,” Mav hisses, and I see Gage step in, and that means the shit’s about to hit the fan again already. We all know I’m the only one who manages to calm down Gage when he’s getting his rage on. Gage Rage is a thing, trust me.

I curse and slam down the mugs, and Gage’s attention is immediately on me.

“Baby?” He comes to my rescue, because apparently, he thinks I need it, but that gets him out of Lucy’s way for a moment, so the others can try talking some sense into her.

“This thing isn’t working,” I finally say, jabbing a finger at the coffee machine, smiling when Gage groans and takes over trying to work the damn thing. While he fusses with it, I turn to listen to the others, because if Lucy thinks we’re not all going with her, she’s out of her fucking mind. We’re a family unit, and we stick together, and nobody gets away. Not now. It’s too perfect as it is.We are.

Lucy’s pleading her case, but while Stella’s doing her best to listen and commiserate with her, Mav just looks even more pissed off than before.

“They’ve always assumed my writing is a fad, like a phase I’m going through, and I’ll eventually quit it, and get a ‘real job’ as they call it. They think I’m acting out or something, like a dumb teenager. I’m just saying, if I turn up with three boyfriends anda girlfriend, well, you know what I mean… they’re just going to think I’ve fallen into some kind of depravity.”

Stella’s giggling and pointing at all of us. “Um… depravity pretty much sums it up, though.”

Gage turns to Lucy with a growl that rattles through his chest. “Enough. We are all going, and we will handle this as a family. End of fucking discussion.”

Lucy places her hands on her hips, which I love because she’s adorable like this. “Don’t be a bell-end, Gage. Should this not be my choice?”

Mav walks over to her and takes her face into his hands. “No. It’s not your choice, not anymore. If you think you’re going to hide us like some kind of embarrassing mistake, you’re wrong. Is that what we are? Are you ashamed of us?”

She slides her hands up his chest, and stares at him with something that can only be defined as intense love. “No, Mav. I’m not ashamed of any of this. They won’t understand. This is something my parents will never approve of. I don’t regret anything with the four of you.” She swallows hard. “I’m scared.”

His shoulders relax in an instant, and I would’ve never imagined he’d be capable of this type of softness with either of our girls. “I’ve got you, baby. We’ve got you. Whatever your parents say, we will be there with you. I don’t know what they will think of these two assholes, but your parents will love me. I’m a catch, baby. I’m fuckingPrince Charming.”

Gage looks over at me with a grin on his face and we both end up chuckling, as do the girls, because Mav is anything butPrince Charming.

LUCY

I don’t think any of them realise just how intense and stern my parents are, and just how certain they’ll be that I’ve been kidnapped or dragged into some kind of devil worship situation. Let’s be honest, they’d be half right. Maybe even more than half. I guess I thought the others might listen, and understand that I’m trying to make this easier, and not go through hell when my parents choose not to understand my new life. I suppose, if I’m really honest, I’d wanted to try and sell it as something normal. As in, I’m not the sexual partner of three men who mostly view consent as a ‘nice to have’ or something meant for others, and in a weird sisterhood with a woman, who also shares those men. I mean, it’s not normal, and it’s bizarre, and even though it’s perfect for me, they just won’t get it.

I figured, maybe I’d be able to just take Mav with me, since they’d met him in our video chat, and we could pretend it’s a nice, normal relationship that might lead to marriage one day. I don’t know how to play this, and I don’t know how to make them understand that this isn’t only what I want, but what Ineed. That these four people are my everything now. Maybe part of the problem is that I know they don’t trust me to make good decisions, and think they still have to take over and do that for me.

The evening had been fairly relaxed after Mav and Gage pretty much declared that we’ll all do as we’re told, and now, wrapped in Mav’s arms in bed, while the other three are in another bed in another room, I feel I can try again, because maybe Mav will understand when he doesn’t have to fit into Gage’s way of thinking. Gage can be overbearing and possessive, and although I love those things about him, it means he’s often unreasonable.

“Mav?” I lift my head from his chest to look at him, barely able to see him in the dim light. Somehow, he still finds my nose and boops it.

“Knew you’d wanna talk again. Don’t I know my little writer slut well?”

Ugh. See this is another part of the problem. I sigh heavily, pushing his hand away.

“You can’t call me stuff like that in front of my parents, Mav!”

“You think I don’t know how to behave around them? Is this about being ashamed of us? Of me? I thought we were past all that weird shit, and you get that you fucking belong to me now, to all of us.”

“That’s really not what I’m saying, Mav. I’m so fucking proud of our life together, all five of us, even though it’s weird, and people won’t understand-”

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