Page 13 of Deadlier Obsessions

Maybe I was lucky to have never had that, because I hear more about parents failing their kids than I do about the happy homes, and maybe that’s because there’s no perfect home out there. Maybe we’re all destined to suffer in some way as kids, so it builds the character we need for adulthood. What a crock of bullshit. Parents are supposed to nurture, protect, and love their children. Why did we all get screwed the way we did?

While the others sit awkwardly on the sofa and chairs dragged over from the dining area, I look at the photos on the wall. There are some of Lucy as a little girl, with big blue eyes and a wide happy smile, but two things strike me then. There are none of her as an adult, and she never smiled like that until she found her home with us. We shouldn’t have let her come here, because it isn’t a good place for her. I don’t want her like she is right now, meek and nervous. I want the giggling, playful, strong Lucy we all love.

“Lucy and Stella’s latest book is doing great, Mr and Mrs Greene. You must be so proud of your little girl,” I say pointedly, turning to glare in their direction, ignoring the ragged gasp fromour little Brit. Her parents exchange a look before her father replies.

“More of that filth she writes?”Fucker. I could show you some fucking filth. You think she writes filth? You should see what she gets up to with her three fucking boyfriends.

“Dad, it’s not filth, it’s spice. Smut. It’s not-”

“It’s the same damn thing. It’s porn, and our daughter shouldn’t be writing such things. Do you know what people would say?” He hisses at her, and I watch as her shoulders draw up and she tenses. Argue with him, Lucy. You started off so well. Tell him he’s an asshole, and you can write what the fuck you want. I want to yell it at her, but that isn’t the way to empower her right now. She needs to find it for herself. Mav clears his throat, glaring at her dad now.

“I think Lucy is an amazing writer, both of them are. They’re on bestseller lists, Mr Greene, did you know that?”

“We’revery proud of them,” Gage says with plenty of emphasis on that ‘we’ part. I’m proud of him, because this is exactly the kind of shit that can kick off the Gage Rage, and that’s the last thing we need right now, because Lucy seems to prefer her parents alive and kicking.

“We are,” I add, moving over to grab the seat beside Gage. “It’s a hard business to make headway in, and these two amazing ladies are doing themselves proud. Doing all of us proud. I’m sure you agree, right?” I glare at her parents again, and they just look kinda shifty.

“Yeah, it’s a real hard career, but it’s important to her. It’s not like she runs some lame dress shop, or something,” Gage says sharply, and I have no idea what the fuck he’s on about, but there’s clearly a bug up his ass now.

“Um… anyway, how’s everyone doing?” Lucy asks, sitting up a little straighter, like she can tell she’s deflecting Gage now beforehe gets pissed. “I saw Tess had a baby,” she says, glancing at us quickly. “Tess is my cousin.”

“Tess married a good man, and they’re starting a family together,” her mother says, arching her eyebrows at her daughter. “It’s really important to put aside all the silliness at some point and settle down.”

Silliness? She’s calling our fucking family silly? My fists are clenching, and now Gage is the one calming me with a hand on my shoulder, squeezing lightly. When the fuck did we switch places like that?

“It’s not silliness, mum. I’m happy, and I have a… I have um… family… there now.”

Her mother leans forward, casting a wary look at all of us.

“Family? Family is here at home, while whatever this is… it’s… are you in a cult or something?”

Gage starts roaring with laughter, and the rest of us just stare at him, because what the actual fuck? Does anyone else hear warning alarms in their head yet?

“A cult?! That’s your fucking response? Is this because you think we’re all fucking each other?”Jesus, Gage!

GAGE

These people are fucking insane, and that’s coming from me, so you know how fucked up that really is. A cult? That’s the best their minds could come up with? The silence that falls after my statement is what tells me that I fucked up, because as much as I want to tell these assholes that Lucy’s mine, that she’s all of ours, I know she really didn’t want them to know this shit.

Mav curses and reaches back to smack my shoulder. “Can you cut that crap out? Take no notice of him, Mr and Mrs Greene. Hehas the worst sense of humor, coupled with appalling timing.” Lucy adds an awkward giggle and Stella, who’s been silent this whole time, clearly decides it’s her turn to say something.

“Lucy isn’t in a cult, I promise. She’s just found a family back in the US with us, and we love her, and we’re so proud of her. Isn’t that what you want for your daughter? Love and support? Family? People to lean on when she needs them?”

Her mom purses her lips, pretty much ignoring Stella as she turns to Lucy again.

“Marriage, Lucy. It’s what grownups do, and you’re not getting any younger. Are you telling me that this… this young man… plans to marry you?” What the fuck is their deal?

Mav barks out a laugh and pulls Lucy tighter against him. “Fuck yeah, I’ll marry her. She’s mine, and I’m keeping her.”

What the ACTUAL fuck? None of us have ever talked about fucking marriage. What if they do? What if he marries her, and then Sebastian marries Stella, and who’s left out?Me. It’s always me. I hadn’t even considered the possibility that this might happen, but maybe I should have. What if they actually pair off and realize they don’t need me at all? What do I really bring to the relationship with them all anyway? Sebastian reaches over, and squeezes my thigh, but Lucy’s speaking again, and I really should listen, because if my world is about to fucking collapse around me, I should be aware of it happening.

“Marriage? Oh god, mum. That’s all you care about! I love Mav, of course I do, and I love all my… all of the people I’m living with. We’re a family, whether anyone gets married or not. Mav doesn’t need to put a damn ring on it!”

“I’ll put a fucking ring on it, Lucy, if that’s the only damn thing that matters to these two, then I’ll do it.”

“I don’t want to get married just to teach my parents a lesson!” Lucy yells at him, just as her parents start muttering about being called ‘these two’. Wow. This is going so well, andI don’t think I’m the one who fucked it up. Not really. The bickering continues, and I suddenly lunge up out of the chair as panic and anger fill me once more. I can’t lose them, because without them I’m nothing.

“Nobody’s fucking getting married, you hear me?! They’re all fucking mine and I’m keeping them!”

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