Page 14 of Deadlier Obsessions

STELLA

I glance over to poor Lucy who has her face in her hands, and probably wants to die right now. While this dynamic works well for us, I can understand it's a hard pill to swallow for her parents, for any parents really. People tend to ridicule things they don’t understand, and this is not something most people can even imagine. She was really trying to make it seem like we are all close friends, except Mav. However, the Gage Rage as we’ve coined it, entirely let the cat out of the bag. And by the looks on her parents' faces, things are about to get worse. Her mother appears shocked, but her father is pissed.

“Young lady,” he starts, scolding her, and his annoyance is only multiplied by her face being in her hands, “You will look at me when I speak to you.”

She pops her head up. “I’m sorry, sir.”

What the hell? That’s not Lucy at all. My best friend is not quiet and timid. In fact, if any of the guys talked to her like this, they’d see more attitude than they’d know what to do with. Of course, they’d fuck it out of her, but that’s beside the point right now.

“You’re with three men, Lucy?”

She nods her head almost apologetically. “Yes, dad.”

He rises from his chair. “We did not raise you to be a whore.”

All three guys are standing now, ready to attack, and her father looks at them. “It’s time for you to leave. All of you.”

Tears stream down Lucy’s reddened cheeks. “Okay, let's go. I tried.”

Her father glares at her in a way I’ve never seen a parent look at the child they claim to love, “You are not going anywhere. Clearly you need to spend some time at home with yourfamily.”

The way he says family makes it obvious that he doesn’t consider us to be her family or anything really. As far as he’s concerned, we are insignificant garbage that led his daughter down the wrong path. Except it’s the right one for her. She’s happy. How can that not matter?

Maverick pulls Lucy so tight against him I’m surprised she can still breathe. “Mr Greene, I get that this is a shock, but Lucy isn’t staying here. She’s coming with us where she belongs.”

He kisses Lucy on the head. “Baby, go get whatever you can’t live without. Take Stella with you and then we are leaving. I know you wanted to see your parents, but we will not sit here and watch them abuse you.”

We both stand, and I take Lucy’s hand in mine, and as we walk away, her mother says under her breath, “Three men. Disgusting whore.”

I squeeze her hand, trying to tell her to ignore them, as we walk upstairs to what I assume was once her childhood bedroom.

We walk into her room, and she shuts the door behind us. I take a quick glance at the room that doesn’t look like it’s changed through the years. There’s an aged white twin bed in the corner of the room with a matching desk beside it. That’s all the look I get, before seeing Lucy like I never have before. She collapses to the floor with a sound that’s the most heartbreaking thing I’ve ever heard. Considering what we both went through in thebeginning with the three guys, it says a lot that I’ve never seen her like this.

I rush over to her, and drop to the floor, pulling her into my arms, I rub her back in gentle circles. “Lucy, honey, it’s going to be okay.”

She sobs on my shoulder. “It’s not. I’m going to have to choose. Stella. They may be bell-ends, but they are my mum and dad. How can I possibly make a choice other than them?”

Well shit. If she leaves us… I can’t even finish that thought, because losing her would break us all. If Gage would’ve just kept his fucking trap shut, this wouldn’t be happening right now.

“Give them some time, Lucy. Don’t make any rash decisions. This is all a big shock and I’m sure they’ll come around.”

She pulls back and stares at me with the saddest eyes I’ve ever seen on her. I’m not a fan of this Lucy. I kind of want to shake her out of it, but of course I won’t.

“Are you happy, Lucy?”

She starts laughing sarcastically. “Do I look happy right now, Stella?”

I giggle, because it was stupid the way I phrased it. “No. Are you happy with us? Before we came to this house today?”

Lucy stares at me like I asked the most bizarre question possible. “Of course I am, Stel. Are you kidding? I didn’t know this was possible.”

“Then-”

I’m cut off as Maverick bursts through the door. He stops and stares at Lucy in my arms with a smirk on his delicious face. “Hey. Far be it from me to interrupt girl on girl action, but if you want your father to stay alive, you should get a move on. Volcano Gage is minutes away from erupting.”

CHAPTER NINE

MAV

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