Page 122 of Devil's Dilemma

“Good,” pronounces Thunder who’s sitting opposite me. “It means they’re not dismissing it out of hand.

There is a general murmur of agreement from all around.

“I agree,” says my man from my side. “But doesn’t mean they’re not looking to find a reason to discredit Mel.”

I straighten my back. “I’ve just got to tell the truth and be convincing.” That shouldn’t be hard. It was Skull who had to fabricate everything, unlike myself.

“Hmm, about that truth,” Lizard starts.

Mace throws a screwed-up piece of kitchen towel at him. “She’s not going to be telling them about the size of your dick.”

I fall for it. “I don’t know how big his dick is,” I say, primly.

“It’s…”

“She’s got to tell the truth, brother,” Mace reminds him. “Very small was what you were trying to say.”

“Whether it’s small, big or fuckin’ medium,” Pyro remarks, deceptively calmly, “my ol’ lady doesn’t fuckin’ want to know. And you, Mace, can take over for me while I’m gone. I’m going to Denver with Mel.”

“Got a particular job on?” asks Judge.

I tune out as they talk about an engine being rebuilt.

Mechanically I eat the food that Vi and Steph had cooked up, musing how a blind person has become so confident in a kitchen she’s had to learn. I’m constantly admiring the way she compensates for her loss of sight by using her other senses, which includes her sharp tongue when she finds someone’s put a tin back in the wrong place. They don’t tend to repeat their mistake, but I think that’s partly to do with Beef backing her up.

I shake my head, not fancying the tiramisu that took hours in the making, but once it’s plated up, enjoy seeing the expressions of delight as loaded forks enter other mouths instead.

All this I take in while my mind’s whirring.I’m being given a chance to tell my side of the story.

Pyro nudges me. “Ready to go home?”

“I’m already nervous,” I tell him, as we walk through my front door. We haven’t yet found a house we both like, but I find it hard to think about moving with everything else on my mind.

“Sure you are. That’s natural. But you’ve just got to tell them what went down. Facts will speak for themselves.”

“I wish you could be with me.”

“You’ll have your dad. And in this case, he’ll know what to say better than I would.”

“So, I just tell the truth, huh? About Liz’s dick?” I wink.

He launches himself forward, tilting my chin until I’m forced to look into his eyes. “That’s the last time that word linked to the name of one of my brothers comes out of your mouth, Mel.”

“Or what?” I taunt him.

“Or I find ways of punishing you.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. On your knees, doll.”

Now his hands are on my shoulders pushing me downward. If this is his version of a penalty, I may have to think up some other names to use.

“Hmm,” I say as I start unbuckling his belt. “Do you think Beef’s dick is as big as everything else about him?”

“I’ll give you a big dick, woman,” he growls. “Now get it in your mouth and stop talking.”

But I can hear the amusement in his tone.

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