Page 18 of Wicked Deceit
“Hmm. I’m so glad we can have this conversation. So—you are all with her?” This fork in front of me is pretty tempting. Do you think she'd be concerned if I gouged my eyeballs out right here and now? Maybe it’d stop the ridiculous questions falling from her lips.
“Yes, Mrs. Cole,” Zepp says, folding his hands on the table. Adjusting his posture, he leans in, ready for business. “It’s along the lines of a polyamorous relationship. We’re all in this together and exclusive to one another.” My mother nods, mulling his words over.
“Of course, there are many ways to explore a relationship besides traditional monogamy in this day and age. Men love men, women love women, and obviously, four men love one woman,” Mom says, taking a sip of her iced tea, soaking in the information they’re feeding her, even though we went over this in the car. And as much as I hate my mom asking these questions and embarrassing the ever-living shit out of me, I’m glad I have her in my corner. Most parents would run for the hills or disown their daughter, but my family is different.
“Exactly,” Seger pipes up. “We’ve always been a little untraditional.” He shrugs nonchalantly, sitting back in the booth, pride puffing out his chest.
“And you four?” My mom waggles her finger between the four of them.
“Fuck no,” Carter spits out and then sighs, swiping a hand down his face. “Respectfully speaking, I’m as straight as an arrow. I don’t get my jollies off from another man. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. To each their own.” He clears his throat, looking down at the table. “Just not for me,” he mumbles, drawing circles on the table.
“Pfft, speak for yourself.” Seger grins. Jesus. What a weird conversation to have with my mother. Are we traveling down this road? This whole, are you bi, road? I mean, I’m good with that, but with my mother present? She’s too nosy for her own good.
“Mom,” I hiss, thumping her leg under the table. But she brushes me off, listening to Seger as he speaks.
“I’m not saying I’m against it or anything. It’s just never happened. But if it does, I won’t stop it.” Seger shrugs, grinning over at me.
Images of him and Chase rolling around on the floor with Seger’s hand down his pants, making out with their tongues tangling together and their hands pulling at each other’s clothes and hair. Hands disappearing below the belt, stroking one another, and getting off together rapidly flash through my mind. Hmm. It is kind of hot—sort of. Well, wow… Okay, really hot imagining my boyfriend’s enjoying each other. My thighs clench together. It is hot. He gives me a knowing grin, winking. The bastard knew what he did there. I huff, taking a bite of my cheeseburger, hoping the sound of my loud chewing will drown out her questions.
“Very interesting. I hope I’m not making you boys uncomfortable. I’m simply asking to understand your relationship more for my daughter’s sake.” The boys shake their heads, giving my nosy mom more fuel to add to her fire.
“I’ve been in the book business a long time, editing manuscripts mostly. I’m the head of my publishing company now.” she muses, resting her hand under her chin. A sly grin takes over her lips when she tilts her head, undoubtedly reminiscing about a previous client’s work. “I’ve had book after book slide over my desk. Romances, contemporaries, even long-drawn-out fantasy novels, but my absolute favorites are reverse harems,” she says, tapping a manicured nail against her chin.
“Reverse harems?” Chase asks, dipping his brow.
“One girl, multiple men in a committed and loving relationship,” she says while taking another drink.
“So, like us? Oh my God, Sunshine, we are your harem.” Chase snorts with glee, fist bumping Seger.
Am I in a coma? And this is all some weird hallucination my mind has made up about my mom finding out about this and being okay with it? Or did I transport to some bizarre dimension?
“My absolute favorite book was—” A grin takes over her face as she thinks about it. “Oh goodness, those boys, phew. They made the books worth it.” She fans herself. “It was seven boys, each unique in their way, much like your relationship, and one girl. Those boys loved her dearly. Every single one of them. Even if they started as enemies, each boy had a different aspect they brought to the relationship, and I think that’s why it sucked me in. Some had tattoos. Some had piercings, and one even had a Jacob’s ladder…” she trails off, staring off with a whimsical grin.
I blink a few times as Carter, Seger, and Zeppelin stop what they’re doing entirely, looking at my mom with wide eyes. I furrow my brows in confusion as the word repeats in my mind. Jacob’s Ladder? Isn’t that a place? A biblical reference?
“But in the end, it all works out. They save her, and she saves them. They end up all falling in love. A beautiful story,” she whispers again, losing herself in the book she must have read many years before.
I’m so lost in my head when I look up at the boys. I raise a brow, baffled by their suddenly surprised expressions. With wide eyes, the boys each blink at my mom in surprise. A pink tint takes over Zepp’s cheeks, and Seger breaks into a tiny snigger, hiding behind his hand. Carter hasn’t moved for five minutes, staring at her with wide eyes. But Chase? Chase and I appear to be in the same confused boat.
“Oh, ah, excuse me a minute,” my mom says, staring down at her ringing and buzzing phone. Getting up from the booth of doom, she heads towards the bathroom in the back.
“What is it?” Chase says, looking toward the other guys for answers.
Carter gives a small huff, shaking his head. “No, no way, I’m not fucking telling you.” He says, biting into his burger again. He shakes his head, completely ignoring Chase’s pleas.
Chase whips his head toward the twins. Seger sniggers in response, hiding his lips behind his palm. “Oh man, no fucking way. I can’t believe your mom said that. At the fucking lunch table. Damn a Jacob’s ladder? Oh my God!” He snorts, shaking with laughter.
“Ugh! What the hell does it mean?” Chase asks a nasal whine slipping into his voice.
As they argue, I take my phone out again and bring up Google.
‘What is a Jacob’s Ladder?’
Oh.
My.
God.
