It’s been three and a half weeks since Easton and I started sleeping together. Of course we keep it a secret. The last thing we need is for him to go to prison for sleeping with me when my birthday is just a month away. It doesn’t stop him though from feeling me up in his office and claiming me on his desk every Saturday with Lucinda on the other side of the door. He did, however, hang a curtain in his office so that Bobby wouldn’t get any more free shows.
I shudder at the thought of Bobby watching us.
“Are you cold, sweetheart?” Mom asks.
She’s all smiles and relaxed now that Aunt Kimmie is back on her feet and on her own. It’s just us having girl time once again. We’re at a nail salon with our feet soaking before we get pedicures.
“I’m fine. Where are we going to eat after this?”
“Moon Wok is around the corner. Want Chinese?” she asks.
I give her a smile and nod.
“Did you send off any of those college applications?” she asks absently as she digs in her purse.
“Mmmhmmm,” I lie and thankfully she’s too distracted to notice. I graduated from high school last weekend and she’s been more adamant about my getting a business degree like her. I’ve been told a million times that I’ll have an internship position there while I go to school. Problem is, I’m not sure if that’s what I want to do. I’ve never been a numbers person like my friend Ava Prince. I’m more of a creative type. But, according to Mom and the world, you can’t pay the bills with creativity.
My phone buzzes in my pocket and I quickly retrieve it.
Preach: I miss you, vixen.
My smile widens. Now that school has officially ended, we’re hoping to see more of each other than just Saturdays which was our only real day to be together. Mom would drop me off in the morning and he didn’t take me back home until much later that evening. We’d spend the entire day together. The Walking Dead. Pizza. And as much sex as we could squeeze in until I’d have to cry uncle when my vagina was wore out and gave in to heavy petting instead. His cock is brutal. A weapon. Sometimes, I can only handle so much before I’m walking bowlegged and sore for days.
Me: I miss you too.
Preach: When can I see you again?
Me: Soon. Now that summer is officially here, I can come hang out with you at the church. Maybe help you work.
Preach: If you come to the church, I can assure you, I won’t get any work done. But I do love the idea of seeing you every day.
Me: You make me happy.
I let out a sigh and Mom laughs beside me.
“Okay, Lacy Lou. You’re going to have to spill,” she says in amusement. “You’ve practically got hearts in your eyes.”
I freeze and tuck my phone away in my purse. “It’s nothing.”
“Bryce? The boy from church?”
I cringe because I don’t want to lie to her. She’s been coming every Sunday with me so surely she’s noticed that I don’t talk to Bryce much. Only in passing. Besides, anytime Bryce comes at me, Lydia plays interference. I’m not as intimidated by her now and it shocks me that she seems to want to protect me from Bryce, especially when it feels like his brother Bobby is the bigger threat.
“Uh, not exactly.”
Her blue eyes twinkle in anticipation. We’ve always been close and I’m not one to withhold information from her. Guilt gnaws at me. I want to tell her but then I worry about how that could affect Easton if she reacts badly.
“Baby,” she coos. “You went from elated to positively frightened. Whatever it is, you can tell me. I’m not going to be upset. We’ve been through a lot together. I think we can handle whatever it is.”
I swallow down my emotion. I’m afraid she won’t understand our relationship. Telling her in the middle of the salon seems like a terrible idea.
“Can I tell you over dinner?
Her brows furrow in concern. “Sweetheart, you’re scaring me.”
My tears spill over and I wring my hands together. She reaches over and tugs my hand into hers. When I glance at her, she’s crying too. The women who are working on our feet chatter on in a language I don’t understand but don’t ask what’s wrong.
“Mom, I’m in love,” I choke out. “Not infatuation like before. Real love. The kind of love that is so deep it hurts. He’s good to me. Sweet and giving. Listens to me when I’m upset. I’ve told him everything about me and he still sticks around.”
A flash of anger glimmers in her blue eyes. She knows. How could she not? I stare at him every Sunday as he preaches the gospel. With hearts in my eyes as she says.
“I know you’re angry and I’m so sorry. I wasn’t seeking it out. I’m not some magnet for older men. He isn’t a pervert. We’re good together.” An ugly sob rips from me and she squeezes my hand. “Mom, please don’t be upset with me. Please.”
A worker rushes over to us and offers a box of tissues. I hold it out to my mother so she can take some and then I set the box in my lap. Both of us dab at our tears.
“I learned a lot after Sean. I’d learned what it felt like to be used. To be someone’s plaything. The consequences gave me Mikey. And then Mikey died. I was so devastated. It forced me to grow up. I watch the girls at school every day and I’m not like them. I feel like I aged ten years after the Sean fiasco…”
“You named the baby?”
Hot tears roll down my cheeks and I nod. I realize I kept this, along with many other sad parts of me locked tight inside me. Easton is the only one who knows everything.
“Oh, baby,” she cries out as she kisses my hand. “I’m so sorry. I knew you were upset but I had no idea you named him. That you still carried all that grief. I thought you were still hung up on Sean.”
“Sean was a jerk,” I say, shaking my head. “It’s Mikey who breaks my heart every day. And then…”
“Easton,” we both say in unison.
“Please don’t be mad,” I beg.
Her frown mars her pretty face. “He should know better.”
“I’m not an itch to be scratched or some mid-life crisis, Mom. We have a connection. From the very get-go. He peels apart my layers and finds the real me.” I sniffle and blow my nose. “I’m happy. He helped me find my happiness.”
My mother smiles, the stormy expression still swirling in her blue eyes. “I know. I knew something had brought my little girl back to me. I thought it was the church. I didn’t realize it was the preacher. The signs were there…” she trails off. “I don’t know what to do. You’re only seventeen. He’s…He’s…”
“Almost forty. I know. I’ll be eighteen soon though. And, Mom, you don’t have to do anything. When we’re together, age isn’t even an issue. We’re happy.” I plead with my eyes. “I’ve made some pretty bad judgment calls this past year but you have to trust me. Easton is the real deal.”
Her lips purse together. “Invite him to dinner.”
I gape at her. “W-What? Why?”
“If he’s special to you and you love him, I deserve to ask him some questions about his intentions. It’s the only way I can accept this. I need to see for myself,” she says, her tone serious.
“Okay…” I pull out my phone and smile at the last text he left me while I was talking to Mom.
Preach: You make me happier.
Me: Can you meet me at Moon Wok for dinner?
Preach: I’d love to. Might have to figure out a way to ditch my friend though.
Me: Bring your friend…Mom knows.
The three dots move and then stop. Then move again.
Preach: Everything’s going to be okay, Lace. I promise.
Tears well in my eyes.
Me: I think it will be.
Mom is quiet for the rest of the pedicure. I can tell she’s deep in thought which scares me a little. But she’s not yelling which is a plus. We arrive at Moon Wok and she starts inside. Someone grabs my elbow and drags me away from the door. I spin around in shock.
“I thought that was you.”
I freeze in horror. How did he get out of prison? My knees buckle and Sean Polk catches me before I hit the pavement. He looks the same. Styled blonde hair. Crisp polo shirt and khakis. Fancy and smug.
I’m going to be sick.
“Lacy,” he murmurs, his voice like nails on a chalkboard. All it does is remind me of Mikey. My loss. I don’t miss Sean at all. He used me and I hate him.
“Let me go,” I choke out.
His grip tightens.
“Lacy!” my mom cries out my name and then she’s rushing over to us. She shoves at him but his grip on my bicep is too tight for her to wrench us apart.
Heavy footsteps stomp up behind me and then a tattooed arm reaches past me to snag Sean by his throat. It shocks him enough that he lets me go. Easton continues storming away with Sean in his grip until he slams him up against the wall.
“You. Are. Not. Allowed. To. Touch. Her,” he seethes, his shoulders heaving with rage.
“Easton, man,” a familiar voice bellows. “Let him go. Now.”
Mom wraps me up in a hug and shoots daggers with her eyes at Sean. With a growl, Easton releases Sean and takes a step back.
“Leave,” he snarls. “Now.”
Sean steals one more glance at me before he storms off down the sidewalk away from us. As soon as he’s gone, Easton turns and all but plucks me from my mom’s arms.
“Are you okay? Did he hurt you?” His body ripples with fury.
“Why is he out of jail?” I cry out.
Mr. Alexander, our attorney—I still haven’t figured out why he’s here—grumbles. “I’m about to find out.” And then he’s on the phone stalking away.
Easton pulls away to search my face with concerned eyes. “I won’t let him touch you. You’re safe.” His mouth presses to mine and he kisses me possessively until my mom clears her throat.
We both tense.
In the heat of the moment, we sort of lost ourselves.
He jerks away and spears his fingers through his hair messing it up. Then he juts out his hand to shake Mom’s. She takes his hand but scowls.
“We should head inside,” she tells us both, her tone icy.
Easton shoots me an apologetic stare but I shake it off. He has nothing to be sorry about. Mom has made it this far without blowing a gasket, we’ll make it through to the end. Boldly, he takes my hand and squeezes it. It feels weird being open about our relationship in public but I love it. Mom doesn’t even argue when Easton slides into the booth beside me and wraps his strong arm around me. We’re quiet until our attorney shows up and plops down beside Mom.
“This is my buddy Dane,” Easton introduces. “Dane this is—”
“Stephanie and Lacy Greenwood. My clients. Yes, I know them,” Dane says in a dry tone.
Easton frowns and Mom shrugs.
“It’s a small town, that’s for sure,” she says with a sigh.
Dane’s gaze skims over the way Easton has a hold on me and his face falls. “No way, man. This girl you’ve been going on and on about is little Lacy Greenwood?” He scrubs his face and shakes his head. “Why?”
Easton growls. “Do you think I purposefully went and sought out something illegal that could not only get me fired but sent to prison again?”
Dane slaps the table. “Don’t say another word. Those words can be used against you,” he warns. “And, goddammit, I feel like there’s a huge conflict of interest for me now. I’m not sure I can be your attorney anymore.”
Mom laughs and it’s harsh. “Cut the crap, Dane. You’re talking out of your ass again.” Easton snorts when Dane appears to have his feelings hurt but then Mom shoots her glare at him. “Now my primary focus is not Pastor McAvoy’s future. My focus is on why the hell that bastard is out of prison and attacking my daughter!” Her eyes find mine and the love in her gaze warms my heart. Mom has always had my back one hundred percent.
Dane clears his throat. “Huge problem. Sean is out on a technicality. Since the Feds were brought on because of the severity of the case, our local PD wasn’t involved much. Turns out, the Fed leading the entire operation was just busted for involvement in a child pornography ring. Polk’s attorneys took that and ran with it. Made claims that testimonies were falsified and evidence was mishandled. Claimed that the entire case didn’t have a leg to stand on because the one handling it was guilty of a heinous crime that may have altered the way they dealt with the case. They appealed and fucking won. Those bastards moved quickly and quietly.” He scrubs at his jaw and frowns. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know he was out.”
Mom sighs. “It’s done. But I want to file a restraining order against him.”
“I’ll call Sheriff,” Easton says. He kisses my temple before sliding out of the booth and walking off.
Dane frowns at me. “I didn’t realize one of my best friends was dating my client. I’m sorry, ladies.”
“Dating. Is that what we’re calling it?” Mom asks, her blonde brow arched at me.
“Mom.” My cheeks blaze red when Easton returns to his seat.
“The sheriff will get on his ass,” Easton says, unknowingly changing the subject. “Polk won’t step within five hundred feet of Lacy.”
Mom stares at him with narrowed eyes before letting out a huff. “Okay, so now that Polk is out of the way, I want to know what your intentions are with my daughter. If this is some sort of fling that ends when you get bored—”
“I won’t get bored,” Easton bites out. “Stephanie, I love her.” My heart thuds in my chest. He turns and presses a kiss to my cheek. “Lacy, I love you.” His words to me are murmured just low enough for me to hear. His hand clasps mine and he squeezes.
Mom sighs. “So I guess this whole counseling thing was my fault? I’ve been dropping you off for months thinking you were actually getting help.”
I shake my head at her. “Mom, we do talk. He’s helped me a lot. I’m more at peace than I ever was.”
“Did she show you the book?” Easton asks Mom.
I shoot him an embarrassed look but his gaze is on my mother.
“What book?”
“Easton,” Dane warns.
Mom nudges him. “What book, Easton? Like a sex book?”
“Mom!” I screech.
A nervous looking employee approaches our table where we’re making a racket and points at the buffet. “Moon Wok is self-serve. Plates are there.”
We all chuckle and nod. Once the lady leaves, Easton turns his attention back to Mom. “The book about Mikey.”
Mom’s face crumples and she reaches across the table to hold my hand. “What book, sweetheart?”
I’m embarrassed but I shouldn’t be. I’m proud of what Mikey could have become. I’m not ashamed of him. “I’ve been writing a fictional story about Mikey grown into a rambunctious little boy and his mother who loves him with everything.”
Tears well in Mom’s eyes and she glances at Easton. “You’ve read it?”
“I have,” he confirms. “And it’s good. She’s got talent.”
I beam at him through my tears. “Thank you.”
“I also know that she doesn’t want to go to college for business. She wants to explore her writing.” He winks at me.
“You didn’t tell me this,” Mom murmurs, hurt lacing her tone. “I’ve been pressuring you about college and you never spoke up. Oh, Lacy.”
I give her a warm smile. “I was going to bring it up at the right time. You seemed so excited. I didn’t want to burst your bubble.”
Mom glances back and forth between Easton and I. “Sweetheart, we’ll talk more about your future later. I want you to talk to me always though. Even if you’re afraid of disappointing me.” She smiles and her eyes brighten. “You’ve always been my greatest achievement.”
Dane smirks and slaps the table. “Well, as fun and mushy as this was, I’m headed out. You ladies want to run this knucklehead home after you eat since he and I rode together?”
Mom gives Dane’s elbow a squeeze. “Of course. Keep me posted on the Polk situation.”
“Don’t forget to swing by the station later and file your report against Sean,” he instructs as he slides out of the booth. “I think everything will work out just how it’s supposed to.”
It’s been over a week since we ran into Sean and my relationship with Easton blew up with my mom. Thankfully, she didn’t freak out too much. Just lectured me about safe sex. I showed her my book I was writing about Mikey. This morning, before she dropped me off, she gave me a new laptop for my graduation gift so I can type my story out. We both cried ugly tears.
“Almost done?” Easton chirps from the doorway of his office. Lucinda and Bobby have long gone home for the day.
I stretch my arms above my head and bask in the way his gaze skims over my cleavage in my dress. “I’m done. I was just double checking the totals.”
He strides in looking good enough to eat this Saturday afternoon in a pair of dark jeans and fitted white T-shirt. Since he didn’t have anyone to see but me, he didn’t dress up. And that’s fine by me. I get to see more of his tattoos and all his sculpted glory.
I stand from the desk to meet his embrace. Even though Mom knows, we’ve still kept our relationship from others. I’m underage according to the law and he has an image to uphold here at the church. I’d asked him if Lucinda knows but he doesn’t think she does.
“Come on,” he tells me when he pulls away from our hug. His gaze is hot as he stares intently at me. “I want to do something in the sanctuary.”
He clasps my hand and leads me out of the office to the sanctuary. We walk down the aisle to the front where Mom and I always sit in the first pew.
“Sit.” He pats the top of the backside of the pew. “There.”
I lift a brow but obey. “What are we doing?”
His grin is wicked. “Each other.”
“Easton!”
He shrugs. “I turned off the security cameras. Just you and me.”
I point behind him to the crucifix on the wall. “And Jesus.”
With a smirk, he peels off his shirt and bares his colorful chest to me. “Jesus says to love one another.”
“Jesus didn’t mean literally love her body inside the church,” I counter with a laugh.
But then he’s on his knees on the pew seat and spreading my thighs apart. I yelp when he rips my panties rather than him pulling them down my thighs.
“I don’t like your panties,” he says with a grunt. Smug ass.
I’m miffed for all of three seconds because then he’s burying his nose against my clit as he spears my sex with his tongue. Dear God, he’s good with that part of his body. My eyes roll back as he devours me with the hunger of a hundred men. I’m gripping the back of the pew so hard I’m afraid if I relax just a fraction, I’ll fall backward with a crash. The intensity at which he eats me out has me losing my mind quickly. I come fast and hard, shrieking his name in pleasure.
“Dress. Off. Now.” His eyes have turned their darker shade of mostly blue—the way he gets when he’s hung up his preacher robe and turned into the demon dead set on ravishing my body.
I tug at the ties of my halter dress exposing my bare breasts to him. He slips a condom from his pocket and hands it to me to tear open before he quickly yanks his shirt off. Once his pants and boxers have been pushed down his thighs, I take his massive cock in my hands and roll the condom slowly onto his throbbing shaft. Blazing blue-green eyes watch my every movement. I take satisfaction in the way his breathing has become ragged and uneven. The moment the condom is fully on, he grips my hips as he guides himself into me.
“That’s it,” he coos, his cock pushing in at an agonizingly slow pace. “Take all of it, vixen. This is yours.”
I grab onto his shoulders and tilt my head back so that my hair hangs down my back. His fingers massage my clit that’s still slippery from his mouth as he starts thrusting brutally into me. I love when his eyes turn mostly blue and have a manic, uncontrolled quality in them. He forgets everything when around me. I’m his sole focus. And truth be told, he’s mine.
It feels dirty having sex on the pew I normally sit on each week beside my mom but I like it. Seeing Easton so out of control is enough to have me drawing closer to orgasm rather quickly.
“God, I love you, Lace,” he grunts, his movements becoming shaky. He grabs my hips and pulls me off the back of the pew so that he impales me with his cock. All I can do is hold on for the ride as he maneuvers my hips so that I’m fucking him. I cry out when my orgasm hits suddenly. My fingernails pierce his flesh as the trembling begins. He makes a feral hissing sound and then his cock is throbbing inside of me with his release. We’re still a tangled mess of sweaty limbs when we hear a voice.
“My Lashey!” Bobby shouts.
Easton’s eyes are wide with horror as he stares behind me. I crane my neck and my stomach bottoms out to see Bobby, his brother Bryce, and who I know are their parents.
“Pastor McAvoy,” the woman chokes out. “What on earth?”
“Meet me in my office,” Easton booms.
I cringe at his tone and glance back at him. His face is beet red. Shame glimmers in his eyes but what’s worse is the terror. The door creaks shut and he jerks out of me. Once he sets me down on the seat of the pew, he yanks off the condom and quickly ties it up. I’m still sitting there half-naked and in shock when his hard voice startles me.
“Please get dressed and call your mom to come get you. This may take a while,” he grits out, his palm scrubbing over his handsome face. The panic washing over his features jolts me into action. I quickly tie up the dress, snatch up my ruined panties and used condom, and scurry after him up the aisle.
He makes a beeline into his office and then comes back holding my purse. His brows are crushed together. I hate that he’s upset. I wish I knew what to do but something tells me being around him will be worse.
“I love you. Everything is going to be okay,” I assure him and press a chaste kiss to his mouth that still smells like me. I stuff my panties into my purse and toss the condom in the nearest trashcan. “Call me later.”
He stares at me for a beat longer and then nods before stalking into the office. The door closes behind him. With hot tears in my eyes, I quickly text my mom.
Me: OMG, Mom. Something bad has happened. Can you come get me from the church?
She responds immediately.
Mom: What’s wrong? Did he hurt you?
I swipe away my tears and text back.
Me: No. He’s good to me. We were caught being indecent by some people who go to church here.
Mom: Oh, Lacy.
Me: I don’t want him to go to prison!
Mom: I’m getting in the car now. I’ll be there within ten minutes. We’ll talk then. Love you, Lacy Lou.
Me: Love you too.
I hurry outside to wait for her. The Johnston’s SUV sits beside Easton’s motorcycle. I’m irrationally angry at them. Why did they even come here? If it weren’t for Bobby using his key to let them in, we’d never have been caught. It was supposed to be safe.
It makes me worry for Easton. I’m still not eighteen and if they take this to the police, I’m afraid of what they’ll do to him. He can’t go back to prison because of me. I won’t let that happen.
And to make matters worse…
How does this impact his job?
I’m crying hot tears when the door opens. Bobby and Bryce walk outside alone.
“They’re still talking. They wanted to talk to Pastor McAvoy alone,” Bryce tells me, his tone cold.
I keep my gaze on the concrete. “Okay.”
“My Lashey,” Bobby grumbles.
I shoot him a scathing glare. “I am not yours! Stop saying that!”
Bryce snaps at me. “Don’t talk to him that way!”
Jerking my gaze to his, I’m startled at his threatening stance. His hands are fisted and his nostrils are flaring with fury. Unease creeps up my spine.
“Just leave me alone,” I utter as I start walking along the side of the building to get away from them. I’m almost to the corner when I hear heavy footsteps running. I let out a squeak and manage to round the corner before someone is pressing their body against mine, pinning me to the brick wall. My purse hits the floor with a thud.
“Lashey, don’t wun,” Bobby says, his chest heaving with exertion. I can feel his erection pressed into my hip.
I let out a shriek and push at him but he goes nowhere. I manage to wiggle to the side but then Bryce is right in front of me. He snags my wrists and pins them roughly to the brick wall.
“Be nice to my brother,” he snarls, slamming my pinned arms against the wall. My knuckles burn from being scraped.
“Let go of me you freak,” I snap at Bryce before spitting at him.
He growls but doesn’t let go. His eyes flicker with meanness. “Better hurry and get a taste, Bobby, before it’s too late.”
I let out a blood-curdling scream when Bobby nears me. His grip is powerful as his fingers bite into my jaw. He forcefully turns my head to face his.
“Lashey pwetty,” he says, a bright smile on his face. And then he presses his mouth to mine.
I thrash and squirm but Bryce is stronger than me. At one point he pushes his knee painfully against my sex to keep me from moving. Tears roll out continuously as Bobby tries to stick his tongue inside my mouth. Bryce urges him on telling him he deserves me.
“She’s just a whore, like in The Bible. Whores belong to everyone,” Bryce tells Bobby.
“Whore. Lashey a whore,” Bobby says excitedly.
I sob and wish I was stronger. When Bobby roughly grips my breast through my dress, I choke out my tears. But when he slides his hand lower, I begin to check out mentally. Bryce’s heavy breathing and laughing is something that will haunt me for a long time. And Bobby’s fingers aren’t gentle as he finds my bare sex under my dress. He shoves a finger brutally inside of me causing me to wail. I begin to black out, my mind prepared to protect me from the abuse when I hear a wild screech.
Items clatter to the ground as someone hits Bryce with something. I’m dazed and confused about what’s happening. Bryce stumbles away from me and even Bobby lets go. Then the savior is at my side screaming at them as she sprays something out in front of her. The guys both start choking and yelling but she’s already dragging me around the building.
“My Lacy Lou,” Mom sobs as she drags me toward the car.
I’m shuddering and sobbing so hard it takes everything in her to keep me upright. She manages to get me inside the car and get the engine started.
“I-I lost everything in my purse when I hit that motherfucker with it. I d-don’t want to go back for it right now. I n-need to get you to the station,” she chatters through her tears as she tears out of the parking lot.
I don’t have my phone. She doesn’t have hers. We’re a mess. But my mom saved me. She rescued me.
When she reaches for my hand, I clutch it desperately. My voice is raw from screaming. “Mommy,” is all I can manage.