Vicious Carousel (Suncoast Society #25)(21)

With Michelle and Tilly there, she might just end up back in the hospital with no say in the matter. Especially if Tilly the nurse thought she wasn’t doing well.

Then Betsy spotted the plastic shopping bags from the store on her bed. When she opened them, she stifled a sob.

Dammit, would she ever get control of her emotions again?

Yes, she remembered Kenny saying something about pajamas. And yes, they were in her sizes.

And they were adorable. One of them was covered with Hello Kitty, something she’d loved.

Jack never would have bought her anything he didn’t see a real use for. Why’d she need PJs when she should sleep naked for him, anyway?

She was lucky he’d had a vasectomy years ago, but then a nagging thought struck her.

Maybe I need to get myself tested.

She didn’t think he was cheating on her. He was usually far too strict about his time and hers to have any that wasn’t really accounted for.

Well, except for his afternoons and nights as a bouncer at the bar.

But, add to the fact that he’d had a difficult time getting it up a lot of the time. So…probably not.

Just in case…

She added a trip to the county health department to her list of things to do at some point. She’d need a full STD/HIV panel done. And then again in six months.

Dammit.

She pulled the tags off the Hello Kitty PJs and carefully undressed, then pulled the PJs on.

Yes, perfect fit. Loose enough to be comfy.

Wincing, she slowly got into bed and pulled the sheet over herself, leaving the bedside lamp on again. But the PJs…

It was like falling asleep cloaked in kindness.





Once Betsy’s bedroom door softly closed behind her, Kenny watched as his mom’s expression turned dark.

“I hope that guy gets serious jail time,” she said.

“I hope he ends up cellmates with a three-hundred-pound nymphomaniac bodybuilder hung like an elephant,” Tilly snarked.

“I used to have a friend, years ago,” Michelle started, “who once confided she liked it when her husband spanked her. I understand that, I guess. But how does someone go from harmless play to that?” She pointed down the hallway, where Betsy had gone.

“They usually don’t,” Landry assured her. “He is an exception, fortunately.”

“Well, like I told her, I can’t promise her a job. But she can apply.”

“I appreciate that, Mom.”

“I’m sure when you left my house yesterday morning, you were worried about something like that happening to me, hmm?”

“Honestly? Yeah. We were.”

She smiled. “Dennis might hold radically different political views than I do, but believe me, he would never lay a finger on me.” Her smile faded. “When we were dating, we were once talking and joking around somehow, and I smiled and told him if any man ever hit me, he’d better never go to sleep around me. Ever. Because he would regret it.”

Kenny sat up. He couldn’t believe his mom saying something like that. “What’d he say?”

“He laughed, then realized I wasn’t kidding.” She took a sip of iced tea. “I dated a few jerks when you were younger. None I brought home, fortunately. One of them was a man who tried to intimidate me with force. He didn’t actually hit me, but I’m sure had I not put a stop to things when I did that he probably would have.”

“What happened?”

“Oh, he got a little rough with me when he tried to get me to have sex with him. I got loud in return. Then he claimed he was just kidding around. So before I left, I went to use the bathroom. I’d swiped a bottle of Super Glue I spotted in his kitchen. I filled the bathroom door lock with it before going back into the living room, and left the bathroom door closed, and locked.”

Kenny’s eyes widened as Tilly cackled with glee and gave her a high-five.

“What the hell?” Kenny said. “You never told me that!”

“Of course not. You were nine or ten when it happened. Really young.”

“What happened later when he figured it out?” Tilly asked.

She shrugged. “I don’t know. But I’m sure when he left to go to work the next morning he probably wasn’t very happy, either.”

“Why?” Kenny asked.

She took another sip of her tea. “Because I also filled the locks on his car doors and trunk with glue when I left. I had a rule to always drive myself. I had you to think about, to make sure I came home safely. So I waited until I knew he wasn’t watching and did it.”

“Did he accuse you of it?”

“He never called me again. Which was fine by me.”

“I’ve gotta say,” Tilly told Kenny, “I am totally fangirling your mom right now. Can I be your adopted sister?”





Chapter Eight


After all the dishes were done and everyone had left for the evening, Kenny and Nolan headed to their bedroom. With the door securely closed behind them, Kenny pulled Nolan into his arms for a long, scorching kiss. Nolan was only two inches taller than his own six one, and their bodies seemed built to fit together perfectly.

“Can I redeem the rain check on the f*cking part of last night’s activities?” Kenny asked when he lifted his lips from Nolan’s.