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She heard the door open

"Who the hell are you?" Charles’s voice

Oh no Oh bad Frantically, she dropped her robe and yanked on jeans, a bra, and a T-shirt Please let Sam be dressed She hurried out

Sa room, both her children stared at him as if the man was the devil come to life

Busted Her lips quirked Moms weren’t supposed to have sex, obviously She’d always tried to be discreet the few tiht to her own life Her children were adults, after all--or so they kept infor here?

They turned to her Brenna’s face hite Flushed with anger, Charles glared at her "No, the question is ere you doing?" He slapped a newspaper down on the coffee table

She glanced at it In a huge font, the headline read: SEX SLAVE VISITED FETISH CLUB The letters started to dance up and down as a swarht her with a steely arirl Sit"

As he helped her into a chair, she wanted to cling--needed to Instead she put her hands in her lap The buzzing didn’t let up

"That said"--Charles pointed to the paper--"you-you went to a BDSM club Where they whip people Perverts chain up wo on yourself" She’d never seen hi at her

Perverts An invisible hand ringed Linda’s throat, squeezing her words back, keeping them inside "I’m not--"Not dirty, not filthy, not a pervert Aht, she’d let Sam hurt her Had liked it

Brenna had tears in her eyes "Everyone inabout…you They know you’re h all that because you went out trolling for sex? Everyone’s going to think I’m a slut"

"I didn’t--" How could she explain the difference?

"Your mother was the victim," Sam snapped "Don’t treat her like--"

"Who the fuck are you?" Charles’s color heightened as he looked at Salanced at Sam Dressed but unshaven And her cheeks and neck were undoubtedly reddened from the beard stubble Her lips swollen

"I saw pictures fro whipped" Brenna stared at Linda as if she’d turned into soo to a place like that?"

"Yeah, whipping For real" Charles’s jaw jutted out, and he took a step toward Sa bad sadist? Didn’t think we’d know those words, huh, Moreat?" He widened his stance as he glared at Sa Linda in

Sa a tantruured"

Daht as well have said yes

As her children stared at Sam, Linda lowered her head Her hands trembled Abrasions from the rope Sam had used on her wrists showed below the shirtsleeves She pulled in a breath and lost it again because her children were looking at her As if she were a freak

"I feel sick," Brenna said

"Yeah" Charles’s lips curled up "You’re just a--"

"Don’t finish that" Sarowl

Charles took a hasty step back

Her heart seemed to crack within her chest They don’t know--don’t understand At their age, a parent’s vulnerability would be treated with scorn She’d seen how cruel children could be

But not mine Not until now