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Gracie had fought against me, had resisted, but I knew her better than she knew herself, and Iknewshe loved me.

I could not resist a smile at her cleverness, the methods she had used to keep me away.

Adorable, all of them. But totally ineffective.

“My meatloaf?” she asked neutrally.

“Yes,” Pastor Mickelson said, sweating profusely. “It's very appreciated.”

“All right,” was all she replied, and then she bent her head to the spaghetti without another word.

The meal was quiet and I supposed for other people it might have been very awkward.

For me, I was humming with pleasure.

As we got up to leave, I noticed Gracie’s boots on the rack.

“How about you clean her shoes before we leave?” I said to my parents.

My father flushed angrily, looking around in embarrassment at the other Elders.

“I don't think that's necessary, son, that is only whatherduty is as a daughter.”

“I think you should clean her boots,” I repeated. “Turnabout is fair play, isn't it?”

And so they both dropped to their knees.

As I looked up at her to see what her expression would be, gorging myself on her beautiful face and plump lips, my father took her left boot, and her mother took her right boot.

They had sold Gracie, sold her without remorse to a hard, cruel man, and I did not forgive that.

Even though it was me.

I was anxious to see what her eyes would look like.

She didn't look at me at first, and I saw her chew her bottom lip a bit, but I could feel excitement rising inside me as they carefully buffed every bit of the mud and dirt away. Then she looked up and my wife met my eyes, and there was a distinct and unmissable challenge in them.

“There, you missed a bit,” Gracie said in her quiet, sweet voice. “On the side there. And don't forget the heel.”

There was silence for a moment, and I wondered if my father would refuse, but instead he bent lower and wiped the side of her black boots and then the heel, cleaning vigorously.

What was her next plan?

Surely, she had to admit it now. She had to admit what was inside her was wrong, depraved, and dirty. She was just like me, if she would only admit it.

But Gracie did not say that and I took her home buzzing with anticipation.

I could hardly wait to hear her submission.

Was she pregnant already?

I could feel her fertility ripening, even though she denied it.

CHAPTER 12

Gracie

Iwoke up to nausea rolling over my body.