Page 3 of Small Town Beast 2: Saverin’s Duet (Sins of the South)

When the sun went down each day Lorrie would pack up her stall and put the empty candy box on her head, then walk the long mile back up the road.

The men stayed offering her a ride in their truck but she turned them all down.

If she got cussed out she cussed right back.

The girl had a tongue like a habanero pepper but they all called her Sweet Lorraine.

Absalom dug up any information on her that he could.

He learned she had no family except a sick mother in the Back Hills and an old aunt and uncle on the other side of town.

No man to protect her; no father, no brothers, not even a cousin. And then the mother died.

After that, any man that tried going after Lorrie met with Absalom’s fists and didn’t try again.

“Abi!”

“Shh…Just a minute, darlin’, one minute more.” He kissed a now-tight nipple; drew it between his teeth.

Once he had to whup a batch of Snatch Hills who tried dragging her off into the trees.

It nearly came to a war with everybody taking sides.

That was when Duke McCall himself summoned him to the big house.

It was actually the first time Absalom had ever had a private conversation with his biological father.

I won’t have that slut making problems for the men, was all Duke told Absalom.

Fuck her if you want, but get rid of her.

Lorrie never came back to the fields with her candy trays, but soon after she turned up at Absalom’s trailer with a whole jar of honeycomb to say thank you. She looked so pretty that day when she put the honeycomb on her fingers and– what did she just say?

He resurfaced to the present, not sure he had heard right. “What was that, darlin’?” he grunted, palming her breasts, rolling the nipples under his thumbs. Her face was bright red and her rosy lips turned down in a frown.

“Repeat it, Lorrie, I’m sorry,” he rasped.

“I want to move back to Florin, and I want you to find a place for me,” she said. “That’s what I wanted to ask you.”

Fuck.

“I don’t want to see you every other month. I don’t want to hide,” she went on, searching his eyes for understanding. “I love you. I’m sorry but I can’t hold it in any more. Will you think on it? Please?”

“No,” he said.

Her gaze dimmed.

He stroked her golden skin, knowing he’d been harsh, but what the hell could he do? Bringing her out publicly as his mistress would start a clan war. Literally. And it would make him a public hypocrite in more ways than one.

Yes, he loved Lorrie. More than words. It was Lorrie he thought of from sunrise to sunset, Lorrie he wished to lay next to in bed on these cold nights— on every night— Lorrie who made him laugh when no one else could, Lorrie he wanted to make love to every night for the rest of his life.

She was the one he wanted to marry and bear his children…

But he had pledged himself before God and the clans of Florin to another woman.

His wife.

“I knew you would say that,” Lorrie said. “I just knew it.”

Right on time, his cowardly justifications came to drown out the shame.

Why did she keep pressing it? Didn’t she have it good in Rowanville?

She worked at a hair salon. He gave her money, and saw her twice a month– mostly– and those times he showered her with attention.

They had agreed the current arrangement was for the best.

“My world can’t be your world. That’s why I told you not to come up here lookin’ for me, but you disobeyed,” he said, turning his own shame on her. “I thought we were good. What’s the problem?”

“But–”

“Enough. We’ve done talked it to death and I ain’t changing my mind.”

“Okay,” she said calmly. Too calmly. Lorrie pulled her top down over her titties. “Just don’t get upset, then.”

“Upset about what?” Absalom held her rigid in his lap.

“My neighbor,” she began.

“That old man?”

“No. His son. You know Mike? He plays for A&M. Texas A&M.”

“I know what ‘A&M’ means. Are you talking about that scrawny kid with the braces?”

“Mike is grown now. You wouldn’t even recognize him.”

“So?” Absalom charged.

“When Mike came back home this summer he was trying to talk to me.” Lorrie adjusted her crochet top. “Mike said he’s got a deal with the Cowboys next year but they haven’t announced it yet.”

“Sounds like you done plenty talking,” Absalom said coldly.

Lorrie’s eyes flashed. “He asked me out on a real date, believe it or not. And before you turn up on me, I said no .” She turned her gaze away from him. “But maybe I should have said yes .”

She was trying to make him jealous. It wouldn’t work. He was above those female manipulations…Nobody could touch her, nobody could ever touch her, he would shoot that son of a bitch.

“So that’s what you want,” Absalom said. “Some third-rate ball player who’s gonna warm the bench half the season, knock you up, then blow out his knee and file for bankruptcy.”

“Why would I want that, Absalom?” Lorrie snapped. “I want to be with you. But since you obviously don’t want the same, I’m just letting you know I have options.”

“You know how those ball players get down. He just sees you as an easy fuck. Just a hole to stick his cock.”

“Shut up!”

“You think he cares about you? Be serious, Lorrie. And he’s never going to no goddamed NFL. But if that’s what you want– get slutted out by Mike , after I loved you, treated you good–”

“His family are good folks, Christians. I’ve known ‘em for four years,” she threw in his face, her voice rising with every word. “Maybe I don’t have to be your side piece for the rest of my life!”

“Pick a better way to make me jealous,” Absalom said through gritted teeth, plucking at the hem of her shirt. “You know what I’m like, Lorrie, you know I can’t—”

For the first time ever Lorrie resisted him, crossing her breasts with an arm and shoving him back.

“Hold up. Why shouldn’t I date somebody else?” she demanded loudly. “It’s not like I can ever be your wife.”

“Don’t start on that! What I did with that woman was politics. It was strategy. Not love. Not even close.”

“You used to be real with me,” Lorrie said. “But somebody’s done pumped you full of hot air. Your world can’t be my world, remember? Those were your very words. And Mike’s going to the NFL—he can provide—”

“ Provide ?!” The word struck him like a bullwhip across the face.

She glared up at him, unafraid of his rage. “You heard me.”

“ Provide what? ”

“A real relationship, maybe!”

“What do you want, girl? Tell me what this is really about.”

“I already told you what I want!” Lorrie screamed. He’d never seen her in such a rage, and the dark side of himself wanted to respond with equal force, subdue her, but she was right and he was wrong and there was no way around that.

“I told you a thousand times, and I told you a minute ago. I want to be with you. But maybe it’s too late.

Living like this– I can’t do it any more.

I thought I would be happy with just a little piece of you, but I’m not.

This hurts, and I want more for myself,” Lorrie breathed.

She shook her head. “I’m sorry, Absalom.

It just isn’t working any more. That’s what I really came up here to tell you. ”

It was a struggle to speak. “Are you for real?”

She nodded. “Yes, I am.”

So this was how it ended.

Right here.

Right now.

“Lorrie,” he said, knowing a sudden terror, “Wait. Just hold on a minute.”

“It’s not complicated,” she said, sticking a finger in his face. “You married that woman because you couldn’t stand to be seen with me. Because of my race.”

“That’s a damned lie and you know it. Fuck, Lorrie, how could you say that? I don’t care about it none– I never have!”

“Really? For years I’ve been your secret. Your dirty, black little secret.”

“To protect you. From them . They’re my people and my family but they don’t think the way I do. I won’t have them treat you like dirt– it ain’t because I’m ashamed of you. It’s for your own good.”

“Then leave,” said Lorrie bluntly.

“I– I can’t.”

“Well, I don’t want to be nobody’s shameful little extra on the side. I want more for myself. I want to be loved the way I deserve. And you married somebody else. So why the hell am I still here wasting my time with a man who puts everybody else before me ?”

Absalom moved her finger out of his face.

Anger slurred his words. He wanted to break something.

“I starved myself so you could eat,” he growled.

“I built your house with my own two hands. I gave you all the fuckin’ money I had in the world for your car, your house— to keep your lights on— anything you ever asked me, I gave it to you without question. Say I’m lying!”

“That’s true, but–”

“You say I don’t fuckin’ love you, you know that’s a goddamned lie and I won’t stand for it, Lorraine.”

“You’ll do anything except marry me,” Lorrie slung.

“You strung me on for years, then turned around and wifed up some bitch that don’t even make you happy.

You won’t even make l-love to me. I’m still a virgin after all these years because you’re afraid to touch me.

At least Mike won’t be ashamed of me! I can belong in his world better than yours! ”

“Get this through your head, girl,” Absalom spat, grabbing her with more force than he intended. “You aren’t leaving me for Mike, for nobody. Not ever . Understand? And let me find out he’s been sticking you, I’ll kill him.”

Absalom couldn’t imagine a life without Lorrie any more than a life where she stood at his side as his wife and queen. But the former was worse. Infinitely worse. Life without Lorrie was worthless. She wasn’t going anywhere. Had she been screwing that bastard? Was that what this was all about?

“You don’t scare me,” Lorrie hissed. “I got money saved, Absalom. I have a job. I don’t need your handouts. So you can go to hell if you think I’m not good enough for your white trash ass!”

“Watch your mouth!” he roared.