Lisa Ch. 08a: Evil

"You're damn right I hit him ... get away from him Leah, now!" Sean bellowed.

Jessica couldn't' believe her ears. Sean was actually going to rag Corey out for something that he himself was about to do with Corey's sister?

Jessica looked around. Her men had moved closer to Corey and Sean but were hanging back and Jessica got the distinct impression that they intended to stay out of it as they'd said they would.

Sara, Amanda and Justine were staring at Sean in obvious disbelief but they didn't look inclined to say anything.

"I said get away from him Leah. You and I will discuss this later and if you don't get the hell away from him now our discussion ain't going to be pretty!" Sean growled.

And that was the final straw for Jessica. She narrowed her eyes at Sean but bit her tongue. She didn't know these people. Not really. But she knew her men and she was already in trouble with them. It certainly wasn't worth getting more in trouble over this but she couldn't stand the injustice of what Sean was doing. She had to let her men know about Sean and Sara and let them decide what to do about it and there was only one way she could think of doing that in a timely way. She looked at her men again and they were fully focused on Sean and Corey. Perfect. Jessica quietly moved away and went back into the house. She took her cell phone, sat down on the sofa and opened a text to all her men. She typed, 'Sean has dinner date with Sara tonight' sent it and then realized that the men would want to know where she was. So she added 'I'm in the house on the sofa, staying out of this' and sent it. Seconds later she could hear five cell phones chiming outside. She heard someone say, "What the hell." And there were few minutes of silence that grated on Jessica's nerves so she picked up her rum and coke and took a gulp.

"What the fuck?" she heard Angus grunt.

The men looked at their phones, one another, and then the house.

Everyone was looking at them.

"Fuck it." Riley said when the other men looked at him for direction on what to do next. "Sean, is there a certain dinner date you have planned for tonight that you'd care to talk about?" Riley asked.

"You told them?" Sean demanded staring at Sara. Corey and Leah did a double take, looking between Sean and Sara.

"I ... I told Jessica ... I was excited." Sara and she looked like she was going to cry.

"You asked my sister out and you have the nerve to yell at me?" Corey demanded.

"I asked her out this morning and I was looking for you to talk to you about it. There was no sneaking around." Sean said and his voice was so full of fury that everyone took an involuntary step back. In the house, Jessica shrunk on the sofa.

"If you'd give me a minute to explain you'd know why we didn't tell you." Corey said in a hushed voice.

"I can hardly wait to hear this." Sean said, his voice hard and cold.

With the voices lowered Jessica couldn't make out spoken words anymore and she was glad. She was feeling out of sorts. She knew it was probably because of her period but she was really upset that she'd been stupid enough to keep the information about Chris calling everyone to herself. She should have told the men right away. Now they were going to be angry with her and they'd probably assume that she'd kept the date between Sean and Sara a secret too. She didn't want them to be angry with her, and she definitely didn't want them to think she was keeping secrets.

Minutes ticked by. Jessica had no idea what was happening, only the intermittent murmurs of voices outside giving Jessica any indication that people were still out there. And the more time that passed the more anxious Jessica became. She couldn't sit still any longer. Taking her drink with her she paced in front of the sofa. She felt a little knot in her stomach. Everything had started so well that morning ... how did things go from that to so much stress. Her men would be mad at her, Sean was mad at Corey, Leah and Sara, and who knew how Corey felt about Sean and Sara. But that was their problem, not hers. All she had to worry about was apologizing to her men. Apologizing, and never keeping anything from them again.

She had no idea how much time had passed but she had made it through three quarters of her drink and had her back to the door when it opened. Jessica spun around to find her men come in.

"Okay ..." Jessica said before Scott had time to close the door. They hadn't even moved into the living room when she put her glass down on the coffee table and met them by the gun rack, pacing in front of them and ringing her hands. "I should have told you about Chris calling Sean and the other guys the other night. They heard us ... be intimate." Jessica felt her face flame red again, "But I just found out when we were exercising, and I was so embarrassed. I don't know why ... I mean I wasn't embarrassed about everyone who was here knowing. But maybe it's because I knew they would likely hear us ... I don't know ..." she was talking a mile a minute and kept pacing back and forth, waving her hands around while she spoke, "and I was afraid you'd hurt Chris. I mean, not that I'd have minded giving him a knuckle sandwhich myself really ... ah, maybe that was the problem. I think I may have liked you punching him out." Jessica said to Angus ... "I don't know. And then I thought I was okay, not so embarrassed anymore and I'd just tell you later but when I came out here ... I was still embarrassed. So I'm really, really sorry that I didn't tell you right away. I should have. Please don't be mad. And about Sara and Sean, I didn't know until we were doing sit-ups. It was really none of my business and I wouldn't have said anything but it really burned me that Sean was so mad at Corey and Leah when he himself planned to date Corey's sister ... it was just so wrong ... God I hope it didn't make things worse!" Jessica said pausing long enough to stare at the door in horror.

"Jessica ..." Jim said when he finally saw a window of opportunity to get a word in edgewise.

"I know, I know ... keep out of their business but I just couldn't stay out of this ..."

"Jessica, stop." Josh said, grabbing her firmly by her arms as she went to wander by him.

"I'm sorry." She said looking at him for a second before looking at the other men, "Really I am."

"Jessica," Josh said, shocked by the crazed look in her eye. Taking her chin he brought her eyes back to his. He scanned her eyes and her face. "Are you feeling okay?" he asked putting the back of his hand against her forehead.

"Does she have a temperature?" Riley asked moving closer and feeling her cheek.

"Doesn't seem like it." Josh said. "Jess, what's wrong. You look kind of out of it."

Jessica looked around at the men and realized that they didn't look angry, just worried. She sighed. "I feel kind of out of it." She said, "It's probably just because of my period but I feel really, really, stressed."

"Maybe it's time for our friends to take their problems home." Riley said.

"Actually, I'm not stressed about them." Jessica said. "I'm more worried about doing something wrong with you guys. I mean, sometimes it's just a matter of timing. Sometimes I find something out that I can't tell you right away ... or, you know, sometimes there's some judgement required about when to tell you something. And I just feel like I'm going to anger or disappoint you and it won't be done intentionally. I really don't want you to be upset with me ... geez," Jessica paused, "can I have the rest of my drink?" Jessica said motioning toward the coffee table and the glass that she'd set on it.

"Come on." Josh said taking her hand and leading her to the sofa. He handed her the drink and then sank onto the sofa pulling her onto his lap. Riley and Jim sat on either side of them, Josh and Angus pulling up chairs.

"You know what." Angus said after Jessica had chugged the remainder of her drink. "I don't think our rules about secrets and honesty can apply to things outside our relationship."

"You don't?" they all said in unison. Angus glared at them for a moment and then laughed.

"In terms of timing and urgency. I honestly could care less what Corey and Sean do with Leah and Sara or anyone else ... except you." He said to Jessica. "What Chris did for example is unacceptable. And someone, possibly more tactful than I am, should talk to him about it. And we have to be more careful about what we do when others are around. It's just the way it is. And Jess, I have tell you that we knew that Sean and the others knew about our ... intimate night. It was obvious to us when they got here but we couldn't figure out how they knew and didn't have a chance to ask them. But we also didn't tell you and we should have. I guess we didn't want to embarrass you ... a judgement call, like you said. I'm sorry about that."

As he'd spoken Angus had leaned forward and placed his hand on Jessica's thigh which he squeezed now.

"And I don't think there's anything you could do that would anger or disappoint me Jess. You've proven time and again that everything you do you do because you love us and want to protect us. So don't get stressed out okay? Not because of us."

Silence hung in the air while Jessica and the other men gaped at Angus.

"Of course I can only really speak for myself." He added, "But those are my two cents. And," he added when they continued to gape, "I may not get angry or disappointed but if you all keep looking at me like I've grown two heads I am going to get my feelings hurt. I am capable of change. I thought I'd already proved that."

"You did, you did ..." Jessica said when Angus looked hurt. She scrambled off of Josh's lap and onto Angus', wrapping her arms around his torso and burying her head in his chest. "I feel better already. Thanks."

"I agree with everything Angus said." Riley said and the others agreed.

"We left them out there to work things out." Jim said looking at the door, "But it won't be long before they come in. Unless anyone else really wants to, I'll talk to Chris about what he did."

"Do you think they'll be okay?" Jessica asked.

"They promised they wouldn't kill one another." Scott said, "What they accomplish beyond that we'll have to wait and see."

"You okay now?" Josh asked.

"Much better. Thanks."

"I'm going to get started on dinner." Jim said, "I think you need some food in you."

"Can I help?" Jessica asked.

"Sure." Jim said.

For half an hour the men and Jessica had had a riot in the kitchen. Food fights and jokes about the fear the men had had about Jessica cooking their food had them all laughing so hard they barely heard the others come in.

One look at their faces though and Jessica and the men sobered up quickly. No one looked overly happy and after a moment Sean mumbled that he'd walk the parameter and left. Both Sara and Leah looked like they'd been crying. Corey glared at Sara and Sara, arms crossed in a clear sign of defiance, glared back.

"I think we girls will eat at the coffee table." Jessica murmured to the men.

"Do you still want to take these people with us?" Riley murmured back.

"I'm not sure." Jessica said.

Scott snorted and leaned closer to her, "You didn't think having girlfriends was going to be easy did you?"

"It seemed easier when I was younger." Jessica said.

"Welcome to our world." Angus said, "Understanding women has never been an easy thing."

"Hey!" Jessica said, "I'm easy to understand." Jessica added in an indignant tone.

"Oh yeah." Riley added with a chuckle, "You're easy to understand now. But trust me, getting here was not a cake walk."

"Hmph!" Jessica grumbled when Jim and Josh chuckled along with Scott, Riley and Angus. "I won't dignify that with a comment." She added but couldn't resist breaking into a smile when the men smiled at her with the goofiest grins she'd ever seen them muster. "You work on the men, I'll work on the women and maybe we can get them seeing eye to eye."

"Roger that." Jim said snapping to attention and saluting her, "Be careful in there."

Jessica shook her head as she headed to the sofa where the girls had seated themselves. Justine got up and switched to a chair so Jessica could sit between Leah and Sara.

"Everything okay?" Jessica asked.

"Not hardly." Sara said. "Corey and Sean are like a couple of immature little boys pissed off because someone is playing in their sandbox. It's stupid."

Leah snorted her agreement.

"So, um, things are better with you and Corey?" Jessica asked Leah. Leah flicked her eyes at Sara and shifted on the sofa.

"Yeah. They're better. But, ah, it's kind of awkward talking about it around Sara."

"What? Why?" Sara demanded.

"Corey's your brother ... I think there are some things you just don't want to know about your brother. And if you start dating Sean that's going to be even more awkward."

"Well that sucks." Sara stated crossing her arms and pouting her lips.

"Yeah. And Sean and Corey are going to have the same problem." Leah said.

"If they ever start talking to each other again." Sara added.

"Oh come on." Amanda said, "We're all grown-ups. Sean's my cousin and he's also a man. I really couldn't care less what you tell me about him Sara."

"Right." Justine said, "Me too."

"Look, if it makes that much of a difference to you I can leave." Sara said to Leah but the pronouncement of her pout made it clear that leaving was the last thing she wanted to do.

Leah sighed. "No don't go. Just remember that I warned you ... there may be parts of this conversation you just don't like."

Sara nodded vigorously.

"Okay. Well, things are better." Leah said. "Jessica, I heard that you were really embarrassed about that phone call Chris made the other night, but I have to tell you that it really inspired us, Corey and me. We've, um, explored sex quite a bit and you know, I'm enjoying it a lot more ..." Leah's voice trailed off.

"Ah, Leah ..." Jessica said.

"Yeah?"

"That's not exactly a ringing endorsement ..."

"What? No, no, really, it's good."

"But ..." Amanda prompted her.

"Well, it's just ... I mean Corey works really hard to ... you know, bring me pleasure." Leah said and her eyes flicked over to Sara while her face turned red.

"Pretend that I'm not his sister." Sara said, "Pretend I don't even know him. That's what I'm doing ... just go ahead."

"Well, he really wants me to scream, you know like you did ..." Leah said to Jessica, "but he's just a little too quick with his, ah, services, to make that happen. I think it frustrates him. And then he wants me to reciprocate. A lot. I'm just not quite as good at it. I still gag, and my wrists hurt ... it's kind of awkward."

"Oh, wow." Justine said.

"Seriously?" Sara asked, "Seriously? What if that's what they all want?" she added when everyone was looking at her . "What if they want the same thing that Jessica did that night?"

"It's not that big a deal." Amanda said.

"Yeah, right." Justine said.

"Well, that's just not realistic." Jessica said. "Not everyone screams. They can't expect you all to scream."

"No." Justine said, "But you weren't the only one that was really enjoying yourself."

"Oh my God." Sara said and looked at Jessica in horror, "How the hell are we supposed to measure up to you? There's absolutely nothing we can do to meet those expectations!"

"I'd thought the same thing." Leah said reaching out to grab Jessica's hand when she stared at Sara, her mouth hanging open in horror. "But you can learn ... a lot."

"You take care of five men. At the same time! There's no way we can be as good as you Jessica. Thanks a lot!" Justine said and stood up to leave.

"Sit down will you." Leah ordered, grabbing Justine's hand. "Sit down now. You're scared and saying things without thinking them through and you're hurting Jessica. Yes Jessica satisfies her husbands' incredibly well ... stupifyingly well ... but what you don't know and I found out from Corey is what she went through to get there." Leah looked at the men in the kitchen, leaned forward and lowered her voice, "They raped her. All of them. And then Scott taught her how to enjoy herself and please them. She's fantastic at what she does, and she gets some mind blowing orgasms but think about the price she had to pay to get that."

"Oh!" Sara said, holding her hand to her mouth. Justine and Amanda looked equally shocked and stared at Jessica in stunned silence.

"I'm so sorry Jessica." Justine said, "I had no idea ..."

"It's ... it's okay." Jessica said.

Silence fell between them. As minutes ticked by, Jessica desperately wanted to change the topic so they could stop looking at her with such pity. Unfortunately there didn't seem to be a suitable segue from the topic. The best she could think to do was change the focus to them.

"So, no dinner with Sean tonight?" she asked Sara. Sara blinked back tears and shook her head. "Or with Chris?" she asked Justine.

"Not tonight." Justine said. "Us girls have been ordered to go home after dinner. Talk about boring."

"Talk about infuriating." Leah said. "We're not freaking kids anymore but they treat us like we are. You've been bad, go to your room. It drives me crazy."

"I'm sorry I told my men about you and Sean." Jessica said to Sara.

"At least it's out there now. I was starting to think that Sean was just going to pretend he hadn't asked me." Sara said and sniffed.

"Just, in the future, if you don't want something getting back to Riley, Angus, Josh, Jim and Scott don't tell it to me. I have to tell them. I understand if you'd rather not hang out with me." Jessica said.

"Will they tell our men?" Leah asked.

"I don't think so. They don't like messing in other people's business. But I can't promise."

Amanda shrugged, "I kind of wish they would tell them. We've had more communication in the past few weeks that we've been here then I can ever remember. I don't care what gets back to them, personally."

"Rrrr, at the moment I'm not crazy about Sean hearing all the details of my sex life with Corey thank you very much." Leah said. "He went ballistic because we're dating, can you imagine what he 'd do if he knew ... everything?"

"The men know some of it." Jessica said, "And who knows what Corey and Scott discussed. But I really don't think they'd say anything to Sean about that. They've been really respectful of my privacy so I can't see them completely ignoring yours."

"Speaking of sex." Amanda said biting her lip while looking at Jessica in a way that made it apparent that she was debating whether to continue, "Actually it's about more than just sex ..."

"Are you going to pick Don or Stan?" Sara asked.

"Well, that's part of it. I've been kind of seeing a guy from another clan." Amanda said.

"What?" Justine demanded.

"Who?" Leah asked.

"Quinn."

"From Tristan's clan?" Leah demanded and when Amanda nodded Leah paused, "Really?"

"Yeah. And I really like him." Amanda said.

"But Manda ... if you marry him you'll have to go to his clan ..." Sara said and looked like she'd cry again.

"That's what I wanted to ask ..." Amanda said and paused. She looked at Sara, Justine and Leah and seemed unsure about continuing.

"Well?" Leah asked.

"Well ..." Amanda said, "I like Quinn, and I like Don, Stan and Caleb. So I was considering dating all of them."

"That's an awful idea!" Sara said.

"It is?" Amanda asked in obvious surprise.

"Duh, yeah." Sara said, "They'd be bound to find out eventually. You think Sean flipped about Corey and Leah, imagine what kind of reaction cheating would get."

"No, no, no ..." Amanda said with a laugh, "I didn't mean that I'd cheat. I meant a polygamous relationship. Like Jessica has."

"Really?" Leah.

Amanda nodded. "So Jessica, what do you think? Would you recommend it?"