Tempered Steele by M.E. Logan

Author:M.E. Logan [Logan, M.E.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781594934230
Publisher: Bella Books
Published: 2015-03-02T07:00:00+00:00

* * *

The next morning, the interesting events started right away.

“Rise and shine,” Deborah called when she heard no indication Joanna was up. She normally didn’t go into Joanna’s sleeping area but there was still no sound by the time she had finished dressing. She stepped in to find Joanna curled up on her side, the covers almost over her head. “Come on, Joanna. Time to get up.”

Joanna shook her head. “I can’t. I can’t face them.” Her voice was muffled under the covers.

Mornings were never Deborah’s best time. She jerked the covers off Joanna. “Get up.” Joanna didn’t move. Deborah rolled her over on her back and took hold of Joanna’s T-shirt. She unceremoniously pulled her up first to a sitting position and then jerked her to her feet. “You get your sorry ass out of bed and get dressed. You are not hiding in here and I’m not turning my bedroom into a jail cell.”

Joanna half fell against Deborah. She turned her face away, her hands out to push away from Deborah. “I can’t.”

“Fuck that notion!” Deborah threw open Joanna’s trunk so violently the lid crashed against the wall. She pulled clothes out right and left, tossing pants, shirt and underwear on the bed. “Get dressed.” She turned on Joanna. “You’ve never been a coward before. I see no reason to start now.”

“They think I’m shirking!”

“And hiding in here is going to change their mind?”

She stood over Joanna as she dressed, almost pushed her out the door. A quick task of morning ablutions and they were ready to go downstairs. Deborah never let Joanna out of reach, giving her no chance to hide. They hit the bottom of the stairs and Joanna paused.

“Stand up straight,” Deborah hissed. “Hold your head up. Damn it, Joanna, where the hell’s your spine? Gentry raped you and you didn’t act this spineless!”

At that comparison, Joanna turned on her and Deborah glared. She was trembling with rage but standing straight as they walked into the dining room side by side.

“Good morning,” Deborah greeted mildly with some tight effort as Joanna took her seat. “Everyone have a good night?” She glanced around the table everyone watching. Sometimes, she thought, there is a pack mentality. I just didn’t expect to see it at my table.

No one was fooled by her calm tone. Joanna wouldn’t look at anyone, a mistake, Deborah thought. She had some idea who had instigated it all. Perhaps it had been necessary. It was the first thing they had done as an independent group. That said something, she supposed. Maybe Joanna was a catalyst.

Sara stepped in and said something to start morning conversation. Deborah watched Joanna keep her eyes on her plate. This was not a good start. If she was going to be a victim, she had made a very bad miscalculation. On the other hand, maybe she did think she was going to be at the bottom of the pecking order. Maybe she had been on the bottom too long.

The conversation resumed, although it was strained.

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