‘How do you know?’ she said, cheeks burning red.
‘I still know you,’ Conor said. ‘We both do.’
Even though the situation that was unfolding between them felt so new, so unexpected, it was strange just how right all this felt. Looking after Tammy felt so natural.
Tammy let out a long, unhappy sigh. ‘I lied.’
Conor felt a pang of pain. He couldn’t believe that Tammy had lied to him. Then, he felt stupid for his pain. What right did he have to her honesty?
‘What do you mean?’ Finn asked, confused.
‘When I said about the bug in my toilet. There wasn’t a bug. The toilet was fine. Normal.’
Conor frowned. ‘Why did you lie, Tammy?’
He couldn’t remember the last time he’d called her that. He only ever used that name when he was being super-serious.
‘Because I’m stupid,’ she said, eyes down.
‘Don’t you dare say that, young lady,’ Conor said. ‘Don’t even think about putting yourself down. I know we haven’t been through the rules yet — but I want you to be sure that that’ll be one of them.’
She nodded, clearly responding to his stern tone. That’s when he decided to try something. He could feel the closeness between them like a rope, tightening. The whole day — visiting the den in the bushes, having a drink together, having Tammy open up to them — had been kind of magical. The three of them had been rediscovering their dynamic. It had been there from the start, but they were really finding their groove now.
Tammy: the shy but slightly naughty Little.
Finn: the sensitive but firm protector.
Conor: the playful guardian with a disciplinary streak.
It was time for Conor to exercise that streak. They hadn’t signed anything, but he felt that if this relationship was to go the distance, it was time to move things along.
Really, he should speak to Finn about what he was about to do first — but it felt so much like the right thing to do, that he made up his mind to take his chance. Besides, he felt certain that Finn would agree with this.
‘In a moment,’ said Conor, casting his brother a glance, ‘Finn and I are going to talk about your punishment.’
Finn looked thoughtful for a moment, and then nodded.
Tammy gulped. But she didn’t say no.
Conor did well to keep a straight face. Inside, his stomach was in knots. And he could tell that his brother felt much the same.
*
It didn’t take long for Tammy to explain why she lied to the brothers.
In fact, the truth practically tumbled out of her. It was such a strange relief to admit to the twins, who she still had strong feelings for, that she sometimes had trouble going to the bathroom. It helped that the pub was now empty.
What she didn’t tell them was that the toilet trouble had started after they left. She didn’t want to give them the satisfaction of knowing just how much of a lasting effect them leaving had had on her life.
‘Thanks for telling us the truth,’ Finn said. He was sitting across the table from her, fingers laced together as he leaned forward.
‘We appreciate it,’ Conor added. ‘We’ll bear it in mind as we decide on an appropriate punishment.’ He paused for a second. ‘That is, presuming that you’re OK with the idea?’
A thousand ideas flashed through Tammy’s mind — images of being tied up and gagged somewhere in Liberty. Was she really going to let the Healy brothers discipline her? The more she thought about it, and the more she imagined all of the delicious things they might do to her — things she’d been secretly craving for over decade — the more it felt like she didn’t even have a choice.
She was desperate for them, no matter what her rational brain was trying to tell her. She wanted to give in to the tug between her legs. The tug at her heart.
‘I’m OK with the idea,’ she said quietly.