Behind the Lens (Behind the Lives) (55 page)

“Why
not?”

“You’ve
got visitors.”

“It’s
just lying in bed, and I feel like shit, I wanna cuddle you.”

“Not
now, Sledge.”

Still
not liking that name, and preferring Tyson, he used his good arm to push up,
wanting to get out of bed, but he couldn’t move his right leg. “What the fuck?”
he said, looking down at it.

The
doctor stepped forward. “Like your memory, your motor-skills have been
affected. You will need physiotherapy to get them working again.”

“But
I can’t move my leg at all! My arm’s one thing, but it’s all the way down my
side.”

“Can
you feel your leg?”

“Yes,
it’s tingly.”

“That’s
you putting pressure on the nerves, you should rest it. It’s only been a week
since it was damaged, plus a physiotherapist will do appropriate exercises.”

He
looked back at Corey. “Both of us have got useless legs,” he said, just wanting
to go back to sleep.

“But
at least we’re alive,” Corey answered, giving him a hug.

He
squeezed him back with his good arm. “And together. I feel I’ve known you for
years, but only remember minutes.”

“We’ve
known each other since I wuz twelve, and have been best friends since I wuz
fifteen.”

“How
long have we been lovers?”

“A
couple of weeks now.”

He
pulled back. “But I think I loved you for longer than that.”

Corey’s
eyes lit up. “Really?”

He
nodded.

Corey
smiled, then looked around at everyone else. “Can we have time alone?”

“Sure,
Corey,” Ash said, patting Juliet’s shoulder...

Yeah,
that was the girl’s name. He just hoped he looked like Ash and not her.

Juliet
stood up and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. “I’m very happy you’re awake,
and I love you.” She smiled at him, making him feel a bit guilty for his
thoughts.

Ash
gave his leg a pat. “See you in a few, bro. I’ll call Dante to tell him you’re
awake.”

“Dante?”

“Our
brother. He looks like me, just not as pretty.” Ash grinned.

“He
said the same ’bout you.”

“Ha!”
Ash said. “You remember.”

“I
got the feeling he says it a lot.”

“Yeah,
he does. You remember anything else ’bout him?”

He
looked at Ash’s neck tattoo. “I think he has a tattoo round his eye and...” he
frowned, “...the same girlfriend as you.”

“No,
we don’t. I’m back with Tiana, and he has two girlfriends, Beth and Kara, and a
third one according to Jade, but I don’t think Dante agrees with him.” Ash’s
grin spread. “When you get better you’ll see what I mean; it’s fuckin’
hilarious being round that lot. They’re all fighting over Dante, and he’s
walking around, looking like he doesn’t know what’s up and what’s down. No
wonder he’s seeing a quack. Anyway, bro, I better leave cos your boy is giving
me the evils again.” He gave his leg another pat, then headed for the door with
Juliet. “C’mon, Hunter, let ’em be.”

He
frowned at the man called Hunter, still not remembering him, and also wondering
why Ash had called his supposed father by a name rather than a title. “Are you
really our father?” he asked.

“Yeah,
and I wanna prove it,” Hunter said. “But I’ll leave you in peace for the
moment. Take care, son,” he said, then followed the others, including the
doctor, out of the room.

He
looked back at Corey. “I don’t like him.”

“I
know, Sledge.”

“And
I don’t like that name either.”

“What?
Sledge?”

“Yeah,
it doesn’t sound like a name.”

“Well,
you used to like it, and it’ll feel weird calling you Tyson.”

“How
about Ty then? I think someone called me that.”

“I
can’t use that name, it reminds me of Tyler.” Corey’s face dropped. “Shit, I’m
sorry, I didn’t meana say his name.”

“Why?
Who’s Tyler?”

“Someone
you don’t like.”

“I
don’t remember him. So, no to using Ty?”

“Yeah.”

“S’pose
you can call me Sledge if you really want to then. Maybe it’ll feel right after
a while.”

Corey
hugged him. “Good, cos I want my Sledge.” He pulled back at bit. “You really
remember us fucking?”

“Yeah,
though it felt like more than fucking.”

Corey
blushed. “I can’t believe you told your family.”

“But
we’re a couple, aren’t we?”

“Yeah,
but it’s still embarrassing, plus you took me by surprise.”

“Are
you ashamed of me?”

“God,
no! Never, you’re incredible. It’s the other way round. You were embarrassed to
be with me.”

“Why?”

“Cos
you didn’t wanna be gay.”

“I
don’t remember. I’m sorry though. I shouldn’t be ashamed of a honey like you.”

Corey
grinned. “You think I’m a honey?”

“Yeah,
totally.”

Corey’s
grin spread to unnatural proportions. “You’re the best, and you don’t hafta say
sorry, considering how you saved my life.”

“I
did?”

“You
moved your body around to cover me when the gun fired.”

“Someone
tried to kill you?” he said, now worried. “Why?”

“I
don’t think Ant wanted me dead, I think he wuz firing at you, but you still
covered me.”

The
sound of a gun going off resurfaced, sending rage through Sledge’s body, the
name Ant returning. “I remember that fucker now.”

Corey
placed a hand on his cheek. “Don’t worry, you’re alive, that’s all that
matters.”

“No
it’s not. Where is he?”

“Home
detention. I wanted him in prison, but he has good lawyers, so until the trial
he’s there, then fingers crossed he’ll go to prison for trying to kill you and
not to mention what he did to me and Dante.”

“What
did he do?”

“Nuthin’
for you to worry ’bout.”

“It
doesn’t sound like it.”

“I’m
fine, you can see that.”

“Not
from where I’m lying. Did he hurt your legs?”

“Only
the ankle, and don’t worry, it’ll get better. Just let’s hope the arsehole gets
prison time. Saul thinks he might, but isn’t sure.”

“Who’s
Saul?”

“An
undercover cop who helped us.”

Sledge
nodded. “Just as long as that bug goes to jail.”

“I
agree.”

“Then
when I get better, I’ll get that prison guard job and make his life hell.”

“You
remember the prison job?”

“Yeah,
and I’m gonna kill that fucker.”

“One
step at a time, Sledge, just pray he doesn’t get the case thrown out.”

“It
doesn’t matter; he’s dead for what he did to us.”

“Sledge,
stoppit, just concentrate on gettin’ better.”

He
breathed out, forcibly pushing the memory of Ant down, because right now, all
that mattered was that he had Corey. “Lie next to me. I need you.”

Corey
crawled onto the bed, grunting to get his broken leg up. Once up, Corey
snuggled into his side, giving him a kiss. Sledge kissed him back, wanting to
keep Corey by his side always.

34

Dante

3 weeks later

Dante parked his car behind
Jade’s Ferrari and got out, relieved that this was the last load of his stuff
he had to move in. He went around to the back of the car, grabbing his
collection of CDs in one arm along with a bag of laundry he was going to make
Jade wash, clothes that he’d left to ferment for a while. With a grin, he
closed the boot, then headed for the front door of his mansion, well, where
he’d been living for the past week anyway. He jumped up the front steps to the
door and pressed the buzzer with a finger, not being arsed enough to get his
keys out of his pocket, plus his hands were full. When no one answered, he
pressed it again. Approaching footsteps finally answered, then the door pulled
open.

Dante
thrust out his dirty laundry. “A housewarming gift,” he said, then retracted
it, wondering what the hell Kara was doing answering the door. “You better not
have killed Jade,” he said. “You psycho bitch.”

Kara
grinned at him. “I love you too,
dragi
.”

He
pushed past her, calling out: “Li’l pimp, where are ya!”

A
door closed upstairs, then Jade appeared at the top of the staircase with a towel
wrapped around his waist, snapping, “I’m not your pimp!”

“Then,
laundry lady. Get down here; I got ya a housewarming gift.”

Jade
came down the stairs, his gaze moving to Kara. “What’s she doing here?”

Frowning,
Dante glanced back at Kara. “She answered the door.”

“How
did you get inside?” Jade asked, looking worried. “I locked the house before
gettin’ in the shower.”

Kara
pulled out a key from her little denim skirt. “Not my fault you were dumb
enough to leave a key under the pot plant. How stupid is that?”

“You
broke in?” Jade said, looking aghast.

“Not
technically, because I had a key, plus Dante lives here now, so I’m free to
come and go as I please.”

“No,
you’re not,” Dante said.

Kara
grinned at him. “
Da
, I am
, muž
.”

“I’m
not
your husband.”

She
wriggled her ring finger at him. “This little piggy says you are.”

He
wriggled
his
ring finger. “And this li’l piggy says I’m not.” He
extended his middle finger. “And this li’l piggy says fuck off.”

Kara
laughed. “You got me there, you rude man. How about
dečko
then?”

“I’m
not your boyfriend; we’re just seeing each other once in a while.”

“Which
means you are.”

“Then
I’m
his boyfriend,” Jade said, crossing his arms over his chest, “because I
see him more than you, so leave.”

Dante
thrust the laundry bag at Jade. “If you’re my boyfriend, wash my clothes and
I’ll give ya permission to sniff my gruds.”

Jade
pulled a face. “Don’t be repulsive.”

Dante
grinned. “Don’t lie; we all know you fantasise ’bout my secretions.”

Jade’s
eyes widened. “Who says that sort of thing?”

“Dirty
Dante,” he said, dropping the bag at Jade’s feet.

He
headed up the staircase to his bedroom and pushed open the door. The place
looked a mess, making him wonder whether he should tidy it up before Beth
arrived. Nah, he wasn’t planning on bringing her to his room, so he’d just
leave it, especially since he didn’t want to fuck her, or anyone, not after all
the shit that went down at the party. No, wrong, he did want to fuck her, but
wasn’t ready for it, plus if Kara found out about it she’d be on his dick in a
second, and he definitely wasn’t in the right headspace for Kara’s kind of
fucking, he needed years of therapy before going down that pussy trail again.

He
put his CDs on the floor next to the other boxes, which were lining the walls.
Kara walked past him and settled herself on his bed, making a show of opening
her legs. She lifted up her skirt, giving him a view of her pussy, which was
clean-shaven. Dante stared at it, already feeling himself hardening, his dick
now arguing with his brain, telling him to fuck his insecurities so he could
fuck the hell out of her.

“Come
here, baby.” She smiled. “I need you to fill a hole in my life.”

He
bolted from the room, knowing he couldn’t, even more so since he’d told both
women he wasn’t going to have sex until his head came right—although it was
killing him. He didn’t remember the last time he’d went without sex for so
long, and worse, it was almost impossible to keep his mind off it. It was
probably why he found it hard being around Kara, because all he could think
about with her was fucking, and not just any fucking, the sick type from the
party, which bombarded his thoughts, telling him he was perverted, whereas he
didn’t feel that way when he was with Beth, making it easier to be with her,
because she never pressured him. No, he was wrong, Beth did pressure him, but
in a totally different way. When he’d woken up in the hospital all he’d been
concerned about was seeing her, but now... shit, he’d forgotten how much she
drove him nuts with her psycho-babble bullshit. She was doing his head in,
while Kara was doing his body in. He loved them both, but wished they’d just
leave him alone to sort his shit out first so he could handle the neurotic
bitches better.

Kara
ran after him as he descended the staircase. At the bottom, Jade started
growling at him for not taking off his shoes. “I’ve got more stuff,” Dante
said. Pushing past Jade, he headed back out the front door and jogged to his
car to grab the grocery bags, the crisp air cooling him down a little. He
locked up, relieved that no one was ever going to take his Holden away from
him, Jade’s ten grand finally paying off the last instalment. He was also
relieved he still didn’t remember the night he’d earned the money.

“Are
you going on a date with Beth tonight?” Kara asked, taking one of the bags off
him as he walked through the front door. When he didn’t answer, she looked in
the bag. “How corny: strawberries and cream.”

“You
wouldn’t be saying that if I wuz eating them offa you.”
Shit, why did he say
that? Because now he was imagining it.

“You’re
not s’posed to be with her today, and you said you were abstaining from sex.”

“Says
the person who wuz flashing her pussy at me, asking me to fill her hole, and I
never actually said that I wuz gonna eat it off Beth.”

She
poked her tongue out at him, then headed for the kitchen, dumping the bag on
the bench by the sink as he followed her in. “So, when’s my turn?” she asked.

“For
what?”

“My
date.”

Dante
exhaled. “You already know it’s next week.”

“But
you’re seeing Beth more than me.”

“No
I’m not.”

“You
definitely are. And what’s with all this fancy food?”

“Beth
said she had sumpthin’ special to tell me, and for me to make a nice dinner in
celebration.”

“She’s
just saying that to get extra time with you.”

“Nah,
I think sumpthin’s definitely up, she wuz really excited.”

Kara
leaned her butt against the bench and crossed her arms over her chest. “Then I
have something
really
special to show you tomorrow night, so pick me up
at seven.”

“Bull,
you’re just tryna get one over Beth.”

She
grabbed her tank top and lifted it up, along with her bra. “See, I do have
something special to show you. Like my new nipple rings?”

He
waved a hand at her. “Jesus, put those away.”

“You
know you wanna suck them.”

He
turned away from her. “Fuckin’ give it a rest, Kara.”

“Not
until you make me come.” She wrapped her arms around him and pressed her tits
against his back, running a hand over his now fully hardened cock.

He
pushed her hand away. “I’m not in the mood.”

“Your
cock says you are.”

Pissed
off, he turned around, making her let go of him. “I’m more than a fuckin’ cock!
I’m sick of people thinking all I’m good for is sex.”

“I
don’t think that, it’s just one part of our relationship, because I want all of
you. It doesn’t matter whether we’re having sex or watching TV, or off boozing
up, I just want to be with you.”

“Then
be with me without trying to jump my bones all of the time. I need this break,
and if it wuzn’t for the music I wouldn’t even be here, I’d be up north with my
dida
.”

“Why
you being such a baby?”

“I’m
not being a baby! I wuz fuckin’ sexually assaulted. You may be able to blank it
out, but I can’t. Ant wuz repulsive. Shit! He had his hands all over me, and
his tongue down my throat, he even tried to make me suck him, and those people
touching me, that gay guy sticking his face in... Jesus! I just wanna forget
’bout anything to do with sex until I get my head straight. And if you truly
care ’bout me you’d back off!”

She
blinked, looking lost for words, probably because it was the first time he’d
yelled at her for coming onto him. But he was sick of bloody telling her and
being ignored, especially when he was so close to breaking down and letting her
do everything she wanted, something he couldn’t do without risking his
relationship with Beth, although he was starting to wonder whether Beth was
having second thoughts about being with him, because she’d gotten snappier,
losing her temper more. Maybe that was the news she wanted to tell him tonight:
that she was going to break up with him, having had enough of sharing him with
Kara. He couldn’t blame her, but she’d seemed happy over the phone and she did
call it a celebration, not things he would associate with a breakup.

He
turned back around and placed his hands on the bench, starting to feel bad for
blowing Kara up, especially since she’d been there for him after Sledge had
almost died, giving him more support than Beth had. But Beth had been sick, so
he couldn’t really criticise her.

He
sighed. “It’s not like I don’t think about fucking all the time,” he said to
Kara, “I do, but I just wish it didn’t come with the shit feelings that party
gave me.”

“I’m
sorry,
dragi
. I’m just scared if I don’t do something now you’ll choose
Beth over me.”

“It
might seem strange to you, but I don’t just love you for the sex. I love all of
you, even the psycho bitch side.” He smiled, trying to soften the tension.

She
smiled back, although hers looked sad. “It doesn’t feel that way sometimes,
especially with you still seeing Beth, and when you woke up in the hospital I
was there for you, but all you could think about was her.”

“I
wuz in a relationship with her, and you had only been back five minutes, plus,
as you said, you were right there. I saw you and didn’t worry, but I worried
’bout her cos she wuzn’t there.”

“But
you kissed her and said you loved
her.
Not me. Her.”

“Cos
I wuz relieved. I wuz shit scared she’d been shot, and if you had swapped
positions with her, I would’ve kissed the hell out of you and said I loved you
in the same way. I’m sorry what I did hurt you, but you gotta understand I
can’t just cut off my feelings for her cos you want me to. This whole loving
the two of you is doin’ my head in, I don’t know how to deal with it, and to be
honest, I’d rather be by myself than have to.”

“I’d
rather be with you.”

“Don’t
be like that, Kara.”

“I’m
not being like whatever you’re saying, I’m being me, I’m being real. And if you
don’t love me as much as I love you,
I’ll
deal with it, but it doesn’t
mean I’ll run because of it. I know we can get back what we had, just Beth is
distracting you.”

“She
said the same ’bout you.”

“Because
she can’t share.”

“You
can’t either, cos you’re trying to get rid of her.”

“I
can share, just not with her. If you wanted to fuck someone for a night, as
long as they don’t take you away from me, I’d let you, but she wouldn’t. Why
would you not choose me over her?”

“I
can be monogamous.”

Kara
snorted. “If you can be that then I can fuck Beth.”

Dante
smiled. “I’d watch.”

“Says
Mr. Abstinence. And I’d fuck her for you even though I hate her with a passion,
not to mention I don’t fancy females. But would she do it? No, because she
wouldn’t jump off a cliff for you, like I would. She’s a selfish person.”

“That’s
rich coming from you.”

“
Da,
I’m very selfish, but I’m also giving, whereas she’s not. She’s more
concerned with her own feelings, than yours. If you annoy her she’ll yell and
scream at you, then storm off until you grovel at her smelly feet, whereas I
wouldn’t do that. I might yell and hit you, but then a minute later I’d be
sucking you off as an apology, and that’s it, no holding grudges, no bringing
it up again, and no cross-examining your brain. And don’t tell me that she
doesn’t do that, because Jade told me all about it. He can’t stand her even
more than me, and that’s saying something, especially since he’d throw me under
a train if he could.”