Behind the Secrets (Behind the Lives #4) (25 page)

Unable to handle the situation, Corey
pushed up to leave. Sledge grabbed him, yanking him back down. Corey cried out
as his foot banged against the wall.

“Shit, you all right?” Sledge asked,
pulling him closer.

“Don’t be so rough, my foot’s still
sore, and lemme go.”

“No, you’re mad at me and I wanna know
why.”

“You’re different, that’s why. You’re
not the Sledge I fell in love with, you’re a totally different person.”

Sledge’s face dropped. “You don’t love
me anymore?”

“No, I didn’t mean that, I’ll always
love you, I just want the Sledge I know back. You’re confusing me, making me
question everything you say. You’re like a totally different person, just with
the old Sledge’s face and body.”

“I’m confusing
you
? You’re
confusing me!” Sledge let him go. “I agree to sumpthin’ you want and you
get
all pissy, like some oversensitive li’l girl.”

“I’m not a li’l girl!”

“Then don’t act like one. For fuck’s
sake, I almost died for you yet you can’t even gimme a break?” Sledge tapped
the bullet wound on the side of his head. “I’m only like this cos I tried to
keep you safe, and if you had been shot instead of me, changing like I have, I
wouldn’t be making you feel like shit. I don’t deserve derision; I deserve love
and understanding, like your mum said.”

Corey grimaced, knowing Sledge was
right. “It’s just—”

“No, Corey, you either want me or you
don’t. Don’t make me feel like shit cos I can’t think the same way as before.
I’m still me.” Sledge hit his chest. “I still hurt when you reject me.”

“I didn’t reject you.”

“You did by sayin’ I wuz a different
person. You made me feel like you don’t love me anymore, cos I’m a crippled
retard.”

“No you’re not, your left side will heal
fully.”

“I meant my brain; that will never get
better.”

“You don’t know that, plus you’re
remembering sumpthin’ new every day.”

“And there’ll also be a lot I won’t ever
remember.” He brushed the back of his hand against Corey’s cheek. “I don’t
remember meeting you, which I wanna remember more than anything. What were you
like when we met?”

“Fat.”

“You’re definitely not fat now.” He ran
his hand down Corey’s arm, sending a shiver up it. “You’re so fuckin’ hot now.”

Corey smiled.

“Yeah, that’s what I wanna see,” Sledge
said, running his thumb over Corey’s lip.

Corey sucked it in, then jerked back,
spitting and wiping his tongue. “What the hell, Sledge?! What wuz on your hand?
It tasted awful.”

Sledge barked out a laugh. “I did tell
ya your cum tasted real bad.”

Corey’s face dropped. “That wuz my cum?”

“Yeah.”

“Arsehole!” Corey pushed up.

Sledge yanked him back down.

Corey hit out at him. “Lemme go, you
arsehole.” He wiped at his tongue again, absolutely grossed out.

“Calm down, I didn’t do it on purpose.”

“I can’t believe I tasted my own cum!”
His face dropped further. “You had your fingers up my arse.”

“Chill, I didn’t put them in your mouth,
only my thumb.”

“You still put my cum in my mouth! Lemme
go; I wanna wash it out.”

“Cos it tastes awful or cos it wuz your
cum?”

“Both! Your cum doesn’t taste like that.
Oh God, I can’t believe I tasted my own cum.” Corey yanked free from Sledge’s
grip and leaned over, grabbing his sweatpants. He pulled them on, along with
his moon boot, then swiped up his crutches and pushed to his feet.

“Come back and get me after you gargle,”
Sledge said. “I want you to bath me.”

“Cos you’re a dirty bastard.” Corey
hobbled towards the door.

“I’m not the dirty one, you tasted your
own cum,” Sledge sniggered.

“Well, your cock wuz up my arse,” Corey
opened the door, “and without a condom.”

“You don’t eat enough to shit anything,
and you still tasted your own cum.”

“Next time you cum, I’m gonna shove it
in
your
mouth.”

“It can’t taste as bad as yours.”

“Argh! I wanna hit you.”

“I’m sure I won’t feel it, girly
puncher. Now, go wash out your cute li’l mouth, honey.”

“Honey?”

“Yeah, I said it to annoy you,
sweet-cheeks.”

Corey grabbed one of Beth’s soft toys off
the cabinet and threw it at Sledge. A second later it struck Corey that they’d
just fucked on his sister’s old bed. A grin spread across his face, perking him
up considerably.

“Why are you smiling?” Sledge asked,
catching the stuffed toy.

Corey’s grin widened. “Wipe the toy on
your dick, it’s Beth’s.”

Sledge wiped it over his dick.

Corey burst out laughing. “Classic!
Anyway, I’ll be right back after a quick wash.”

“Just clean your mouth, we can have a
proper wash together.”

“Not with my injured foot.”

Corey turned and headed out the door, closing
it behind him. Noise from the other end of the house made him stop in his
tracks. His eyes locked onto the doorway that led to the lounge, his heart now
hammering in his chest. Praying it wasn’t his father, he hobbled down the
passage and poked his head through the doorway. The lounge was empty, no one in
sight.

His eyes moved to the kitchen doorway. “Mum?”
he called out, hoping it was her.

The noise stopped.

Corey poked his head through the kitchen
doorway, freezing at the sight before him. Tama Harris was holding the fridge
door open, with a piece of ham hanging out of his mouth, his eyes on Corey. He
was dressed in dirty clothes, his shirt and jeans ripped, looking like he
hadn’t washed in ages, while his tattooed head was slick with sweat.

Terrified, Corey went to scream, but
Tama lunged at him, grabbing hold of his mouth. He slammed Corey against the
wall. Corey screamed into Tama’s hand and hit out, his crutches clattering to
the lino floor.

Tama grabbed Corey’s throat with his
other hand. “Stop fighting me or I’ll break your fuckin’ neck, you li’l faggot.”

Corey went still, although his heart
continued to hammer in his chest.

Tama looked down at Corey’s body. “Fuck,
you’re as skinny as a skanky bitch on meth, just without the tits.” He sniffed.
“Why do you stink? You smell like—” His eyes widened. He shot away from Corey
and ran for the sink, washing his hands under the tap. “You disgusting li’l
fag, you smell like cum.”

Corey turned and went for the passage
door, yelling out, “Sledge!” He went to yell again, but got yanked back, a wet
hand covering his mouth.

Sledge called out, “What?”

“Stop struggling, bitch,” Tama snapped.
“I’m not gonna hurt you, I just wanna talk ’bout Sledge.”

Sledge called out again. “What?!”

“Tell him
nuthin’
,” Tama said,
“unless you want me to break your scrawny neck. And don’t even think ’bout
tricking me, cos there’s no way Sledge can get ’ere fast enough to save your
chicken-shit arse.”

Tama lifted his hand off Corey’s mouth.

Corey cleared his throat, then called
out, “Nuthin’. Sorry.”

“No probs,” Sledge yelled back. “Just
get back ’ere, I wanna bath.”

“Tell him you’ll be a few minutes,” Tama
whispered.

“Just wait,” Corey called out. “I hafta
do sumpthin’ first.”

“Okay!” Sledge replied. “Not like I can
go anywhere.”

Tama slapped Corey’s cheek softly. “Good
bitch, looks like you’re not as stupid as I thought. Now, pick up your crutches
and get your puny arse into the sitting room.”

Corey leaned down, using the wall as
support. He grabbed his crutches and headed for the lounge, Tama following
close behind.

“You really do look like a bitch from
behind,” Tama said. “If we were in prison I’d sell your arse to the highest
bidder.”

Corey turned to face him. “That’ll make
you a hypocrite, since you hate gays.”

“No, it’ll make me rich,” Tama smiled, “and
you useful for sumpthin’. Personally, I think it’ll be vile to fuck you. No way
would I dirty my cock with you, fudge packer, and I still got sex in prison.
There wuz this real hot female prison guard who dropped her knickers for my big
cock.”

“You’re a fuckin’ liar. No chick would
want your herpes infested dick.”

Tama dug his hand into his ripped jeans
and pulled out a switchblade, flicking it open. “Now, say that again and see
how well you breathe with a knife in your chest.”

Corey shrank back. “Sledge will kill you
if you do anything to me.”

“Then shut your pie-hole, dipshit. I
just came to see how Sledge is doin’.”

“More like to steal my parents’ food.”

“No, I can steal food from anyone, I’m
’ere for Sledge,” he pointed his knife at Corey, “and you’re not gonna ruin it
this time.”

“I didn’t ruin it the last time, that
wuz all your doin’.”

“No, it wuz your doin’, you made Sledge
hate me.”

“He doesn’t hate you; he just knows
you’re a lying piece of shit who isn’t worth the time of day.”

Tama’s jaw clenched, his dark eyes
flashing hellfire. “You better watch what you say, cos I swear, if you piss me
off one more time, I will fuckin’ gut you.” He ran the tip of the blade down
Corey’s chest, stopping at his stomach.

Corey sealed his mouth shut.

“’Bout time you shut your trap, cocksucker.”

Corey glared at him.

Tama sniffed. “Quit givin’ me the evils,
cos you can’t do fierce. All you can do is Care Bears’ mad, you li’l girl.”

“I’m not a girl!”

“Then stop lookin’ like a pussy.”

“I don’t look—”

Tama waved the knife in front of Corey’s
face, cutting off his retort. “If I say you look like a pussy, you look like a
pussy, end of story, so shut the fuck up and listen for once, cos I need you to
do sumpthin’ for me.”

“I’m not doin’ anything for you.”

“You will or I’ll keep coming here and
harassing you.” Tama smiled. “By the way, how’s your hot sis doin’? Is she
still gettin’ stoomed by Dante or can I stoom her now? My cock could do with
some hot pussy.”

“You keep away from Beth!”

“Only if you do as you’re told.”

“Are you’re threatening me?”

“Man, you’re dumb as fuck, I thought
that wuz obvious. I’d also fuck your mum; she’s just as fuckable as your sis,
if not more, cos she’s got bigger tits.”

Corey lifted his crutch up. “I’d kill
you, you motherfucker!”

Tama grabbed the crutch and yanked it
out of Corey’s hand, almost making him fall over. He chucked the crutch aside
and waved the knife back and forth in front of Corey’s face again. “Don’t tempt
me, cos I
will
be a motherfucker if I fuck yo mama.” Tama laughed,
looking like he thought his comment was hilarious. “So, if you want Mama
Connor’s pussy Tama-free you better help me.”

“I hate you!”

“The feeling is mutual. So, are you
gonna help me?”

“To do what?” Corey spat.

“Tell Sledge that you’re fine with me
now and wanna be friends again.”

“He won’t wanna be your mate, you’re a
rapist.”

“I’m not a rapist, but I will be if you
don’t fuckin’ listen to me, shit for brains, cos right now I’m seriously
considering waiting round for yo mama.”

A door opened down the passageway,
making Tama spin around. He quickly flicked his knife shut, pocketing it a
second before Sledge appeared through the doorway in his wheelchair.

“Shit, are you all right, man?” Tama
said, rushing towards Sledge.

Sledge looked up at him, a frown appearing.
“Who are you?”

Tama stopped in his tracks. “What?”

“I said, who are you?”

“Look, don’t fuckin’ do this, mate. I
know you’re pissed at me, but you’ve gotta understand I wuz upset over seeing
you boning Corey. You honestly can’t blame me for my reaction. But I’ve calmed
down now and am dealing with it. Plus, we’re mates. You can’t let sumpthin’
like this ruin our friendship.”

“You’re my mate?”

“Of course I am; it’s why I forgive you
for hurting me. We’ve known each other forever. We can’t lose that cos you
wanna bone Corey. Yeah, it’s fuckin’ gross, but I’ve boned chicks hairier than
Corey—”

“I’m not a chick!” Corey yelled.

Tama glanced over his shoulder. “Then
lift some weights and take some testosterone pills, cos you look too much like
your sis. No wonder Sledge thinks you have a pussy.”

Sledge burst out laughing, making Tama
whip his head around.