“Never mind, always worth a shot, right? But if you get bored of chasing Bella, you know where to find me. I can totally give you the ride of your life.” She doesn’t let me answer and disconnects the call. I stare at the phone in complete disbelief. I mean, it isn’t like I’m not used to women throwing themselves at me, they only usually need to see my bike for that to happen, but damn, that woman comes across as desperate.
Belle is in a fit of giggles as I place my phone on the table.
“What the fuck was that?” I ask as she struggles to catch her breath.
“Oh my god.” She chuckles. “I completely forgot I handed her your number.” She throws her head back as the tears begin to stream down her face from laughing. “Fucking hell.” She snorts, which sets off another fit of giggles. “Oh, shitting hell, I’m so sorry.” She dabs at her eyes, wiping away the tears. “She’s harmless, I promise.”
“Well, apparently, she wants to give me the ride of my life. Damn, what did you tell her?”
“I gave her your number and told her to knock herself out.”
“Fucking hell, I think she might knock me out at this rate,” I laugh, enjoying the lightness of the situation.
“Fuck me,” she blurts, and my jaw drops at the outburst.
“Oh my god, I didn’t mean it like that!” she rushes to explain, cheeks flushing. “I just, I haven’t laughed like that in ages.” The sound makes my chest swell, and my mind wanders to other things that I’d like to witness.
“Well, I’m glad I could assist,” I say as I stand and hold out my hand. She grabs it, and I pull her to her feet. “Come on, let’s get outta here.”
My brother’s lifeless body lays on the table, cold to touch. I stroke his blood-stained hair out of his face. His eyes are sunken and his pupils fixed. His hair is sticky where the blood is mixed with sand. I lay my hand over his heart, almost expecting to feel it beating, that he’ll jump up any minute and shout ‘fooled you, you prick.’ But he won’t. He’s gone. I’d fucked up, and I’ll never be able to make up for that.
I clutch his dog tags, ripping them from his lifeless corpse and my lip wobbles as I try to compose myself. My dad’s words ring through my ears. “Boys don’t cry. Pull yourself together, kid.” With shaking hands, I pull the sheet up over his body. I commit this view to memory, knowing it should be me laying there, not him. I’d fucked up.
I lower my head and whisper, “Sorry, brother,” as I place my hand over the sheet. I stand to salute as my heart rate pulsates in my ears. Duff duff duff.
Sweat drips from my body, and my eyes shoot open. I stare aimlessly at the ceiling, trying to slow my racing heart. My breathing’s ragged as I come out of my slumber.
A quick glance at the clock shows it’s only three-thirty a.m., and yet again, my brother’s face haunts me.
I unwrap my body from the tangled sheets, throwing my feet off the side of the bed and running my hands over my exhausted face. “I hear you, brother,” I say out into the darkness. “I hear yah”.
Taking myself to the en-suite, I splash cold water over my face, knowing that sleep will no longer be an option.
I go back into the bedroom and perch on the edge of the bed, picking up my phone. There’s a message, and I smile when her name flashes up.
Beauty to my beast: Thanks for today. It was something I didn’t even realise I needed x
I smile wider, dropping back onto the bed and staring up at the ceiling again. “I think you’d approve, brother.”
Chapter Six
Bella
Jodie answers the phone on the first ring, and I laugh. “Oh my god, Jodie,” I cry, the hysterics taking over again.
“I heard you laughing,” she says dramatically. “I know that laugh anywhere. You were with him when I called!” She laughs too, “Bitch, tell me you at least got a taste.”
“Nope, but you should’ve seen his face when you rang him. I think he was genuinely scared you’d eat him alive.”
“I know what I’d like to eat.”
“Pure filth, Jodie,” I reply, amused. “I’m sorry. I should have told you I was meeting him for coffee.”
“Oh god, don’t be daft,” she answers. “I could see he had his sights set on you from the very first time he walked through the doors.”
“Nah, there’s nothing in it.”
“For fuck’s sake, Bella, at least find out how filthy he is in the sack.” I shake my head, even though she can’t see me. “I can hearyou shaking that judgmental head of yours at me,” she chuckles, and I can almost imagine her giving me daggers. I wish I was more carefree like her, but everyone in my life only wanted to control me.
