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25
Pen
For the next week and a half we exist in a state of blissful happiness. It might be a fragile kind of happiness, a happiness that can be ripped away from us at any given moment, but we grasp hold of it with both hands. I make sure to spend time with each of the guys in and out of the dance studio, cementing our bond with every passing day. We’ve slowly got back to the comfortable way we were with each other when we were kids. The ease of being in each other’s company has returned, and our relationship has strengthened.
I love my Breakers, completely and wholly.
It isn’t just my love life that’s been going well either. My performance at Tales over the weekend was well received. Despite how I came to get the job, the fact that I’m earning a decent living dancing makes me insanely happy. Grim and I are becoming good friends and no one’s more surprised by that fact than I am. I’ve even been home twice in the last week to visit Lena and even though I’ll never feel comfortable around my mum, or even find it in my heart to forgive her for how she’s treated me over the years, I can see the difference in her already, and I can also see how happy that makes Lena. I guess that’s all that matters, when all is said and done. I don’t need a relationship with my mum, but I’m glad Lena has one.
As I dance in the studio with Dax, it’s easy to convince myself that things will be okay, that the plan will work and someday soon the Breakers will be free from the Skins, and I’ll be free from my brother. It’s easy to convince myself we’ll have the life we’ve always wanted, easy until my phone rings and a familiar name appears across the screen.
David.
“Fuck!”
“What’s up?” Dax asks me, picking up his towel and wiping the sweat off his face. We’ve been working on our duet for the last couple hours and we’re just packing up.
“It’s David,” I say, my hands trembling as I look up from the screen.
Dax strides over to me and takes my free hand in his. “We knew this day would come. You got this, Kid. I’m here. We’re here. Lena’s safe. You’re safe.”
I nod, answering the call.
“Fuckingfinally, what were you doing, Penelope? Did you have your mouth filled with cock, you dirty little whore.”
“What is it, David?”
“Don’t take that tone of voice with me, bitch! You know full well why I’m ringing.”
“You’re right, I do.”
“And?” he snaps, reacting with even more anger to my cool, steady voice. I look up at Dax who gives me a nod and squeezes my hand.
“And nothing, David. I have no information for you.”
“YOU FUCKING WHAT!” he roars, loud enough for me to pull the phone away from my ear. Dax’s nostrils flare, his eyes gleaming with rage. I lower the phone back to my ear and wait for him to finish his tirade.
“I don’t have the information you want, but what I do have aremyBreakers and I’ve got you to thank for that.”
“You stupid bitch. Do you really think that because you’ve opened your legs to those pricks that you’re safe? Neither you nor Lena, or those cunts are safe. Mark my words, Penelope, you’re going to regret ever fucking me over!” he sneers.
I can’t help myself; I laugh. I laugh so hard that tears stream down my face. Dax looks at me with concern, but I wave it away. Maybe Iama little hysterical, maybe thisisyears of pent-up emotion finally tumbling out of me. Either way, it feels good to laugh in the face of my biggest tormentor.
“Just get it all out, David,” I say as patronisingly as possible. A deathly silence fills the line and I grit my teeth.
“Tell your Breakers and that cunt Jeb that I know all about what they’re doing. Going behind my fucking back. Thinking I wouldn’t find out. I’m a part of the Skins! Fuck,I’mthe fucking brains behind the goddamn outfit and Jeb has the fucking gall to leavemeout of the loop!”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
David laughs. He knows as well as I do that I’m lying. “Just know this, Penelope. I’m gonna kill your precious Breakers, then I’m going to kill Lena andthenwhen you’ve lost everyone you love, I’m coming for you. When that day comes, there will be no one left to protect you.”
“That’s a threat I’ve heard a million times before, David. I’m not scared of you anymore. You don’t have the power to hurt me. Do you hear me? I. Am. Done.”
On the other end of the line David starts shouting incoherently at me, but I block out the steady stream of abuse, concentrating instead on Dax who gives me a look so filled with love that I find the strength to say what I’ve always wanted to say to my brother, but had never been brave enough to.
“Do you know what David—”
“What,Penelope?” he sneers.
