I shook my head and then looked her up and down, letting her know that I fully approved of what she’d got on. She was as sexy as hell and I didn’t care where we were. I wanted to show her off.
“Are you really bothered about what other people think?”
“No, but I don’t want people looking at me.”
Usually, I loved that she was as shy and reserved as I was, but not in this case. I didn’t want her to ever doubt how gorgeous she was.
“Let them look.” I smirked, pulling her into my arms. “You’re beautiful. Own it.” She smiled back, and lucky for me, she didn’t argue.
We got into her car to drive the short distance to our local park. I wasn’t entirely sure how she was going to react to what I had to show her, but I didn’t want to keep it a secret anymore, and the butterflies I had thinking about it were a welcome distraction from the dread that kept trying to drag me down.
I hated how I had to second guess every damn thing. Would she think I was a creeper, or worse yet, some kind of psycho stalker? I tried not to send myself completely insane from overthinking it all. I had enough spiralling emotions and thoughts running through my brain as it was. This was supposed to be a distraction. Something to take my mind off what I was facing tonight and keep me focused on what mattered. Her.
We pulled into the car park and Effy shut off the engine.
“Please don’t freak out when I show you this,” I said, watching for her reaction, but she didn’t seem to be on edge or confused in any way. She looked calm, happy even.
“I won’t freak out. I promise.” She reached over and grabbed my hand, trying to put me at ease.
We got out of the car and I walked round to her, holding her hand and threading my fingers through hers as we picked our way over the stony path that led to the underpass.
“It’s just over here,” I told her as I led her down the small embankment towards my hidden masterpiece.
I half expected her to complain about the state of the place or question why I was bringing her here, but she didn’t. She just squeezed my hand in encouragement and said, “Is this another memory box moment?”
I really hoped it would be. I couldn’t second guess how this was going to go, but I hoped she took it for what it was. Me, showing her how much I had always loved her.
We both stumbled our way to the entrance of the underpass and I led us a few more steps forward until we were standing opposite my graffiti portrait of her face. In the orange glow of the sunset, her painting looked even more magical. The colours of her hair shone and her eyes sparkled back at us as we both stood there open-mouthed. We stayed like that for a few seconds, neither one of us speaking, but when I looked to the side to gauge her reaction, she was looking right at me with tears in her eyes.
“I love this, Finn. And I love that you’ve brought me here to see it.” She was breathless as she spoke, like the wind had truly been knocked out of her at seeing this. “But you know what … most of all… I love you.” A tear fell down her cheek and she sniffed as I reached up to wipe it away. “I feel so… honoured that you’d do this… even more so that you’re showing me.”
“I couldn’t keep it secret anymore. I wanted to show you. I did it months ago, back when stolen glances were all I had to live off. When I felt like life got too much, I used to come down here to be with you.”
Her breath hitched as I spoke.
“Could you be any more perfect?”
“I’m not perfect, Eff. Far from it. There’s a lot about me that you don’t know. Things that I worry will scare you away.”
And every day I live with the fear that you’ll find out and I’ll never see you again.
“Nothing could scare me away, and you are perfect. Perfect for me.”
She wrapped her arms around me and I held her close as we both looked at her picture. My wall for Effy.
“I don’t know how you’re gonna get this one in the memory box.” I laughed. She shook her head as if to say, ‘Watch me,’ and pulled out her mobile phone.
Using both hands to keep her phone steady, she held it up, ready to take a photo, but then she stopped, like she’d forgotten something.
“Wait, I want to do something,” she said, walking over to stand closer to the wall. Then she bent down and picked up a spray can that I must’ve left behind.
“Shit. I didn’t know that was there. I’m usually good at tidying up after myself.” I blushed, feeling embarrassed.
“Maybe it’s fate?” She smiled and shook the can to see if there was anything left inside. “Do you mind if I add my own touch?” She peered over her shoulder at me and I put my arms out to let her know she could have at it.
“Be my guest.”
She stepped back and looked at the portrait then moved to the side so she didn’t spoil it. When she started spraying, I couldn’t help but laugh at the way she scrunched her nose up and held the can like it was a loaded gun. I would’ve given her some pointers, maybe helped her, but I was too mesmerised, frozen in place, watching her spell out the words.
Effy loves Finn.
She drew a heart too before the can gave out, and when she dropped it back on the floor, I went to stand behind her and wrapped my arms around her, burying my head into the crook of her neck.
“Now it’s perfect,” she said, twisting in my grasp and kissing me. “Thank you.”
“Thank you for what?” I asked.
“Thank you for being you. Thank you for loving me.”
I leant down and rubbed my nose against hers, feeling like my heart was about to explode.
“Thank you for not giving up on me,” I replied.
“Like that was ever going to happen.”
We held each other’s stare, lost in the moment.
“I need to take a photo before the sun sets.” Effy sighed and then turned around. Taking a few steps back, she lifted her phone to get the shot she wanted.
“One day, you need to take your art from the streets to the galleries.” She turned and gave me a serious smile.
“The streets are my gallery. I make art for the people.” I didn’t want to sound like a pompous arse, so I added, “I like brightening things up. Some people live awful lives, stuck in the darkness. If my work can touch just one person and bring colour to their world, then that makes it all worthwhile to me.” I stared at the ground and shuffled my feet. Opening up like this was always tricky for me. Easier with her, but still tricky.
“And it does… bring colour, that is. Every time I see something you created, it… does something to me. I can’t even put it into words. You’re special, Finn.”
I shook my head, finding it difficult to take so many compliments on board.
“I know you find it hard to hear stuff like this, but just know that I am going to spend every day reminding you how fucking awesome you are. Okay?”
“Whatever.” I dipped my eyes, giving her a sexy stare from under my hair and she chuckled.
“Good. Now let’s go and get this party started.”
I decided I wanted to capture the moment too and pulled my phone out to take my own photograph, but when I tapped to unlock the screen, I saw a message waiting for me.
We’ll be seeing you tonight. You’re gonna kill it.
I went cold.
Was that some kind of hidden message? Did they expect me to kill someone in exchange for them taking Tony’s life? What the hell had my life turned into?
“Are you okay?” Effy came to stand next to me and put her hand on my arm to pull me out of my daze.
“Yeah. I’m fine.” My obligatory response for everything.
“I felt like I lost you for a minute there.”
I snapped a quick photo of the wall and pocketed my phone.
“You’ll never lose me,” I said, putting my arm around her and leading her out of the underpass. “Let’s go and do this thing. The sooner we get there, the sooner it’ll be over.”
When we arrived at the factory, the queues outs
ide were already streaming around the building, and it wasn’t even opening time yet. Girls wearing next-to-nothing shivered in groups. Some held onto their boyfriends for warmth, others swigged out of bottles, hoping the alcohol would numb them to the winter chill. Those bottles would be confiscated at the door, so I couldn’t blame them for necking them. Plus, it was freeze-your-balls-off weather out here. I didn’t feel it though. I was numb with fear. The cold didn’t affect me.
The thump of the bass from Zak’s set boomed loud as we got nearer, and I noticed a few people nudge their friends and point at me. Granted, I was the lesser known Renaissance man, but I was still one of them, so I guessed I was somewhat of a celebrity to some of them here.
“His graffiti is fucking awesome,” I heard one guy say as I pulled Effy through the crowd that’d gathered around the door.
“Fucking genius, mate,” his friend replied.
If they knew the real me, they wouldn’t say that. I was the biggest fraud of them all.
“Good to see you,” Paul, one of our door security, said as he let us through and shut the door behind us, keeping the paying customers out for a little longer. “You’ve upped your game tonight. Should be a top night.” He smiled and waited for me to respond. He obviously didn’t know me very well, because I just stared back at him and stopped myself from answering in a way that’d cut him off and probably cut him down.
“It’s so exciting,” Effy answered for me, and I huffed, walking away from the foyer and into the main hall.
Usually, I didn’t even come in here. I spent my time utilising the space, getting into the zone, feeling and creating my art. But not tonight. I had Effy to think about, and she wouldn’t want to miss out on the drinks, the dancing, and the fun. Tonight, I had to suck it up and stay here with her. If the soldiers were going to show up, I wasn’t about to hide. I might be a coward, but not when it came to her.
“Relax,” she said with kindness radiating from her eyes. “Try to enjoy it. You’ve all worked hard to put this together.” She squeezed my hand as we both stood and looked around us.
I hadn’t worked hard, but the others had, and this place looked amazing. Zak’s strobe lights lit up the area and the rush job I’d done to brighten up the walls and boarded-up windows glowed down on us, adding a nineties retro feel to the room. I’d sprayed phrases like ‘Knowledge is power’ and ‘Fuck the police’ in neon paint alongside old school boom box stereos, gold chains, yellow smiley faces and other iconic images from back then. Not that I’d ever experienced the nineties myself, but it was a cool era and I hoped I’d done it justice.
“This is amazing.” Effy gasped, looking around her. “I don’t know how you do it, but you nail it every time.”
I gave another shrug. My heart hadn’t been in this project. I’d faked every minute of my enthusiasm when the others were around. Funny that of all our events, this was the one people were freaking out over.
“Should we go over and say hi to Zak and Kian?” Effy pointed to where they both stood behind the decks, programming stuff and doing whatever the fuck it was they did up there.
“No. They’re busy. We can talk to them later,” I replied and took her hand, leading her through the area, past a few more bodies that had been let in early under the premise that they’d help test out the sounds and other shit.
Walking from the main hall into the anti-hall, where Brandon’s boxing ring was set up, I felt myself grow tense from the nervous energy building up inside. The area wasn’t as dark as the party zone, but it was dimly lit, and there was an aura of destruction and doom, a grim intensity about the place. It was perfect for Brandon. He loved creating that sense of danger for all his fights. But for me, tonight, it felt all too real.
There were a few spotlights set up on the walls around the side of the room, pointing right at the ring and providing the only light source in here. On every level, where the people could stand and watch the fight below, were flags, football banners and slogans like, ‘Beat ‘em to the punch,’ ‘Show your killer instinct,’ and ‘Time to throw in the towel.’ Brandon had really gone to town this time. It looked like a proper British boxing arena, Mathers’ style.
“I’m not sure I’ll be able to stand in here and watch.” Effy grimaced and glanced up at the currently empty balconies that looked down on us. “Brandon’s fights scare me to death.”
“I don’t like watching him fight either. I will if I have to, but I prefer to wait until it’s over and slap him on the back for knocking them out.”
Brandon had been doing this for years and he’d never lost a single bout. It was his proudest achievement, being an undefeated boxer. His reputation in Sandland was legendary, and the feedback he’d gotten from announcing he was going to return to the ring tonight had created a massive buzz. The soldiers had their wish. Getting Brandon out of retirement was putting him, the party, and Brinton back on the map.
We walked through into the corridor that led to the rooms assigned to the fighters. Brandon was leaning up against the wall with his arms folded over his chest, talking to some dude who had more tattoos than he did. When he saw us coming, he didn’t bother to stop and introduce us, just walked over and ushered us into what must’ve been his room. His set-up always remained the same; bottles of water, a few old plastic chairs, and a table with a packet of cigarettes and a lighter on it. I think if Brandon had made it big, he’d still have kept to his shitty rider. No champagne and bowls of blue M&Ms for him. That just wasn’t his style. He was proud of the fact that he came from the streets.
“How you feeling?” I asked, biting my nails despite the fact I’d stopped doing that years ago. “Are you ready for tonight? Is there anything I can do?”
“You can stop acting nervous for a start,” he said, stalking around the room with a swagger he always saved for fight nights. “You know I’ve got this. Even Harper’s more chilled out than you are tonight.”
“Is she here?” I asked, peering over his shoulder, expecting to see her.
“Of course not. She’s on bed rest. I told you that. I’m under strict orders to ring her straight after though. And I’ll bet she has Em on the line later, giving running commentary during the fight.” He picked up the packet of cigarettes and took one out.
“Should you be doing that?” Smoking wasn’t the best pre-match routine, but I did feel guilty calling him out on it, seeing as he was only fighting because of me.
“I’ve just seen Joe Hazel and the dude looks like he’s snorted so much coke he can’t even see straight. It’s pure fucking suicide, mate. On his part, that is. I don’t think one ciggie is gonna make much difference. His fate is sealed.”
Brandon lit his cigarette just as my phone started to vibrate with a new message.
I pulled it out of my back pocket, and my stomach dropped when I saw it was from them.
The soldiers.
Every inch of my skin turned cold with goosebumps and I started to shake, hovering my finger over the screen to open it. I guess it was too much to hope they’d leave me be tonight. I was the mouse caught in their trap, and they were having way too much fun swatting me with their paws and teasing me as hope of my escape dwindled with every passing second.
“Is that Ryan? He mentioned he was running late. Something about Emily and a message from her half-sister. I didn’t pay much attention.” Brandon shrugged and sat down, taking another drag of his cigarette, totally oblivious to the shit-storm that was about to rain down on me.
I didn’t respond. I couldn’t. Effy sat in one of the other plastic seats and I stayed standing where I was in the middle of the room and opened up the message.
Congratulations, Knowles.
You’ve reached the final stage of your game of consequences.
One more challenge and it’s all over. Complete this, and we’ll send you confirmation that dear old Uncle Tony is no more. Fail, and everyone will know your secret. Every dark, dirty detail. The choice is yours.
To complete your game
you have one more task to carry out.
Get Mathers to throw the fight.
If he goes down and Hazel wins, then so do you. If Mathers wins, then you’ll regret it until the day you die, which may be sooner than you think.
Tick tock, Knowles.
Time to make your choice.
“What’s up? You look like you’re about to throw up?” Brandon stubbed his cigarette out on the foil ashtray on the table and glared at me.
I shook my head, feeling beads of sweat start to trickle down the side of my face, and I clutched my phone like it was a grenade that I was about to detonate.
What the hell was I supposed to say to him?
Every one of my nightmares was coming true. My whole life unravelling in front of my eyes. Brandon fighting was one thing. But losing? How the hell was I supposed to do that to my best friend?
Brandon stayed calm, quiet, and studied me for a few seconds. Then his jaw clenched with irritation.
“That’s them, isn’t it?” He nodded to my phone. “What are they saying to you? What have they got on you to make you react like this? Talk to me, goddamn it.” He smashed his fist down on the cheap plastic table and made Effy and me flinch. His eyes burned with fury and my shame made it difficult to look him in the eye. “What the fuck is going on, Finn?”
“You’ve gotta throw the fight,” I blurted out, not stopping to think how best to word it. What was the point?
“What?” His face screwed up as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. His expression was a picture of disbelief laced with fury, and he crossed his arms over his chest as if he was trying to stop himself from lashing out.
“They said you’ve got to throw the fight.” I stared at the floor, wishing the words coming out of my mouth could’ve been different. Anything but this. “They want you to go down and let Hazel win. If you don’t––”
“If I don’t what happens?” Brandon shot up, standing tall as if to show me how powerful and in control he was. “Are they gonna throw their weight around? Act like the big men they think they are? I’d like to see them try. I’ll fucking knock the shit out of every one of them.”
Fractured Minds (Rebels of Sandland Book 3) Page 19