He watched as she polished off every bit of food on her plate.
“I like a girl with an appetite,” he said. “Though where you put it all, I’ll never know.”
She wiped her face with her napkin. “Thank you. That was delicious.”
Discreetly, he signalled to the waiter to bring the bill.
“Thank you,” she said again.
She would have preferred to split the cost but this place was way above her pay grade. Lachlan handed over his card with a flourish. He even made polite conversation with the waiter, who had an accent so strong Kylie hadn’t a clue what he was saying.
“So, do you want to go somewhere for dessert?” he asked, as the waiter brought her coat. He was holding it at a bit of an angle, like he was afraid to touch it and Kylie had to check that none of her stuff had fallen out of the pockets.
“Kylie? Dessert?”
She shook her head. “No thanks. I’m stuffed. If you don’t mind, I’d rather head home.”
He didn’t seem to mind at all. He took her hand, releasing it only when they reached the car. The roads were quieter now, and they listened to some soft classical music. Neither of them spoke.
“Thank you for the lovely dinner,” she said when he pulled up outside her flat. Before she could object, he’d hopped out of the car and whizzed round to open the door for her.
He escorted her to the building, gravel crunching beneath their feet. Flora had left the front lights on so the doorstep was lit up like a Christmas tree.
“I had a really nice time,” she told him. “That French food was amazing.”
“I’m glad you liked it.”
He stepped a little closer and brushed his lips against hers. She tasted mint on his breath and caught the subtle scent of lemongrass from his cologne. He cupped her face towards him and her whole body responded. She was aware of the evenness of his breathing, his arm making its way down her back.
“Do you want to come up?” she asked.
He nodded.
They went inside and she led him up the stairs. She had barely unlocked the door to her flat before he was kissing her again, playfully, urgently, seeking her out with his tongue.
His body felt solid and unfamiliar against hers and his hands worked fast, swiftly unbuttoning her dress. Without missing a beat, he unfastened her bra and found her breasts, squeezing them together with his hands. She giggled as his fingers grazed her nipples.
“What’s funny?”
“Nothing, it tickles.”
She tried to relax as he continued to explore, his hungry hands wandering lower.
“You’re wearing knickers?”
“I can take them off if you want?”
“Yes, please.”
He removed his jeans at the same time and she saw that he was already hard. He wet his finger with his lips and she tensed as he pushed it deep inside her. He seemed to be in an awful hurry but that was okay, so was she.
They tumbled down onto her mattress and she let him position her as he liked. He seemed to have a very clear idea of what he wanted. She rested her face against the pillow and spread herself wide as he filled the space between her legs. She gave an appreciative murmur as he began to take her from behind.
“Oh, Kylie!” he groaned.
Her body relaxed as she grew used to the rhythm. She closed her eyes and clung to the pillow, breathless and excited. She had fantasied about this moment, but she hadn’t imagined it quite like this. He pounded faster, holding onto her ponytail and grunting into her back. He wanted her and she wanted…
What was that?
He patted her backside. She ignored it. But then he did it again, harder, sending painful shockwaves through her body. He kept going, slapping her bare buttocks until his hands felt like fire crackers against her skin. Smack! Smack! Smack! Her body stiffened and she struggled to react.
“No!”
He paused.
“I thought you liked that?”
“Well I don’t!”
She pushed his hand away.
“Oh, come on, Kylie. I’ve heard about you…”
She froze. “What have you heard?”
“I…”
“Get off! Get off me!”
She bucked wildly and he rolled, undignified, onto the floor.
“Hey! What was that?”
“You’d better go now!” she warned him, her whole face aflame.
“Kylie!”
His stiffness pointed at her accusingly as he staggered to his feet.
“I bought you dinner, didn’t I?”
“Get out!”
She pushed him towards the door and shoved him out into the hallway, then threw his jeans and shoes after him.
“For fuck’s sake!” he yelled as she slammed the door.
There was a jingling sound as he wriggled into his jeans.
Then came Flora’s voice.
“Oh, dear, what did you do?”
“I have no idea! That bitch is crazy.”
3
Kylie took a long, cold shower and scrubbed herself hard with the soap.
“Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!”
Her teeth chattered loudly as she shut off the water, her knees knocking against each other as she dried herself rigorously with the towel. Her face was still hot with humiliation and her backside smarted. Angrily, she kicked out at the wall but only succeeded in stubbing her toe.
“Ow!”
“Kylie? Are you alright in there?”
“I’m fine, Flora!” she called through gritted teeth.
“Can I come in?”
“In a minute. I’m… just getting changed.”
She pulled on the man-sized T-shirt she wore as a nightie and opened the door.
Flora looked curious but sympathetic.
“I gather it didn’t go so well?”
Kylie leaned against the wall and sighed. “That’s putting it mildly.”
“What did he do?” Flora’s eyes scanned the room for clues. “Was he bad in bed?”
“How did you know?”
Flora rolled her eyes. “Been there, done that. Don’t worry, you’ll meet someone else.”
“I’m not sure I want to.”
“Oh, you will.”
After Flora left, she stood in the middle of her flat, not knowing what to do. She shivered as an all-too familiar feeling crept over her.
She needed to feed the beast.
She picked up the fork that lay by the sink and ran her fingertips along the prongs. She dropped it with a clang, and then she was on the move again, picking things up and putting them down, straightening, adjusting, raking her hands through her long, damp hair.
There was a buzzing in her ears now. She picked up speed, her elbow knocking against the table. Faster still, kicking the hard back of the sofa, tossing cushions out of her way. She scraped her skin on the brickwork and knocked against the table a second time. Her only vase tumbled to the floor, shattering into hundreds of pieces. She stopped and stared at it for a moment. She was not sorry. It had been an unwanted present and she had never liked it. She knelt down and gathered up the pieces in her hands. So many little diamonds, all glittering in the light. She carried the pieces towards the bin, leaving a trail of fragments as she went, creating a sparkling path of shards.
The buzzing in her ears grew as loud as a swarm of bees. She stepped gingerly onto the glass path but her body was too numb to feel. She raised her other foot and planted it in front of her. This time she felt a tingle, the jagged pieces sticking into her like pins. She breathed it in and embraced the bittersweet warmth of the pain. Another step forward, her damp feet gathering up more of the glass. With each step, the tiny fragments worked their way deeper into her skin. By the time she had completed the course, her feet were screaming with pain and she collapsed onto the sofa, hugging her body tight as she stared at all the blood.
It should have hurt more, but she felt herself drifting away, her body separating from her soul. She bru
shed off as much of the glass as she could and then plucked the shards out one by one. Some of the pieces were so tiny she needed tweezers to dig them out. She winced as she pulled out the last stubborn piece and then filled a bucket with warm water and salt. She soaked each foot in turn, squeezing them to ensure all the glass was out. The feeling returned as she dried them and she cried out, the numbness replaced with aching pain. When she stood up, she felt a violent spasm of pain every time one of her feet came in contact with the floor. She wondered vaguely if she had gone too far this time. But it wasn’t up to her. Only the beast could release her. Only he could let her sleep.
She was suddenly very tired, but first she must clean the floor so that Sinister would not cut herself when she returned from her nightly prowl. She couldn’t bear the thought of her cat getting injured. She would never forgive herself if she caused pain to an animal.
She didn’t know how long she cleaned for, sweeping and scrubbing until her hands and knees felt as raw as her feet. She was so tired, so desperate to sleep but still, the beast would not let up. Unpleasant thoughts wrapped themselves around her, and she cowered at the shadows on the wall. The willow tree banged on the ledge with its branches, and she had to get up and check there was no one there. What was it about her that attracted so much trouble? She had really thought Lachlan liked her. How could she have been so naïve?
She awoke Sunday morning filled with a need. She pulled on her thermal suit, then threw on a sweatshirt and shorts over the top. She shuddered as her feet hit the floor, the cuts still painful and raw. Sinister opened one eye and closed it again. The cat did not do mornings.
The door creaked as she opened it. She shut it softly behind her, careful not to wake anyone as she snuck down the stairs. Apparently, she was not quiet enough. Flora opened her door and peered out. Kylie was surprised to see her up so early. Then she realised that she not yet gone to bed.
“Where are you off to at this time of the morning?”
“I’m going down to the beach,” Kylie said.
“Wait! I want to come too!”
“Alright but hurry up! I want to get there before it gets busy.”
She sank down on the stairs and waited while Flora scuttled about, grabbing her stuff. She reappeared, wearing a big straw hat and clutching a bulging beach bag.
“Have you got sun cream?”
“No,” Kylie admitted. “But I hardly think it will be warm enough.”
“Wait there, I’ll grab some.”
A moment later she returned, clutching not only sun cream, but after-sun lotion too.
“You can put those in my bag,” Kylie offered, as Flora tried and failed to stuff them into her own.
She handed them over and they were almost out the door when Craig appeared on the landing above.
“Where are you two off to?”
“The beach,” Flora called up.
“Can I come?”
“Aren’t you meant to be working on your dissertation?”
“Never mind about that. I’ll do it tomorrow.”
Kylie rolled her eyes but waited once again while Craig grabbed what he needed from his room.
Once he was ready, she set off at a run. It was downhill most of the way, past the familiar houses, past the fire station and the school. She ran on painful, burning feet, leading the charge down to the sea.
A cool breeze fluttered in her face as she climbed the little bridge and hopped down onto Dunbar Beach. She slipped off her shoes and saw that they were red and bloody. She sighed as she stepped onto the soft sand. It was cool and pale in neat little ridges, and the salt nipped like crabs at her wounds. She took a gulp of sea air into her lungs and it felt like she had come home.
The beach was empty, just as she’d hoped. The sky hung low and light and seemed to go on forever. She stripped down to her thermal suit and stuffed her clothes into her bag. Flora lobbed a piece of seaweed in her direction, but she took no notice. The damp sand tickled her toes as she walked towards the water, treading quickly through the calm waves until it was deep enough to take the plunge. It was painfully cold for the first few strokes, the water splashing her face. It took her a few minutes to acclimatize and then she was chopping her way through the waves.
“Kylie!”
She heard Flora calling her back from the shore but she kept swimming, one hundred, two hundred, three hundred metres until she could see nothing but the great expanse of water.
Her eyes pricked with tears as she remembered how much she had always loved this feeling; swimming for the pure enjoyment of it, and she promised herself that she would do it more. She kept on going for a few more metres, until the island rose out of the water, a shadowy black land that only the strongest swimmers ever reached. She pictured her father standing there, looking out for her and she gave a little wave, before turning back towards the shore.
Flora was standing on the beach, waving her arms.
“My god, Kylie. You scared the living shit out of me! Did you just swim the whole fucking channel?”
Kylie laughed. “I’d love to, but it isn’t possible from this point. It’s got to be at least six hundred miles to Denmark.”
Flora exchanged a look with Craig as if they both thought she’d gone bonkers.
“I like swimming, okay?” she said, rubbing herself down with her towel.
“No shit!” Flora said shaking her head.
Craig was looking at her with a bemused smile on his face. “You were incredible out there. What are you, a mermaid?”
Kylie ignored his question and continued to towel off.
“You must have been a serious swimmer at one time, right?”
She nodded.
“So why did you give it up? You’ve obviously still got it.”
“Just didn’t work out,” she said staring out at the sea.
She flopped down beside Flora and lay back, enjoying the stillness of it all. She looked up at the sky and noted how few clouds there were. This was what she liked about the beach; it was never the same beach, never the same scene. The weather was different, the sea was different, the conditions were different. Every day was unique.
Flora put her headphones on and closed her eyes. Kylie thought she was asleep, but you could never quite tell with Flora. She didn’t miss a thing.
“So, this guy Lachlan,” Craig said, ever so casually. “Will you be seeing him again?”
She felt her cheeks grow pink. “No way in hell!”
His eyes narrowed and he looked at her with concern.
“Tell me this then. Do I need to go and put him right?”
“No,” she said firmly. “Please don’t!”
“I heard you chucked him out. He must have done something?”
She shook her head emphatically. “Please, Craig, leave it. I just never want to see him again.”
His expression softened. “Which is going to be a bit awkward since you work together.”
“I know.”
How was she going to face him at work on Monday? She wished she could skive off but she needed that job and she wasn’t going to quit for the likes of him.
After a while, Flora pulled out her phone and scrolled through her Instagram feed. Craig pulled his out too and Kylie snorted in annoyance.
“Can you both see yourselves? Here we are on this beautiful beach and you’re staring at your screens!”
Flora set hers down reluctantly. “I only picked it up to check the weather.”
Craig looked guilty. “Sorry, I keep getting notifications for this game I’m playing. I can’t imagine being you Kylie, not even owning a phone.”
“I honestly think it’s better,” she said. “Plus, I don’t have to work a second job to pay for the contract.”
“Third job,” Flora groaned, and she wasn’t joking.
When she wasn’t pulling pints at the Duke, she was sweeping up hair and answering phones at the hairdressers and even then she took the odd shift at the bookies when they were busy.
“You work too little,” Flora shot back.
“Ouch.”
“He’s got writer’s block,” Kylie said loyally.
Flora smirked.
“But seriously, when are you going to finish your dissertation?”
“I’ll do it,” he said, stretching out his strong, muscular arms.
Kylie’s tummy rumbled. Despite the large meal she had eaten the night before, she was ravenous. She always was after a swim.
She pulled herself up into a sitting position. “How about we go and get some food?”
“Is the café by the station any good?” Craig asked.
“Yeah, it’s fine. Not too pricey, either.”
Flora nodded her head in agreement, and they all rose to their feet and gathered up their towels and sunglasses, stuffing them back into their bags.
“I’ll just be a minute,” Craig said, heading down to the sea.
Flora nudged Kylie. “Check out those buns! Like two scoops of ice cream, aren’t they?”
“Flora!”
But she’d be lying if she said she hadn’t noticed. They both watched as he stood at the water’s edge and stared down into the water.
“What is he doing?” Flora asked.
Kylie shrugged. They got up and walked down the beach towards him just in time to see him pull back his arm and lob something into the water.
“Please tell me he didn’t just do what I think he did,” Flora said.
“What?”
Flora tapped Craig on the shoulder. “Was that your phone you just threw?”
He grinned broadly and nodded. “I’ve decided I’m going to be more like Kylie. To hell with technology. Who needs it?”
“I do,” said Flora, staring into the froth. She patted her phone to make sure it was still in her bag and led them both on the long march up the hill.
They Won't Believe You (Scottish Dark Romance Book 1) Page 2