by Jaye Cox
I have had an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach all day. I have put it down to my run in with Dex earlier, even though we seem to be moving forward and tolerating each other. My phone rings and the feeling in my stomach hits again and waves of dread wash over me¸ chills run up and down my spine. I look at the caller ID and thank fuck it’s only Ty. “Hey, what’s up?” I say, letting the uneasy feeling go, until I hear his voice.
“I need you to come pick me up.”
“Are you okay, what’s going on?” I ask in rapid concern.
“Promise you won’t freak out.”
“Ty, just tell me! You’re freaking me out from telling me not to freak out!”
Ty runs me through what happened today, inside I’m freaking out. Someone got hit by a car and his friend Bells was kidnapped. I’m having a hard time processing that he went after her, I’m glad he is okay but can’t believe my brother would be so careless. He wants me to pick him up from the hospital, he wanted to check on Bells and his other friend, Tommy first. I pack up my stuff and go find big Moe and let him know I have to take off early. “Hey Moe, I need to leave - my brother needs to be picked up from hospital.”
“Is he okay?” Moe asks.
“Yeah, he is fine, his friend’s not so much.”
“Go, you’re fine, I’m sure we can manage without you.”
“Thanks Moe.” I say, running out the doors. I think I speed the whole way to the hospital, Ty might not be physically hurt but I know my brother, and he must be hurting inside. When I get to the hospital, I rush in to find him. I see Dex in the parking lot sitting on his motorbike.
“Where is Ty?” I say in concern.
“Calm down, Ty’s fine.” Dex says.
“FINE? My brother just willing walked into a situation that could have gotten him killed and you’re telling me to calm down.” I say, getting a bit emotional as I sit on the gutter. I don’t care who is watching me, I could have lost my brother today.
I’m not one to over react, but Ty is the only person in this world I fucking care about. I see Ty walking out of the emergency entry, he walks over and sits on the other side of me. “You scared the shit out of me Ty.” I cry.
“I’m sorry,” he soothes, and the devastation is slowly receding from his face.
“Never do that, ever again. I can’t lose you, you’re all that I have got; you’re my person.” I still can’t believe he went to help rescue someone from being kidnapped. I’m not a huge fan of cops, but this is one time it should have been left in their hands.
“I promise.” He says pulling me into a hug. Dex says he has to go and will meet Ty at his place and reminds him to double check Rayne and Bells don’t need a lift home.
“Let’s go see if Bells is okay” I say to Ty, he tells me he wants to check on his friend Tommy quickly. Apparently, Tommy was hit by a car trying to save Bells before she was kidnapped. Wow, and he tells me my life is full of drama - at least my life is more like an episode of Cops, but this is some Law & Order shit right here. We finally find where Tommy’s room is. Ty is talking to the lady at the reception desk when we see Rayne and Bells walking towards us.
“Hey, we came to check and to see if you need a lift home, I thought Bells might come see Tommy.” Ty says.
Before they can answer, a crazy bitch is being dragged out of a room kicking and screaming. This is a hospital, give the bitch a Valium to calm her the fuck down, I think to myself.
All of a sudden, she looks over and zones in on Bells and starts going mental. She starts screaming about how she should have killed her when she had the chance. I feel Ty move beside me and as I look over, the veins in his neck are pulsating wildly and his hands are balled into fists. I know Ty wouldn’t hurt a girl, but he sure as shit won’t let her get close to Bells. The cops are trying to get handcuffs on her, but she manages to slip free. Ty and Rayne both step in front of Bells and the nut job has the nerve to charge towards her. I am beyond rage and have hit the point of no return and I think fuck this. I deliberately take two steps towards her and I knock her on her ass. I lean over her and she looks straight up at me. “Word of warning bitch, if you mess with someone my brother loves again, I will do more than knock you on your ass.”
“Ruby and I will wait for you in the cafeteria, come find us when you’re done.” Ty intervenes.
“Thanks, we will.” Rayne says.
Ty gives me the let’s go now before the police get a chance to arrest us look.
“What!!!? The bitch deserved it.”
“When will you grow up, Ruby? You’re not a child anymore.” He says, shaking his head at me.
“Are you serious right now?” I ask in disbelief.
“Do I look like I’m joking?” He moans.
“Oh for crying out loud, give me a break. I defended your friend, and I get this kind of crap for it?”
“Gees Ruby, how many run-ins with the law do you want? One day you won’t be so lucky, you will get arrested and then where will you be?”
“You’re impossible, you know that right?” I say storming off ahead of him, quietly thinking what he doesn’t currently know certainly won’t hurt him not to know – but I have already been arrested, a few times.
“Real mature.” He yells behind me. I find a table and wait silently. “I’m sorry, but you just can’t go around punching people all the time.”
“I don’t.” I say
“Sorry, you like to knee people in the nuts, too.” He says giving me an I know what happened look.
“So he told you?”
“No, Sam did, and gave me a warning to keep my sister on a leash.”
“Please, he deserved it. Ask him yourself if you don’t believe me. Maybe he likes it rough.” I tease
“Let’s change the subject. I have decided I don’t want to know what the deal is with you and Dex.”
“There is no deal with us.” I say.
“What about Jash then, he seems nice.”
“He is nice, but just as a friend, there’s no funny business going on. He is way too pretty for me, I don’t need anyone to outshine all this inner beauty.”
“You’re in Idiot, how are we related again? That’s right, we’re not.” He says, and I slap him. I know he’s joking, little smart ass.
“See, all this anger and violence,” he points.
“See, you deserved it. Why should I be held accountable for other people’s stupidity?”
“All I am saying is, maybe it’s time to grow up and realise you are accountable for your actions.”
“Thank god.” I say, as Bells and Rayne come to the table.
“Stop being a bitch, Ruby.”
“I’m not being a bitch, just thanking God they’re here, so I don’t have to listen to you bitch me out anymore. Yes I punched a bitch, but she deserved it. If the cops hadn’t been there, I would have done worse.” As we head out to the car, Ty is still bitching at me about being responsible and acting grown up. He doesn’t like it when I stir him, by saying Blah blah blah, or talk to the hand. But hey, I do know he has my best interests at heart, he really needs to learn I’m an adult, and have been for many years. This unnecessary guilt he feels about my past needs to stop. He’s trying to make up for my less than great past by looking out for me and being over protective, but he really has bloody control freak issues as well.
“Take a chill pill brother, I’m settling down. I have a job and a place to live, I’m making friends, and so far this week I have only punched one person.” I say laughing and making a run for the car, I can hear Ty running behind me.
“You are so funny, I will leave it alone. Now let’s call a truce, from here on out what you do is your business. But I am warning you, play nice with my friends.”
“I will think about it.” I say getting in the car, waiting on everyone else to get in. I can’t believe that bitch told my brother to keep me on a leash. I know I should let this go, but I’m not sure it will be that easy. When we pull up at Ty’s place, I get a ca
ll. “I have to take this. I’ll meet you guys inside.”
“I will get you a beer.” Ty says. I give him a nod.
“Hey Jash, what’s up?” I say answering the phone.
“Nothin’, thought I would call and see how Ty is.”
“He is fine, we just got back to his place.”
“No worries, I will see ya later then.”
“That you will, bye.”
“Check ya.” He says ending the call. I go inside to find Ty, and Dex are out back with Sam and Morris. I take a deep breath, it takes everything I have not to bitch slap her after what she had to say about me, but I promised Ty I would try to play nice.
“Shit, I forgot to grab you a beer. Sit, I will get you one.” Ty says.
“I can get it, I’m closer anyway.” I say, walking back through the door and into the kitchen, I open the fridge and grab a beer and spot a bottle opener on the bench. As I’m opening my beer, two very tattooed arms appear on either side of me and I can feel his body pressing against my back.
“Why can I not get you out of my head?” He whispers in my ear. I can feel his body heat through his shirt on my back. He runs a finger along the side of my face and tucks a stand of hair behind my ear.
“I think you want me too, Ruby,” he murmurs. The way my name rolls of his tongue sends goose bumps down my arms. I never usually get turned on by a man, so why is Dex any different? I need to move and break free from his hold I think, just turn around to face him, tell him he has no effect over me at all and it’s only in his head. But when I turn around, he doesn’t budge, not even an inch and I lose my determination.
“I don’t want you.” I say, not looking away.
“Your body is saying something different.” Someone clears their throat behind us. I look over and it’s Sam, just standing there, looking at me like I’m some kind of pest. Dex couldn’t get off me fast enough.
“Is this how little she meant to you?” Sam says.
“Fuck!” Is all he says, running a hand through his hair. I literally see all the colour drain from his face, I know his ex has done a number on him, but shit. I need to get away from him, I just got caught up in the moment after an emotional day, but it won’t happen again. This guy is fucking with my head and I don’t get messed up over any guy. I have built these walls for a reason, and this just confirmed why.
“Don’t worry your pretty little head over this, it was a misjudgement on my part.” I say walking past her, and she actually shoulder barges me.
“What the fuck is your problem?” I say, staring her down while she does the same back.
“I don’t like you and I don’t want your type fucking with my friend.”
I actually can’t believe she said ‘my type’. I look over at Dex and he says nothing. If she doesn’t back down, shit is about to hit the fan. “My type, and what type is that?” I ask.
“Is everything okay in here?” Ty says, coming up behind me. I didn’t even hear him come inside.
“Yeah, peachy brother, I was just leaving, I forgot I left my house key at work, and need to get home before Jash goes out.”
“Are you sure - you can crash here with me?” he says.
“Nah, my type isn’t welcome here.”
“Your type?” He repeats, not understanding what I’m talking about.
“Never mind, I will call you tomorrow.” I walk out feeling like shit. It took me a long time not to care what people thought about me and I briefly let my wall down, for just a few minutes, and someone managed to get inside my head.
“Ruby wait,” I hear Dex call behind me. I don’t look back, I just keep walking to my car but he catches me very quickly.
“Let me explain.”
“No.” I say, turning to face him. “I don’t want to hear what you have to say and I honestly don’t care. My body has bad judgment, but my head doesn’t, and it will never happen again, just stay away from me. A quick fuck is not worth that drama, and definitely not worth the pain it would cause Ty if he lost friends over it.” Not giving him a chance to respond, I get in my car and drive to the first bottle shop I can find. Jash better be up for drinking, because I have a crap ton of shit I need to clear from my head. And sadly for him, he is my only friend I have here.
My alarm wakes me and my head feels it has been hit with a sledge hammer. I really shouldn’t drink so much on a work night. “Wow, you look like shit warmed up.” Jash says, sitting at the table waiting on his morning coffee.
“You don’t need to yell, my head fucking hurts.”
“Not so fun when the shoe is on the other foot is it? Now, I recall you telling me to suck it up princess, the other day when I was hungover.” He says.
“I will hurt you.” I say, going to lie on the couch.
He belts out a huge laugh. “How about I make you a coffee this morning?” He says. I give him a thumbs up signal as talking causes my head to throb, he puts a glass of water and two Panadol down next to my head. I sit up and wait on my coffee, he’s taking a while so I go see what the heck he is doing.
“Holy shit, Jash!” I say walking into the kitchen, the coffee machine is overflowing and coffee is going everywhere.
“I didn’t do it,” he says putting his hands up in the air.
“Well… I sure as shit didn’t do it!”
“Are you sure, because I only just turned it on and this happened and you were the last one to touch it?” he says gesturing towards the coffee machine.
“Oh, I’m sure it was you, did you put coffee in it?”
“I’m not an idiot.”
“I don’t know about that, especially after seeing this.”
“Shut up, I will buy you a damn coffee on our way to work.”
“Fine, put a towel on that and I will meet you at work, don’t forget two sugars.” I say grabbing my keys and sunglasses. The glare of the sun on the drive over is pure torture.
I unlock the doors to Big Moe’s House of Ink, then go hide the cord to the CD player, Jash can suck it up until those Panadol kick in and I have caffeine flowing through my system. I look over the books and it’s actually a pretty quiet morning. I look up from the appointment book when I hear the door chime, thinking it has to be Jash with my coffee, but it’s only Dex. I still have my sunnies on, it’s too bright and no one is booked in for another hour anyway. He looks me over and smirks, yeah fucker laugh it up, I already know I look like shit. He doesn’t say anything and it’s a smart move on his behalf, after what happened last night. He walks up to the desk and puts a large sketch book in front of me and walks away. I follow him with my questioning eyes until he walks around the corner. Hesitantly, I open the book and see my sketch just a hell of a lot bigger and better than I could ever do. It’s amazing. If he thinks this makes up for him being an asshole, he has another thing coming. It’s enough however, for me to call a truce and start over; until I hear him smashing on those stupid drums. It needs to stop! It’s so loud I’m afraid my ears might bleed. I go over and stand in front of him with my fingers in my ears, hoping I can get his attention. But he doesn’t even look up and acknowledge I’m even standing there. I walk around to where he is sitting. “Can you stop the noise?” I yell over his beating the drums. He still ignores me. I go to grab one of the sticks but he is quick, he grabs my arm and pulls me onto his lap. He catches me off guard by kissing me, I want to slap him with everything I have, but I don’t. I find myself kissing him back, a rush of heat surges through my body when I feel the roughness of his hands slide up my body. His kiss is urgent yet gentle as his lips move over mine, the hum in his throat has to be the sexiest sound a man can make. He pulls away from the kiss and rests his head against mine, as we both catch our breath. I hear someone clear their throat and I look up and it’s Jash, with the biggest shit eating grin on his face.
“As hot as that was to watch, you might want to come and see this,” he says to me.
I get up and follow him out to the front desk, where Joe is sitting with his back to us. �
��What’s wrong Jash, did Joe do something wrong? I will fix it if he did.”
“Nothing like that.” Jash says.
I walk around and Joe’s lip is busted up pretty bad. “Shit Joe, are you okay, what happened?”
“I’m sorry I’m late, I didn’t want to be late.”
“Who cares if you’re late Joe, what happened?”
“Nothing I can’t handle.” he says.
“I’m not kidding, what happened?” I say.
“I woke up late and had a fight with some guy that hangs around the house.”
“He hit you?” Jash says.
“Yeah, well it’s not the first time, and it sure won’t be the last.”
“You should have called, I would have picked you up.” I say trying to show my concern, but I’m so pissed off at whoever done this to him.
“I have no way to call. It’s not like we have phones, we barely have food.”
“Fuck, I didn’t realize it was that bad.” I say.
“It’s not honestly, I just woke up late.”
“What happened to the kid’s face?” Dex says, coming over to check the book for his first appointment.
“Can you believe it, some dick hit him?” Jash says.
Dex doesn’t say anything. If it weren’t for the huge vein in his neck that started pulsating, I would think he didn’t care. “Can I talk to you real quick over there?” Dex says. I follow him over to the corner of the room - “Clear our schedule after my first tattoo.”
“Why?” I question.
“I will show you later, I will let Big Moe know what’s going on.”
“Okay.” I say walking back over to Joe. Jash has given him an ice pack to put on his lip.
“I’m not sure what I should do about this.” I say to Joe.
“Please Ruby, don’t say anything, it will only make it worse. I’m saving up so I can find a place and move out. I promise if it happens again, I will call you and you can do whatever you have to.”
“I will think about it, I have to run an errand. Can you help Jash out while I’m gone?” He nods and I get my bag.