Oh, my God, why didn’t I think of that before.
“Beau!” I manage to shout around half a mouthful of food, before getting up. He startles, jumping back as he eyes me. I wave my hand at him, holding him off when he takes a step towards me. “It was a pet rat.”
He still looks confused, and when I glance to Nina for help as I chew as quickly as I can, she looks at me with disgust. “It’s a rat, Faith. They’re all dirty rodents.” She shudders dramatically.
I glare at my best friend. “You really need to get over your fear, Nina.” I shake my head at her before turning back to Beau. “He was a pet rat. Now I’m just guessing here, but I don’t think Noah had a rat on hand, unless he robbed one from his last victim.”
“I’m still not following,” Beau tells me, standing with his arms crossed.
I roll my eyes. Men. “It means he bought it from a pet store. The only pet stores within a six-mile radius are Malley’s Pets and Lincoln Pet Store.”
Realisation dawns across his expression. “I’ll be back. I’m going to go back to the police station.”
He heads to the door before running back and bringing his lips to mine in a heated kiss. I kiss him back, gripping the bottom of his shirt in my hands.
When he pulls away, I’m breathless. “Go.”
“Take the rat with you,” Nina adds on a shout, giving the box a wide birth as she moves to sit on the sofa.
“No!” he says, eyeing the rat with disgust.
“Um, yeah. Won’t you need it for evidence? Plus, you need to check there isn’t anything under the rat, or lying in the blood.”
He looks back at the box, his shoulders sagging. I bite the inside of my cheeks to keep from laughing at his horrified expression.
“Shit. Okay. I’ll be back later. If anything comes up, I’ll let you know.”
“All right. Want us to save you some pizza?”
He looks a little green as he holds the shoe box and looks at the pizza. “I’ll pass. I’m not really all that hungry, come to think of it.”
He walks out the door and I burst out laughing, falling back on the sofa. “Did you see his face?”
Nina chuckles, clicking on a Nicholas Sparks movie. My favourite. “Such a baby. I thought he was meant to be a big, badass cop?” My head lazily turns to Nina, and I give her an ‘are you kidding me’ expression. “What?”
She grabs a piece of pizza as I answer. “You went deathly pale, screamed, and then scolded me for eating over the same rat.”
“I’m a girl with a fear of rats.”
“I still don’t understand that. You like spiders, and in my book, they’re fucking freaky.”
“Oh, my God, they’re tiny.”
“Exactly! Tiny: they can get anywhere.”
She rolls her eyes at me. “They’re just harmless spiders. Rats? They bite, they infect, they are ugly and smell bad. And why do they need long tails? They’re just freaky.”
I giggle at her extensive knowledge. “You’ve really thought about rats, huh?”
She shudders. “My cousin Brody had one and scared me shitless with it. I’ve never recovered.”
“I can tell.” I smile in amusement as she glares at me.
“Shut up, eat your pizza and watch the damn movie.”
“Did you get the tissues?” I ask her as I grab another slice. Some things you should always have at the ready; a pillow to hold on to, a tissue to wipe away tears and snot, and popcorn to chew when the emotion becomes too much.
“Shit. Be back.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The second movie finishes and I’m proud to say only two boxes of tissues were needed. I blow my snotty nose and turn to my best friend.
“I’ve watched this movie, like, a million times, and each time I cry like the world is ending.”
“Me too. I feel so invested that my own heart is breaking. They finally find their way back to each other, Faith, and it’s taken away.”
“But he gives his heart to her son. Losing her child would have been worse.”
She nods, still choked-up over the movie. “Let’s talk about something happy before I have to walk home in the dreadful rain.”
I look out the window behind us. The rain is pouring and has been for the past two hours. “It is pretty bad. Are you coming out for the triplets’ birthday?”
“Yeah, I am. I can’t wait to have a night out. Just make sure they are on their best behaviour this year. Last year it took me a long time to recover.”
“You drank my uncles’ disgusting drink, didn’t you?”
“Yeah, whoever invented that had the devil in them. God, I want to gag just thinking about it.”
I laugh when she shudders. The drink is pretty vile. I’ve only ever had a sip. I’m one of those people who will wait until someone else has taste-tested. In my case, I watched Aiden drink it. When he was severely ill, to the point he nearly had to go to hospital, I decided to never touch the stuff again. It was enough.
“I’m going to try and get a new dress Friday,” I tell her.
“Oh, did the bank sort your money out. I forgot to ask.”
“Yeah. It came through over the weekend. After Collings spoke with them, they kind of rushed it through. I’m just glad I had insurance.”
Her smile is sad when she looks at me. “Yeah. I keep wanting to ask how you’re really doing. I want you to be honest with me, not tell me what you think I want to hear. I know you tell your family you’re fine, but I know you, Faith. This has to be freaking you out. You couldn’t even watch that film with Jenifer Lopez in.”
I shudder. “That neighbour may have been hot, but he was a creep.”
She points at me. “See, that there. If a movie can affect you, then this has to be permanently scarring you.”
My mouth opens, ready to tell her I’m okay, but the look on her face has me revisiting my decision.
“It’s hard to describe to be honest. It doesn’t feel real enough.”
She scoffs, giving me a pointed look. “Not real enough? The guy beat you up.”
I glare at her. “I know. I didn’t mean for it to sound so callous. It’s like I’m seeing and hearing what is happening, but a part of me isn’t feeling it. I know it’s happening to me, but sometimes, it feels like it’s not. The whole situation is bizarre.”
“I kind of understand. When my dad beat my mum before he left, it didn’t feel like it was happening. I watched from the doorway, trying to figure out what I was seeing. It was like I was in a bubble where everything around me seemed foggy.”
I soften in my seat. Nina’s mum is the best, but her dad… well, he’s a monster. He was abusive, at first emotionally, but it soon turned physical when her mum tried to leave him. She never talks about him, not like this anyway.
“You get it.”
“I’m glad you went to the police,” she whispers, her eyes watering.
I take her hands in mine and pull them onto my lap as I cross my legs and face her. “He really did mess with the wrong girl. I’m not saying others who didn’t go to the police are weak, but look where it gets them. Nowhere. Nothing good can come from them not going. It just gives him more control. They’ll be scared every day of their lives that he will come back. They will have to live with everything he did after. It’s a vicious circle. But it’s hard to not defend them when I know how easily you want to forget it all happened.”
“I can see what you’re saying. He relies on the fear he feeds them. He doesn’t expect them to fight back, which is what you’re doing.”
“Too right I am. It’s easier to let his threats get to me, but I won’t. I know what that rat tonight meant. He wanted to rattle me, but I can’t sit back and let him terrorize me.”
“What has Beau said?”
A goofy smile falls on my lips at the mention of Beau. “He’s been protective ever since I was attacked. He’s determined to find him.”
She grins at my expression. “I bet. How are things with him? He’s still s
taying here, right?”
“Yeah, but only in the spare room. He’s been the perfect gentlemen.”
“You seem disappointed,” she teases.
I kind of am.
“I am. He drives me mad. There’s just something about him that I can’t get enough of.”
She begins to giggle, pulling me in for a hug. “My girl is taking the next step to womanhood.” She pulls back, a wide smile on her face. “You are falling in love with him.”
I give her a doubtful expression. “I’m not. I swear, I’m not. I can’t be.”
Am I?
She laughs. “Oh, I don’t know, the expression on your dopy face tells me otherwise.”
I push her shoulder lightly. “Shut up and stop teasing me.”
“So, you haven’t—you know?”
I blush. “No.”
“But he knows?”
I smile at that. “Yeah. And he doesn’t mind in the slightest.”
“I bet,” she grins, winking at me.
“What?”
She rolls her eyes, most likely at my naivety. “Faith, most men would kill to be with you, especially if they found out you’re a virgin. You’re like a mystical creature.”
I scoff. “You make me sound like I’m the only one.”
“Well, there aren’t many of you out there, sweets. I lost mine when I was fifteen, my cousin was thirteen, and even my mum was sixteen when she lost hers.”
“People are losing it younger and younger,” I agree.
“Yeah, girls who have no knowledge of what it really means or how serious it actually is. Look at me. I did it because everyone else was doing it and thought it would mean I’d be cool. But all I got was two minutes of awkward foreplay, five minutes of excruciating pain, and a week of discomfort between my legs.”
“Don’t remind me of Alan. Me and Maddox wanted to kill him for what he did.”
“We can’t really blame him. I bought everything he told me. But it’s like I said, we have no knowledge at that age. You waiting until you were mature enough was the right thing to do.”
Alan was a jerk and went around school telling everyone she was easy. Every girl in school had a crush on him, he was just that good-looking. Even I can admit he was a gorgeous lad and I didn’t like him. For two weeks he pursued Nina, making everyone know he was into her. He went out of his way to see her, to buy her stuff and make her feel good.
Somehow, he manipulated her into having sex with him one night when we were all out at the park, drinking. He took advantage of her being drunk.
After, he said he wasn’t looking for a girlfriend and then told everyone what happened, bragging.
Her experience didn’t put me off sex though. I always knew I’d wait for the right one, and Mum always drummed it into my head that I shouldn’t just let anyone get that far with me. They needed to respect and appreciate me.
“He knows and he hasn’t pushed me to do anything. Honestly, he hasn’t even brought it up again.”
“But you want to?”
“I do, but at the moment, I’m not ready. I need to be a hundred-percent certain.”
“I get that.” She looks at her phone and winces. “I’m sorry, but I need to get back. It’s half nine and I’ve still got to stop and get shopping.”
“Thanks for keeping me company. I’ve missed this.”
We may work together, but lately we’ve rarely had time to just chat about girl stuff. I’ve missed her.
“Yeah. We have next Wednesday afternoon off if you want to do lunch?”
I smile at that. “Yeah, we can go to Nando’s.”
“Deal. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Night, hon.”
I walk her to the door and give her a hug goodbye. When I turn back to my living room, Roxy and Buster are sitting side by side, their heads tilted and watching me.
I laugh, walking over to the cupboard that hoards their food.
“Okay, you pair, food, then bed.”
*** *** ***
A key being put into the lock steals my attention from the ten o’clock news.
“Hey.” I smile when his eyes lift to meet mine. When he frowns and rushes over to me, I lean further back into the sofa. “Um, is everything okay? Did something happen?”
“You tell me, you’ve been crying, Faith.”
My body melts at his affection. He tucks my hair behind my ear, searching my face for what could be wrong.
“I’m fine, I―”
“I knew I shouldn’t have left you.” He gets to his feet and paces. “When I left you seemed fine, otherwise I wouldn’t have gone. Dammit. I suck at keeping you safe.”
My head falls back on the sofa as a laugh tumbles free. “You think I’m upset about the rat?”
He stops shortly, looking down at me in confusion. It’s adorable. “Aren’t you?”
“No.”
“Then why the hell are your eyes red and blotchy from crying?”
He runs a hand through his hair, frustrated. Most likely to do with the fact he can’t figure me out. One minute I’m happily eating pizza, then he finds me on the sofa, tucked under my blanket, with red-rimmed eyes.
I stand up, taking his hands in mine to get him to look at me, and smile when he does.
“Because I watched two Nicholas Sparks movies.”
His eyes scrunch up. “The dude who only makes sad movies?”
I roll my eyes. “He actually wrote sad books that were made into movies. And yes, him.”
“And they made you look like someone run over your dog?”
I take offence at that. “Hey, I’d be a lot worse if someone run over one of my babies.”
He smiles, his hands grabbing my hips. “I know, I’m teasing. You’re really doing okay?”
I run my hands up his chest and around his neck, stroking my thumbs on his stubble. “Yes, I really am doing okay. He’s hurt me enough, Beau. I’m not just scared and upset now, I’m angry.”
He holds my cheeks in his hands. “I know you are, baby. We’re looking into the rat. Collings went to the pet store that confirmed they sold a rat two days ago.”
“That’s good right?”
He winces. “Yes and no. If he paid cash then we can’t trace him. We will, however, finally have CCTV footage. The one we got from your business isn’t clear. It’s too dark and his hood is up. It’s like he knew the cameras would get him.”
“God, I hope this ends soon.”
“Me too.”
He really does mean that.
I gaze into his eyes for another beat before leaning up on my toes to press my lips against his. He kisses me back just as passionately, pulling me against him.
A shiver runs up my spine when his hands grip my arse and lift me. I wrap my legs around him, feeling flutters in my stomach when he sits down on the sofa with me straddling him.
We’ve kissed a lot since he started staying with me, but it’s never felt this hot. I can’t get enough of him. He’s setting my body on fire.
It feels good. He feels good.
I run my fingers through his hair, grinding down on his lap. I don’t know what possesses me to do it, but I do, and when a tingle spreads between my legs, I do it again, harder.
He’s hard beneath me, and instead of being embarrassed or shy, I feel hot inside, like my blood is boiling.
I pull away, breathing hard as I keep rotating my hips, trying to find the right friction again.
“Beau,” I whisper.
His hands on my hips steady my frantic movements, slowing them down to a torturous pace. He looks up at me, his eyes heated.
“Is this okay?” His breathing is just as heavy as mine, and I find it erotic that I’m turning him on as much as he is me.
“Yeah.”
“Can I touch you?”
Understanding what he means, I nod my head, but pause my movements for a second. “I’m not ready to go all the way.”
His smile is devilish. “Oh, baby, I’m about to show you
that foreplay can be just as hot as sex.”
Wetness seeps between my legs at his dirty words.
He doesn’t wait for me to make a move. Indeed, his hands fall onto my shoulders, gently caressing me. I throw my head back at his touch, and when he flattens his hand against my chest, slowly moving down my body, I can’t help but moan. It escapes on its own free will. The anticipation of what is going to happen is both exhilarating and frightening. I don’t know what to expect, but with what he’s doing to my body now, I know it can only be good.
When he reaches my waist, I drop my head to his shoulder, breathing heavily. I just about lose my mind when he grips my shirt and pulls it up and over my head. I let him, feeling a little self-conscious about being half naked in front him. I’m only wearing shorts and a bra. I’m about to cover up when I get a look at his expression. All sense of thought and insecurities leave me. That look will forever burn into me.
It feels good when he leans forwards, kissing and licking up the side of my sensitive neck. I give him better access, loving the feel of his tongue against me.
So much is happening it’s hard to concentrate. His hands are moving up my ribs to below my breasts, and his tongue is tracing a path down to them too. It’s hard to know which one feels better.
When his hands go behind my back and release my bra, I gasp at the sensation, feeling free.
I’m wetter, more turned on than before. However, my movements stop, as I struggle to concentrate on them. All I can focus on is what he is doing. Nothing has ever felt so sensual as his hands roaming over me.
Bra removed, his hands move back to my ribs before cupping my breasts. I moan, my auburn hair falling to my waist as I stare up at the ceiling. His thumbs rub over my sensitive nipples.
“Oh, God.”
He chuckles against my chest, before gazing up at me, that sexy grin still in place. “Want to know what feels better?”
I don’t get a chance to answer. All of a sudden, a sound I’ve never made before escapes me as his lips wrap around my nipple, his tongue flicking me in the most delicious way.
“Beau,” I moan, sagging in his lap despite my body feeling coiled tight.
He sucks on my hardened nipple, sending me speechless. While his mouth is busy, his hands move down my ribs to my hips, which he slowly moves again.
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