Corey blasted the horn again. “Bloody Trey, hurry up.”
Tama leaned back and closed his eyes. Instead of Jayden he now saw Nike. He so wanted to splice the guy it hurt. Nike was the bane of his life, and the sooner he was in a grave the better things would be.
22
Nike
Nike strode down the hospital corridor looking for the number the nurse had given him. 15, 16, 17, and... He stopped outside number 18, and peered inside the room.
Pale green curtains surrounded each bed. A female giggled behind the curtain on the left. Her laughter stopped abruptly as a male voice scolded her.
“Leila?” Nike called out.
Someone moaned on the other side of the room.
“Is that you, Leila?”
“Nike?”
He walked over and pulled back the curtain—then froze. Leila lay flat on the bed with a grey blanket pulled up to her chest. Her face was badly bruised and swollen, her eyes no more than slits. More bruises coloured her arms, while a bandage covered her left hand.
No matter how much Leila had upset him, he would never raise a hand against her. She was a female for Christ’s sake. How could Jayden do this?
“Oh shit, Leila, I didn’t expect this. Did he break anything?”
“Some ribs and...” She winced and cupped her chin. “It hurts to talk.” She leaned towards the cabinet, her fingers straining for the pad and pen.
“I’ll get it.” He passed them to her.
She whispered, “Thanks.”
“I’m sorry, Leila. I had no idea Jayden would do sumpthin’ like this.”
Don’t blame yourself, she wrote. You did nothing wrong.
“Have you spoken to the cops?”
No, it was my fault.
He stared at her. “How can it be your fault?”
I had an affair with Tama.
Nike sighed, wondering whether she’d ever learn from her past mistakes. “I know, Annie told me. But it still doesn’t give Jayden a right to do this. You need to tell the cops. He’s now gone and got Annie and Lil Jay. Annie didn’t believe me when I told her that he hurt you.”
Leila went still. Nike wondered whether she was upset that Jayden had gone to Annie.
After a pause, she started writing again. Your cousin’s dumb as shit. Jayden could hit me in front of her, and she’d still refuse to believe it.
He knew she was right, but he still couldn’t let Annie go off with Jayden without doing something. Yeah, Annie would be safe for now, since Jayden was in no condition do anything, but that wouldn’t last long.
“Leila, you need to press charges. Jayden could do this to Annie too.”
No, he only did it cos of what I did. Annie’s too goody-good to do anything like that. She’ll be fine. Plus, he’s probably only with her cos he’s wants to see Lil Jay.
“Would you risk her life on that?”
She cradled her chin. “Why’re you here?” she whispered.
“I needed to know you were alright. I feel responsible.” He frowned as a tear ran down her cheek.
She wiped it away. “Can you come again tomorrow? I have no one else.”
Nike dropped his gaze. Although he didn’t like seeing Leila, he felt damned guilty at what had happened to her. And since he was coming in to see Maia anyway, he might as well pop by for a short visit.
“Okay.”
“Thanks.”
Footsteps came closer, then stopped on the other side of the curtain. “Visiting time is over,” a female called out.
“I’ll see you tomorrow then,” Nike said.
She nodded and smiled awkwardly.
As he headed out of the room and down the corridor, Nike pulled out his phone and searched for his uncle’s number. Jayden wasn’t going to get away with this. If Leila wouldn’t press charges, his Uncle Matt needed to know what had happened. Annie and Lil Jay had to be protected and he knew his uncle wouldn’t allow anything to happen to them.
His Uncle Matt had always been hard, and had gotten into trouble in the past over battery. Nike was surprised at how religious the man was, considering his violent nature. If anything, once his uncle found out what Jayden had done, he would probably try to finish the job that Tama had started.
23
Tama
Tama downed another beer in one hit. Shit, he felt great. The night had done a complete turnaround. Yeah, he’d had too much to drink and occasionally got slapped for groping a chick, but he was having fun and he still copped a feel.
Johno’s two-storey house was jammed with people, drinking beer, making out or smoking reefers. Tama leaned against the lounge wall and inhaled the sweet smelling air. Rap music pumped loud, full of haters’ music.
Trey pushed through the dancers and handed Tama another beer. Trey was sixteen, with a pretty boy face that was almost girlish. Put a wig on the dude and Tama thought his mate could pass off as one too. Hell, he was way prettier than Sledge’s sister ... but then again that wasn’t hard.
“You have any luck with that redhead?” Tama asked, already knowing the answer. All the chicks loved Trey. The fucking lucky bastard hardly ever got turned down.
Trey grinned and took a swig of beer. Tama didn’t bother to ask what the chick was like in bed. Trey rarely spoke about who he did. Tama thought it was probably because Trey had gotten so used to being told to shut the fuck up by Naf when the topic came up. In Tama’s opinion, Naf was just a jealous prick. Personally, he couldn’t care less if Trey bragged.
Tama pushed off the wall and gaped in disbelief as Naf sat down next to Aroha Summers. God, Naf was fucking desperate. He didn’t know how his mate could stand being that close to the smelly bird. Naf was being a bloody idiot if he was thinking of doing Aroha. Crabs would be the least of his problems with the way she was coughing.
Tama downed the beer and chucked the empty can at Naf’s head. It landed in Naf’s lap. Tama fisted the air. “Score!”
Trey sniggered.
Naf glared at them. “Fuck off, you bastards!”
Tama shook his head and mouthed, “Don’t do it.”
Aroha looked across at him and licked her lips. Tama shuddered. Fuck! Why’d she always have to do that whenever she saw him? He looked away, pretending he didn’t notice.
The rap song finished and God’s music filled the room. Several feet away a group of females started swaying to a Bob Marley song. Tama eyed up a hot blonde in the middle. A tight black dress barely covered her curvy figure. He whistled to get her attention. She looked his way, along with her mates. He cocked his chin up and crooked his finger for her to come over. She poked her tongue out and turned her back on him.
Ooh ... yeah, that got him going. He was definitely going to make a play for her.
One of her mates, a cute brunette, smiled at him.
Tama smiled back. He’d take her too.
“Why’d ja stab, Maia?” Trey asked, snapping Tama out of his fixation.
Tama frowned. Talk about putting a dampener on his mood. His mates knew he’d been amped that night, so why couldn’t they quit with the effing questions?
“I wuz so high I didn’t know what I wuz doin’,” he replied.
“If I’d known, I wouldn’t have helped you. I don’t like chicks getting hurt.”
Tama shook his head. What did Trey think was going to happen? That he was going to give Maia a friendly hug? Dumbarse. “I told ja, I wuz high, so fuckin’ can it or I’ll smack ya.”
Trey sneered. “I’d floor you before you could raise a fist.”
Tama sniggered. “Then I’d knee you in the gonads like I did the last time.”
Trey snapped his head around as a female called out his name. A girl standing next to the cute brunette waved him over. Trey shook his head. She pulled a face and turned away.
Tama rolled his eyes. “For fuck’s sake, you don’t even hafta do anything and you get offers. Why’d ja turn her down, she’s doable.”
“That’s Sierra Pitt. She’s into k
inky shit.”
Tama nodded in understanding. “So that’s who the ball-gagger is.”
“Yeah, but I’d do the cute brunette.”
Tama’s eyes shot to the chick that had smiled at him. “She’s mine.”
“No probs, plenty of others to choose from.” Trey nudged Tama. “What do ya beat I could hit Naf in the head with my can?”
Tama grinned. “If you get his head I’ll give ya five bucks. If you get Aroha’s I’ll give you a tenner.”
“Deal, but only if it’s her lap.”
“You’re such a pussy with chicks.”
“She’s not a chick, she’s a walking STD.”
Tama laughed so hard he almost pissed himself—literally. Man … he was sick of beer playing havoc with his bladder. It was the third time in an hour he needed to take a wiz. But, since he was going upstairs he might as well take the two hot chicks with him.
“Gotta take a slash,” he said to Trey.
Trey nodded then biffed his can. It flew past Naf and landed on Aroha’s lap. She squealed and jumped up.
Tama burst out laughing, then grabbed his crotch. Shit. “I’ll give ya the money later after I pinch it from Naf.”
Naf yelled, “For fuck’s sake, leave me alone.” He turned back as Aroha stomped off.
Tama let go of himself as he headed towards the girls. At least Trey had saved Naf from death by Aroha.
He stopped behind the hot blonde. Some of the girls started giggling. His hand reached out for her swaying arse then retracted as her head snapped around.
He smiled at her. “Hi, babe, ya wanna go upstairs?”
“Piss off, you bastard.”
Tama’s smile fell. God, he wanted to smack her. He couldn’t stand rude bitches, especially when he hadn’t done anything wrong. Plus, up close she wasn’t as pretty as he’d thought. She looked like a whore with the amount of makeup she’d caked on.
He leered at her. “How much?”
Her eyebrows pulled together. “For what?”
“A blow job.”
Her face went redder than her blush. She raised a hand then put it down when he shook his head.
“Piss off,” she snapped.
He sniffed then looked at her friend. The girl had a sweet face, with only a light coating of makeup, making her blue eyes stand out. “You’re prettier. You wanna come with me?”
She smiled and nodded.
“Kelly!” The blonde yanked her friend around. “What the hell is wrong with you? He just bloody called me a whore.”
Kelly pulled her arm free. “You were being nasty to him.”
The blonde shook her head. “That’s cos he’s effin’ Tama Harris.”
Tama scowled. Shit, he was standing right next to her. If he wasn’t busting he would have smacked her dirty mouth. Instead he’d deal with her later, but right now he needed to relieve his dick in a different way.
He whispered into the brunette’s ear, “I’ll come back for you, babe.”
Kelly nodded.
Tama pushed past and shot up the staircase. He opened the bathroom door and stopped in his tracks. A couple were going at it hammer and tongs in the tub. Fuck, it was better than watching porno, the girl’s groans were making him hard. The problem was it made him want to pee even more.
Tama opened the next door.
A chick looked up in surprise. “Shut the door!”
He grinned at her sitting on the toilet. He looked down at her feet. “Nice G-string.”
“Get out!” She kicked the door shut.
He cupped his crotch and bounced on his toes while he waited. The toilet flushed then the door opened. Tama blocked the woman from going around him. She was good-looking for an old bird, about forty, with big tits and hair. If he couldn’t have the brunette he’d take her instead.
“What’s ya name?” he asked.
She tried to sidestep him. “None of your business.”
He moved with her, gripping himself harder. “Oh, come on, babe. Don’t be mad. I didn’t know you were in there.”
She glanced down at his hand. Her annoyed expression changed into a grin. “What’s your name?”
“Tama. What’s yours?”
“Nina.”
“Will ya wait for me while I take a slash?”
She looked down at his crotch again and laughed. “Sure. But you better be quick before you piss yourself.”
Tama pushed past, did the business then washed his hands. He didn’t want to put her off by being a dirty bastard.
He opened the door and was relieved to see she’d waited for him. “Where do ya wanna talk? Outside ...” he paused as his grin widened “... or in a bedroom?”
She laughed. “Does anyone fall for that line?”
“Sometimes.” He left out the bit about the slaps and fingers he usually got.
“How ‘bout a dance,” she asked.
He shrugged. “No probs.”
Tama followed Nina down the staircase, past a couple pashing, and into the lounge. Nina put her arms around his neck and started swaying her hips. He grabbed her butt and pulled her closer. He glared over Nina’s shoulder at the mean blonde. The brunette was nowhere in sight.
He mouthed, “Later.” The girl flicked him the finger. Oh, he was going to do her. Hard. He flicked out his tongue. She pulled a face and turned away. Good, he’d gotten to her.
His attention snapped back to Nina as she began to grind him. “You sure ya don’t wanna go back upstairs?” he asked.
“We only just started.”
Fucking tease, he thought. “But you’re giving me a boner.”
She giggled. “Outside will do.”
Tama grabbed her hand and pushed through the throng of sweaty bodies, heading past the blonde. He slapped her arse hard. She let out a squeal then started hurling abuse at him as he squeezed through a group of guys drinking beer.
Tama spotted Corey standing by the door, talking to a tall slim guy with long blond hair. The bloody fag was hitting on his mate, his hand touching Corey’s arm. Shit, Corey was clueless.
Tama shoved the long haired git away from Corey. “Fuck off or I’ll belt ya!”
The guy fell onto a girl, then jumped up and took off out the back door.
“What the fuck didja do that for?” Corey yelled.
Tama turned on him. “Are ya bloody stupid? That guy wanted to root ya.”
Corey’s face dropped. “Why would ja think that?”
“Trey punched him a few weeks back for grabbing his cock.”
Corey looked sulky. “I wuzn’t told.”
Tama shook his head. “The guy screams butt jockey. Grow a brain.”
Corey grumbled and pushed through the partygoers.
“Dumbarse,” Tama yelled, then led Nina out the door.
He headed across the grass to a picnic table and sat down on the bench. The air was crisp outside, cooling down his warm face. Even though he only had on a T and jeans he still felt hot. Probably from all the beer he’d drunk. Nina instead looked cold in her leopard-skin skirt and gold halter-top. He eyed up her nipples as they pushed at the material. Man, he was itching to suck on them.
“Why did you smack that girl’s arse?” Nina asked.
“She dissed me earlier.”
Nina nodded and leaned back against the table. “I like your tattoo.”
He smiled. Even with the cougar lines under her eyes, she was pretty. He wondered whether she was someone’s mum.
“I got it a few weeks back for my eighteenth,” he said. “I designed it.”
She sat up with a surprised expression. “Shit, you don’t look eighteen. I thought you were older.”
Bugger, he’d blown it. “Is that a problem?” he asked.
“Nah ... just thought you were older. I’m twenty-eight.”
He grinned. Yeah right, she was definitely in her early forties. It didn’t bother him though, she was still pretty enough to fuck.
“You don’t look it. I thought you were you
nger,” he lied.
Her smile widened.
Oh yeah, she liked that. He was on a roll tonight. He put an arm around her shoulders and leaned in for a kiss.
She tilted her head back. “You move fast.”
He shrugged. She was the one who’d ground him. “Can’t help it if you’re hot.”
She smiled then kissed him. Tama couldn’t believe it; he was actually saying everything right. He grabbed her head and slipped his tongue in. She tasted of beer and cigarettes, but then again he probably did too.
She moved her hand down to his crotch. Tama jerked back in surprise. Fuck, she thought he moved fast! As she rubbed him he relaxed. He liked this bird. He was definitely getting laid tonight.
He slipped his hand under her top. The phone in his pocket rang. He let go of Nina and pulled it out. “Yeah?”
“Who the fuck are you?” a male voice asked.
“None of your business.”
“This is my girl’s phone. Why’ve you got it?”
“I took it after I fucked her.” Tama grinned at Nina, who giggled.
“Are you Tama?”
“Yep ... and you have one skanky ho. I only did her cos I wuz high.”
“When I find you I’m gonna shoot you.”
Tama laughed. “Where do ya live? I’ll come round.”
“Like hell I’m telling you. I’ll take you out when you’re not looking.”
Tama’s face burned. “Like you could, wank stain!” He hung up and jammed the phone into his pocket.
Nina grinned at him. “You get round a lot, don’t cha?”
Tama growled as the phone rang again. Why couldn’t people leave him alone? He looked at the number. Bloody Mikey again. He didn’t want to talk to the kid. He turned off the phone then put it away.
“It’s off now.” His hand crept under her skirt as he leaned in for a kiss. She started rubbing him again. He liked older birds, they didn’t muck around like younger chicks.
“Damn, Jess, that feels great,” he muttered.
Nina’s hand whipped back. “What?”
“I ... I said Jeez. Like in jeez wiz, that’s great.” It was lame, but it was all he had.
Behind the Hood (Behind the Lives) Page 11