by Edie Baylis
Choosing an album he walked up behind her and scooped her long hair out of the way. He took the rolled-up fiver out of her hand and planted a kiss on her neck.
“Trying to deflect me?” Jane laughed, watching as Seth snorted the spare line. “Shall we go out?” she asked, unsure of the time. She looked onto the street below seeing a few people milling about.
Wiping the white residue from under his nose, Seth cracked open another beer. “Yeah, why not!”
Jane hoped Maggie wouldn’t be out tonight. She hadn’t mentioned anything about their conversation the other night to Seth. He’d go mental if he found out she’d suggested she dump him. He’d rant for ages about people poisoning their relationship whilst failing to notice that he allowed his mates to have a good run at doing just that.
She felt her temper start to prickle. Although it was tempting, she wasn’t going to start again about Stuart. Not today anyway.
One thing Jane did agree with Maggie on was that her and Seth needed to sort things out. Her eyebrows knitted together. Whatever happened to their plans to move away? She sighed, realising like everything else, it had got waylaid in a drunken haze.
Wrapping his arms around Jane, Seth rested his chin on her shoulder and she smiled, pushing thoughts of Maggie from her mind. “We going out then?”
“Well, maybe later,” he murmured, pushing her against the window. Firstly he was going to remind her why she was with him.
Jane’s breath caught as Seth’s hand inched up her skirt, his hardness pressing urgently into the small of her back. When he ripped her top off with one hand and pulled her knickers to one side with the other, she closed her eyes in anticipation.
As Seth took her roughly from behind Jane was enjoying herself immensely. Her bare breasts were exposed for all to see through the glass of the window pane as he relentlessly pounded into her and she waved cheekily to the man in the flat opposite who was watching them intently.
Picking her up, Seth balanced her on the back of the sofa and buried his face between her legs. “Only me Jane, remember?”
Letting the sensations overtake her, Jane’s fingers twisted in Seth’s hair as she pushed herself against his probing tongue before climaxing on his mouth. After catching her breath she dropped to her knees.
Seth groaned loudly as he buried himself as deep down Jane’s throat as possible, fucking her mouth hard.
Holding on to his solid thighs, Jane ran her teeth gently over the throbbing veins of his length and her tongue mercilessly flickered around the sensitive tip.
Seth bit down on his bottom lip as he tried to control the raging sensations rising within him. “Wait!” he gasped, pulling her up from her knees and pushing her back against the sofa. “I’m going to make you come again first, baby,” he growled.
Jane looked up at him, his muscles taut and his head tilted slightly back as he slammed deep into her. God, how she loved him.
As Seth pounded into her harder, Jane ignored the man in the flat opposite who was now frantically pumping at his own cock and abandoned herself to the orgasm that rushed through her violently.
FIFTY TWO
ELIZA DRAPED HERSELF over Jake, her arm hanging loosely around his neck. There was no way she was drunk enough to do Graham again, so Jake would have to do for now. He was a bit of a pig, but it wasn’t like she had to look at him was it?
Catching Maggie’s eye from where she was sitting with Bryn at the sticky table, Eliza wondered what had happened to Zed. Since Bryn had unexpectedly returned on the scene last week Maggie had gone back to being obsessed with him. That girl needed to make her mind up.
Batting her eyelashes she waved her empty pint glass towards Jake hoping he’d get the hint. Her mouth was a dry as a bone. It had been over five minutes since she’d finished it and still he hadn’t moved. What sort of bloke was he?
“I’m not going through all this again, Jane,” Seth hissed, trying to keep his voice level, fully aware they had an attentive audience. He didn’t know why this lot bothered - the argument had been the same for the last two days so there was hardly anything new for them to listen to.
“You can say what you like. It’s not happening!”
Seth tipped the rest of his pint into his mouth and fixed his steely gaze on Jane.
She would marry him. It was all booked and he was damned if he’d let the fact she’d got her knickers in a twist about Stuart ruin it. He wished he’d finished the twat off the first time. It would have saved a ton of bloody hassle.
As if reading Seth’s mind, Jane swung around and faced him, her dark eyes defiant. “I told you yesterday, Seth. It’s not just about Stuart. It’s everything!” Sighing dramatically, she poured the remains of her vodka down her throat. “Why can’t you understand?”
“So you just don’t want to marry me anymore?” Seth was getting angrier. “And keep your voice down? I’m sick of this lot listening to everything.”
Jane felt like screaming. She wanted a fresh start away from all the bullshit like they’d promised each other.
“May I remind you that you’re already married to me anyway!” Seth continued, a sneer appearing across his face.
Jane slammed her empty glass down on the table. “Tell me why you’re insisting we do it again then?”
“Because I want to do everything properly.”
Rolling her eyes, Jane placed her hand over his and looked into his handsome face. “I just want to get everything sorted first.”
Seth pushed himself quickly away from the table, causing Eliza and Maggie to grasp desperately for their rapidly spilling glasses. “What the fuck do I have to do, Jane?” he roared, his arms outstretched theatrically.
The whole pub fell silent when Seth grabbed his coat and stomped towards the front door. He turned towards a group of people trying to avoid looking at him. “Show’s over early!”
Jane felt Maggie’s eyes on her as she watched Seth leave. She wasn’t going after him.
DODGE WAS STARVING. How long did it take to cook a fucking sausage? He only wanted one and a small portion of chips, not a bloody three course meal. Drumming his fingers impatiently on the stained countertop, he glared at the man behind the counter aimlessly shovelling chips in the deep-fat fryer.
Tapping his foot, Dodge sighed and glanced at the queue behind him. He didn’t have time for this. He just wanted to get home, well aware he’d get an ear bashing from Mary. He’d said he’d be home for tea, but had got involved at the King’s and now it was gone 10. She was going to go mad, but he was damned if he’d put up with her ranting on an empty stomach. Besides, he needed something to soak up the beer.
The man behind the counter looked tired and bored. “Salt and vinegar?”
Dodge nodded at the man paused with the salt in suspended animation over the chips. “Sorry about the wait,” he muttered monotonously and passed the small package over the counter.
Stomping out of the chip shop, Dodge wiped his nose on the sleeve of his jacket and glanced at his watch. He should be back in twenty minutes. With any luck, Mary would have gone to bed so he wouldn’t get grief until the morning. If he played his cards right, he’d be out the door before she’d even have chance to get started.
Spotting a familiar figure opposite as he rounded the corner his stomach lurched. He hadn’t seen Seth since offloading his stuff because he’d done a good job of avoiding him. Until now.
Shoving a handful of greasy, soggy chips into his mouth, Dodge quickly digested how best to handle the situation. Should he ignore him or act normal?
Opting for the first choice he kept his head trained downwards and pretended to be extremely interested in his chip paper.
Crossing the road, Seth blocked his path. “Hello!”
“Oh!” Dodge exclaimed, acting surprised. “Seth! How you doing, mate?”
He didn’t have time to react or to save his dinner from hitting the floor as he was roughly dragged into an alley by the lapels of his jacket.
PICKING
HER BAG UP from the table, Jane glanced at the others and tipped the last dregs of her drink into her mouth. “I’m hitting the road.” Standing up, she leant on the table for support, deciding she probably shouldn’t have had those last extra few drinks.
Eliza shifted to the edge of the seat and moved her leg off Jake’s. “Can we cadge a lift?”
Jane smiled ruefully, knowing she should just go home and have the argument waiting to happen. “No can do tonight. Sorry.”
Eliza pouted and slinging her legs back over Jake’s knees, resumed plaiting his hair.
“See you later, babe!” Maggie smiled, looking relaxed now she’d had her quota of alcohol and undivided attention from Bryn.
Oh, for life to be simple, Jane thought. Raising her hand in goodbye, she headed out through the front door of the Oak Apple.
SETH SMILED AS HE PINNED Dodge against the wet brick wall of a dank alley between two shops. What a bit of luck. He’d wanted to catch up with this two-faced piece of shit and he hadn’t even had to go looking. Plus, thanks to his argument with Jane he was in just the right frame of mind.
“Thought you could fuck me up, did you? Dump my gear for all to see?” Seth’s teeth gleamed in the moonlight.
“No. I-I...”
“Some mate you are!”
Dodge fidgeted and tried to move out of the stranglehold. “I-I said you needed to move it with the cops sniffing around.”
“Do you realise how much shit you could have caused me, you stupid prick? Do you?”
“I-I needed to clear the lock up,” Dodge stuttered. “I asked Phil to remind you.”
As Seth released his grip, Dodge jiggled his head from side to side, attempting to kick start the blood flow in his crushed veins. He seriously wished he hadn’t stopped for chips. Even Mary’s moaning would have been preferable to this. Seth was one of the few people he hadn’t wanted to get on the wrong side of and although he’d heard he’d been losing the plot, he’d very wrongly assumed he’d also lost his touch.
“I have to say,” Seth folded his arms and stared at the man he’d thought of as an ally. “You’ve disappointed me.”
Watching Seth’s eyes darken, a sickly knot of despair formed in the pit of Dodge’s stomach.
“The fact you’re trying to make up crap excuses makes it even worse.”
“I-I was...”
“You’d have sold me down the fucking river wouldn’t you, you cunt?” Seth snarled.
“No, No! I wouldn’t have.”
Rocking back on his heels, Seth laughed quietly. “Don’t you see mate, you did! The fact you spoke to Phil rather than me was an example.”
Grabbing Dodge around the throat he pulled him clean off the ground. “Dumping my stuff in full view of every fucker was another,” Seth’s eyes narrowed further. “Trying to set me up were you?”
“No. No! Of course n....”
“Thought I’d lost the fucking plot did you?” Seth screamed. The slight flicker behind Dodge’s eyes told him all he needed to know.
White fury descended like a mist and he rammed his fist down. “You two-faced mother fucker!”
Seth rained punch after punch down upon his former friend who crashed to the floor under the onslaught.
Colours and sheets of bright white lights flashed through Dodge’s mind as muddy water seeped through his jeans.
THROUGH HER BLURRED VISION Jane glanced into the alley and saw Seth’s familiar silhouette. She couldn’t quite make out who was getting the pasting, but watching as his fist crashed repeatedly down upon an inert figure in a puddle she realised he was in no rush to stop.
When Jane walked up the alley she saw it was Dodge on the receiving end and raised her eyebrows. Seth gave her an imperceptible nod before turning back to the job in hand. She could see he was zoned out, but surely he didn’t want to beat Dodge to an inch of his life?
Jane touched his arm. “Don’t you think that’s enough, Seth?”
“What?” he glared at Jane with hooded eyes as she glanced at the smashed-up, bloodied face lying in the mud.
Dodge’s eyes were already swollen shut, his cheekbone was broken and it looked like he’d lost a couple of teeth. “Think you’ve got the message across,” Jane said.
“I don’t get the message across properly to some people it seems,” Seth hissed. “Wouldn’t want to disappoint you.”
Jane stalked back in the direction of the alley’s mouth. If he was going to be an obnoxious twat, he could piss right off. “Save your wrath for Stuart, Seth.”
“Stuart. Oh Stuart. You have to get that in don’t you?” Seth raged, landing another blow in Dodge’s now unrecognisable face. Stuart wasn’t here right now, but this cunt was.
SETH COLLAPSED ONTO the sofa, trying to keep himself awake by throwing empty beer cans idly into the bin. Unfortunately he was so drunk, he was missing the target by a long shot - which only irritated him further.
Switching the television on for the fourth time, he glared at the subtitled film on Channel 4. Flicking to the BBC, it was the test card. Sighing, he switched the television off and threw the remote control on to the table with a clatter. Three hours and still no sign of her.
All the fury he’d unleashed by giving Dodge a kicking had been replaced by anger over Jane’s absence. After barging into the flat ready for a row, he’d been surprised to find her missing and as time had slowly worn on, he’d got drunker and more annoyed. Now he was ready to blow.
Inspecting the blood underneath his fingernails, Seth dragged himself off the sofa and stumbled towards the window. He gazed down into the dark deserted night. Was Jane doing this to wind him up? It certainly felt like it.
Feeling his whole body shaking he stared at the remains in the whisky bottle and raised it to his lips. Maybe he should go next door and stab that Stuart cunt to death in his fucking bed? But what if Jane came back when he wasn’t here? He couldn’t risk that.
Cracking his knuckles, Seth stretched and sat back down to wait.
JANE HAD BARELY GOT through the front door before Seth launched himself up the hallway in three strides and grabbed her by the jacket. The back of her head collided into the wall as she was slammed backwards.
“Where the fuck have you been?” he screamed, his face inches from hers. “Who’ve you been with?”
Jane shrugged out of his grasp. “Fuck you, Seth!”
“How fucking dare you treat me like this!” he roared.
Jane slapped him hard around the face. “Get the hell off me.”
As a red welt appeared on his cheek, Seth grabbed Jane’s face with one hand and yanked her chin up. “You belong to me, Jane. Me!”
Glowering, she yanked his hand away and shoved him hard in the chest. “I’ve told you before. I belong to no one!”
Staggering back drunkenly, Seth crashed against the opposite wall of the narrow hall before regaining his balance. Moving quickly he grabbed Jane’s arm and swung her around. “Don’t do this to me again,” he begged. “You’re killing me.”
Jane stared at Seth stubbornly and remained silent. Let him sweat.
“I won’t have this. You belong to me, not anyone else. I won’t let you make a fool out of me anymore.” Grabbing Jane’s shoulders Seth shook her roughly, angry that despite his wrath he was as hard as rock for her. God, she was infuriating, but he loved her so.
“If you don’t like it, you know where the fucking door is!” Jane spat.
Seth’s face was a mask of rage as he pinned her up against the wall and forced his tongue into her mouth with a growl.
Despite her rage, Jane’s body responded with desperate longing. Damn him. Why did he always have this effect on her?
Shaking her arms free, she grabbed Seth’s hair with one hand and pulled him closer towards her.
Seth pulled Jane’s skirt up as he easily lifted her against the wall and she wrapped her legs around his hips. “You’re not leaving me, Jane,” he gasped, unbuttoning his jeans.
Jane cried out and
dug her nails into the ridges on Seth’s back as he entered her, savouring the familiar feel of him inside her. His lips trailed kisses up her neck as he pumped hard.
“You know I won’t leave you, Seth,” Jane whispered, grasping a fistful of his curls and abandoning herself to the pleasure his body always gave her.
She smiled. How could she ever be with anyone else?
FIFTY THREE
ELIZA HUNG THE DRESS carefully on the handle of her wardrobe and stared at it. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d worn a long dress.
Running her hand over the dark purple taffeta, she smiled. At least it was tight and had a split down the side, plus it was low-cut so she could show her tits off. She’d look hotter than Maggie whatever happened. They might have identical dresses, but she’d look the best by far.
“It’s a lovely dress, dear.” Joy stood behind Eliza, making her jump. “Must have cost a fortune.”
“Well, I didn’t pay for it put it that way!” Eliza grinned, turning to face her mother.
“Jane must be excited. Have you seen her dress? What’s it like?”
Eliza wasn’t sure that Jane was excited at all. With less than two weeks to go until the church wedding she seemed more fucked up every time she’d seen her. She wasn’t sure what was going down, but had given up trying to find out.
“Don’t know really Ma, Jane’s been a bit weird lately.” Eliza turned the dress around for the third time and admired the back which consisted of a plethora of criss-crossing straps.
“She’s probably just nervous.” Joy smiled.
Eliza doubted that Jane was nervous, but it was easier to agree rather than explain Jane and Seth’s manic relationship to her mother.
Though she had to admit she was envious of Jane’s dress. It was truly gorgeous. Handmade from off-white silk and ruched all the way down it splayed out at the base into a wide fishtail. The puffed shoulders blended into lace sleeves and the entire gown was covered with hundreds of crystals that caught the light in every direction imaginable.