by Amber Jaye
“Yeah, it's part of the family business.”
“Oh, I didn't realise.”
“No reason you should. My dad bought it decades back when he was going through his Godfather period. It's never made a profit. Just about breaks even. Rosa makes her money upstairs but we keep it going, cos when she's not too busy with that, she makes the best spaghetti and meatballs in this city.”
I feel so much relief but I'm confused.
“That's good to hear, but I didn't think you were in the family business?”
“Well, I'm not. None of the real business, but I have a stake in this and the chauffeur business. They both date back to when my mum and dad were still together. My brother runs all the other stuff. Is that how you know him, through one of his businesses?”
Before I can answer Rosa appears with two plates heaped high with spaghetti and meatballs.
“Enjoy! Enjoy!” she almost shouts. It gives me time to avoid a confession.
“I've known Tony since school. He's always been around and about. But, I never knew he had a brother, let alone a twin.”
“Well, we're not that close.”
I twirl spaghetti onto my fork and I place it on my tongue and it melts and tastes so good.
“Oh my God! This is amazing. I've never tasted anything like it, what's in this sauce?”
“Asking that question is the one thing that could get us kicked out of here. No-one knows, no-one asks.”
We both tuck into our food and I feel like I'm both the lady and the tramp. I wish I could be more dainty, but the meatballs are so mouthwatering, I'm all but shoveling it in.
As I keep my mouth full, Eddie tells me his family's history. His dad was already a legend on the doors when he met Eddie's mother, an art school student.
“They were both still in their teens and it was only a couple of weeks before the unexpected, but inevitable happened. Double trouble was on its way and they got married and moved in together. Seven months later we were a family of four.”
When the twins turned three his mum set up the chauffeur service in the hope of keeping her husband out of trouble and earning during the day and home at night.
“It didn't work out quite like that as he ended up spending the early hours waiting outside casinos and nightclubs. But at least it kept him away from the fights that had made his name. Of course, he made a lot of contacts and it was the way he started to earn during the day that brought us equal measures of wealth and grief.”
“That was what the arguments would be about. My mother would scream and my dad would rage. There was never any violence, but it was frightening. In the end, my mum made a final ultimatum for him to go legit, and when that failed she took me and Tony and left.”
I finish my plate and my heart begins to melt like the spaghetti and Eddie is piercing my soul with every word that he speaks.
In their new home, Tony had very soon taken over his father's position seeing himself as the man of the house.
He was always in trouble and shouting the odds whenever my mum found out about it. Six months after we'd left, Tony returned to live with my father. It all sorted itself out after that.”
I can hear a sadness entering his voice.
“We'd always been very competitive, but once we had that separation we got to be more our own individuals and we developed our own strengths. Tony became the better boxer because he was training daily with my dad. I only joined them at the weekends. During the week I was hanging around with all me mum's bohemian friends and I started getting into my art.”
I pop the last meatball into my mouth as he pauses. I've been hanging on his every word.
“My dad died while I was away doing my foundation course. They'd kept it from me, how ill he was. I should have guessed from how much time my mum had been spending with him. Stupidly, I'd thought they were going to get back together. I didn't make it back before he passed.”
I can feel the tears forming in my eyes and Eddie notices.
“Anyway, most my father's businesses were turned over to Tony – after all, Tony pretty much was the business. He supported me until I graduated and since then I've been able to pay my own way. Since I've been back we haven't seen too much of each other. Different social circles and that. It's mainly down to mum that we see each other at all, really.”
Eddie finishes his plate as he finishes the story.
“So, have I put you off?” he asks.
For the first time, I get to see him looking embarrassed.
“Put me off what?”
“Put you off of me. I've spent the whole time going on about myself and I haven't asked a single thing about you. Sorry about that.”
I feel my love for him growing stronger.
“That's nothing for you to be sorry about.”
“I'm normally the one asking the questions. Honestly, I can be a great listener. It's just with you I feel I can tell you anything. I feel I can trust you in a way I can't explain. I've fallen for you hard, I guess.”
He smiles and it's a different kind of smile. It's honest and true.
It's the way I've always wanted a man to smile at me. I can hardly hold it together as I'm torn about inside. All my lies are flooding back into my consciousness. How did I end up here? I've spent the evening transfixed in his gaze and now I can't look him in the eye. I can't think of anything to say to put this right so I excuse myself and head back to the bathroom.
10
The tears are welling up and I'm beginning to sob. I have to hold my breath and I just make it through the bathroom door as the tears begin to fall. I lean on the sink and let myself sob three times before pulling myself together. I check my mascara and then I pick up my phone.
Tony has sent me another message. There's a photo of him holding a petrol can and a cigarette lighter. The message says,
“These boots were made for burning!”
I'd been going to ring Gemma, but now I'm seeing red. I've had enough of Tony's shit and I ring him back instead. It rings and then goes to his answer service.
“Tony you can do whatever the fuck want with my shoes. In fact, take all my shoes and my handbags, take all my clothes. Everything I've got, have it! But, I'm not going to sleep with your brother...”
I have to break off and I hold the phone away from me as I begin to choke up.
I have to take three big breaths before I can continue.
“I'm going to tell him the truth and you can come round tomorrow and take what you want from me.”
I end the call and already feel relief.
Or as much relief as someone can who has made the worst mistake of their life, but at least I've taken the first step to putting it right. And there's no turning back now. I'm going to finish this evening and then I'll tell Eddie the truth tomorrow. I'll ask Rosa for a coffee and get her to call me a cab.
I check my reflection and see that the biggest fool in the world looking back at me.
How have I become this? How did I screw up so badly? I've fallen deeper and deeper for Eddie as he's been opening up to me. He's chosen to trust me and I've made a cheap and nasty little deal with his devil of a brother. And sooner or later Eddie will find out what a cheap and nasty little deal I am. I wouldn't be able to bear waiting for that to happen. So I'll come clean.
I take one last look in the mirror and see no sympathy looking back at me. Oh, sod it! Let's get this over with.
11
I walk back to the table with the remains of my pride. Eddie's already standing as if he's ready to go. He offers me the crook of his arm.
“Come on, let's get some fresh air and work off that pasta a bit,” he says.
He escorts me to the back of the restaurant. There's a large pane of glass that looks out at the beach and the sea. I marvel at the purple and orange clouds that float above a late summer sun slowly sinking into the horizon.
“Wow! That's some view.”
“Yeah. Imagine how much we'd make if Rosa would open up during the day.”
&
nbsp; There's a door set in the glass, Eddie opens it and we pass through.
We're at the end of the season and have the whole beach to ourselves. I hear the cry of the last gull as it heads off home to the cliffs.
My boots are struggling with the pebbles and Eddie takes hold of both my hands and guides me down the bank. The sea is far out tonight and we step down into the sand that stretches away from us to the faraway sea.
“I'm going to have to take my boots off,” I say and I bend down and start to unbuckle them.
“Well, I hope you're not going to stop at just your boots.”
I look up at him, we're both grinning from ear to ear. He wiggles one of his feet near my face.
“You'll at least have to help me with mine,” he says.
I put my boots to one side and grab the heel of his. I give a swift yank and it slips straight off. I fall back and land on my arse.
“Careful, there.” he laughs as he waves his other boot at me. That comes off much the same way.
“Come on then, get them off.” he leers.
He pulls his zip down to his waist. I take in the tautness of his chest and six-pack. He's managed to squeeze a pair of briefs between him and that leather and he's standing in just his pants whilst I'm still hesitating.
I look back towards the road and cafe. Is it dark enough yet? Are we far enough away not to be seen? I reckon you'd only notice us if you were looking straight at us. Eddie is totally naked now; his penis stands firm above me.
“Do us a favour,” he says.
“Oh, not that old line – 'while you're down there?' “
“Nah.” he laughs “I want to ask you to keep your stockings on.”
He swings his penis away from me and I watch his perfect tight arse head off to the water's edge.
“Yee-hah!” he yells.
So much for us not being noticed. Without a second thought, I pull my hot pants off. I feel the warm breeze on my behind, I'd forgotten I was already knickerless. I pull off my top and take off my bra and free my breasts into the dusk.
I chase Eddie, my nipples hardening as my tits swing in the air. My feet splash into the first wave.
The water is very shallow and hardly covers my toes as I run on. I'm tingling all over. I feel the night on my tits, my arse and between my legs. I feel so free.
The water feels as warm as a bath and it finally makes it's way up to my knees. I look for Eddie but he's no longer visible.
Then, I see him a little off to my left. He's floating on his back and I don't know if he's given it a hand, but his prick is standing straight up like a periscope.
“Aie, Aie Cap'n, jump aboard.” he salutes me as he sculls the water.
“I can't swim here, it's not deep enough.”
“You don't need to swim, float on your back like me.”
“I can't float – I just sink.”
“Everyone can float.”
“I can't.”
I show him, I lie on my back and slowly submerge.
“See?” I say, sitting up.
“Hmm, you need a little motion that's all. Here grab hold of me.”
“Grab hold of you where?”
“Where do you think?”
I grip the shaft of his dick and feel him throb in my palm. I place my other hand on his shoulder.
“Now lift your feet up,” he tells me.
I do as he says and he cuts through the water with broad strokes. As we start to move the rest of my body floats up to meet his.
We both stare up at the sky and I can see the first stars coming out. I slowly move my hand up and down the ridge of his head and I tease the tip, circling it with my thumb. I slowly drift beneath the stars and it feels as if we're floating in the Milky Way.
I slowly increase my touch on his dick and start to wank him properly.
Eddie moans and steers us towards the shore.
The beach rises up to meet us and we come to a stop. I stand up and straddle his thighs. I cup his balls in my hand and stroke them with my fingernails. Eddie moans, stretching his arms out behind him and his penis grows taller. I hoist myself up so as to take him in me and his cock is so big I have to literally stand in order get above it.
I crouch so the lips of my vulva sit upon his tip. He is so fucking hard and I'm so wet I could push straight down on it, but he is so large that I know that if the angle is not just right then he won't get in. I grip the base of him, correct the angle and push myself down upon him.
I lean forward and press a hand against his chest and I arch my back. I open my mouth in anticipation and then I start pounding my pussy to take him in to the hilt. I've found my unicorn and I'm riding him like I've never ridden before. We are charging through the night.
I grind my clit in a frenzy and Eddie reaches up to touch me and I clasp his hands to my chest.
“Touch my tits.” I gasp and I cry out as he starts playing with them.
He kneads them, and he thrusts himself harder into me pushing up to a place I've never felt inside me before. The stars above us are now exploding inside of me. We are groaning, moaning gasping grunting. This is the hardest and quickest I've ever come. Eddie claws me with one hand, the other is rubbing my hood and turning me on and off as I come again and again and again. I feel his cum pumping into me and I yell out as we shudder and our ride comes to an end.
I rest my head against his chest as he stays inside me. The adrenaline is pumping through our systems and I can hear both our hearts racing along. I can start to feel the air on my skin again. I shiver and goosebump.
“We better get dressed,” says Eddie. “I'll race you, first one dressed, the other has to stay with whatever they are left in.”
“Don't you ever stop?” I smile.
“Never.” he replies “Go on, I'll give you a head start.”
“Okay,” I say, slowly getting up yawning and stretching. I turn and look up into the sky and see that the moon is now out.
“Is it a full moon tonight?” I ask.
Eddie twists his head to look and as he does I tear up the beach.
I don't think much of his head start offer, so I'm grabbing what advantage I can. At least I should get my hot pants on this way.
I'm making good time, but Eddie charges past and I watch his arse disappear into the dark before me. I think how I'd chase that arse to the ends of the earth. I can't help giggling and I quicken my pace.
And then suddenly- I hear:
“FUCK! I'LL FUCKING KILL HIM!” he shouts.
12
I'm cut to the quick. I stumble, losing my footing and I fall tits first into the last of the sand. I get straight back up but I've twisted my ankle and I have to limp the rest of the way.
I try convincing myself that maybe someone's hidden our clothes and that's what's made Eddie so angry. But I know I won't be that lucky.
I get to our clothes and there's no sign of Eddie. He's left his leathers but his boots are gone. My phone's been moved, I pick it up and pray that I'm wrong. I don't have to unlock it to see the first half of a text from Tony. It says:
“If you don't want to fuck my brother, pay me some other...”
I frantically get into my hot pants and those bloody boots of mine and peg it back up to the cafe. I hear a motorbike roar and I call out Eddie's name as he rides off. What am I going to do? I don't know what to do.
Should I ring Tony? Do I warn him or will he do Eddie if I do that? I ring the doorbell and bang on the glass.
I try to peer in, but all the lights are off. I step back and look up. There's a light on behind the curtains of one of the windows above.
“Rosa! Rosa!” I scream. There's no reply.
I pick up some grit and chuck it up. It rattles against the pane and the curtains are furiously thrown open and I see an alien staring down at me. It opens the window and I realise that it's actually someone wearing an old gas mask.
“Rosa, is that you?”
Rosa nods her head.
“Eddie's g
one mad and he's gone to kill Tony and it's all my fault, cos I told Tony I wasn't going to sleep with Eddie, not for the money...”
I'm cut off as Rosa disappears inside and I burst into tears. I have hold of Eddie's leathers and I wipe my nose on his sleeve.
Finally, a light comes on in the cafe and I see Rosa approaching. She's taken off the gas mask and I see that she's wearing a PVC nurses outfit.
She pulls the bolt across and opens the door. I hold up Eddie's leathers.
“He's gone.” I sob.
“And it's all my fault!” I wail.
Rosa slaps my face, shakes her finger at me and then grabs my wrist and pulls me back outside.
She pulls the covering off of the delivery scooter and unlocks it. She passes me a crash helmet and I strap it on and hop aboard.
Pulling out onto the promenade, Rosa revs up and we shoot along the seafront. The engine has plenty of wallop and I hold onto the hand bars at the back of the seat for dear life.
We pass a stag party coming towards us and they cheer as I'm leaning back to grip the seat and they couldn't get a better view of my tits if I tried. I wrap my arms around Rosa's middle and pull myself closer to give me some coverage.
Rosa slaps me off and I scramble for the bar again as we suddenly lean into a curve and blast off into the city.
13
Rosa screeches to a halt outside Tony's house.
It's easy to tell that it's Tony's as it's yellow covered in seashells and there's a mosaic of what looks like Tony slaying a dragon on the side wall.
The front door is open and I can see that Eddie's bike is sticking out as if he just drove straight through it.
“Oh my god!” I shriek and hop off the scooter.
“Come on Rosa! We need to stop them. We need to get in there.” I go to grab her wrist and get another slap around my face.
“Stop pretending you're stupid!” snaps Rosa. “You made it wrong; you make it right.”
“But I can't do it on my own.”
“Of course you can. Two silly boys aren't something you can handle? Besides I've left a client in the airing cupboard.”