Dirty Seduction

I was still battling my mind as he launched into another stream.

“You should fucking know about this, because it was down to YOU! He told Dad to stay away from YOU!” He paused, his eyes still angry. “So, why?! Why the fuck did he tell Dad to fuck off because of you? What the fuck did you stir up?!”

I tried to compose my thoughts, but then, fuck it. I opted for the truth. There was only one reason.

“Your dad came into my room the other night and pinned me down on the bed. He told me to keep my mouth shut and not to cause any waves for him, or he’d make me suffer for it. HE was serious, too. HE meant it, Jay. HE would hurt ME if I even thought of calling him out for beating my mum!”

Jayden stepped back, shaking his head in hurt. His voice was nearly breaking when he said one simple word.

“Shit.”

“Yeah, SHIT!” I said. “He’s a violent piece of shit, Jay, and you know it. He hurts Mum, and he’d hurt me, too. Julian found out about it and rescued me. I guess it set him off somehow.”

“Somehow. Yeah, great. Somehow which meant he put a knife to Dad and threatened his life.”

Even in the carnage of the revelation, I felt myself burning up with a different heat. I tried to picture Julian there, ordering Scottie to stay away, from me, with a knife.

He’d threatened Scottie’s life for me. For ME.

I managed to get some words out.

“What’s happening now?” I asked Jay, and he shrugged.

“I dunno. Dad was freaking out, but he said not to tell anyone. He shouted me down when I said I was going to pull you up on it.”

“But you did it anyway?”

“Yeah, I did! Because I wanted to hear what the fuck was going on, direct from you!”

“My mum doesn’t know about any of this. So, what do you want me to tell her?”

“NOTHING!” Jay yelled, then leant in close. His anger was fading to hurt. “Just keep it a secret, please. I’ve already broken the fucking rules by opening my mouth. I don’t want that creep chasing around after Dad, or your mum kicking off, or the police being involved or anything.”

I stared into Jayden’s eyes, as everything sank in. I felt sick. Everything spinning.

Scottie was gone. On the run. Julian had threatened to kill him. Mum was in happy land, thinking Scottie was off on some career promotion up in the highlands. And me? I just didn’t know what to do.

Jayden regained his composure before I did.

“I mean it. Don’t tell your fucking mum. It’ll bring shit down on all of us.” I managed a nod.

“Fine, yeah. I don’t want to bring shit down on Mum. She’s had enough already.”

Jayden repositioned his bag on his shoulders, and I saw the start of tears in his eyes.

“You want to stay away from that psycho upstairs,” he said. “He’s out of his fucking mind.”

He didn’t give me the chance to respond before he turned and walked away, and I didn’t call him back, because I couldn’t. What would be the point in going over the same insane ground?

I was practically sprinting when I rushed back to our apartment block. I couldn’t think straight as I opened the main door and shot up the stairs. Mum wasn’t in, she was working tonight, which was just as well as I was so wound up, I was pacing, still trying to understand.

Julian threatened Scottie’s life to keep him away from me.

My college mask crumbled to pieces, and for the first time in three years I called up the pizza house’s number on my phone.

“I’m sorry, but I’m sick,” I told the manager. “There’s no way I’ll make it in tonight.”

Luckily, Monday was our quietest day. Marcus would be able to manage.

I watched the clock, pacing through every minute, counting down the moments until I’d usually cross Julian’s path in the corridor. My heart was pounding, nerves on fire, everything tingling.

Out of shock.

Out of gratitude.

Out of love.

Out of… who fucking knows?

But I didn’t want to accost him in the corridor, in case anyone was around, so I waited, as calmly as possible, my eyes focused on the road outside through the window.

Finally, I saw him approaching with a cigarette in his mouth.

I pressed my ear to my front door so I could hear his footsteps pass on by, and then I counted down from one hundred, slowly, to make sure he’d get upstairs…

Fuck, how quickly I picked up my college bag when I reached zero. I slung it over my shoulder and stuck my head out into the corridor, checking for signs of neighbours. There were none, which was just as well, since I was bounding like a desperate gazelle as I locked up behind me and dashed upstairs.

My knuckles were tiny taps, sharp and fast. I was holding my breath as I heard Julian reach the other side. I was staring up with huge eyes as he answered the door.

I stepped on in and dropped my bag, and we stood, stare to stare, no words needed. He knew I knew, and I knew that he knew I knew, but it was all a tumble of emotions.

“You really did that?” I asked him.

“You shouldn’t know about it,” he said.

“Answer me, Julian. You really did that? You threatened Scottie?”

My saviour was deadpan for a heartbeat, and the true power in his eyes ate me alive.

“Yes, I threatened Scottie. I told him to get the fuck out of here and never come back. I had a knife to the cunt’s ribs, and he crawled away like a pathetic little wimp.”

It felt so weird to hear it said out loud from Julian himself.

“Would you have done it?” I asked. “Would you really have killed Scottie?” Julian didn’t flinch. His eyes were pure.

“Yes, I’d have done it. I’d have happily broken his limbs one by one and ploughed a knife through his ribs. I still would if he dared to threaten you again.”

If he dared to threaten me again…

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“You’re safe now, Rosie. Scottie won’t be coming back. Not if he’s got even the slightest excuse for a brain.”

But I didn’t care about Scottie anymore, I didn’t want to hear the sound of his name, because there was only one thing on this whole fucking earth I wanted to do.

I threw myself into Julian’s arms with such force that I knocked him backwards. I was as desperate as it’s possible to be as I jumped up and wrapped my legs around his waist, needing him more than life itself. I took hold of his shoulders, squeezing tight before I kissed him.

My lips met his like magic.

His body worked on instinct to support mine, and we were lost.

Consumed. Done for.

I kissed my saviour, and my saviour held me tight and kissed me right back.