Josie laughed nervously. "C'mon, it wuzn't me who sent it." She gave Beth a sly glance. "And, it wuz really hot. You should pose for Playgirl or sumpthin." She giggled. "I'd buy the mag for sure."

Dante's mouth fell open.

Beth whacked Josie across the arm. G.o.d, she couldn't believe her cousin's nerve-and rudeness.

"Ow! Don't hit me."

"Then get outta here."

"No, it's my flat, you leave. Alone."

Beth pushed Josie towards the door.

Josie shoved Beth back, then headed for Dante. "Good night, hottie." She stood on her tiptoes and kissed Dante's cheek. Dante remained still, his expression disbelieving. Josie glanced back at Beth. "You can take the couch, Beth," she said, grinning.

Beth breathed out as Josie disappeared.

Dante shook his head. "Your cousin's sumpthin' else."

"Yeah, sorry 'bout her, Josie's always been rude." She grimaced. "How much didja hear?"

"Sumpthin' 'bout my picture making a great screensaver. I hate that soddin' picture."

"I'll see if I can delete it for you tomorrow," Beth replied, relieved that he hadn't heard more.

She headed over and steered him out of the kitchen and into her bedroom. He slumped on the mattress, still complaining about the picture. Beth pulled off his boots and manoeuvred him onto his back, then grabbed a cover and headed for the couch, her nerves still raw from the close call.

"I wanna go home," he called out.

She went back in. "Not now, go to b.l.o.o.d.y sleep."

He closed his eyes, mumbling he was going home. Beth watched him for a while to make sure he didn't get up, then, when he'd nodded off, she snuck out of the room and closed the door. She leaned against it for a moment, wishing she could snuggle up to him, to make him only want her, to be everything he needed, desired and loved. But she wasn't sure she would ever be enough for him, because she couldn't imagine him giving up the things he loved. But, he'd said he wanted her. And she wanted him.

She glanced at Josie's bedroom. No light, no sound. With her heart pounding like the little drummer boy, she slipped back into her room. She stripped off, leaving only her knickers on, then lowered herself onto the bed, careful not to wake him. When he didn't stir, she hooked an arm over his waist and snuggled in, thrilled by the touch of her b.r.e.a.s.t.s against his skin.

I'm not doing anything wrong, it's just hugging, and I've hugged him before. But not without my clothes on. But I want to know what it feels like to lie next to him instead of Ash. Oh G.o.d, don't think of Ash.

Needing to get Ash out of her head, she buried her face into Dante's hair, the smell of cigarettes a reminder of the s.e.x club. She pushed aside the image of Sandra molesting him, and focused on the hint of vanilla shampoo. He always swiped her stuff: the mochachino, her shampoo, her shower gel. It used to annoy her, but now it gave her a thrill, because it felt like he belonged to her too-or she belonged to him, because he could use her all he wanted.

She lay there for G.o.d only knew how long, listening to his breathing and her own heartbeat, the two merging like they were meant to be together. Her eyelids started to lower, sleep pulling at the corners. She closed them, just wanting to rest for a short time, then she would go sleep on the couch.

15.

Dante Sunday Dante opened his eyes and moaned, bringing a hand to his aching head. He needed Aspirin, no he needed his d.a.m.n meds. He sat up and looked down at his bare chest. At least he had pants on this time and there was no chick next to him. He pushed off the bed and opened the door, the smell of frying bacon instantly hitting him. He wasn't sure whether it made him feel sicker, but he followed his nose to the kitchen anyway.

In the far corner, a short female with curly reddish-brown hair was standing by the stove holding tongs. His eyes wandered down her body, the negligee she was wearing leaving little to the imagination. He cleared his throat to get her attention. She glanced over her shoulder and smiled. He wondered whether he'd done her. Although she was hot, he kind of hoped he hadn't, the thought of Beth making him feel like it was cheating. Though, f.u.c.k knew why, because Beth wasn't his, plus he'd gone to La Rock last night to wipe her from his memory, he just wished that Sandra hadn't shown, because she looked too much like Beth, her presence making him feel guilty, which he didn't understand. s.h.i.t, Beth was warping his brain, creating feelings he couldn't handle. He just needed to repeat over and over again that he couldn't have her.

"You hungry, Dante?" the chick asked.

Great, she knew his name. He just hoped he hadn't given her his phone number too. "I need coffee."

She tapped a plunger. "Got plenty of that. Plonk yourself down, and I'll bring everything over."

He slumped into a chair and rested his forehead on the table. He must've drunk even more than usual, because he hadn't had a hangover this bad in ages, the techno music from last night still playing its d.a.m.n beat across his frontal lobe.

He looked up as a mug and plate was put in front of him. "Thanks," he said, picking up the coffee.

The chick sat across from him. "How're ya feeling this morning?"

"Like c.r.a.p." He hesitated. "Did we... ah... did we f.u.c.k?"

She grinned, her cheeky smile reminding him of someone. "I wish, but nope, you were too drunk, and Beth would've killed me."

Oh c.r.a.p. "Beth's here?"

"Yeah, you slept in her room."

Jesus, he hoped Ash didn't hear about this. "Um, where did she sleep?"

"On the couch, though G.o.d only knows why the stupid woman listened to me, cos I didn't expect her to."

Because she's still hung up on Ash. Dante took a sip of his coffee, feeling disappointment instead of relief.

"By the way, my name's Josie. I'm Beth's cousin."

"Nice to meet ya, and thanks for the grub."

"No worries, I'd love to have you over for breakfast more often. You can sleep in my bed next time." She giggled, her eyes twinkling.

Dante couldn't tell whether she was joking or not. He took another drink of coffee to avoid replying.

Noise came from the lounge. A few seconds later Beth walked into the kitchen with her kimono on. Dante's eyes lowered down it, his mind rewinding to when he'd taken it off her. She walked past him, her "G'morning" barely audible. She poured herself a coffee, then leaned against the cupboard, her gaze avoiding his.

"Dante?" Josie said.

He looked back at Beth's cousin. "Huh?"

"You gonna eat your bacon sandwich?"

"Sure." He picked it up and bit into it, even though he'd lost his appet.i.te the second Beth had walked in.

"After you finish your breakfast, I wanna take you on a tour of the flat," Josie said, her grin telling him it was going to finish in her bedroom.

He glanced across at Beth who was now glaring at her cousin's back. "I need a shower first," he said, getting to his feet. "Where's the bathroom?"

Josie jumped up and grabbed his arm, tugging him through the doorway. Beth followed them into the pa.s.sage. "You need help washing?" Josie said, her expression a strange mixture of s.e.x and innocence, like the way Corey looked at Sledge.

Snap! That's who she reminded him of. She was a female version of Corey, far more so than Beth, who was taller and darker. Plus, Josie's cheeky humour was similar.

"You remind me of Corey," he said.

Her expression soured. "I don't look like a boy!"

Beth started laughing behind them.

Josie glared at Beth. "It's not my fault Corey looks like a b.l.o.o.d.y girl!"

"He does not," Beth replied. "He's just adorable looking, which I must say you're not."

"What a load of baloney, he's a lying li'l toad who lost me Daryl."

"Your sleazy ex hit on him."

"Daryl's not gay. And Corey looks more like a girl than I do. No! I didn't mean it like that; I meant he looks more like a girl than I look like a boy. Stop laughing at me! You're such a cow!"

"Jesus! I've got a hangover, stop shouting." Dante went into the bathroom and closed the door. Muttering under his breath, he removed his leather pants and underwear, then hopped under the shower head, the cool water making him feel slightly better. He washed his hair and body, then grabbed a towel and dried off. He picked up his leather pants and sniffed them, not liking the smell of smoke. Weed he loved, cigarettes not so much. He pulled them on without his underwear, which he chucked in the rubbish bin. He adjusted his package, not liking the feel of going commando in leather. Didn't matter anyway, it was only until he got home.

He opened the door, surprised to find both Beth and her cousin still standing there. "I wanna go home. Where's my shirt and jacket?"

"You can't," Beth said "It's not safe until your stepfather is caught."

"I still need a change of clothes."

"That's alright, you can go nuddy here," Josie said, her grin back in place.

Beth whacked her cousin's arm.

"Ow! What's with you and violence?"

"Your mouth, now go away."

"No, this is my place, so you leave."

Dante winced at Josie's loud voice. "Will ya keep it down? I've got a hangover."

"Sorry, babe," Josie said, looking anything but. "Let's go to my room. Once you see my screensaver you'll forget all about your hangover." She grabbed Dante's hand.

"No, Josie." Beth wrenched Josie away from him.

Josie pulled free. "What is wrong with you?!"

"You. Why're you doin' this to me?"

"Cos you're treating me like c.r.a.p!"

"Then stop hitting on him."

"So, what would happen if I slept with him? Will you trash my life like you did Carly's?"

"Stoppit, Josie!"

"No, you stoppit! Maybe Dante should know what type of person you are."

"No, please, I didn't do anything wrong."

"Yes, you did! You stole Carly's phone and texted Dante's nude picture to everyone."

"What?!" Dante shouted. They'd been arguing too fast for his aching head to keep up, but Josie's last words knocked him for six. He turned to Beth in shock. Now everything made sense. She'd been in the room with him and Carly. They would've been easy prey, because Carly had been blotto too. He could see it so clearly: Beth snapping a picture of him while he was pa.s.sed out, vulnerable and naked, then sending it to everyone, not caring about his or Carly's safety, because everyone knew Deano was a violent sonofab.i.t.c.h. G.o.d, he felt like throwing up.

Beth started stammering out apologies and excuses, all of it wasted.

"How could you do that to me?" he said, barely getting it out. His head was killing him, his heart was shattered, and his body was shaking. He'd experienced this before, right after Kara had dumped him. He'd loved her too, but not as much as Beth.

"I-I w-wuzn't thinking," she said.

"I almost got killed over that picture!" he yelled. She was crying, but he didn't give a s.h.i.t, because she didn't give a s.h.i.t about him. "People called me a man-wh.o.r.e. I couldn't go down the road without someone making fun of me. I wuz humiliated. Why would you do that to me?"

"I didn't mean to send it to everyone."

"You shouldn't have sent it to anyone!"

Beth reached out for him. "I'm sorry-"

He stepped back, knocking into Josie.

"Please, Dante, I'd do anything to make things right," Beth cried.

"Then stay the f.u.c.k away from me!" He pushed past her and headed for the door, totally done with her and this whole b.l.o.o.d.y town.

16.

Sledge Sledge knocked on Corey's bedroom door. When no one answered, he opened it and poked his head inside. The pale green curtains were drawn and the bed was unmade, while a slight smell of pot permeated the room-pretty much the norm for Corey. Sledge walked in and sat down on the bed. With everything that had gone down yesterday he hadn't had the opportunity to tell Corey or Naf about Tama. He flopped back on the mattress, feeling gutted. He wondered whether Beth had mentioned anything to her brothers, but didn't think so since they hadn't contacted him, which meant it was up to him to break the news as well as to find out when the funeral was on, something he was dreading going to. He couldn't imagine Tama dead, the guy too full of life to be lowered six-feet under.

Exhaling loudly, he wiped a hand over his face, wishing Corey was here. He needed his mate, because Corey knew how to make him feel better when he was depressed-or right now, shattered. And he was desperate to talk to someone who could understand a little of what he was feeling. Naf would, but he didn't want to break down in front of him, and if he started talking about Tama he knew he would, because it had taken all of his strength not to start crying in front of Dante. He didn't feel comfortable crying in front of anyone, but if he did, it would be with Corey.

"Whatcha doin' in 'ere?"