Corey pulled back. "You mean mate."

"No, I mean babe."

Corey appeared confused. "What?"

Sledge smiled at him. "Just as long as you keep your d.i.c.k to yourself, you're my babe."

Corey's mouth fell open.

"You alright with that?" Sledge asked.

"Depends on what you think it means."

"I don't wanna lose you, and if it means I hafta try new things with you, then I will." Sledge held up a hand. "Just as long as you don't push things too far or fast."

"Like what?"

"I'm not touching your d.i.c.k, I'm not sucking it, and you're not to tell anyone 'bout us being a couple cos I can't handle it right now, I really can't."

A slow smile crept across Corey's face. "You said couple."

Sledge nodded.

"Does that mean you'll f.u.c.k me?"

Sledge almost choked. "I don't think you're up to that right now-or in the near future." s.h.i.t, what had he'd gotten himself into? He'd never f.u.c.ked a guy before, he hadn't even done a chick like that-what was the point, they had p.u.s.s.ies.

Corey started babbling, "I'll get better quick, and the broken leg doesn't count, cos it's safe in a cast, and won't get in the way. And I'll be outta hospital in a couple of weeks, so we can do sumpthin' then and..."

"Hey! Hold up, I said don't push me."

"I'm not pushing, cos you agreed to do me."

"Christ! I did not."

"But that's what couples do," Corey said, looking like he was going to cry again.

"Don't look at me like that, I'm not gonna jump into bed with you just like that."

Like a light had been switched on, a smile lit up Corey's face. "You said that like a chick. Do ya want me to court ya?"

"No, I'm the dude in this relationship, not you, you're the chick."

"Am not, and you said relationship, which means we get to have s.e.x."

Sledge exhaled loudly. "I wanna take things slow, so don't push or call me names."

"Okay, then kiss me, and make sure it's slow."

"I can't do that here."

"Why not? The curtains are drawn. Or are you leading me on?"

"No."

"Then kiss me on the lips."

"But they're split."

"Kiss me softly."

Sledge fidgeted about. "I'm not in the mood."

Corey let go of Sledge's hand. "Well, get in the mood, cos I need proof you aren't bulls.h.i.tting me."

"f.u.c.k, you're pushy. Didja do the same to Juliet?"

"No, so kiss me."

Sledge breathed in, then leaned over and kissed Corey. Corey's hand whipped out and grabbed his neck, holding him tight when he tried to pull back. Giving in, he slowly relaxed into the kiss, though he was afraid he was hurting Corey, because his mate was moaning. After one too many moans, he took a hold of Corey's hand and pried it off his neck.

Corey looked upset. "Why'd ja stop? Didn't you like it?"

"You were moaning. I thought I wuz hurting you."

Corey shook his head. "You really are clueless."

"What's that s'posed to mean?"

"I liked it, stupid, plus I wuz rubbing my c.o.c.k while we kissed."

Sledge's eyes shot down to Corey's crotch, and the noticeable mound beneath the bedcover. "f.u.c.k! You dirty li'l pervert."

Corey smiled. "What didja expect, you're hot?"

"You need gla.s.ses."

"Nah, you need gla.s.ses. So, didja like the kiss?"

"Not sure, I wuz more worried 'bout hurting you."

Corey's eyes dropped to Sledge's crotch, then moved back up to his face. "You didn't like it?" he said, looking upset.

"I didn't say that, but I liked it more at Tyler's," Sledge added, hoping that would satisfy Corey. "And it's not exactly good kissing you when you've got a split lip."

Corey's face lit up. "I knew you liked it at Tyler's."

"Yeah, I just didn't wanna admit it."

"So, can we do it again?"

"Another time."

"Then w.a.n.k me off instead."

"No! I told you I wouldn't do that."

Corey smiled. "It wuz worth a try."

Sledge shook his head. "You're gonna cause me a s.h.i.tload of trouble, aren't cha?"

Corey's smile widened. "Most-f.u.c.kin'-definitely."

32.

Ash Ash came to, his head yelling at him for waking up. He went to touch it, but found his arms tied to the top of the bed, the pull on his shoulders aching.

A hand brushed his cheek, followed by his stepfather's relieved voice. "You scared the s.h.i.t outta me, don't ever f.u.c.kin' do that again."

Ash closed his eyes and shook his head, the hopelessness of the situation making him tremble.

"Everything will work out, love," Chaz said.

"Don't call me love. You used to call my mum that." The thought of his mother made him tremble more, the nightmare he'd lived with for the past ten years too much to handle. He'd thought he was stronger than this, but tied to a bed, defenceless, unable to even put an end to his life, made him feel like a scared kid again. f.u.c.k, he was weak, which was probably why Chaz had gone after him, because Dante would never have fallen for Chaz's lies.

Chaz tucked a blanket around Ash's body. "Take it easy, you're in shock. You've got a nasty bruise on your forehead, it's just lucky you didn't cut yourself on the mirror."

"If I wuz lucky I'd be dead."

"Don't say s.h.i.t like that."

"Why not?" Ash remembered what Aroha had said, along with the fact that she'd helped Chaz. "The world would be better off without me."

"No, it wouldn't."

"If I wuzn't born my mother would still be alive. You killed her cos of me." Ash went to move his legs, but realised they were tied up too. A sob broke out, the sound too unreal to be coming from him. "Just kill me, please just kill me."

"Christ, Ash, stop being stupid, there's no way I'm gonna kill you."

Ash opened his eyes and looked up at Chaz's upset expression. "Please."

"No."

Chaz placed a hand on Ash's stomach, making him wish it was a knife slicing through his flesh. He wasn't afraid of death, hadn't been for a long time. Instead, he was afraid of living, although Angelo and Tiana had made that worth it. But if he got snuffed out today, they would go on without him like they had for the past year. Maybe it was good that Tiana had left him, because, even though they were working things out, she wouldn't hurt so much if he died.

"I can't live like this," Ash said. "Either kill me or lemme go."

Chaz leaned forward, brushing Ash's hair to the side, the contact making Ash want to scream and yell at his stepfather, but he couldn't even flinch, everything too much. He'd always tried to be strong, to show people it wasn't worth going up against him, but with Chaz he felt like that fifteen-year-old kid who'd woken up in hospital to find out his mother had been killed and he'd been raped. Scared and full of guilt, he'd almost taken his life, wanting to escape what Chaz had done to him and continued to do in his dreams, but now he was reliving it for real, although this time he was wide awake and with no drugs to shield his mind.

"Please do sumpthin, anything," Ash begged.

Chaz reached into his pocket and pulled out a knife, flicking it open. Feeling nothing but relief, Ash closed his eyes. He didn't care how Chaz killed him, just wanted it to be quick. He felt a tug on his arms, then they were moved in front of him, although his wrists were still tied together. Surprised, he opened his eyes and watched as Chaz used the knife to release his legs from the bed, but like his wrists, they were tied too-nothing different from when he'd launched himself at the wardrobe.

"There, I've done something," Chaz said. "But this is as far as it goes, cos I'm never giving you up. And if it means I hafta restrain you for the rest of your life, so be it. You're mine, get used to it."

"I'm not your f.u.c.kin' pet!"

"I didn't say you were."

"Then untie me."

Chaz shook his head. "I can't." He pointed to the cabinet, "There's your breakfast, it's leftovers from dinner," then left the room, closing the door behind him.

Ash rolled onto his side, glaring at the plate like it was the root of all evil, the smell of fish and chips making him want to throw up. He got to his feet and swung out with his clasped hands, knocking the plate to the floor, then crawled back onto the bed, waiting for sleep to free him, even if it was only for a short time.

Something touched Ash's forehead, disturbing his sleep, then brushed against his lips, light and gentle. Tiana? He wanted to touch her, to hold her. He opened his mouth to speak, but felt a tongue slip inside, the smell of coffee causing him to open his eyes. He jerked back at the sight of Chaz. "Get away from me!" he yelled into Chaz's face.

Looking annoyed, Chaz moved his head away. "It was just a kiss."

Ash brought his knees up to kick him, but his stepfather pushed off the bed before contact.

"I see you still can't handle male affection," Chaz said.

"You had your f.u.c.kin' tongue in my mouth, you dirty b.a.s.t.a.r.d!"

"So the f.u.c.k what? I wanted to kiss you, so I kissed you. Just be grateful I didn't do more."

Ash spat at Chaz. "I can f.u.c.kin' taste your disgusting breath!" he shouted, pushing himself off the bed, the need to make Chaz pay for what he did to him overwhelming. "I'm gonna cut your f.u.c.kin' c.o.c.k off!"

Chaz grabbed Ash's crotch and twisted, making Ash's yell out. He went still, the grip too hard to pull free from without causing damage.

Chaz moved his face close, his lips brushing Ash's. "Watch what you say, cos I don't need your c.o.c.k, only your boy c.u.n.t."

"Let go," Ash said, breathing heavy, the pain in his b.a.l.l.s making him wince.

"Only if you say please."

"Please. f.u.c.k, please, please..."

"I like you begging, it makes me hard." Chaz loosened his grip and pulled out the knife from his pocket. Flicking it open, he waved it in front of Ash's face, then lowered it to Ash's crotch. "Now, are you gonna be nice to me?"