Page 90 of Taking the Heat

‘Lies! Dirty lies!’ Dante was puffed up like an infected thumb. His humiliation was delightful to watch, considering his sadistic nature.

‘Afraid not, old chap. Although, if we ever want to film a reality show in prison, we’ll give you a call.’ Miles waved at Dante with the tips of his fingers. ‘Toodles!’

By now, the noise inside the bungalow was ear shattering. The competitors cheered, Dante screamed like a deposed dictator, even the camera guys whooped and laughed. Clara threw a bread roll at Dante, and others joined in, food flying along with the jeers. I didn’t participate; I was happy the man was getting what he deserved, but taking joy in his misery wasn’t my cup of tea.

Dante fled the room, running away like the coward we all knew him to be, and suddenly, the world was a much nicer place.

***

Once the fuss had died down, Miles opened the bar and celebrations began. Champers flowed, people laughed and chatted. After such an insane few weeks, it was glorious to sit and revel without any cares. I still had tomorrow to worry about the fantasy cabin; for now, I wanted to enjoy myself.

After two very full glasses of bubbly, I was starting to feel lightheaded, my brain floating pleasantly in the alcohol. Flanked by Megs and Clara, we were giggling like naughty girls up the back of Sunday school, while the room span around us.

‘Hey, where’s Chris?’ Clara slurred. ‘That muthafucker should be here! Make him strip for us, Tara! I want to see those abs!’

‘Toshi has abs,’ I laughed. ‘Go make him strip.’

‘Great idea, bitch! Toshi! Get your sweet beehind over here! Mama needs some fucking abs!’ She staggered off, unevenly. Megs and I could barely breathe from laughing so hard.

Then I remembered. ‘Oh, shit, Chris! I’m supposed to meet him on the beach!Oooh …’ I stood, and the room tilted, throwing me forward onto Megs’ lap. ‘I think there’s something wrong with the floor!’

‘It’s not the sodding floor; you’re drunk, you daft panda!’ She jokingly pushed me away. ‘Go and find your man.’

I weaved around the moving bodies, not so tipsy as to make the mistake of touching anyone I shouldn’t. Using two hands on the rail, I clambered carefully down the stairs, leaving my shoes at the bottom.

The night sand felt cool on the planes of my bare feet as I pattered happily towards the water. The beach lay empty, with the pale moonlight striking the water and flickering in the waves. I wasn’t concerned. Chris always found me.

I waded into the shallows and stared out to sea. As the water swirled around my ankles, I lifted my dress to keep it dry. I swore I saw a dolphin beyond the breakers, but my intoxicated vision made it hard to see. Blinking fiercely, I tried again, but every wave looked like a dolphin. It’s okay. I know they’re out there somewhere, probably busy having sex for fun. I laughed at my own thoughts, happy in the moment, knowing that all was good.

Breathing deeply, I raised my arms over my head and tilted my head back to the sky. I sent up a quick prayer of thanks to whoever was in charge of my luck, because I was feeling fortunate indeed.

Movement from behind me caused me to turn, sloshing in the little waves.

‘Hello,Bella.’

My blood turned to ice water in my veins. Instantly, I was sober. ‘Dante.’

He looked like death; his eyes were black and vacant, no trace of a human left inside him. ‘I know it was you, littleporca.’

‘What was me?’ I started backing away from him, trying to close the gap between me and the bungalow, hoping against hope that someone might look down and see us.Greg! Where are you when I actually need you?

‘You touched me. You lost me the competition. What will Dante do now? The whole world will be laughing,si?Theputtanain the fantasy cabin last night, she broke mycazzo!My manhood is twisted and useless! No money! No fame! And thepolitzia?They will lock Dante away. So, if Dante loses … so do you!’

He lunged at me, but I was ready, slipping out of his grasp. ‘Come back here,baldracca!’ He latched onto my stretchy dress, pulling me towards him.

I turned and kicked him in the knee. He doubled over his leg in agony, and I thought he was weeping, until he raised his face in maniacal laughter. ‘You did it on your own! Touching Dante puts you out of the competition!’

‘No, it doesn’t, arse-features,’ I panted. ‘You’re out of the running. I’m only banned from touching competitors!’

His expression changed. Fighting the pain, he said, ‘Then, Dante will have to make you pay another way.’ His hand reached out and latched onto mine in a vice grip, his fingers like talons. With his other hand, he unbuttoned his pants.

I lashed out, swinging hard and catching him full in the face with my nails, gouging trails across his skin. The blood immediately flowed down his face in rivers, giving him an even more demented demeanour as he grinned. He tightened his hold on me as I kicked and clawed at him, the water flying around us.

‘I’m not afraid of you,’ I screamed at him. ‘Your cock doesn’t work properly anyway! And I bet whatever woman broke you yesterday had fun doing it!’

He seemed oblivious to my blows as he said, ‘You’re right. Dante finds it hard to get hard. Sometimes it takes doing somethingsadicoto get the blood pumping,si?’ He wrapped his hands around my neck and pulled my face close to his, his breath putrid. ‘You’ll be much morecompiacentewith some water in your lungs.’

With his foot, he swiped my legs out from under me. The water was shockingly cold as Dante thrust me under the surface. Terrified, I opened my eyes in the gritty water and struggled to sit up, but he had me pinned.

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