Page 43 of Beck

“Beck wants to talk to all of us.”

“About what?”

Joey scratched his chin. “I don’t know.” He climbed out of the car, leaving silence behind.

Ethan turned in his seat and met Kole’s gaze. “He honestly doesn’t know what it’s about, but he’s worried Beck is leaving.”

Kole’s chest constricted, but he pushed open the door and climbed out, barely wincing with the ache in his body. His throat still hurt, but at least he could talk properly now. He didn’t care what he had to do, but he would stop Beck from leaving. Beck’s family was there, and if he left, he’d lose his support network. The Life in Ink crew wouldn’t turn their backs on him, but he would turn his back on them, which would be worse.

They entered the tattoo shop and headed to Beck’s studio. With every step Kole took, he felt the heaviness in his limbs, the rapid pace of his heart and the scrambling of his mind as he tried to find a solution. He still hadn’t come up with anything when they stepped into the tidy space. Beck paced in front of the window until Joey closed the door behind them, Dallas, Finn and Ani having already arrived.

“What’s this about, Beck?” Joey asked.

Beck clasped his fingers together and raised them to the top of his head, his elbows stretched wide as he finally stood still. His gaze was rooted to the floor, and Kole’s heart ached for him. No matter what he was about to say, he was in pain, and Kole wanted to soothe him.

“When I was eleven years old, I was…raped repeatedly by my foster brother.” Beck crossed his arms over his chest as Kole froze. “Drake was the son the Prices had always wanted. Someone as twisted and vile as they were. Neither of them believed me… No. Neither of themcaredwhen I told them. Theytold me to stop whining and get on with my chores. I thought if I just kept quiet, he’d leave the others alone.” Beck sighed and faced the window, his back a stretch of muscle tightened to the extreme. “He threatened many times to start on one of the others if I didn’t do what he said, so I let it happen. At least until they found an excuse to make me leave. After, I was so worried about the others, but none of the social workers listened to me either. They didn’t want theheadachea rape allegation would bring them.”

Kole would’ve been able to hear a splash of ink hit the tile floor at that moment. He could feel everyone holding their breaths, either with sympathy or fury, at what had happened to their friend. But they all seemed to realise Beck wasn’t finished, and Kole braced himself for the rest of his story.

“I’m only telling you this because I went to the police today and reported him.”

Kole couldn’t help the gasp that left him, and Beck turned to face him, locking gazes.

“It was the only way I could think of to protect you,” he continued. “Drake is mean and unforgiving and unrelenting. He would never give up if he was released. It’s why he’s back. I was the one who got away, but you’re paying the price. I can’t have that.”

Kole stepped forward, but Beck blanched, so he stopped.

“The media will have a field day with this when they get wind of it. I wanted to make sure you have the real story before they start hounding us with their made-up versions. I’m sure the Prices will get their fifteen minutes of fame soon enough.”

He faced the window again but said nothing more.

“You better not be thinking of leaving,” Dallas said.

Beck turned and rested back against the windowsill, arms still tightly bound across his chest. “There’s no point. The police willneed to keep talking to me, and wherever I go, someone will find me. I may as well face the music here.”

“I, for one, am fucking glad for that.” Joey stepped forward and dragged Beck into a hug, despite Beck not returning it. “You’re family, and we’ll all be here for whatever comes.” He stepped back and into Ethan’s arms.

Dallas clapped his shoulder. “Whatever you need, just name it.”

“Don’t need anything. I was just warning you of the hurricane coming our way.”

Finn stepped up as Dallas dropped back and murmured something too low for Kole to hear, but Beck nodded slowly. Kole couldn’t do anything. After all, when he’d tried to approach before, Beck’s body language had warned him off. Glancing at Ethan, his best friend tilted his head towards Beck, but Kole shook his head.

“Well, I’ll get back to work,” Dallas said, clapping his hands together and making Kole jump.

Beck’s gaze snapped to him, but he lowered his head again straight away. Finn followed Dallas out, and Joey, Ethan and Ani copied, leaving just him and Beck. Kole swallowed again the pain, both in his throat and his heart.

“Beck, I—”

“It’s fine. It is what it is.”

Kole sighed. “Don’t shut me out, Beck. I definitely haven’t been through what you have, so I can’t begin to understand, but I’m here. I want to be here, and Iwillbe here whenever you want me. I’m not leaving you.”

Beck’s gaze met his, and the emptiness inside his eyes was almost too much for Kole to bear. “You should. There’s nothing worth staying for.” He turned to face the window again, effectively dismissing Kole.

As much as he wanted to argue, Beck had already been through so much—andforKole—so he did what Beck wanted and left. For now.

Closing the door softly behind him, he swallowed against the tears fighting to be set free from everything Beck had been through and wandered to his own studio. He grabbed a pencil and pad and tucked himself into the armchair in the corner of the room and let his emotions run free.

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