Page 50 of Lust

Ivory hadn’t been home for days.

It skips to the next video and this one is clear. Of Ivory on a floating donut in a pool. My mind goes back in time when she asked me if I had pool toys.

Ivory waves to the camera and then the donut and her in it, is flipped by a male. And he looks extremely pleased with him.

“Devin stop bullying my sister!” Elle shouts.

But I watched Devin approach her, and I clench my phone. I had seen that look in men’s eyes before. When they look at women like sex prey.

I’m torturing myself.

I then notice a clock in the corner, and it says ‘bender lasting 52 hours’. And it is counting up.

Frustrated the video ends. And there is a knock on my door.

I bark a what and it opens. Gabe standing there.

“You seen them?” He is obviously talking about the snapchats.

I just nod my head.

“Well they will be home soon.” He adds and I give him a look. No way those social butterflies are leaving their indoor pool party. “I told them I cut my hand open.”

“Did you?”

“No.” He shrugs like lying to get his sisters to leave a party isn’t below him. He hovers in the doorway. “I’m about to play pool.” He looks at me. I just stare at him and finally put the cigarette between my teeth and sit up grabbing a shirt.

“Yeah, righto Henderson, rack them up.”

So I went downstairs to play a game of pool with Gabe Henderson. Fuck the things I’d do to get this woman back.

33

Ivory

Bursting into the house. I panic, worrying about Gabe. “Did he say how bad?” I look at Elle and she frowns. “What? Did he?” I snapped at her.

“I swear that is the sound of my pool table.”

I can barely hear anything over the beating of my heart. Because last time Gabe cut his hand open, it involved physiotherapy. I struggle to calm down. So I move through the house, heading for Elle’s entertainment area, only to walk into it and see Gabe playing pool with Kace.

“And he chokes!” Gabe shouts “And lines the eight ball perfectly up for me!”

“You look fine for someone that has cut their hand open.” I growl at Gabe. His eyes don’t even go off his shot, as he lines up to sink the eight ball.

“Yeah about that.” Gabe says, his eyes on the ball, and he sinks it and he straightens up. “Turned out to be a paper cut.” He looked me dead in the eye when he says that. I want to throttle him. Really strangle the life out of him.

“Thank god. You have no idea how panicked Ivy was.” Elle says sitting down on one of the stools. “Can we play doubles? Kace and Ivory against Gabe and I?”

“NO!” I snapped at her.

“Come on Ivy, lighten up.” Gabe has the nerve to say. “Plus Kace could do with some tips, he’s three games down.” Gabe points the pool cue at Kace. “I taught her to play, so really it’s me playing myself.”

I grind my teeth together. I’m not playing. I’m not playing!

“So you taught her to cheat.” Kace states and my furious eyes flash to him.

“I do not cheat!” Gabe and I say at the same time. Gabe and I share a look.

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