Page 83 of There's No Us Without You
“Pain killers.” I rub a hand over my breastbone, my chest now tight. “The over-the-counter shit isn’t working anymore, and I need something stronger.”
Tyler blows out a breath, scanning my face. “Fuck, man.” His shoulders sag as he drops his hands to his sides. “I don’t do that shit anymore. You know that. And if Will finds out what you’re asking, he’ll kill us both.”
I glance over my shoulder towards the house and rub the back of my neck, my muscles twitching. “Yeah, I know, Ty. ButI wouldn’t be asking if I wasn’t desperate. Eden is on my damn case, and I promised her I’d get it sorted.”
“Jesus,” Tyler says, his voice strained. “You know I’d help you if I could, but I’m clean...”
It’s a shitty thing for me to do, asking my best friend’s brother to supply me with drugs when he’s trying to turn his life around. That doesn’t mean he’s separated himself from people that do, which gives me another idea.
It’s a long shot, but it’s worth a try.
I scrub my hands over my face and blow out a breath. “Listen, I’m sorry for asking.” I slap his upper arm. “Forget I said anything. It’ll be fine.”
Tyler stares at me for a few seconds, pursing his lips. Then he nods. “Well... I’ll catch you later then, man.” With a tight smile, he pats my shoulder and climbs into his car.
I tap the roof a couple times, sending him on his way. When he pulls out onto the street, I wait until the taillights disappear around the corner before snatching my phone from my back pocket and pulling up a number—one I thought I’d never need to use. And one that could destroy my relationship with Will for a totally different reason than asking his brother for drugs.
I swallow hard as I stare at it.
Fuck it. I press the call button and then put the phone to my ear, my hand shaking. I’m not even sure if this is still her number, but it’s ringing, so that’s a good sign.
“Emerson de Silva,” a male voice says through the phone seconds later. “What the fuck are you doing calling my woman? You screwing her or something?” Brady laughs at his own joke before sighing. “So... what’s up?”
Fuck.
“Brady,” I say, my tone clipped. “Where’s Gabby?”
“In the shower.”
Damn it. I didn’t think this through very well, now did I?
“Right, well can you tell her I called? It’s important.”
“Maybe.”
I can hear the grin in his tone. This guy is an absolute douchebag, but I also need him on my side right now.
“Or better yet, maybe you can help me?” I say, attempting to keep my tone upbeat when all I want to do is crawl into a hole.
Honestly, I can’t believe I’m doing this. I’m fucked if I get caught. I’ll be stood down, but worst of all, I’ll be a disgrace to everyone. My parents included.
And Will is never going to forgive me. I wouldn’t blame him if he disowned me. Forgot I ever existed. Drugs and alcohol ruined his family, drugs being one of the main reasons he hasn’t spoken to Tyler in two years. At least until tonight, that is.
“What do you need?” Brady says, knowing full well why I’m calling.
He’s the biggest drug dealer—hard, soft, prescription—on the north side of Sydney, his reputation far outweighing his personality.
The guy’s a total scumbag.
As I pace the front lawn, the dry leaves crunching under my feet, I lick my lips. “Oxy?” The word gets caught in my throat, but it was received loud and clear.
Brady whistles, the sound piercing my ear drum. “That’s some powerful shit. What have you done?” The humour in his tone makes me grind my molars, but I count to five, calming my racing heart.
He’s a far cry from the snivelling little shit he was when we were younger. Before Tyler and Will stopped talking, he’d be at the house hanging around like a bad smell. Back then, he was still a pimply-faced teenager with bad hair and no pubes on his dick. When Will got wind of what Tyler and Brady were doing, he told Brady to fuck off or he’d break every bone in his body and leave him in the gutter.
Brady had scoffed, but the fear contorting his face didn’t go unnoticed. He didn’t come around much after that—at least not while Will was home.
“Just a minor injury. Can you help me out or not?”
