Page 32 of Tainted Love
I frown and mutter a curse as she shoves me far enough so she can slip off the counter and then she hurries out of the bathroom without a word.
“Well, that escalated quickly,” Kill quips, arching his brow. I flip him off before rearranging my dick, so my erection is not so fucking noticeable. “You couldn’t even wait until the end of the show to get your dick wet?”
I still say nothing, instead slapping him over the back of the head as I leave the bathroom. Asher’s standing just outside, a bemused grin on his face. “With the way she ran out of here, I take it that didn’t end well.”
Pushing my hand through my sweat-soaked hair, I let out a frustrated sound. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
I ignore the looks they share as we head back towards the door leading to the stage. My tongue darts over my lips as I savour her fleeting taste. Fuck! I broke my cardinal rule when I kissed her, but damn, it was one of the best kisses of my life.
I want to close my eyes and forget the way her taste exploded on my tongue and her body fit against mine as if we were made for one another. I wish I could blame it all on her resemblance to Jas with her straight hair and dark make up.
Bea is messing with my head, and I can’t let that happen. Bea represents everything we hated—money, privilege, and the power that comes along with it. The power which allows people like her to cover up dark secrets with no consequence.
This all started because I was angry a rich, pampered princess looked so much like Jas when I lost her because of the actions of a rich, pampered princess.
It’s not fair. I will get revenge for Jas. But I need to be sure I’m running the narrative, not Bea. She wants me to leave her alone. Well, it’s too late for that, I’m only getting started.
IT’S PAST MIDNIGHT by the time we pack down our gear into the back of Kill’s van. Our cars are at his place, so Asher and I decide to crash there for the night. I still haven’t figured out how I’m going to deal with Bea, but I know if I go home with the memory of her on my lips, I won’t be able to control how far things go. I need to bide my time and calculate my move.
Wyatt takes off back to his place after the last piece of equipment is loaded, and the rest of us climb into the van without a word, as the adrenaline from the night fades.
As I don’t want to deal with Kill’s unhealthy obsession with our sex lives, I happily give up the passenger seat to Asher, climbing into the back and pulling out my phone. I have social media, but I rarely use it. The band’s account is a necessity, it drums up excitement for our new music and getsForever Summer’s name out there, but I haven’t posted on my personal account in months.
I mindlessly scroll through the hundreds of message requests I have from fans, deleting them as I go. It’s not that I’m not grateful to our fans, but I don’t respond to them from my personal profile.
Most of them are requests for thirst traps, or girls shooting their shot and trying to slip into my DMs. Not going to happen.
I sit up straighter as one catches my eye. It’s from black_rose13 and it causes a chill to wash over me. No one knows the significance of that name except one other person—and she’s dead.
Asher and Kill are lost in their conversation and not paying attention. I feel like my heart is beating right out of my rib cage, and my hands shake as I click to open the message.
Black_rose13: Roses are black, violets are blue. Is she going to end up six feet under, too?
There’s a video attached, and I swallow down bile as I press play. My blood runs cold. The video is of me up on stage tonight at the Forum. I’m staring at someone in the crowd. Not someone—Bea. I’m staring at Bea. The camera pans over to Bea, and zooms in on her, wrapped tight in the arms of that arsehole. I’m gripping my phone so hard, my teeth are clenched, and I’m surprised neither has cracked.
I stare down at my phone. Is this some sick joke?A quick glance at my bandmates tells me they’re still engrossed in conversation. I tap out a reply.
Elias_vasilios13: Who is this?
As if they were waiting for my response, a reply comes through almost instantaneously.
Black_rose13: You disappoint me, Genie.
Fuck, no.There’s only one person who called me that—and she’s no longer alive.
“You’ll be okay, Jas, I’ll make sure of it,” I whisper into the dark. Although I’m happy Oli and I get to go home next week, back to Mum and Attie, I hate that I’m leaving her here with no protection. “I’ll come back for you, I promise.”
“I take it back,” she murmurs, snuggling closer and resting her hand over my racing heart. “You’re not a street rat, you’re like my real-life genie promising to grant me three wishes.”
“I wish I could take you with me.”
“Me, too.”
Elias_vasilios13: This isn’t real. You’re dead.
I feel sick to the stomach as I watch the dots appear showing me black_rose13 is replying. This can’t be happening. I watched her die. I helpedthemcover it up.
Black_rose13: Am I? Or is she?
