Page 76 of Tainted Love
“Who is that guy?”
“No one.” I stalk over to my cupboard and grab a T-shirt, pulling it over my head.
“Don’t give me that bullshit, Eli,” she says, blocking the door. “What’s going on? Why did he break into our house in the middle of the night, and why did someone take his daughter? He’s clearly high on something. Does this have something to do with drugs?”
“Move,” I say, ignoring her questions.
She plants her hands on her waist. “Am I even safe here? If he can break in so easily, who’s to say whoever took his daughter isn’t watching him?”
Fuck. I scrub my hand over my face. She’s right. If it is them, they probably are watching They’ve already made threats against Bea, and I wouldn’t put it past them to split us up.
“Fine,” I snap. “Get dressed, you have one minute.”
She hesitates, clearly not expecting me to give in to herdemands. “Who is Benny to you, Eli? And who did he think I was?”
“Fifty seconds.”
Bea hurries across the hall to her bedroom and I sink down onto the edge of my bed, dropping my head into my hands. Why is this happening now? It’s been six years. We kept their secret, why are they coming after us?
“Eli?”
I look up. Bea’s still wearing my Driver Era T-shirt, tucked into a pair of black skinny jeans. With her curls pulled back off her face with a hair tie, she looks even more like Jas.
It makes me realise,she’swhat changed.
By claiming her at the Forum where anyone could see us together, I started this whole mess. The messages, the threats, the black roses. That’s what led me to Benny’s, and now his daughter has been taken. It’s all my fault.
“Hey,” Bea says, stepping in between my legs and dragging her fingers through my hair. “It’s okay. We’ll find her.”
I rest my head on her stomach. “I’m sorry.”
“For what?” She tilts my head back so I’m looking at her.
“You’re probably going to find out some things tonight, but I hope you don’t judge me for what I’ve done in the past. This is all my fault, but I’m going to fix it. I’m going to keep you safe.”
Bea leans down and kisses me. “I don’t know what’s going on, but I trust you. Let’s go get Benny’s daughter back.”
WE TAKE BEA’S Audi because it’s more reliable and I drive. Benny’s too strung out about his daughter, and his knee bounces up and down restlessly in the backseat as we make ourway through the deserted city. The clock on the dash blinks. 1:12 a.m. Bea sits in the passenger seat beside me, her fingers entwined in mine.
“How do you know where to find her?” Bea asks as I turn off the freeway. Her question cuts through the thick tension which vibrates through the car.
Benny meets my eyes in the rear-view mirror, but neither of us says a word.
Six Years Ago…
“It’s too bad Oli wasn’t feeling well,” Jas murmurs as we make our way back to the campsite. She nuzzles into my side, as she takes another swig from the whiskey bottle we swiped from our foster parent’s stash.
“Really?” I poke her side with a smirk, loving the way she squirms at my touch. “If she was here, I wouldn’t be able to do this.” Gripping her nape, I pull her in for a deep kiss, my tongue exploring her sweet mouth.
Her hands come up between us to rest on my chest and I wonder if she can feel the way my heart races for her. I’m practically floating. I feel even more connected to Jas after losing my virginity to her, but next week me and Oli will be sent home to Mum.
While I’m happy Mum has completed her treatment program and is feeling better, my heart aches at the thought of leaving Jas with the Ferguson’s. Especially their daughter, Madeline. I just hope that Benny will continue to look out for her until I turn eighteen, then we can be together.
“I’m going to miss you, Genie,” Jas sighs when she pulls away from me. A tear rolls down her cheek, and I brush it away with my thumb.
“It will be okay,” I tell her.
“You’re going to go home and forget about me. How’s it going to be okay? I’m never going to see you again.”
