Page 56 of Fake Rocks
Louis looked between Jonas and Tris. “Contract?” He let out a harsh laugh. “I knew you couldn’t get a bird like this on your own. But being paid for it? And as for you.” His gaze slipped to me. The laughter dissipated and his tone turned dark. “How could you manipulate someone like this?”
The nauseous feeling increased. Despite everything, he was right.
We had paid Tris for our - my - own gain. To make me look better to the outside world, not caring about the people we might hurt in the process.
But I couldn’t get over Tris’ violent side. It didn’t fit with the personality he’d shown me, the Tris I’d grown close to over the past couple of weeks, the Tris I had allowed to fuck me into oblivion a few nights ago, the Tris I thought I was falling in love with. Turned out he was nothing more than a vicious thug.
I swiped a tear away. I was determined not to break down. Not in front of those two. I couldn’t.
Taking a deep breath, I summoned up something from my reserves. “Get away from me, Tris. I never want to see you again.”
And I turned, my dress coat billowing out behind me with a flourish and stalked away to the ladies, ignoring Tris calling after me.
I didn’t want any of them to see me crying.
30
Tris
“Saff! Saff, please, let me explain.”
My pleas fell on deaf ears as I watched her retreating back. I started to follow her, but Jonas blocked my path.
“I think you need to leave her alone, Tris. Let her come to terms with what’s come out.” Jonas reached into his pocket and drew out his wallet. “In fact, I think you need to give us all some space.” He thrust a fistful of notes at me. “It’s not a good idea for you to be at the house right now. I think you should stay away until we know what’s happening. I’ll talk to your uncle in the morning.”
“Can I at least say goodbye?” I begged.
“I’ll pass it on.”
Instantly, I knew he wouldn’t say a word to her. Without another word, he headed off to find Saff.
My dad reached over and flicked the wad of money. “Nice work, son. Let’s go and get a beer.”
I rounded on him. “As if I want to go anywhere with you right now. It’s your fault this has happened.” My face contorted into a sneer.
He cast a glance in the direction Jonas and Saff had gone in. “Might be best if we get out of here though. I don’t want any more trouble.”
Reluctantly, I agreed and followed him outside. Across the road was a spit and sawdust pub, which still appeared to be open. It wasn’t busy, although I recognised a few of the crowd from the gig. I hoped the two guys I’d almost had the altercation with weren’t in there. Dad was right, I didn’t need any more trouble.
I was surprised when he stuck his hand in his pocket and paid for our two beers, before taking them to a table near the back.
We sat down opposite each other and I drained almost half my pint in one go. I needed it.
“I haven’t seen you in months,” I began. “I came out of prison and you’d gone, not even left a new address.”
My dad sipped his beer with more delicacy than I had. “Donna didn’t particularly like it up there. We came back to Essex almost four months ago.”
The news came like a punch in the gut. I’d barely been in prison for five minutes and he’d upped and left. No wonder I hadn’t seen him the whole time I’d been in there. I didn’t particularly like Donna either. She’d seen Dad as a meal ticket, expected him to work and pay for everything. I was grateful she didn’t have children—or at least none I knew about.
“How did you find out where I was?” The morbid curiosity in me had to know. I needed to understand what he was doing there now, why he was suddenly interested in my life again. When at the time I’d needed him the most, he was nowhere to be seen.
“I still talk to Annie occasionally. She said you and Col were doing well. Then Donna recognised your picture on some Daily Mail story.” He rolled his eyes. “She’s obsessed with celebrity gossip.”
I didn’t realise he had a relationship with Aunt Annie. Given her thoughts on the whole situation with Saff, I wouldn’t have put it past her to share some not-so-glowing thoughts with him.
“How the hell did my son end up in the gossip columns anyway?” He reached over and playfully punched me on the arm.
Grudgingly, I gave him a potted history of what had happened the past few weeks. I admitted to the fake relationship contract and touched on the fact Saff and I had blurred the lines between what was fake and what was real.
