Page 7 of Ice
“That’s not the point, and it’s not relevant right now. I’m just illustrating to you that I know a little about club life. Not from being around him, because he didn’t have any involvement in my life, but from everything my mother told me. I guess she was his… old lady… is that right?”
He nodded once. “Where was he based?”
I shook my head, glancing at the clock.
“I’m afraid we’re down to our last five minutes, Ice. Can I please ask you to do one thing for me? Please book another session. Please give me another chance to listen, and support you. You need it. You need someone to trust, outside of your world, and I can be that person.”
He stepped closer again, his fingers suddenly reaching in my direction. I fought the urge to flinch back, but he was simply touching my hair. Tugging gently at the loose tendrils I’d curled at the sides.
“You have nice hair.”
I blinked, strangely unconcerned that he was still teasing at the curl.
“So do you.”
His fingers dropped away, and he looked briefly disturbed.
“I used to. I used to feel like I had a look, you know? Like I knew who I was. And I know it’s the drugs. I know they ate away at that, until I could barely recognise myself in the mirror. And now, it’s getting worse. It’s like there’s this stranger staring back at me and…Jesus… I really fucking hate how he looks. He’s broken, and I don’t think he can be put back together.”
His voice was practically a whisper by the end of his last sentence.
I put a hand on his arm, making him freeze, as he lifted his eyes to mine.
“Ice, you need help. You needmyhelp. Please… please help me, by letting me help you.”
“Help you?”
I stared at my hand on his muscular arm.
“This isn’t okay, and I’m sorry. I’m overstepping my boundaries, and probably yours too.” I moved my hand, lowering it to my side.
“I want to see you again. Will you please book another appointment? I can help you.”
His eyes scrunched up for a moment, and then he nodded. Another one of those single nods, but it was enough. It gave me hope, because he needed my help. I couldn’t bear to see him fall back into his addiction. That was all it was. Nothing more.
He swallowed hard, turning to look at the door.
“I should go. Uh… you know what’s weird?”
I followed him as he walked up to the door, and then stopped.
“What’s that?”
He glanced at me, looking me up and down, his eyes practically searing my skin as he took in every detail.
“What’s weird, Ice?”
He grinned suddenly, and it lit up his face. It chased away the anger, and the fear, and it made him look younger. Healthier.
“In normal circumstances, I’d definitely be hitting on you.I’d definitely want to fuck you.”
What the hell did that mean?
“Only in normal circumstances…?”
He looked me over again, a wicked grin spreading across his face.
“I’d enjoy making you come undone, seeing that prissy hair come loose, and making you lose that damn composure of yours.”
