Page 108 of The Making of Jonty Bloom
By the time they parked outside a small house on a leafy street, and Jonty had grabbed one of the bottles of wine from their shopping to give his friends, Devan was positive they weren’t being followed. He was relieved. Even so, he doubted Brad was going to let this go, so he had to find a way to keep Jonty safe.
Chapter Fifteen
JONTY KNOCKED ON THE DOORto Willis and Mike’s place, in case Willis was in, but no one answered so he used one of the keys they’d given him. Seeing Brad in the car park had shaken him. Looking back, he realised he’d made a mistake. Not just the big one of ever saying yes to a date with the guy. All those times he thought he was being watched, all thosegiftshe didn’t want, and now Brad threatening Devan too… It had all stemmed from Jonty not telling the police the truth. Devan had been right. He should have revealed everything that Brad had done five months ago. Now it was too late. There was little to no evidence. Why would anyone believe him? JontyknewBrad was dangerous and he’d tried to convince himself that he wasn’t.Stupid.
I told you.
I know.
That Brad had been so jealous of Tay should have made every warning bell ring. They had and yet Jonty had ignored them, because Brad had flattered him, said what Jonty had wanted to hear. Tay had just started going out with Matilda and Jonty wanted someone of his own.
He was pissed off that Brad had made him feel unsafe today when he and Devan had been having such a good time. Jonty had just about gotten over the fucker-that-was-Ravi, and was sort of coming to terms with the not minor detail that he’d lost his job, and Brad had sent him scurrying back down the rabbit hole. Was it just coincidence that he’d been in the supermarket? What else could it be?
Maybe heshouldphone the police, but what were they going to do? Talking to someone wasn’t against the law. If Jonty reported him, he might make things worse.
He handed Devan the bottle of wine. “You want to wait in the kitchen while I go up and get my bag? I didn’t bring much into the house. Most of my stuff is in the van out front.”
“Okay.”
Jonty ran up the stairs to the guest bedroom and gathered his things. As he headed back downstairs with his belongings, the front door opened and Willis came in.
“Hi.” Jonty jumped down the last few steps. “Did Mike call you?”
“No, what’s happened?”
“I’ve got somewhere to stay, so I’ve come to get my stuff.”
“And everything in the van?”
“No, I…I can’t take that yet. The rental is only for a month.”
Devan appeared at the kitchen door and Willis jolted. “Who are you?”
“Willis, this is Devan.”
Devan held out his hand and Willis shook it.
“You were the one caught in the rip with Jonty,” Willis said.
“Yes.”
“Mike’s bringing my board and wetsuit so we need to wait.”
“Want a coffee?” Willis put down a pile of exercise books on the hall table and headed into the kitchen.
Jonty followed him. “The wine’s for you and Mike for letting me stay.”
“That’s good of you, thanks.” Willis looked at Devan. “I thought Mike said you weren’t up here for long.”
“A month, maybe more.”
There was a clatter as the front door opened and Mike strode into the kitchen. “Hi, baby.”
“Hi, Daddy,” Jonty quipped.
Mike rolled his eyes, kissed a glaring Willis on the cheek, then turned to Devan. “How the hell are you going to get a surfboard in an Aston Martin?”
“Do you have any foam and straps?” Jonty asked. “Or a circular saw?”
