Page 91 of Tell No One
Tag cried out as he came and it triggered Delaney’s own release, the pile of bricks tumbling. He’d never had so much sex before in his life. He wondered why not.
Their lives slid into a sort of comfortable routine. Running first thing in the morning. A game of hide-and-seek in the afternoon. They took it in turns to find each other. Tag could learn from how Delaney hid. He had no intention of letting Tag get taken to Scotland but the uneasy feeling in his gut kept telling himjust in caseand he couldn’t ignore that warning because stopping Tag getting taken to Scotland might not be in his control. At least in teaching Tag ways to survive, he was giving him a chance.
The sex didn’t stop. He couldn’t get enough of Tag. He couldn’t get enough of the sounds Tag made when he came, the smile on his face that happened more and more, the way he laughed at something Delaney said or did, the way Delaney’s face was becoming one he hardly recognised. A man who could be happy.
When they were running out of fresh food, Delaney decided to take a trip to the supermarket. Alone. Better that Tag wasn’t seen at all.
“If I can’t come, can I give you a list?” Tag asked.
“Okay.”
The list had already been written and Tag held it out.
Delaney read it. “Crunchies, Wispas, Flakes, cheese and onion crisps, Monster Munch, Dime bars, ice lollies, fudge, candy sticks, Aeros, Rolos and easy peel oranges. How old are you?” He laughed.
“I didn’t like the way you laughed. I can pay you for them.”
“With my money?”
“I’ll pay you back. I didn’t put everything I wanted on there. I haven’t even used the other stuff that I bought.”
“Candles and matches?”
“You looked?”
“I’m nosey. What are candy sticks?”
“Those things that used to be called sweet cigarettes and had a red end. I like sucking them. I like sucking Crunchies and the rest too. Everything except the crisps and the oranges. I crunch those.” Tag beamed at him.
Delaney had the feeling he was going to be driving all over town looking for the damn things. He put the list in his pocket.
“Don’t leave the house. Don’t open the door. Hide if you hear the buzzer go off. But no one’s going to come.”
“I’ll get bored. Why can’t I come? Promise you’re not off to Scotland and not telling me?”
“I’ll be back in less than ninety minutes unless I have problems finding things for you to suck.”
“I can always make do with you.”
Tag licked his lips and Delaney left with a smile on his face.
14
About twenty minutes after Delaney had left, Tag heard the buzzer.Back so soon?Maybe not. He ran up the stairs, peeped out at the edge of the blind, and saw a big silver car heading up to the house.Shir!Tag’s heart thumped. The doors were locked, so were the windows. He called Delaney.
“Let me guess. You want to add another chocolate bar to the list?”
“Del! There’s a car coming. Silver one. FHG 35T. Three maybe four men.”
There was a bang on the door downstairs and it made him jump.
“They’re at the door.”
“I’m on my way. Put the phone somewhere, leave it on.”
When Tag heard a loud bang that was a lot more than a fist on the door, his heart leapt into his mouth. He wished he’d run up into the hills when he heard the buzzer but it was too late now. He put the phone on the windowsill, mostly hidden by the curtains and stood a little way away from it. He could hear them in the house, then a moment later, someone coming up the stairs. His knees shook.
The bedroom door was kicked open, a man walked in holding a gun and Tag let out a faint squeak. The guy was in his thirties, well-built, tall and wearing dark clothes. Tag had never seen him before.
