Jagged Pill (Broken Lives Book 3) Read online

  “You cheated.”

  “It wasn’t cheating! How many times do I have to say we weren’t together at the time? And it’s your fault that we weren’t. You were the one who dumped me, not the other way round.”

  “And I’m dumping you now, so piss off.”

  “No! I admit I made a mistake, the worst mistake of my life, but—”

  “Well, thanks,” I said, cutting her off.

  “Shut up!” the both of them yelled in unison.

  “For fuck’s sake,” I muttered, climbing in after Clara. “You’re both arseholes.”

  China flicked me the finger, then grabbed Marino’s hand. “I love you so much. Please don’t leave me.” She started crying. “I only want you. No one else. That’s why I went to the New Year’s Eve party. River told me that you were going to be there, but you weren’t, then I saw Dante, and all I saw was you in him. I only went with him because he looked like you. We were broken up and I thought I’d never get back what we had. I was grasping at straws. I’m so in love with you, you’re all I can think about, all I dream about. Please, Marino, don’t leave me.”

  Marino pulled his hand free. “I need a break,” he said, this time his voice softer.

  “How many breaks do you need?” China cried, Marino obviously having done this before. “Why can’t you just love me like I love you?”

  Marino dropped his gaze.

  “Please, baby,” she said, her voice cracking again. “Let me come. Let me make things up to you.”

  “There’s no room.”

  “There’s plenty of room in the car and the bach.”

  He didn’t reply, looking like he wanted to say yes and no at the same time.

  “It’s probably best that she does go with you,” Bazza said. “She’ll be safer there than here.”

  Marino frowned. “She has River’s place to stay at if she needs to.”

  “Marino,” she sobbed. “Don’t push me away again. We’d still be happy if you didn’t push me away last year.”

  “I did that because I don’t want the same things as you do.”

  “All I want is you!”

  “I’m sorry.” He turned to the car.

  She ran around the other side and jumped into the front passenger seat before he could even get in.

  He gave her a glare. “You’re not coming.”

  “Yes, I am.” She shut the door and pulled her seat belt on.

  “China!”

  “No! I’m coming. And you’re going to forgive me, because no one can love you like I do.”

  “You’re impossible!”

  “Too bad. You’re mine and I’m not letting you run off again.”

  “Fine, you can come,” he snapped, getting behind the wheel.

  She bounced in her seat and went to hug him.

  He fended her off. “Don’t touch me. Or talk to me.” He started up the engine, grunting, “Or look at me.”

  “I can’t help it. You’re beautiful.”

  “I said, no talking!”

  “Just stating a fact.”

  He yelled out, “Fuck my life!”

  Clara laughed, causing Marino to glare at her in the rearview. “Fuck you, too.”

  “No thanks,” Clara said. “I only want to fuck this one.” She snuggled into me.

  “Dirty old—”

  “Marino!” I barked, knowing he was going to say cow.

  “Whatever, fuck whoever you like, I don’t care anymore,” he said, probably making a stab at China.

  I didn’t reply, knowing he was barely keeping his cool. China continued to stare at him, causing the tension to rise rapidly. He yanked the gearshift so hard it made a grinding sound, then backed out, swinging the station wagon around. He headed for the gate, throwing a glare at China. “Stop fucking staring at me!”

  She quickly turned her head towards the window, a sniffle breaking the silence.

  He growled and continued to drive into the night.

  Clara nibbled at my ear, grabbing my attention. “I love you,” she said, easing the tension for me.

  “I love you, too,” I said, smiling at her.

  She tightened her grip on me. “If I could, I’d bite you and turn you into a vampire, so you’d never age or die. China would do the same to Marino. She really does love him.”

  Marino glanced at the rearview mirror, a frown creasing his brow.

  “I think she would lock him away from everyone, like I want to do to you,” she continued. “I’ve never wanted to lock anyone away before. Must be because I’ve never loved anyone like I love you. You’re the type of person I want to chain to me, to never let go of. China thinks the same of Marino. I can tell. She was staring at him through the window earlier, acting like he was Romeo to her Juliet.”

  Marino snorted. I looked across at China. She was staring through the seats at Clara, listening to everything she was saying.

  Clara focused on her. “You’ve found your forever, like I have. Our forever just hasn’t found us yet.”

  China nodded as though she understood Clara’s gibberish. Clara continued to talk about things that only China seemed to understand, a tangle of words that I quickly lost interest in. I shifted my gaze to Marino, who right at that moment glanced back at me. Hurt was in his eyes.

  “I hate you for making me leave my dad,” he said, glaring at me.

  “For fuck’s sake, you’re gonna see him again.”

  “Not if he dies when I’m away.”

  “He’s got those scary mofos protecting him, plus the Devil’s Crew aren’t after him. He’ll be all right.”

  “You know shit!” he spat. “You don’t even know he’s not my biological father.”

  I blinked at him, definitely not expecting to hear that.

  He continued, “Your uncle Luka is my real dad.”

  “Whoa!” I said, totally blindsided. “Why didn’t cha tell me before?”

  “Because that prick ruined my parents’ relationship, just like you ruined mine.”

  “Marino!” China said.

  “Just because you’re here doesn’t mean I forgive you, China,” he said, “so for the last time, don’t talk to me or I’ll dump you at River’s place.”

  She snapped her mouth shut.

  “You’re a right cunt, Marino,” I said. “She didn’t cheat on you, so stop treating her like shit. It ain’t right.”

  “What ain’t right is you fucking everything that comes your way. Now a teacher? Do you know what the cops would do to her if they caught her with you?”

  “That’s why we’re up here.”

  “But do you actually care what shit you’ve rained down on her? Nah, because you’re a selfish bastard like my biological father. He fucked anything that came his way, even though he had no right to. My dad, the one who raised me as though I was his blood, forgave my mum for cheating on him. He moved out here to make a life for us. Loved me like his own, but what did my bitch of a mum do? She left him, left me, all for my bio father.”

  “Why are you telling me this?”

  “Because whenever you and your goddamned family come near mine, they fuck things up. I almost got killed because of you, lost my girl—”

  “You haven’t lost me,” China cut him off.

  “Shut up!” Marino yelled.

  She started crying again.

  Marino’s reflected gaze returned to me for a second. “Yeah, I’m being fucking unreasonable. I’m also being a selfish, jealous, prideful cunt. A complete arsehole. But I can’t help it. I feel betrayed by both you and China, as well as my mum and my biological father, and the only one who has ever done right by me is the man I call Dad. And now I’m being forced to leave him.” He paused. “You know what? I’m more upset at having to leave him than I am about you fucking China. He’s the only one who’s ever been completely honest with me, and you’re making me leave him behind with those fucking Russians and whatever shit that comes his way.”

  “Marino,” I breathed out, frustrated wit
h him. “You’re not gonna be away from him forever.”

  He blinked, looking like he was trying to hold back tears.

  “If I could change things I would,” I said. “But I can’t. And remember those fucking Russians will protect him.”

  He swiped a hand across his eyes as he slowed down for a stop sign. “He’s only one of three people I love unconditionally.”

  “I love you unconditionally,” China said, placing her hand on his, not to mention pushing her luck, the chick a lot thicker than I thought.

  He jerked his hand away, planting it right back on the steering wheel. “You’re not one of those three,” he said, pulling away from the stop sign. “Ruby and Dynasty are the other two,” he added, mentioning his baby sisters.

  China covered her face and sobbed.

  A hand caressed my cheek, drawing my attention away from China. “I love you unconditionally,” Clara said.

  I smiled at her, knowing I did too.

  11

  Clara

  I woke up in a room I didn’t recognise, not knowing how I got here. I sat up and looked around, the place definitely not Bazza’s house. I was on a double bed, with another one a few feet away. The other bed looked slept in, but it was empty. I pushed the covers off me and called out to Dante. No one answered. I called out again as I got up. Still no answer. I walked out of the room, entering a small lounge. There were a couple of threadbare couches, a TV, and a wall covered with graffiti. It was also lined with an array of worn out and newish-looking surfboards.

  I stepped out through the sliding door and onto a veranda, blinking at what I saw. “Wow!” I said, in awe. A stunning beach spread out before me, as far as the eye could see. I had no idea which beach it was, other than it had to be on the west coast, because, unlike the calm east coast waters, the waves were rough. The wind was whipping them up, creating a surfer’s paradise.

  I jumped off the veranda and onto the beach, the sand warm beneath my feet. The sun was set high, while the sky was clear. I called out, “Dante!” I went to shout his name again, but stopped. My heart leapt into my throat at the sight out on the waves. Dante was zipping through the waves on a surfboard, disappearing behind a massive one. He came out the other side, looking like a pro-surfer, his balance amazing. I watched in awe as he caught a new wave, riding it to shore. He jumped off the surfboard and hoisted it up under his arm. He was wearing a full black body suit, which showcased his amazing physique. With a wide smile, he whipped his wet hair off his face and came running towards me, looking like he was modelling for a photo shoot. He stopped in front of me and shook his hair out, laughing as I yelped from the cold spray.

  I smacked his arm. “You did that on purpose!”

  He continued laughing, the sound infectious. “And why wouldn’t I?”

  I gave him another playful smack, unable to help smiling at him. “You were amazing out there. Where’d you learn to surf like that? You looked like a pro.”

  His smile disappeared. “My uncle Luka.”

  “Why are you scowling?”

  “Do you remember driving up here?”

  I shook my head.

  “Well, on the way, I found out that my uncle Luka is Marino’s real dad.”

  I didn’t even blink, the news hardly surprising. “Well, that explains why he doesn’t look like Bazza.”

  “I never really thought ’bout it, though I’m kinda surprised my uncle didn’t take Marino. He’s great with kids.” He looked past me. “Have ya seen Marino? He wuzn’t here when I woke, though the car is.”

  I shook my head again.

  “What ’bout China?”

  “Nope, woke up alone. What’s up? You look like you ate something really bad.”

  “They had a massive fight last night, broke up. Marino wants nuthin’ to do with her.”

  “Why?” I asked, surprised. “I thought they’d made up.”

  “This has got nuthin’ to do with him laughing at her tits.” He took hold of my arm and steered me over to the veranda, sitting the both of us down. His expression turned sheepish. “Look, I kinda slept with China on New Year’s Eve. I wuz so drunk I don’t remember it, but she hooked up with Marino right after we did it, well, got back together with him. Marino found out last night and went berko. Dumped her. Though, she wouldn’t leave him alone, managed to get into the car and come with us. After we got here, they started yelling at each other, wouldn’t stop, so Marino told her to go fuck herself and took off in the car. I figured he must’ve come back while I wuz sleeping, since the car’s now here.”

  “Hell. Sorry. I know China is really into him.”

  “Yeah. Looks like it. He may have a right to be annoyed she didn’t tell him, but it’s still not cheating. They were broken up when she did me, plus she admitted she only did me cos I look like Marino.” His face soured. “Actually, that wuz a bitch move. I don’t want chicks fucking me cos I look like Marino. I can get chicks on my own cred.”

  “You certainly can. You got me hook, line, and sinker.”

  A smile broke through his annoyed expression. “I like hearing that.” He swung an arm over my shoulders and pulled me into a hug, his body ice cold, not to mention wet. I squealed and tried to push him away, but he wouldn’t let go. Instead, he planted a kiss on my lips, half laughing, knowing he was wetting me. I shoved at him, now also laughing.

  “Let go!” I squealed.

  He did, his grin wider than the beach.

  “Go get changed,” I added. “You’re freezing.”

  He pushed up. “Now, that’s a reasonable reaction, not like Marino’s. You don’t care who I slept with before you, like with Phelia,” he said, mentioning a girl at school.

  I looked up at him. “I was mad at first, but realised I had no right to be. You weren’t with me, plus I was the one in the wrong.” I rose to my feet. “You never cheated, while I cheated on my husband.”

  He frowned. “You regret what we did?”

  “No. I regret not leaving him sooner.” I wrapped my arms around Dante and pulled him into a hug, this time ignoring the cold and wet. “I also regret not owning up to kissing you straight away. I’m really sorry for that.”

  He shook his head. “You don’t hafta apologise, you already made up for it.”

  “Not enough.” I moved my hands to his face, cupping it. “You deserve better and I promise, I won’t ever deny what we did again.”

  “Unless you get caught by the cops. Lie through your teeth with them.”

  Fear crawled up my back, colder than Dante’s body.

  He took hold of my hands, his expression serious once more. “Promise me if you get caught, all you’ll tell them is we kissed. Nuthin’ more. You’ll pro’bly get a smack on the hand for the kiss, but no jail time.”

  “I doubt they’ll believe me. I suck at lying.”

  He squeezed my hands. “Promise me.”

  “Okay, I promise,” I said, praying it wouldn’t come to that.

  He kissed my forehead, then pulled me towards the sliding door. Letting go of my hands, he turned his back to me. “Undo my suit.” He glanced over his shoulder and winked at me. “Pretty please with your cherry on top.”

  I laughed. “My cherry was popped long ago.” I took hold of the zip and pulled it down, planting a kiss between his shoulder blades, his skin still cold.

  He slipped his arms out of the suit and slid it down to his waist, revealing a long stretch of tanned flesh.

  “Mmm,” I said, running a hand over his back. “I’ve always wanted a hot surfer as a boyfriend.”

  “A hot as fuck surfer.” He pushed the wetsuit down over his naked butt and thighs.

  I did a quick scan of the beach to make sure no one was around. When I couldn’t see anyone, I smacked his bare arse hard, laughing at his loud, “Ouch!”

  He kicked the wetsuit off and spun around, grabbing me, almost causing us to tumble off the veranda. He smashed his lips against mine, the both of us laughing into the kiss.

 
He pulled away, yelling, “You’re freezing!” He made a dash for the door.

  “I’m not the cold one!” I followed him inside, eyeing up his gorgeous butt. “Maybe I should put you over my knee and give you a spanking for lying,” I said, teasing.

  He turned around, his eyebrow rising. “I ain’t a schoolboy anymore, you kinky biatch.”

  My eyes widened. “Hey! Don’t call me a bitch!”

  He laughed. “I said biatch, not bitch, different things.”

  “No it’s not, and I was only teasing about the spanking.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “So I’m not kinky.”

  “You already smacked my arse, so you are kinky.”

  “That was playful.”

  “How ’bout I be playful and spank your arse.” He went for me, making me shriek. He grabbed me and lifted me over his shoulder.

  “What are you doing?!” I yelled, trying to wiggle free.

  Laughing, he carried me over to the couch and sat down, pulling me onto his lap. He planted an arm across my back as I went to get up, forcing me to stay in place.

  “Dante!”

  His hand snuck under my skirt and yanked down my knickers.

  “Stop it!”

  “Nah ah, payback’s a biatch.” His hand came down on one of my butt cheeks, making me shriek. He smacked the other cheek, laughing hysterically as I shrieked again.

  I wiggled about, trying to get free. “Dante! Let me go!”

  He removed his arm.

  I scrambled off his lap and quickly pulled up my knickers, glaring at him. “Arse!”

  He sniggered. “No, that wuz your arse I wuz spanking. And chill out, you smacked mine and I didn’t bitch.”

  I glowered at him, rubbing my butt. “You smacked mine a lot harder and twice.”

  “How ’bout I make it up to you. Turn around and I’ll kiss it better.” He leaned forward and pursed his lips.

  “How about you put on some bloody clothes,” China said, stepping through the front doorway.

  Dante leaned his arms across the back of the couch and looked up at her. “You’ve seen it all before, so what do I care.”

  “Dante!” I yelled.

  He rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah, I’ll get dressed.” He pushed up and climbed over the couch, grumbling, “Cock blocker” to China as he walked past.