26. Rhys

Anoisejoltsme from sleep, and the first thing I see is the night sky with twinkling stars. As my memory kicks in, reminding me of where I am, a smile spreads across my face as Shaun’s scent wraps around me like a safety blanket. I’m in his bed, and I never want to leave.

A noise sounds again, and I realise it’s coming from somewhere else in the house. Rolling over, I expect to find Shaun, but the bed is empty. Sitting up, I lean forward a little to see if he’s in his room below, but I’m met with an empty space. Reluctantly, I climb down from his heavenly bed and scan the small room again, confirming that he’s definitely not in here with me.

Maybe he’s gone to the toilet?

When I hear the noise again, like a chair scraping across the floor, I climb back up to the bed, tug on my panties and t-shirt, and go in search of Shaun. I find the bedroom door wide open, but there are no lights on beyond it.

What is he doing in the dark?

Hearing more noise, I follow it downstairs and freeze in place when I enter the open plan kitchen living area. Shaun is sitting in the dark at the kitchen table, with the moonlight filtering in from the window behind him. And he’s completely naked.

What the?

Taking a step forward, my heart nearly leaps out of my throat, and I almost scream when I hear someone whisper from the other entrance of the room.

“Don’t wake him.”

Squinting in the dark, I see the silhouette of a man that morphs into Derek, Shaun’s older brother, as my eyes adjust. He’s leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed over his chest, his eyes moving between me and Shaun, who hasn’t acknowledged our presence. I’m so confused.

“What?” I whisper.

Derek pushes off the door frame and pads over to me, leaning around the door jamb next to me to flick on the light in the hall. He’s about the same height as Shaun, maybe a little taller. His appearance is uncanny to Shaun’s, yet his jaw is a little squarer, and his eyes are brown and not the steel-grey that Shaun’s are. Like all the yummiest of guys, he’s wearing grey sweatpants and a navy tight fitting t-shirt. I don’t know why his dad doesn’t know he’s gay; he is exceptionally well-groomed.

“Shaun’s sleepwalking. It’s not a good idea to wake someone when they’re sleepwalking.”

I flick my gaze back to Shaun.

“He sleepwalks?”

“Yep. Hasn’t done it for years until recently. I think it has to do with our mama getting worse. He pretends he’s not worried, but I know he is. The old man doesn’t help with the pressure he puts on Shaun to leave school.”

“Leave school? Why?” It really isn’t my business, but I can’t help it. I have this need to know everything about Shaun.

“Running this farm is hard work. We need more help, and since business isn’t great and with mama’s extra medical needs, we had to lay off most of our staff. Shaun has a deal going with the old bat next door. She has weird fucking parties all the time and made a deal to buy a shit tonne of our wine in exchange for Shaun’s time to do some work over there a couple of nights a week. Even with that deal, the money isn’t enough. So, padre puts extra pressure on him to drop out and work on the farm full time.”

Madam Vik is a bitch, yet now her arrangement with Shaun makes total sense.

Shaun mumbles something, regaining my attention.

“So, if I shouldn’t wake him, how do I get him back to bed?”

Derek smiles. “You in a hurry to end this already?” He gestures to his naked brother sitting at the table, moving his hands about as if he’s busy doing something invisible. “It’s the perfect time to fuck with him.”

Getting his meaning, I grin, “Be right back.”

As quietly as I can, I rush back up to Shaun’s room, grab my phone off the charger and return to the kitchen. Shaun is still in the same place, mumbling something about Pelicans.

I flash Derek my phone, and he grins before I tiptoe over to Shaun and take a few selfies with him in the background. Then Derek joins me, and we take a couple more before Shaun’s voice rises.

“Don’t you know that carrots are wine?”

I giggle, but he speaks again.

“The rabbits will fuck the pelicans.”

I slap my hand over my mouth, trying to silence my laughter, and Derek does the same.

“She’s the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen,” Shaun says then, and my laughter dies. Who is he dreaming about?

“Who is?” Derek asks, and I freeze. He’s going to wake him up.

“Rhys. She’s mine.” Shaun answers, and my eyes widen.

When Derek grins over at me, I mouth, “What the fuck?”

Still grinning, Derek comes to my side and whispers, “I can have full-on conversations with him while he’s like this. I usually get his honesty, although sometimes his responses make no sense.”

“Oh,” I whisper.

Derek nudges my shoulder with his. “Ask him something.”

I think about this for a moment, desperate to know if he will speak the truth.

“Who is Skipper?” I ask, testing to see if he will speak honestly while asleep.

Shaun’s head angles towards me.

“Tyler. He’s ok. Loves my girl, though.”

Holy shit.

“Who’s your girl?” Derek asks, and I could punch him. The cheeky fucker just grins.

“Kitten,” Shaun answers dazily.

“Who’s Kitten?” Derek asks, clearly confused.

Shaun’s relaxed face morphs into an adorable sleepy smile.

“Rhys.”

My heart does a flip, which is stupid, right? He’s sleeping. None of what he is saying is true. Well, except for knowing who Skipper and Kitten are, but that doesn’t mean he’s speaking the truth about me being his girl. Or me being Tyler’s girl, my fucking teacher and sponsor for Vixen’s Lodge. He doesn’t love me. He’s like… old, and I’m like a kid to him. A brat that needs a guardian watching over her because I’ll just get myself into trouble without it.

Shit.

“Let’s go to bed, Shauno,” Derek says then, his eyes on me as I have an internal freakout.

Shaun nods lazily, “Yeah, I’m pretty tired. Gonna hit the sack.”

Slowly Shaun stands, the chair scraping, while Derek darts his wide eyes towards a passage at the other side of the room. That must be where his parents sleep. I bite back a giggle as Shaun shuffles away. And I say shuffle because that’s how he is walking. It’s like a shuffle where his feet hardly lift off the ground. I could record it on my phone, but that’s too mean. Derek said he sleepwalks when he’s worried, and there’s a fair chance I’m adding to that worry. Worry he doesn’t need.

Following behind slowly, it takes a little while to get back up to Shaun’s bedroom. Derek even comes all the way up to the attic to make sure his brother climbs up the step ladder without hurting himself, and then he whispers good night to me before closing me in with Shaun.

Climbing back up, I find Shaun already snoring quietly, taking up most of the mattress, so I carefully squeeze in next to him, closest to the skylight in the gable ceiling. The moment I get comfy, he rolls over and hugs me, tugging me back against his chest so I’m nestled as the little spoon.

I know I should be freaking out more at Shaun’s declarations tonight, but for some reason, I’m not. It feels right in his arms, just like it felt right in Marcus’ arms. So why was I so freaked out about it with Marcus and not with Shaun? It’s definitely something I need to figure out because even though things with Marcus are bad right now, I still care for him and miss him terribly.

I eventually fall asleep in Shaun’s arms, and when I wake next, the sun is beaming through the skylight, and Shaun is cursing. Rolling over, I see Shaun lying awake next to me, looking at something on his phone.

“What’s wrong?”

Steel-grey eyes find mine, and Shaun turns to me, holding up his phone. I giggle at the picture of Derek’s selfie with me in the background, taking a selfie with Shaun. I didn’t even realise Shaun’s brother had taken that photo.

“I sleepwalked? And you witnessed it?” He sounds mortified, and I slide my arm over his chest as I snuggle up against him.

“Yes, and yes. We had a good chat.”

“Ugh!” Shaun groans, slapping his hand over his face. “What the fuck did I say?”

“There was something about penguins, carrots, and wine.” I giggle again, and he sighs before removing his hand to look at me.

“What else?” He holds his phone up again. “Derek said we had a good chat about you.”

Fucking Derek. A shit-stirrer, it seems.

We are going to be great buddies!

“It doesn’t matter, but if you want to know, you can ask him. I’m happy with not being involved in that conversation.”

“Jesus, what the fuck did I say?”

I giggle, “Nothing bad. Don’t worry.”

“Ugh.” He groans again, throwing his arm over his eyes.

It feels so nice to wake up with Shaun next to me. Not to mention how fucking sexy he looks with his lazy sleep eyes and tousled hair. A girl could get used to this… which is exactly why I should be running. Yet here I fucking am, snuggling against him even closer.

Shaun takes that moment to move, and he rolls over to face me, his hand snaking through the blankets to glide over my hip before cupping my arse and dragging me against him. I immediately feel his hard dick pressed between us, and Kitty stirs to life, purring with interest.

“Wanna fix my morning wood?” He grins, arching his hip forward as I hitch my leg over his waist, pressing my heel to his arse in answer.

That’s when Shaun’s bedroom door flies open, and Derek rushes in.

“Get up! The barrel room flooded last night, and the old man is going off. I need to go into town and pick up some stuff to help dry the room out, so you two need to get ready fast.”

Shaun sits up abruptly. “Any damage to the stock?”

“Nah, not as far as we can tell. But there will be if I can’t get it dried soon.” Derek looks frantic.

“Yeah. Ok. Do you need me to stay home today and help?” Shaun asks as he slips a t-shirt over that fine chest of his.

“Nope. You’re going to school. Hurry up.” Derek turns and rushes down the stairs, before the door closes behind him.

“Shit.” Shaun rakes his hand through his messy curls, and I sit up to join him.

“You alright?”

Turning to me, his eyes find mine, and he grins.

“I fucking love having you in my bed, Kitten.”

I smile, and shit, I can feel the heat rising to my cheeks. Jesus, what is this guy doing to me?

“I’ll fix your morning wood next time.”

Shaun throws his head back, laughing, and I shuffle across the bed to the end, readying myself to climb down. Shaun’s hand comes down hard on my pantie clad arse, and I squeak as his teeth nip at my other arse cheek.

“I’m gonna hold you to that Kitten.”

With grins on our faces, Shaun and I rush through our morning routines, and I get ready in record time, having a quick shower to wash off the sex smell, which is fucking devastating to do. I throw my hair into my regular middle part with a twisted bun on each side and then apply my mask: black eyeliner, mascara and shadow, and black lips. My uniform is creased from being squashed in my backpack since yesterday, and I’m sure I’d care if I wasn’t in this happy little bubble with Shaun right now.

We get a few sideways glances as we walk into school together, and even though Shaun and I are holding hands, Simon still bounds up and slaps a kiss on my lips in front of everyone. I’m not usually freaked out by PDA, but for some reason, I’m struggling with everyone at school seeing me receive a kiss from one guy while holding another guy’s hand. Is it because I’m sober? Maybe I need to absorb some Mary Jane before classes start? That idea gets quickly doused when Shaun doesn’t let me go until I step into my first class of the day. Pastoral Care.

As Shaun and I part ways, Simon sends him a teasing wave, dragging me into the classroom to a table in the back corner and claiming me as his study partner. Bell and Allister shoot me a weird look that I can’t decipher, but they take their usual table—the one I usually sit at with them—and they turn their backs on me.

Simon keeps me busy through the first class, questioning me about what I’m dressing up as for Bonnie Mayer’s Halloween party on Thursday night, and then before the bell goes, he invites me to come to his house for dinner tonight. Obviously, I say yes because I like food, and I like him, and I like the way I feel around him. So yeah, I agree, and he Yee-haws in front of the whole class. Adorable clown.

In English, Shaun looks pleased to steal me back, taking my hand this time and leading me to the back row of tables. Garrett is already there in the seat he occupied last time we had this class together, and Shaun deposits me in the middle seat again, between him and Garrett.

Bell is in this class too, and when she walks in with Dale, her black eyes land on me before she glares at me and rolls her eyes. My brows furrow as I watch my friends turn their backs on me again and take their seats, not paying me any more attention.

What the fuck is her problem?

I think about sending her a message to ask but decide I’m better off waiting to talk to her at recess, so I put my phone on the desk above my books and try to focus on the analysis task I need to finish in preparation for the upcoming exams.

I didn’t think it was possible, but I manage to forget about my surroundings and the two guys on either side of me. I become absorbed in my work, having better focus than I’ve had in weeks, so when Garrett’s hand lands on my thigh and squeezes, I’m in a bit of a daze when I look up.

“What?” I whisper, taking in his confusing expression.

“Who’s Julie?”

I freeze. “What?”

“Who’s Julie?” Garrett repeats, and my eyes go wide before I look away from those icy blues and search for my phone.

A moment later, Shaun waves my phone in my face.

“Who’s Julie?” He asks the same question Garrett did, and my heart rate picks up as I reach for the phone. With a determined look on his face, Shaun holds it away from me. “Uh-uh. Who’s Julie, Rhys?”

“No one. Give me my phone.” I whisper yell, and his dark brows disappear under his curls. Then his eyes narrow.

“It doesn’t seem like no one. She’s messaged three times.” Shaun speaks quietly before Garrett gains my attention again.

“Why have you saved her as Fuck You Julie in your phone?”

My heart races as Garrett studies me, but I turn back to Shaun and try to get the phone out of his hand. My efforts cause Shaun’s chair to scrape back, and Miss Fletcher’s voice comes from the front of the room.

“What’s going on back there?”

All eyes turn to us as Shaun freezes with his arm arched back as I practically climb on top of him to get my phone. I don’t want to get Shaun in trouble, but I need my phone.

“He has my phone, Miss,” I complain, and she rolls her eyes.

“Shaun, put her phone back down on the table, please.” When we both don’t move, she stands and bellows. “Now!”

Quickly, I shuffle back off Shaun and sit in my seat as Shaun lays my phone face-up on the table above my books. When I move to reach for it, Miss Fletcher yells.

“Do not pick that phone up, Miss George!”

I halt in place, my hand mid-air, just itching to pick up my phone. Nodding at my English teacher, I shift back in my chair and pretend to do my work as blood rushes loudly past my ears. I’m worked up big time, and I can’t concentrate anymore. Not now that I know Julie has sent me a message.

“Unlock your phone, Kitten,” Shaun whispers in my ear, and I look down at my phone and back up towards the front of the room where Miss Fletcher is occupied on her computer. “Technically, if you leave it on the table and don’t pick it up, you’re not breaking her rules.”

He’s right, but that would mean he and Garrett will be able to read my messages.

“Open it,” Shaun whispers again, so I lean forward and key in my passcode before opening my messages.

Fuck You Julie

Brian isn’t happy!

Fuck You Julie

How can you be so cruel to a dying man?

Fuck You Julie

Go back and see him by Wednesday!

And do exactly as he asks of you.

“Who’s Brian? And who’s Fuck You Julie?” Garrett asks quietly.

I can’t find the words to answer him as I read over Julie’s messages. Of course, Brian wouldn’t be happy. I already knew that, so these messages aren’t news to me. I’ve been expecting them, although I wasn’t expecting Julie to tell me to go back to the prison to see Brian again.

Ignoring both the boys as they crowd me in, I type out a response and hit send.

Rhys George

I can’t go back, Julie.

Not just because I can’t make it there

by Wednesday, but also because you

and he can go fuck yourselves!

I hear Garrett and Shaun suck in a breath, which tells me they are reading over my shoulder. Then Julie replies.

Fuck You Julie

Visit him by dinner time on

Wednesday or pay the price.

This is my last warning!!

“What the fuck?” Garrett hisses in my left ear, and I turn my phone face down so I don’t have to see the messages anymore.

“What’s going on?” Shaun asks in my right ear, and I suddenly feel like I’m suffocating.

“None of your business.” I snap, and I see Shaun flinch out of the corner of my eye. I shouldn’t be a bitch to him. I knew they would see the messages when I opened the phone, so why did I do that in front of them if I didn’t want them to see?

Because you want to tell someone, Rhys.

Oh, shut up, annoying inner voice!

Do I really want to tell them, though? They will most definitely look at me with disgust and run in the other direction when they learn about my depraved past. Learn what I did yesterday at the prison. I’m a sick person. Vile. They won’t want anything to do with me. No one will.

Tears well in my eyes, and I turn to Shaun to see the hurt on his face.

“I’m sorry. You didn’t deserve that.”

His eyes, usually so calm that they soothe my soul, are nothing but a festering storm. Leaning towards me, he takes my hands in his as he speaks softly, so only I can hear. “I’m not prying to be nosey. I care about you, Rhys. I care what happens to you.”

“I can’t tell you,” I whisper as a tear pops free, and he reaches up to wipe it away.

“Does it have anything to do with yesterday afternoon? Why you were in such a state last night?”

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I nod slowly.

“Are you in some sort of trouble?” He asks, and I nod but then shake my head, only to shrug. “Why won’t you tell me?”

“I can’t,” I whisper.

“But why? Don’t you trust me?”

Do I trust him? I realise it’s not something I need to consider for long because I do trust him, so that’s not the problem.

“I do trust you.”

“Then why can’t you tell me?”

I shrug.

“Please, Kitten.” He whispers, ignoring Miss Fletcher when she calls to him to focus on his work. “Why can’t you tell me?”

It takes three swallows to get the lump away this time. “Because it will change things.”

“Change things how?” He asks just as Miss Fletcher approaches the table. Even though I know Shaun can see her, he still pays her no attention.

“It will change the way you look at me. The way you think about me.”

He frowns right as Miss Fletcher slams her hand down on the desk, this time gaining our attention.

“This is not the time for a heart-to-heart!”

I jump so high that I knock my books off the table and fall back into Garrett, who catches me half on his lap, half on my chair.

“For fuck’s sake, woman! There’s no need to scare the living shit out of me!” My words fly free before I can stop them and Miss Fletcher, who I usually get along with, goes red in the face as she stares me down.

“Rhys George, get your things and leave this class right now!” She points a strong finger towards the door. “You can go to the principal’s office and explain to your guardian why I’ve kicked you out of class today!”

Garrett’s hands loosen on me as I stand, glaring Miss Fletcher down as I bend and pick my books up, taking the ones Shaun helps me to retrieve as well.

“No problem, Miss. I’ll go visit my mum. Better than this shitty class, anyway.” As if my behaviour isn’t already immature and bratty enough, I flip her the bird and blow her a fucking kiss with it! Oh yeah. I’m on a roll, one that’s only going to get me into more trouble, but the thing is, right now, I don’t care.