Part 36 (2/2)

”Yeah, I just didn't wanna admit it.”

”So, can we do it again?”

”Another time.”

”Then w.a.n.k me off instead.”

”No! I told you I wouldn't do that.”

Corey smiled. ”It wuz worth a try.”

Sledge shook his head. ”You're gonna cause me a s.h.i.+tload of trouble, aren't cha?”

Corey's smile widened. ”Most-f.u.c.kin'-definitely.”

32.

Ash Ash came to, his head yelling at him for waking up. He went to touch it, but found his arms tied to the top of the bed, the pull on his shoulders aching.

A hand brushed his cheek, followed by his stepfather's relieved voice. ”You scared the s.h.i.+t outta me, don't ever f.u.c.kin' do that again.”

Ash closed his eyes and shook his head, the hopelessness of the situation making him tremble.

”Everything will work out, love,” Chaz said.

”Don't call me love. You used to call my mum that.” The thought of his mother made him tremble more, the nightmare he'd lived with for the past ten years too much to handle. He'd thought he was stronger than this, but tied to a bed, defenceless, unable to even put an end to his life, made him feel like a scared kid again. f.u.c.k, he was weak, which was probably why Chaz had gone after him, because Dante would never have fallen for Chaz's lies.

Chaz tucked a blanket around Ash's body. ”Take it easy, you're in shock. You've got a nasty bruise on your forehead, it's just lucky you didn't cut yourself on the mirror.”

”If I wuz lucky I'd be dead.”

”Don't say s.h.i.+t like that.”

”Why not?” Ash remembered what Aroha had said, along with the fact that she'd helped Chaz. ”The world would be better off without me.”

”No, it wouldn't.”

”If I wuzn't born my mother would still be alive. You killed her cos of me.” Ash went to move his legs, but realised they were tied up too. A sob broke out, the sound too unreal to be coming from him. ”Just kill me, please just kill me.”

”Christ, Ash, stop being stupid, there's no way I'm gonna kill you.”

Ash opened his eyes and looked up at Chaz's upset expression. ”Please.”

”No.”

Chaz placed a hand on Ash's stomach, making him wish it was a knife slicing through his flesh. He wasn't afraid of death, hadn't been for a long time. Instead, he was afraid of living, although Angelo and Tiana had made that worth it. But if he got snuffed out today, they would go on without him like they had for the past year. Maybe it was good that Tiana had left him, because, even though they were working things out, she wouldn't hurt so much if he died.

”I can't live like this,” Ash said. ”Either kill me or lemme go.”

Chaz leaned forward, brus.h.i.+ng Ash's hair to the side, the contact making Ash want to scream and yell at his stepfather, but he couldn't even flinch, everything too much. He'd always tried to be strong, to show people it wasn't worth going up against him, but with Chaz he felt like that fifteen-year-old kid who'd woken up in hospital to find out his mother had been killed and he'd been raped. Scared and full of guilt, he'd almost taken his life, wanting to escape what Chaz had done to him and continued to do in his dreams, but now he was reliving it for real, although this time he was wide awake and with no drugs to s.h.i.+eld his mind.

”Please do sumpthin, anything,” Ash begged.

Chaz reached into his pocket and pulled out a knife, flicking it open. Feeling nothing but relief, Ash closed his eyes. He didn't care how Chaz killed him, just wanted it to be quick. He felt a tug on his arms, then they were moved in front of him, although his wrists were still tied together. Surprised, he opened his eyes and watched as Chaz used the knife to release his legs from the bed, but like his wrists, they were tied too-nothing different from when he'd launched himself at the wardrobe.

”There, I've done something,” Chaz said. ”But this is as far as it goes, cos I'm never giving you up. And if it means I hafta restrain you for the rest of your life, so be it. You're mine, get used to it.”

”I'm not your f.u.c.kin' pet!”

”I didn't say you were.”

”Then untie me.”

Chaz shook his head. ”I can't.” He pointed to the cabinet, ”There's your breakfast, it's leftovers from dinner,” then left the room, closing the door behind him.

Ash rolled onto his side, glaring at the plate like it was the root of all evil, the smell of fish and chips making him want to throw up. He got to his feet and swung out with his clasped hands, knocking the plate to the floor, then crawled back onto the bed, waiting for sleep to free him, even if it was only for a short time.

Something touched Ash's forehead, disturbing his sleep, then brushed against his lips, light and gentle. Tiana? He wanted to touch her, to hold her. He opened his mouth to speak, but felt a tongue slip inside, the smell of coffee causing him to open his eyes. He jerked back at the sight of Chaz. ”Get away from me!” he yelled into Chaz's face.

Looking annoyed, Chaz moved his head away. ”It was just a kiss.”

Ash brought his knees up to kick him, but his stepfather pushed off the bed before contact.

”I see you still can't handle male affection,” Chaz said.

”You had your f.u.c.kin' tongue in my mouth, you dirty b.a.s.t.a.r.d!”

”So the f.u.c.k what? I wanted to kiss you, so I kissed you. Just be grateful I didn't do more.”

Ash spat at Chaz. ”I can f.u.c.kin' taste your disgusting breath!” he shouted, pus.h.i.+ng himself off the bed, the need to make Chaz pay for what he did to him overwhelming. ”I'm gonna cut your f.u.c.kin' c.o.c.k off!”

Chaz grabbed Ash's crotch and twisted, making Ash's yell out. He went still, the grip too hard to pull free from without causing damage.

Chaz moved his face close, his lips brus.h.i.+ng Ash's. ”Watch what you say, cos I don't need your c.o.c.k, only your boy c.u.n.t.”

”Let go,” Ash said, breathing heavy, the pain in his b.a.l.l.s making him wince.

”Only if you say please.”

”Please. f.u.c.k, please, please...”

”I like you begging, it makes me hard.” Chaz loosened his grip and pulled out the knife from his pocket. Flicking it open, he waved it in front of Ash's face, then lowered it to Ash's crotch. ”Now, are you gonna be nice to me?”

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