Part 40 (1/2)

”I thought you were dead,” Ash finally said.

”Why the f.u.c.k for?”

”Juliet told me you were killed in the prison riot.”

”Well, obviously, the ugly slag got things wrong.”

”Shut your mouth 'bout Juliet!”

Tama ran a hand over his tattooed head, the curls of the Mori pattern giving the impression of hair. ”I can say what I b.l.o.o.d.y like 'bout her, cos you can't do anything 'bout it.”

Ash tugged on the ropes, aching to wrap them around Tama's neck and string him up. ”Free me before Chaz comes back.”

”Nah ah, you look like you wanna kill me.” Tama came closer, the guy's swagger over emphasised, like he was doing it on purpose to taunt Ash. Stopping next to the bed, his gaze swept Ash's body, but without Chaz's hunger, only curiosity colouring the kid's face. ”Man, Chaz is a sick motherf.u.c.ker.” He smirked. ”Or an Ashf.u.c.ker.”

Ash yanked on the ropes again. ”Untie me!”

”Again, nah ah, I'm not a dumba.r.s.e. So ... how did he get ya here? Cos I've gotta say, I didn't expect you to go down against him-” Tama smirked again. ”Go down, get it?”

”He drugged me, and you can't leave me like this.”

”I'm not leaving, cos I owe the f.u.c.ker death.” Tama turned to the window. A blood stained bandage covered the back of his head. He peeked through the curtains. ”d.a.m.n lucky I came round the back way through farmland, otherwise he might've shot me too. I wonder who he killed.” He glanced back at Ash. ”Do you know?”

Ash shook his head.

Tama looked back out the window. ”I don't really care, none of my biz, though better not be any of my relatives.” He frowned. ”No, Chaz wouldn't shoot my cuz, and anyway, Mikey doesn't know 'bout this place, so all's good. It wuz pro'bly just some poor schmuck turning up at the wrong place. Ha! Wrong place, wrong time. Never been truer-”

”Stop talking and untie me before he comes back. He'll kill you.”

”Nope, I'm safe for now, I saw him drive down the creek track. He's probably gonna dump whoever he killed, so my guess is he'll be back anywhere from ten minutes onwards.”

”Then untie me.”

”Nah, I got a diff plan.”

”At least untie me partially.”

Tama turned back to him. ”Untie me, untie me... Man, you're like a broken record.”

”But you hafta free me.”

”I don't hafta do nuthin', and you can b.l.o.o.d.y stay like that. Call it payback for you trying to bash me when your ugly-a.r.s.e sister jumped my d.i.c.k. She's the one who wanted a good f.u.c.king, not the other way round. That b.i.t.c.h looks like Sledge in drag, and there's no way in h.e.l.l my c.o.c.k is goin' anywhere near her willingly.”

Ash grimaced. Juliet hadn't lied about Tama hurting her, it may not have been physical, but the insults Tama had thrown at her did more damage than any punch would have.

”I'm sorry for gettin' things wrong,” Ash said, although he wasn't. ”I won't hurt you, just lemme free and we can take care of Chaz together.”

”No, I'm killing him myself. And you can shut the f.u.c.k up if you wanna keep your a.r.s.e c.o.c.k free. I'll call the pigs for you after I finish the p.r.i.c.k off.” Tama ran a hand over his face and swore. ”Man, why did he hafta come here, this is my stepdad's place, not his. Now I hafta find another pad to hole up in.”

”Do ya have any weapons?” Ash asked.

Tama pulled out a switchblade from his track-pants.

”Don't you have sumpthin' better, like a gun?”

”Nah, I don't know how to shoot, so I'm taking him down with this beauty.” Smiling, Tama flipped the knife in his hand. ”Maybe when he's trying to f.u.c.k you, I can stab him in the back.” He flipped the knife again, then nodded at the wardrobe. ”I can wait in there and see what he tries to do to you, it might be amusing.”

Ash yanked on the ropes. ”Lemme go!”

Tama sneered. ”I wuz having you on, cos there's no way in h.e.l.l I'm watching a f.a.g bang. And anyway, your bro wouldn't forgive me if I let that s.h.i.+t happen, no matter how much you hurt him. Instead, I should give you a smack around for what you did to Sledge.”

”He attacked my mate,” Ash said, feeling guilty.

”So? Your mate is more important than your bro?”

Ash went quiet.

Tama shook his head. ”So big bad Ash feels bad for bas.h.i.+ng his li'l bro. Didn't expect that. Kinda thought you had no f.u.c.kin' feelings. Guess you do care 'bout Sledge after all.”

”Of course I care 'bout him.”

”Then the next time he does sumpthin' you don't like keep your f.u.c.kin' fists to yourself, s.h.i.+thead!”

Ash dropped his gaze. ”I won't hurt him again, no matter what.”

”Good. Looks like you aren't a heartless b.a.s.t.a.r.d after all. So, this is the plan. Before Uncle h.o.m.o returns I'll hop into the wardrobe, then when he's on top of you...” Tama held up a hand as Ash swore. ”Wait a mo, I didn't say I'd let him f.u.c.k you, just said when he's on top of you. I need him distracted or I won't be able to stab him. I've already tried once, and failed, I can't afford for him to turn on me again. He almost killed me the first time.” Tama pointed to the bandage at the back of his head. ”He b.l.o.o.d.y bashed my head against the ground, and it still hurts like f.u.c.k, so you hafta distract him.”

”Why can't you hide behind the door and stab him when he walks in?”

”I already told you why.”

”I don't see what difference it'll make if you come up from behind when he walks in the door or when he's on top of me.”

”Are you stupid? There's a huge diff. It's harder to move when you're lying on someone, and he'll be thinking with his c.o.c.k, not his brain.”

”I don't want him touching me.”

”Don't blame you, but it's what's happening, so get with the plan or get f.u.c.ked-literally.” Tama walked over to the wardrobe and kicked the broken pieces of mirror on the ground. ”Looks like that nasty-a.r.s.e bruise on your forehead came from this. Did he smash you against it?”

”No, I rammed it.”

Tama's gaze flicked back to Ash, his expression surprised, then a smile lit up his face. ”That's so f.u.c.kin' cool; I would've given anything to have seen it. I always did think you were a crazy motherf.u.c.ker. I could never do sumpthin' like that, I love life too much.”

”Life's overrated.”

”But, aren't you scared of death?”

Ash shook his head.

Tama laughed, ”You're cool, man. If you didn't wanna kill me I would so love to be your mate. Maybe since I'm helping you out, we could be now.”