Chapter 7
Natasha
My eyes are seeing it, but I don’t believe it. Why in the hell would he do that? Before I can apply my brain-to-mouth filter, I call Will over to me. “When did he get that?”
He shrugs. “A couple of years ago.”
“How many?”
“How many what?”
“Years?”
“Um, I don’t know, three or four.”
“Is it me?” I frown.
“Of course it’s you.”
I sit back down, my mind now officially in overdrive. We haven’t been together for seven years, so why three or four years ago? Abbie comes over, cuddles me and whispers in my ear.
“Looks like you’re not the only fucked-up one, Tash.”
The crowd goes wild and I immediately stand to see what’s going on.
Joshua is going ballistic, kicking and punching this guy.
I think he’s trying to kill him. Good grief, he’s so aggressive.
I sit back down and put my hands over my eyes.
This is unbearable. He’s going to jail again tonight, probably for life.
After what seems like an eternity, the fight finishes, and Joshua is announced the victor to the once-again-screaming crowd.
I, however, am furious. What in god’s name does he think he’s doing here?
This is definitely not a sport; this is barbaric. The kind of shit you see on cable.
“Can we go?” I ask Cameron.
He smiles and nods. “I’m just going to go to the bathroom, then we will head out.” He disappears up the steps two at a time. Abbie and Bridge flop down onto the chairs either side of me.
“OMG,” Bridget whispers. “Let’s talk about Josh’s tatt.”
“Let’s not,” I reply.
“Why are you so pissy?” she asks.
“Are you serious?” I snap. “This is bullshit.”
“What’s bullshit?”
“This.” I gesture at the arena around us. “This isn’t fucking kickboxing. This is how to kill a person in fifteen minutes.”
She nods. “But it’s totally hot, right?”
I shake my head in disgust at her. “You’re an imbecile,” I snap.
Will’s phone rings and he smiles and talks to someone on the other end and hangs up.
“Cam’s too lazy to walk back so we have to meet him at the door.
” We nod and join the queue to get out. Ten minutes later, I have a tipsy friend on either side of me linking my arms as we head toward the exit.
Abbie is still going on about banging Mr. Italy and asking Will to go and find him to tell him the mother of his children is waiting for him, presuming that’s her.
Will is very wisely declining to do it, although he is finding it quite funny.
“I thought you were the mother of my children,” he says as he elbows her in the stomach.
“Hell no,” she replies. “I’m way, way, way, way—” she moves her hand around in the air, “—too hot for you,” and she pokes him in the chest. Abbie and I are in fits of giggles.
She really does know how to take my mind off things.
Cameron joins us from the left and Bridget grabs his arm to link with hers, then we walk a little bit farther before Cam stops and turns around.
“What are you doing?” he yells out. We all turn at once to see who he is talking to.
Joshua is standing still in the middle of the crowd, glaring at us.
He is in faded blue jeans and a white T-shirt and has a gym bag with the strap across his body on one shoulder.
Perspiration is still beading on his forehead, a side effect from the exertion of the fight.
He takes a sip from the bottle of water in his hand.
The veins in his forearms are pumping, no doubt from the adrenaline in his system.
My mouth goes dry. Why does he have to be so damn attractive?
His piercing blue eyes bore into me and he has a slight sheen of perspiration all over his skin, adding to the whole alluring effect.
Damn it. He is radiating anger and glares at Cam as he storms past us.
“What’s wrong with you?” Cam asks.
He turns to talk to Cam but speaks directly to me. “What in the fuck is she doing here?”
Will steps in front of me. “Stop being a prick, Josh. She’s here with us.” My cheeks heat with embarrassment. I turn and start storming to the cab rank. I have never been so humiliated. Abbie and Bridget scuttle after me, both of the boys staying with Josh.
“You’re not to hang out with her, I told you that.
” I stop and turn. That’s it. My blood has boiled.
Who in the hell does this guy think he is?
Master of the universe? I will not take one more fucking minute of his shit.
I storm back to where he is standing and push him hard in the chest. “What is your problem?” I yell, and he staggers back.
“You are, actually!” he yells back.
I scowl. “Who in the fuck are you, and what have you done with my Josh?” I scream.
He comes up really close to my face and yells. “He isn’t your Josh.”
“No, I know he isn’t. This version is a giant, aggressive, stripper-groping prick who I can’t stand the sight of.” Everyone falls silent.
“Burned,” Will giggles. Josh and I both look at him and yell, “Shut up,” in perfect timing.
“Stripper-groping,” he repeats. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Natasha, leave it.” Bridget steps in. “Let’s go.” She can see this is about to get ugly, really ugly.
“I mean, asshole,” I scream in his face, “I was at the strip club last week, and I saw your little display with the blond. How was the threesome?”
He narrows his eyes and steps back as he weighs up my words. “What, are you spying on me now?” he sneers.
“Don’t flatter yourself,” I scream. “It seems to me you are spying on me. What’s with the nightclub caveman act, Josh? Why in the hell did you hit Todd like that?”
He stops still and stays deathly silent.
“Todd, is it?” he sneers. I don’t answer. OK, that was the wrong thing to say.
“So, Todd is the poor bastard you’re currently fucking, is he? I thought as much.”
Cameron steps in, “Josh, just go home. You’re being a dick.”
“Fuck off, Cameron. I’m talking to Natasha—this is a private conversation.” His voice is dripping with sarcasm.
He leans into my face. “You can go and tell your little friend Todd that if I see him again, I’m going to beat the living shit out of him. I hope you were worth it.”
“Fuck off, Josh, I’m not seeing him. You’re acting crazy. I’ve a good mind to get you admitted.”
He fumes. “Oh yes, I bet your little fuck buddy from work would love that too.”
“What, so I’m fucking everybody in Sydney now am I? You idiot,” I yell.
“It wouldn’t surprise me,” he yells and, that’s it, I snap.
That is the last straw—I no longer have any control.
I slap him hard across the face, the sound echoing back as it hits the buildings on either side of us.
He grabs me by the shoulders and shakes me, his fury erupting as mine has.
The others quickly step in and break us up, pushing us apart. I glare at him and he glares at me.
“Stay the fuck away from me!” I yell.
He folds his arms. “Now, who’s flattering themselves, you couldn’t pay me enough to touch you.”
I don’t know why I’m shocked he just said that, but I am.
I shake my head at him. “Nice, Josh, nice. You must be so proud of the person you’ve turned into.
You were a lot nicer when you were poor.
What a mean, pretentious prick you’ve turned into.
” I turn and storm off. In the distance I can hear Cam and Will giving Josh a hard time about what he has said to me.
The girls quickly catch up and we join the cab line. We hear Cam yell out, “Sorry, girls,” as they get into the back of a limo waiting outside the arena for them. It drives off. We all stay silent for a few minutes.
“That went well.” Abbie smiles. “Isn’t it a shame he can talk—he’s so pretty with his mouth closed.”
We all burst out laughing.
“Seriously, Abbs, I love you.”
I smile. I’m warm and crumpled and sleepy, my eyes refusing to open. Why is she so frigging early? My doorbell buzzes again. “Go away, I’m too tired,” I mumble into my pillow.
BUZZZ BUUUUUUZZZZZZZZZZZZ BZ, BZ, BZ, BZ, BZ.
It’s still pitch black in my bedroom—those expensive drapes were worth every cent.
It buzzes again. For Pete’s sake. Alright.
I pull my weary ass out of bed and stagger to the foyer.
I hit the door button to unlock my front door as I head to the bathroom for my morning wee.
I hear Bridget come in and I instantly yell to her.
“Why are you up so early? Did you wet the bed? Make me some coffee, bitch, and you can forget it. I’m not going to Mum and Dad’s this morning.
” I look at my watch on the bathroom vanity.
“Bridget, it’s only 7:30 a.m. Have you gone frigging mad?
” I know why she’s here so early. She thinks I’m a donkey on the edge and, to be honest, she could be onto something. I feel scattered.
She doesn’t reply. I hear the teaspoon hit three times on the side of the coffee cup. I waltz out of my bathroom while stretching and yawning. I feel like shit. I open my eyes from my stretch to see Joshua standing in my lounge room with two cups of coffee. What the.
“Joshua…what are you doing here?”
He looks me up and down and smirks. “Nice pjs.”
Oh my fuck. I look down to realize I am wearing odd flannel pajamas.
Checkered bottoms and bunny top and to cap off the whole alluring look the buttons are done up in the wrong buttonholes.
I scratch my head in embarrassment, only to feel my hair standing up on end like the Paddle Pop Lion.
I bet I have raccoon mascara eyes too. I must look like a treat.
I’m too busy being mortified and self-conscious to remember how mad I am at him.
I stay silent, waiting for him to say something, while praying for the earth to swallow me up.
“Um.” He shuffles on his feet and passes me my coffee.
“Thanks,” I whisper as I take it.
He takes a sip while carefully choosing his words. “I…I just came to apologize for last night.”
I stay silent. “What exactly are you apologizing for?” I ask as I raise my eyebrows.