Behind The Tears Part 42

"I got groped more after that. Free to touch and use as they please-public property. I even had a few chicks ask for my autograph like I wuz some sort of p.o.r.n star, while another one tried to have her friend film us while we were having s.e.x. I caught her in the closet." He glanced at Beth.

"I'm so sorry," she said, looking horrified. "You should report them."

He shrugged. "Nah, I'm used to it now, plus sometimes it's my own fault."

"Why's it your fault?"

"You already know why: I lead people on. It gives me a b.o.n.e.r knowing how much they want me, but they can't do anything about it, which is why it's even more fun doin' it to gay guys, cos I'm never tempted to go with them. Though, it's gotten me into s.h.i.+t a few times, cos guys don't like being c.o.c.k-teased."

"What happened?"

"I've had a few get aggressive. Mix alcohol with being turned down after being turned on and you get trouble."

"They didn't hurt you, did they?"

"Don't worry 'bout it, I've been hurt worse than what any of those t.w.a.ts tried to do."

"Like with Chaz?"

"S'pose so. He ripped into me really bad."

"He raped you too!"

"No, he only beat me up."

"Why did he beat you up?"

"Cos I tried to stab him when I caught him raping Ash."

"Oh G.o.d, I'm so sorry, Dante."

Dante shrugged, not feeling comfortable with her sympathy.

"Is that the reason?" she said.

He glanced at her. "The reason for what?"

"Why you did me that way. You were mimicking what Chaz did to Ash."

He planted his foot on the brake, making them both jolt forward. "What the h.e.l.l is wrong with you? You don't have a right to ask me that!"

"Maybe not, but I think you're continuing what Chaz did, but in your own way."

"h.e.l.l no!"

Her lips pulled tight. "You pro'bly don't do it consciously, but the way you pushed me onto my front, then entered violently made me think-"

"Then stop thinking! You've only just apologised for offending me, now you goin' the whole hog and doin' a h.e.l.luva lot worse."

"Then talk to a psychiatrist 'bout it."

"No! Cos I'm not like Chaz! I don't rape people. Why're you doin' this to me?"

"I'm not doin' it to upset you, but cos I want to understand why you act certain ways. My aunty's a psychiatrist and she says a lot of promiscuous people have had traumatic things happen to them-usually s.e.xual, like what you've experienced. I asked her some advice 'bout how you act and she-"

"You don't have a right to talk about me behind my back, and especially not to some d.a.m.ned psychiatrist who twists everything around to fit their f.u.c.kin' stereotypes. I'm not a stereotype, and I'm not like Chaz!"

"I know you're not like Chaz, but you're just as damaged, and I know it's bothering you."

"No, you're bothering me!" Beeping made him jump. He glanced behind, realising he'd stopped in the middle of the road. He started driving again. "Damaged, my f.u.c.kin' a.r.s.e. How 'bout you keep your s.h.i.+t opinions to yourself, cos I've had enough of them."

He turned down the next road, pa.s.sing the small Catholic school Sledge and Juliet had gone to, with the triangular-shaped church next to it.

Beth started talking again, "But it makes sense."

He threw a glare at her. "If it makes so much sense, then explain why you have rape fantasies? Does that mean you've been raped or have you seen a rape?"

"No, neither."

"Then how I f.u.c.k has got nuthin' to do with that sick paedo. And I am not a paedo."

"You're taking this totally wrong. I never said you were, but the way you were so forceful during s.e.x still suggests that you could be mimicking Chaz."

"Jesus! Stop saying that, cos it's insulting and disgusting, and I'm not like that!" He put his foot on the brake, almost slamming into the back of a car waiting to turn. "Do you have any idea how I try to purge that image from my head of Chaz on top of Ash. My brother looked f.u.c.kin' dead! And what Chaz wuz doin' wuz the most repulsive thing I've ever seen. There's no way in h.e.l.l I would copy that."

"But your s.e.x life isn't normal, Dante-"

"My s.e.x life wuz never normal, so shut the f.u.c.k up." He resumed driving, regretting not yanking her out of the car when he had the chance. Yeah, he took what he wanted like Chaz did, but that was as far as it went, he WASN'T a rapist, because Beth said it was consensual. And he always stopped with Kara, that woman hurting him more than he ever did her.

"When didja start having s.e.x?" Beth asked.

"Is my s.e.x life the only thing you wanna talk to me about? Cos you seem to be having serious issues asking me these f.u.c.ked up questions."

"How old were you?"

"Thirteen, okay. Are you happy now?"

"That's really young."

"I don't think so."

"It is to me, cos I wuz twenty-two when I lost my virginity."

Surprised, he glanced at her, then looked back at the road as they left Dargaville and headed into farmland again. "Ash wuz your first?"

"Yes."

"No wonder you're repressed."

"I am not repressed, cos even you were shocked with what I wanted to do."

He sneered, happy he'd turned the tables on her. "You are repressed, cos everything with to you is a fantasy, nuthin' is real. I betcha m.a.s.t.u.r.b.a.t.e while reading your books." He started imitating a woman's voice. "Oh f.u.c.k me harder, Flabio, oh yes, oh no, but we shouldn't, you're too big and I'm a virgin, but oh, you fit so right, but we still mustn't, we're not married, but oh, oh, oh, yes, yes, YES!"

"You're horrible! Why do ya hafta be so mean?"

"That's not being mean, but I can show ya mean if you ask nicely."

"See, you're turning things s.e.xual again."

"I wuzn't being s.e.xual, you're taking what I said the wrong way." He reached out and grabbed her p.u.s.s.y, making her squeal. Grinning, he removed his hand. "Now, that wuz s.e.xual."

"You're an a.r.s.ehole," she said, breathing heavily as she straightened her skirt.

"That's what I've been trying to tell ya. So, keep your lily white soul, and find some knight in s.h.i.+ning armour who'll treat you like the princess you are, instead of someone who grabs your p.u.s.s.y."

"No, I still want you."

He grunted a laugh. "Then expect h.e.l.l, cos you won't be gettin' heaven from me, especially if you insist on a.n.a.lysing everything I do."

"You've sent me to heaven twice so far, then put me in h.e.l.l right after, so I expect both, and will take both, if it means I get to have you."

He shook his head. "Then you're more f.u.c.ked in the head than I am, cos I ain't worth the trouble."

"You are to me, I love you."

"You shouldn't."

"But I do, and you can't change that."

"Maybe I don't wanna change it, cos I'm a f.u.c.ktard who loves you too." He glanced at her smile, then looked ahead as sirens caught his attention. A minute later a cop car and ambulance headed towards him, quickly followed by another cop car. With dread filling his gut, Dante pulled over to the side of the road, his mind instantly going to Ash. "Phone," he barked at Beth. He s.n.a.t.c.hed it off her as she pa.s.sed it over, then dialled through to his Uncle Luka, getting him on the third ring.

"Have they found Ash?" Dante blurted out.

"Yes, they're taking him to Dargaville Hospital," his uncle replied.

"Chaz didn't... Please tell me Ash is alright."

"He's alive, that's all I know. I'm heading there right now. Where are you?"

"Near Maitahi."

"Good, I'll meet you at the hospital. And don't ring Dida until we know Ash is alright. The old man's heart won't take another shock," his uncle said, talking about Dante's grandfather.

"Okay, see ya soon." Dante hung up and threw the phone on Beth's lap, then did a U-turn, heading for the small hospital.

"Please tell me Ash is okay," Beth said, her voice high-pitched.

"I don't know, but looks like he wuz pro'bly in that ambulance, so pray to your G.o.d, cos I ain't f.u.c.kin' losing him."

Dante entered the main foyer, instantly spotting his Uncle Luka by the nurses' station. His mother's brother was leaning over the counter, pointing at something in front of the nurse, jabbing it hard.

"Uncle Luka!" Dante called out with Beth tailing him.

His uncle looked up, the man an older version of him and Ash, but with blue-grey eyes instead of dark brown. And he was much scruffier with his permanently wind-swept hair as well as his ripped jeans and s.h.i.+rt. He was also shoeless-more at home on a surfboard than solid ground.

His uncle barrelled into him, giving Dante one of his famous bear-hugs, the type that rattled your bones, but never intentionally. Dante hugged him back, then pulled away, more interested in seeing Ash than family reunions. "Take me to Ash."

"Just a sec, the nurse was checking for his room." His uncle threw a stern look at the young nurse, who appeared fl.u.s.tered.

"Yes, sir, I found it," she said, holding out a piece of paper.

His uncle took it, giving the woman an apologetic smile, like he was already regretting snapping at her. He then headed for the corridor, both Dante and Beth running to keep up with him, his long legs chewing up ground fast.

At the other end of the corridor, a black-clad policeman stood outside of a room. He turned to face them, Dante recognising his uncle's best friend.

"Max, is Ash alright?" his uncle asked his mate.

"Considering what he's been through, he's doing remarkably well. But he's still in shock, so when you see him be aware that he may not acknowledge you." The cop lifted his chin at Dante. "G'day, Dante, good to see you again."

Dante nodded, having seen the man twice before when he'd visited his uncle, the cop's green eyes memorable.

"Your directions were good," the cop continued, talking about Dante's phone call. "Just sad we didn't get there earlier, not only for your brother's sake, but because your stepfather killed two plain-clothed officers. They weren't even after him; they were following a sighting of a different escaped prisoner seen cutting through farmland."

"Another prisoner?"

"Yes, the person who stabbed your stepfather."

"Did he hurt Ash?"

"No."

"Who wuz he?"

"You can ask your brother that, cos he seemed to know him." The cop stepped aside.

Dante turned to Beth. "Wait out here."

She nodded and headed over to a seat, for once not giving him problems.

Dante followed his uncle into Ash's room, closing the door behind them, the small s.p.a.ce only occupied by Ash. His brother looked up at them, his eyes rimmed with red and his head wrapped in gauze. He had a hospital gown on and was sitting up in bed, biting his thumb nail like it deserved to be destroyed. Dante almost felt scared to talk to him, not wanting his thoughts about what Chaz had done confirmed.

Their uncle broke the silence. "How're you holding up, Ash?"

"I'm alive."

Dante grimaced, wondering whether Ash wished he wasn't. "Can I please talk to Ash alone, Uncle Luka?"