I don’t take a commercial flight home from Bali. This time, I fly in Jimmy’s private jet with the boys and Flick and Stacey. I feel like a celebrity. Not only because of the James Bond style private jet – double O so cool – but also because my phone has been buzzing non-stop with texts from everyone I know. They’re asking about the photos of Max and I at the wedding, which are circulating Twitter like a plague.
There is a particularly bad angled photo of me sticking my tongue out and Max sucking on it. I cringe and half cover my face, hoping my parents don’t see it. Braving the Twitface platform, I read some of the comments and conclude that people suck.
As always, there are a lot of comments about Max and his never-ending string of conquests, which surprisingly includes me listed as a side piece. At least I’m listed.
There are personal attacks on my character from people I’ve never met. Apparently, I’m pregnant. A slut. A tart. Too young for him. I have small tits – that one hurts. I’m not very good at ballet, but I’ve managed to sleep my way to the top, which is funny because all of my ballet mistresses are just that. . . mistresses. I’m apparently really dumb and ditzy and Jessica has no idea what Max sees in me. I have also been really busy because there are, like, tons of guys commenting that they’d had me first. And they are detailed. I’m also the sister of Konnor, so he was mentioned a few times and that makes my blood boil. Toni has replied to some of the nastier comments and he is so witty and cutting, supporting me and deflecting when he can. He’s my rock in every way.
I try so hard not to care. I try to remember these comments are coming from bored people who have nothing better to do than live vicariously through me.
I have several missed calls from Konnor and a few voicemails I’m yet to open. That is a can of worms I’m keeping shut until I’m alone. I doubt Max will take kindly to whatever Konnor has to say about us.
Studying my phone, I sigh. ‘Max?’ When I touch his thigh, he pulls out his right headphone and trains his relaxed eyes on mine.
‘Hmm?’ He’s slumped back in the luxurious plane seat, his thighs spread wide. He’s wearing light-grey cotton trackpants and a white V-neck. I’ve never seen him look so normal. Gorgeous and undeniably, uncomfortably hot, but looking like a normal twenty-four-year-old nonetheless.
‘Do you use Facebook or Twitter?’ I ask.
He smirks. ‘I don’t even have a phone.’
My brows shoot up. ‘Oh my God. What? How do people get hold of you?’
He laughs. ‘If I can help it, they don’t.’
‘But what about work?’
He shrugs. ‘I have a pager.’
I nod, grinning at him. ‘Old school.’
He chuckles. ‘Want my pager number?’
‘Yes. But that’s not why I’m asking.’ I pause for a moment. ‘People are kinda. . . talking about you.’
He yawns and starts flicking through music on his iPod. ‘They’re always talking about me.’
I cringe a little. ‘About . . . us.’
He stiffens and slowly turns to face me. ‘What about us?’
‘About me, actually, more than anything.’ I immediately regret this conversation when his relaxed face is replaced with the irrefutable, tight, and intimidating expression of the Max I know and . . . well, am obsessed with.
His brows draw in tight. ‘What about you?’
‘Umm. . . actually, don’t worry.’
‘Cassidy, goddamn it, what are they saying?’
I hesitantly pass him my phone. ‘Here. Have a read.’
He inhales loudly, his eyes darting around the display, getting narrower and narrower until a vein in his neck bulges. ‘Fuck’s sake,’ he spits out.
My throat constricts. ‘I haven’t been with any of those guys!’
He turns towards me, his scowl still in place. ‘Are you serious? You think I don’t know that?’
I recoil in my seat. ‘Sorry.’
‘I know everything about your body, what it’s done, what it hasn’t.’
‘I know.’
‘Fuck’s sake!’ He breathes fast and heavy for a moment and then cracks his neck before turning to seek out my gaze again. His hand lifts to stroke my cheek. ‘Forget about them.’ He laughs once. ‘Your mate Toni has made a comeback in my good books.’
I relax on a sigh and smile at him, batting my lashes because flirty and sweet is my default Max Butcher mode. ‘He’d be happy to hear he’s in your good books. Although, when you told him off at the gym, he kinda liked it.’
Max hides his laugh behind a wall of feigned disgust. ‘Not what I want to hear.’
Max drives me home in his 4WD that I now know is a Range Rover. It’s big and sleek and sexy and so him. He rolls onto the lawn next to my studio. Switching off the headlights, he doesn’t move for a moment. Instead he stares straight ahead into the darkness. He grips the steering wheel while his face is tight with contemplation.
‘I don’t like this,’ he mutters without turning his head.
I know how he feels, but I pretend I don’t. ‘What?’
His jaw clenches. ‘I don’t know. . . leaving you, I think.’
‘Max.’
‘It’s been me and you. But now. . . Forget about it. I’ll see you on Friday.’
Everything he isn’t saying resonates with me. I’ve become so accustomed to his warmth at night, the Max and Cassidy world, and . . . if I’m completely honest, the daily orgasms. ‘Why Friday? That’s like five days away. What happened to ‘most nights’?’
‘It’s just for this week. I’ve got some things I have to take care of. Toni’s at my gym every Friday. Go with him.’
‘Okay. . . So I won’t see you at all until then? And I can’t call you?’
He hands me a piece of paper. ‘My pager number.’
My stomach knots up. ‘Okay.’
Max and I stare at each other, longing in both our eyes and maybe something a little extra. I reach for the drawstring on his track pants, wanting to show him with my mouth how I feel about him, but a thud at the passenger window makes me jump. I swivel to see Konnor waiting impatiently on the other side of the glass.
Frick.
I exhale fast, my hands still trembling a little from what I’d been about to do for Max. And in my own backyard!
Timing. . .
‘Get out of the car, Cassidy!’ Konnor grumbles.
Before I can make a move, Max has already leapt from his side and circled around to mine. Unlatching my car door, he stands staunchly between Konnor and I.
Max is only a few inches taller than Konnor, but they are both at least a foot taller than me. I bounce from the car and move towards my brother. Standing on my toes, I sling my arms around him, cuddling his neck so tight because I love him so much even when he looks like he wants to break something. When he doesn’t return my affection, I release him and step back. He’s eyeballing Max behind me, his entire body tight with rage.
I swallow and feign ignorance, knowing quite well why his face means business. ‘Big brother, what-‘
‘I tried to call you,’ he says through a tight jaw, his eyes never leaving Max. I wonder what Max’s face looks like right now. He’s probably smirking. Menace.
My pulse quickens. ‘I know. I was in Ba-‘
‘I know. I saw the photo.’
I squirm a little, imagining Konnor flicking through Facebook and coming across a picture of his little sister with her tongue in Max Butcher’s mouth.
My hand meets Konnor’s arm. ‘Are you back for the weekend again?’
Konnor glances at me for a spit second. ‘Go inside. I wanna talk to Max.’
I sigh and drop my hand. ‘No.’
He stares at me. ‘What?’
Max’s hand touches my hip. ‘You don’t get to do that,’ I say while covering Max’s hand with mine.
‘Get to do what?’ Konnor asks, suddenly trained on our hands. Locked onto them.
‘Come home and tell me to go inside,’ I say softly. ‘You don’t get to do that.’
Max’s hand twitches. ‘I’m heading off now anyway,’ he says and twists me to face him. I roll my eyes at Max’s cocky smirk, but can’t help but smile nonetheless.
‘Give me a kiss first, little one.’
Trying not to smile too hard, I rise onto my tippy toes and kiss his cheek. In an instant, I’m lifted to straddle him and he leans back into his car, touching me everywhere he can. His fingers move around my body, exploring and groping. I try to push him away subtly, but he’s hell bent on proving a point.
‘Max,’ I plea between kisses. ‘Don’t.’
Konnor growls. ‘Do you mind not dry rooting my sister in front of me?’
Max gradually lowers me to the ground.
Tucking me behind him, he heads straight for Konnor. ‘You’re fucking lucky, Slater. You should stay out of the District. It doesn’t agree with you.’
Konnor steps towards him and they get within an inch of each other. I hold my breath.
‘This is my town too, Butcher!’
Max laughs, but it’s not kind. ‘This is definitely not your town.’
‘You know nothing about me.’
‘I bet you wish that were true.’
‘What the hell does that mean?’ Konnor shuffles his feet. ‘You think you know something about me?’
‘What’s your problem with me, Slater?’ Max levels him with a smirk. ‘Is it because I’ve made out with your girlfriend or because I know what your sister feels like from the inside?’
Oh my God!
Before I have a chance to react, Konnor throws his fist into Max’s face. Grunts of pain spit from them both. Max shoves Konnor in the chest. Konnor hits the grass hard, a winded sound expelling from him. Scowling, Max hovers over him. He presses his shoe to Konnor’s chest and pins him to the grass.
‘I’m not gonna hit you!’ Max barks.
‘Oh my God,’ I yell as I grab my enraged lover’s arm, trying to pull him away from Konnor. But he’s a solid wall of tense muscles. On the ground, Konnor looks pale and shaky, as though he might throw up. Tugging on Max’s arm, I plead with him. ‘Please, let him stand up.’
Max takes his foot off Konnor’s chest and turns to face me. The lower part of his lip has a small gash in it. He searches my pained mien and winces, his eyes flashing a silent apology.
‘Fuck,’ he growls, but I think that aggression is aimed at himself.
‘Konnor,’ I hear Blesk call out and Konnor’s glare instantly breaks.
Quickly standing, he yells, ‘I’m fine. We’re fine. Max was just leaving.’
Blesk appears at Konnor’s side, flushed from the run across the grass and yet so naturally beautiful. Her blonde hair bounces around her full breasts as they rise and fall. I notice, of course, because I’ve always been jealous of big boobs. Her sunflower dress sways over her perfectly curvaceous thighs. She’s taller than me, a few sizes bigger, flawlessly proportioned, and simply stunning. ‘Is this because I’ve made out with your girlfriend?’ And now I want to analyse Max’s words until I go insane.
She smiles nervously at me. ‘I’m sorry. Konnor isn’t himself.’
‘Blesk,’ Max says deadpan.
She barely glances up at him. ‘Max.’
I throw my hands up. ‘You are both cavemen.’ I stare at Konnor. ‘Don’t you ever hit him again!’ Spinning to face Max, I say, ‘And you’re a fricking menace.’
Konnor clears his throat. ‘Just so we’re clear, Butcher. I don’t have a problem with you because you kissed Blesk once when you two were teenagers. I’m not insecure about our relationship. I have a problem with you because you walk around the District like you own the fucking place and be-‘
‘I do own the fucking place.’
‘And because my little sister is way too good for you!’
Max smirks again. ‘At least we agree on something.’
That throws Konnor completely off his train of thought. ‘Well. . . good.’ Suddenly, he cups his forehead. His legs wobble and then he’s flat on his back again.
Blesk and I both squat down beside him.
‘Konnor. What’s going on?’ I ask. As the moonlight hits his face, I’m able to take him all in. The hair on his jawline is long and unkept and his usually bright and endearing emerald-green eyes are dull and bloodshot.
‘He’s given up drinking. It’s been making him dizzy for a few days now,’ Blesk says, her concern so deep it’s etched into every aspect of her expression.
I turn to watch Max approaching us, a tall silhouette that covers the moon, momentarily casting a shadow over Konnor. Leaning down, he grips Konnor’s forearm and hauls him to his feet. Hooking his arm around Konnor’s waist, he helps him walk towards the house. I take in a big, slow breath. How do guys go from hostile to helpful in the space of a few seconds?
Once inside, Max guides Konnor over to the couch and Konnor drops down with a grumble. His elbows meet his knees and his hands cover his face. After breathing into them for a few moments, he thrusts his hands through his sandy-brown hair and drags them back down, rubbing his tension away.
‘You’re my hero, Butcher,’ Konnor mocks, but I think there is something other than sarcasm in his voice. ‘Still don’t like you.’
Max turns from him. ‘Good.’
As soon as he grabs my hand and pulls me towards the door, my heart begins to ache. He’s leaving. Stopping by the door, he takes one last look at me.
I stare up at my menace and touch the little cut on his mouth. ‘Your lip.’
He grins wide enough for the dimple on his left cheek to show. ‘I get hit worse sparring at the gym.’
‘Either way,’ I say, glancing at the ground. ‘I hate what just happened.’
He lifts my chin up until my eyes meet his dark, grey ones. ‘I didn’t want to fight with your brother, little one. But I have zero tolerance towards anyone who gets involved in this thing between us. . . If he’d been anyone else, he’d be choki-‘
‘You could tone down the vulgar things you say.’
‘I could.’ He cups my neck with both hands and studies my face. ‘I will.’
I lift a blonde brow at him. ‘And you’ve kissed Blesk?’
He softens. ‘Cassidy. I was just a kid then.’
I stroke my nails through the hair on his tattooed forearm. ‘I didn’t like hearing it though. When you said that, it probably hurt me more than it hurt Konnor.’
As his hands caress my face, his eyes follow them. Follow them along my warm cheeks. To the swell of my lower lip. To the tip of my nose. He taps my nose softly and I smile that goofy smile. ‘And I don’t want to hurt any part of you,’ he says.
I sigh, missing him immensely already. ‘I have to make sure my brother is okay.’
He bites back words. ‘I know,’ he manages to say with a deep and sexy voice that makes my thighs quiver. He plants a long kiss on my lips. His arms pull my body in to meet his for a moment, tightening on a deep sigh. Then he releases me, leaving me dizzy, and walks out the front door.
Staring at the open door, I feel the physical absence of him all around me. We have become so close and yet, I don’t even know where he lives or how to get hold of him. I literally have to wait for him to find me and that makes me feel sick to my stomach – helpless. Insecure.
‘Pipsqueak, I’m sorry,’ Konnor says from the lounge room.
When I make my way back to where he is slumped over the couch, Blesk is now sitting beside him. They both look exhausted.
After everything he went through, Konnor has always needed a kind of inebriation to function normally. He was on prescription medication for a while, but he’d told us that they’d made him feel numb. I close the gap between us and slide onto his lap, cuddling his neck. ‘Forget about what happened out there. I’m so proud of you for giving up drinking.’ I lean back and measure him up with my eyes. ‘How long has it been?’ I glance at Blesk. ‘How did you get him to stop?’
Blesk gazes at Konnor, her eyes lapping up the sight of him, full of pride and love. ‘It’s been three weeks. The day after we left here. . . after that horrible conversation about Dustin Nerrock. He poured all his alcohol down the sink. Just like that. And it has nothing to do with me. He wanted to do it. He’s my hero.’
‘Mine too,’ I say.
Konnor returns my embrace, his body trembling due to the withdrawal. ‘It’s been fucking hard,’ he says, his voice weak.
I shuffle off his lap and onto the adjoining seat. ‘Why didn’t you tell any of us you were going through this?’
He looks to Blesk and shrugs. ‘I had Duch.’
‘Thank you so much for being there for my brother, Blesk. You have been so wonderful. I don’t know where he found you, but I wanna keep you.’ I feel myself getting emotional. ‘We’d all just accepted he’d always be a drinker. Don’t say it has nothing to do with you because it does. Thank you.’
‘You don’t need to thank me,’ she says. ‘Konnor is the strongest person in the world. He would have done it eventually. I know it.’
A single tear slides down my cheek and now I’m jumping on Blesk and hugging her tight. ‘I think I love you.’
She giggles into my hair. ‘I’m taken.’ We both laugh as I return to my seat opposite them. I grab my long strawberry-blonde hair, still straightened from the wedding, and pull it down one shoulder.
I smile at him tightly. ‘Konnor, I’m with Max now. You two are going to have to get along. Why don’t you like him?’
‘What’s to like?’ Konnor asks with a shrug.
Could it be possible that he doesn’t remember that day? The day that Max became my secret obsession. ‘Don’t you remember the day we first met him?’
‘Cassidy, right now, I barely remember what I had for breakfast.’
‘You were twelve. That kid across the street, Joshua, I think his name was. He stole my yo-yo. Don’t you remember that day?’
‘I got the ever-loving shit beat out of me with a cricket bat. Yep. Remember it.’
My eyes soften on him. ‘Do you remember how it ended?’
He rubs his face in contemplation. ‘Um. I was on the grass. Josh was fucking me up with a cricket bat. Pretty sure, you were screaming. And then some kid we’d never seen before intervened, pulled the bat off Josh, and knocked him out-‘ Realisation crosses his face. ‘No fucking way . . . Was that Max?’
I nod slowly. ‘He’s not a bad person, Konnor. Why would he help you if he was? He just stopped the fight and carried on up the street as if nothing had even happen-‘ When the front door opens and I hear heels making their way through the foyer towards us, I stop talking. I’m relieved to see Flick appear, looking a little dishevelled from the flight and drive. Her face lights up when she sees Konnor.
‘Little bro!’ She drops her bags and jumps on him, as such is the Slater way to welcome our family members. She’s up straightaway and staring at Blesk. ‘You must be the famous Blesk.’
‘I’ve heard so much about you. I’m so excited I finally get to meet you,’ Blesk says, shuffling her feet nervously on the carpet.
Flick wanders over to me, hooking her arm around mine. ‘Everyone in here kinda looks like someone has died.’
I cover her hand with mine. ‘Konnor just got into a fight with Max.’
Flick’s eyes widen in pretend horror. ‘And you’re still alive to tell your grandchildren the epic tale.’
Konnor feigns a chuckle. ‘Haha. I punched him. . . once. Fucker barely moved.’ Looking guilty, he adds, ‘He was humping Cassidy in front of me.’
She pinches my cheek and talks in a baby voice. ‘No one will ever be good enough for our little Cassidy.’ I make a silly face at her.
Konnor eyes Flick. ‘So you’re okay with this?’
‘I wasn’t,’ she admits. ‘But Cassidy is eighteen, Konnor, not twelve.’
‘He gets under my skin,’ he grumbles. ‘Like, I can’t even explain it.’
Flick laughs. ‘I promise that I have firmly expressed my concerns, little bro. I’m doing my job. I’ve mentioned that he’s not the boyfriend type. . . but he’s different with her. She makes him a better person. I’ve seen it.’
‘So there’s nothing I can say, is there?’ He exhales loudly before staring at Blesk and then back at us. ‘Can you please just be very careful? Keep a bit of Cassidy for Cassidy?’
I smile. ‘Sure.’
