“Watch yourself, Crisp,” Dorian said with a conspiring smile.“Kell’s getting jealous again.”
“Fuck off, you,” Kelley frowned at him, pretending very hardnot to notice how comfortably familiar Crispin was with Becky. Hisgrubby mitts all over her.
Whatever, justbecause he had the incredible urge to rip his housemate’s throatout, didn’t mean he would. Honestly, Kelley had given up trying tofigure out this quirky relationship between Becky and Crispin. Thefact was, the unlikely pair seemed to get on surprisingly welltogether in a weird but mostly platonic kind of way. Anyway, it wasa lot better than having them duke it out all the time like theydid in the beginning.
Completelyunaware of Kelley’s glowering gaze, Becky couldn’t contain thethroaty giggles that erupted in her belly at Crispin’s affectionateplay. He was tickling her in all the right places. His nose,burrowing tenaciously into the sensitive spot between her neck andshoulders. Unable to help it, Crispin laughed himself silly alongwith her. He’d never laughed so much in his entire life before shecame along. He loved the little sprite in his own way. Not exactlyin a sexual manner or even like that of a brother-sister nature.More like that of a man and his favourite pet. A pet that couldvery well get away with anything, just as long as she kept himsmiling.
Having justcome up from the basement, Keegan did a double take with his sleepyeyes at the unexpected sight of Becky, writhing deliriously betweenCrispin’s knees.
“Nice… can I have her next?” he asked with a lascivioussmile.
That’s when allhell broke loose… One moment, Becky was laughing, the next she wascowering under the kitchen table. Mugs went flying, crashing topieces, coffee spattered everywhere. Shouting and swearing ensued,followed by the sounds of punches connecting with flesh.
It all happenedso fast that Becky couldn’t understand how he’d done it, butsomehow Crispin had swiftly tucked her under the table and was nowon the floor, pulling Kelley off of Keegan. At the very same time,Dorian was right there, dragging a stupefied Keegan out from underhim.
“What the fuck was that for?” Keegan lamented, holding a handover his busted lip.
Staringwide-eyed from under the table, Becky gasped at the icy glareKelley shot her way. For a cold few seconds, he stared at her withwhat she could only describe as accusation and disdain. What washis problem?
Then veryslowly and sullenly he averted his eyes. Shrugging Crispin off, hethen stormed out of the house, grabbing his car keys off thecounter.
Helping Keeganup, Dorian shuffled him over to the kitchen sink and then grabbedsome ice from the fridge. “Will you never learn?” he asked with avoice one would use on a child. “You know better than to crossKell. He did warn you.” Taking pity on Keegan, he placed the icecubes in a ziplock bag and pressed it to the shaken Goth’schin.
“Come on out, Becky,” Crispin said, looking under the table ather.
“What was that all about?” she asked, shakily taking hishand.
“That was Sir Kell Keele at his finest,” Crispin saidsarcastically.
“But… why?” she asked, looking around confused. She obviouslyhadn’t heard Keegan’s indecent comment, Crispin quickly surmised,and he wasn’t exactly inclined to repeat it for her.
Instead, hehelped her up, led her out of the kitchen before suddenlyremembering the time. “Shit, I’m late already.”
“Late for what?” Becky asked, seeing the torn expression on hisface.
“Gracie’s waiting.” He shrugged, grabbing his trench coat fromthe front closet. “Sorry to take off on you, Becky. See youlater.”
And with that,he was out the door, leaving Becky at a loss. Too self-conscious toreturn to the kitchen, she went upstairs to her room. So much forSaturday mornings! Curling up into a ball, Becky pulled her blanketover herself and closed her eyes.
Chapter 32
Hours later,Becky woke up famished, having missed breakfast and apparentlylunch as well. It was eerily quiet in the house and she wondered ifKelley had returned. She wanted desperately to talk to him. Shehated that he’d left so angrily. It scared her when he drove offlike that. What if in his altered state of mind, he got into anaccident? What if he got hurt? Or worse?
Did he notrealize how much he meant to her? Did he not understand how aloneshe already felt in the world? How dare he frighten her likethis?
Unable to stay in her room any longer, Becky got up. Shechanged out of her pyjamas and into a comfy pair of yoga pants anda baby blue long-sleeved t-shirt. She gave her hair a quick brushand made her way towards his room to have a look.Empty…
Dorian wasn’t in his room either and Crispin was probablystill out with Gracie. Making her way downstairs, she searched theliving room and the room where they painted, hoping perhaps thatDorian might be in their drawing. Not asoul to be found.
Heading intothe kitchen, she was again reminded of the unpleasant events ofthat morning. One minute she was enjoying Crispin’s undividedattention, which was sadly becoming less and less available to hersince he’d started seeing Gracie, then in the very next minute,Kelley had literally attacked Keegan for no apparent reason.
Making herselfa sandwich using the crusty Italian buns which had been set asidefor her since they were her favourite, she opened the fridge andfrom inside the drawer marked, Becky’s in Kelley’s handwriting, shegrabbed a few slices of roasted turkey breast and Havartti cheesethat he had bought specifically at her request. Spying a thermos ofcoffee on the counter, she found her mug beside it and pouredherself a cup. Sitting alone at the table, she looked around thekitchen and was glad that all traces of the fight had been clearedaway.
She had tochoke back a tear, though, when she checked the trash and found theremnants of the broken mugs in there. She finished her lunch andwalked towards the back door. She breathed a sigh of relief whenshe saw Kelley’s black Charger back in its proper parking space. Hewas safe, thank God.
They must be inthe garage, she assumed. Curious, she slipped on her coat andboots. She would just have a look. It
