Flesh and Blood, Sian Rosé [most difficult books to read TXT] 📗

and instead angled herself on the couch so that her body was facing him, giving him a full view. Although he was stoned, his eyes seemed to absorb her, like they were guzzling her down like some kind of juicy delicacy.

It made her feel alive to know that he wanted her.

“Why’d you want to get me alone then, eh?” he asked, smirking as he stubbed the half-smoked spliff into the ashtray.

Doe-eyed, she blinked and pushed out her lips slightly so that their plumpness would form the kind of pout that would make him imagine her sucking his cock. As if repeating a well-rehearsed routine, she tossed her hair over her shoulder and laughed girlishly, as if he’d just told an incredibly funny and witty joke.

“I don’t know,” she shrugged, “I just wanted you all to myself…”

The gleam of greed in his eye grew. Stella could sense the testosterone rapidly filling the atmosphere, swirling all around her as the young man began to fantasize.

“Do you know what I want to be when I grow up?” Stella asked innocently before he could reply. She leant forwards onto her hands and knees, like a tiger about to prowl forwards onto his lap.

“A stripper?” Neil asked hopefully, temporarily breaking the spell.

Stella had to bite down on the inside of her cheek to stop her eyes from rolling. Instead, she faked laughter. “No, silly… a masseuse!”

Neil blinked dumbly.

“I want to massage people,” elaborated Stella.

“Ohhhh! I get ya,” winked Neil. “Well, you can practise on me, babe. Any time you like.”

Stella stood up, her arms folded across her chest, despite the dull groan of protest coming from behind her eyes. “Come on then, shirt off, lay down,” she grinned.

She almost laughed at how easy it was to make him obey. In fact, Neil looked as though all of his giro payments had come through at once. His cheeks reddened with excitement as he scrambled to get his polo top off and began fiddling with the buckle on his jeans.

“I hope there’s gonna be a happy ending!” he chirped, flashing Stella another sleazy wink.

A small, sly smile crept up onto her lips, but she remained quiet.

There sure would be a happy ending.

For her, at least.

*

There was no bread to feed the ducks. Flo didn’t mind. She just threw stones and sticks instead.

Fondly, Zach watched over his little sister, mildly irritated by the looming presence of Destiny-Lynn, who was standing so close beside him that the stench of stale fags and her cheap perfume irritated his nostrils.

“Looks like my friend is keen on yours,” the girl said into his ear.

Zach resisted the urge to punch her and instead plastered on a smile and gave a brief sideways glance at Lloyd and Sambuca, who were strolling off together behind some trees.

Good on him, Zach thought approvingly. Poor Lloyd seemed to have been the only one of the four siblings to bypass the attractive gene pool and had been referred to in the past as a ‘thumb’ with his stocky figure and plain features. Sambuca certainly appeared trampy enough to shag a person she’d just met behind a tree in the park but also appeared to have no self-esteem, which would also work in Lloyd’s favour.

“I don’t have a boyfriend,” Destiny continued. Zach’s lip involuntarily curled upwards into a grimace. His stomach churned. He knew he couldn’t do or say anything to piss the bitch off. The whole point was that he wanted to distract the group of thugs so Stella could move in and rob the idiots.

“No, really?” he gasped, feigning surprise. “But, you’re so beautiful.”

Somewhere beneath her badly applied fake tan, Destiny blushed.

“I thought that surely one of the boys you were hanging out with before was your boyfriend?”

She rolled her eyes and shook her head, “na. They all think they’re players. Just want a cheap fuck, you know?”

The idea of somebody having sex with Destiny over the back of a wheelie bin made bile rise from the pit of Zach’s stomach, but he hid his disgust well and just continued to smile. “Oh really?” he asked politely, “players, eh? Do you know if they…” he glanced around, as if worried about being heard, then lowered his voice and forced himself closer to her, “sell drugs?”

Destiny nodded, enthusiastic about being able to answer Zach’s questions.

“Oh yeah, Neil’s dad is the main supplier in the area, so Neil gets bare shit. Everyone in the community buys from him.”

Perfect, Zach thought to himself, imagining shitty, stained mattresses concealing thick wads of cash that Stella could pinch. Knowing his sister, she’d probably steal a shitload of pills, and God knows what else, but Zach wasn’t so enthusiastic about the idea of dealing again.

He still had nightmares about what went down with Mr. Yoki.

Suddenly, a horrific screech ripped through the air. Both Zach and Destiny’s heads snapped to the side towards the thick cluster of trees and greenery about a hundred or so metres away, stretching upwards like a beacon in the centre of a vast patch of yellowing field.

“Oh my god, that sounds like Sam!” Destiny said, immediately lunging forwards.

Zach instinctively held out an arm and caught her. “I’m sure it’s fine,” he said with a smile. “I’ll go see what’s up. Will you look after my baby sister?”

Worked like a charm.

He had to stifle a snigger at the girl’s stupidity as he watched her face soften. Instantly all traces of concern for her friend were gone, instead replaced by the delusion that a handsome boy was trusting her to babysit his kid sister. She smiled and nodded, practically skipping off to be by Flo’s side. It was a mystery to Zach why it was always men being painted as perverted nymphomaniacs in society- in reality, the women were just as bad.

Perhaps just a bit more selective.

Briskly, Zach pursed his lips, turned on his heel, and marched towards the trees, towards where the panicked shout had erupted. He hoped, more than anything, that Lloyd hadn’t done anything foolish. Not that he