Burn (Virtues & Lies 1)

“What’s wrong?” Stopping to look around us, Fleur hitches her brow at me. “Are you being paranoid again?”

“Maybe,” I murmur, shaking my head like that will get rid of my heebie-jeebies. “Can’t you feel it?”

Looking around us one more time she bites her lip like she’s either deep in thought or trying really hard to feel what I’m feeling. But when her eyes meet mine again, she says, “Nope. I feel hungry and ready to blow off some steam. It’ll be fun.”

“God, fine!”

“Plus, it’s underground and we can just go crazy.” We carry on walking to the back of the building where Wayne is waiting. “Do you think he gets bored standing around like that?”

“I don’t know. He gets paid to people watch, that can’t be too boring.”

“Maybe the reason you feel like you’re being spied on is because he’s got eyes on you all the time.” Laughing she gives him a wink earning her a shake of his head.

“Everything okay?” Checking me from head to toe in a glance he opens the door and steps out to the car park taking a good look around before stepping to the side to let us out.

I give him a smile, the early Spring sun is bright and almost blinding and when he opens the back door of his Range, I make quick work of getting in and finding my sunglasses in my bag.

“Where to?” he asks when he gets in, his eyes meeting mine in the rear-view mirror. I’ve known Wayne all my life. When I was a little girl he used to sit on the stairs with me and teach me how to punch whenever he was waiting around for either Mum or Dad. He’s more family than anything else.

“Home, please.”

“Oh, can we go by my house? I need to pick up some things for tonight.”

“What’s happening tonight?” Darting his eyes back to mine he starts the car as he awaits my reply.

“Underground party.”

“Fuck me,” his groan is drawn out as he pinches the bridge of his nose.

Underground parties are always fun. You can get away with a lot as far as partying goes. There’s no network, no Wi-Fi, no way to communicate where you are, who is there with you and no ability to share photos. It’s the rich kids’ carte blanc.

Obviously, some dodgy things take place. Mostly drugs and sex. But for the most part it’s a consequence free fun time.

“I can’t say you don’t keep things…interesting.”

“Listen,” Fleur chuckles at him once we start moving. “You only get one life and once we start the Masters, it’ll be game over. So, we’re going to make the most of our freedom whilst we can, plus, we need to eradicate Mr. Wanker Banker from her memory.”

Wayne finds my eyes again for a second before he focuses on the road again and there’s something in them that I haven’t seen before. Like he’s holding back or something.

“Considering you’ve used every name under the sun, you would’ve thought you could use his for once.”

“The whole point is that you’re not thinking about his name. I’m trying to get it in your head that he’s an arsehole and that you need to forget him.”

“He’s at the house all the time.”

“Yeah, ignoring you.”

“Ignoring me would mean he acknowledged my existence in some way.”

“Like I keep saying, he’s a fucking bellend and you need to forget about him.”

“Maybe I don’t want to forget him or his existence.” I tell her a little too snappily as I turn to look out of the window.

I’m not sure what I want anymore when it comes to Leo. At first, I wanted to know more, and then he kissed me, and it was like Pandora’s sex box opened and I desired him in ways I’ve never craved a man before. But now, I’m torn between that and wanting to scream and claw at him.

* * *

Pulling my little black dress on I adjust myself beneath it, making sure that my underwear isn’t visible. My boobs look decent enough behind the threaded deep V neckline thanks to the Wonderbra pushing them together.