Fractured Minds (Rebels of Sandland 3)

I leant down and rubbed my nose against hers, feeling like my heart was about to explode.

“Thank you for not giving up on me,” I replied.

“Like that was ever going to happen.”

We held each other’s stare, lost in the moment.

“I need to take a photo before the sun sets.” Effy sighed and then turned around. Taking a few steps back, she lifted her phone to get the shot she wanted.

“One day, you need to take your art from the streets to the galleries.” She turned and gave me a serious smile.

“The streets are my gallery. I make art for the people.” I didn’t want to sound like a pompous arse, so I added, “I like brightening things up. Some people live awful lives, stuck in the darkness. If my work can touch just one person and bring colour to their world, then that makes it all worthwhile to me.” I stared at the ground and shuffled my feet. Opening up like this was always tricky for me. Easier with her, but still tricky.

“And it does… bring colour, that is. Every time I see something you created, it… does something to me. I can’t even put it into words. You’re special, Finn.”

I shook my head, finding it difficult to take so many compliments on board.

“I know you find it hard to hear stuff like this, but just know that I am going to spend every day reminding you how fucking awesome you are. Okay?”

“Whatever.” I dipped my eyes, giving her a sexy stare from under my hair and she chuckled.

“Good. Now let’s go and get this party started.”

I decided I wanted to capture the moment too and pulled my phone out to take my own photograph, but when I tapped to unlock the screen, I saw a message waiting for me.

We’ll be seeing you tonight. You’re gonna kill it.

I went cold.

Was that some kind of hidden message? Did they expect me to kill someone in exchange for them taking Tony’s life? What the hell had my life turned into?

“Are you okay?” Effy came to stand next to me and put her hand on my arm to pull me out of my daze.

“Yeah. I’m fine.” My obligatory response for everything.

“I felt like I lost you for a minute there.”

I snapped a quick photo of the wall and pocketed my phone.

“You’ll never lose me,” I said, putting my arm around her and leading her out of the underpass. “Let’s go and do this thing. The sooner we get there, the sooner it’ll be over.”

When we arrived at the factory, the queues outs

ide were already streaming around the building, and it wasn’t even opening time yet. Girls wearing next-to-nothing shivered in groups. Some held onto their boyfriends for warmth, others swigged out of bottles, hoping the alcohol would numb them to the winter chill. Those bottles would be confiscated at the door, so I couldn’t blame them for necking them. Plus, it was freeze-your-balls-off weather out here. I didn’t feel it though. I was numb with fear. The cold didn’t affect me.

The thump of the bass from Zak’s set boomed loud as we got nearer, and I noticed a few people nudge their friends and point at me. Granted, I was the lesser known Renaissance man, but I was still one of them, so I guessed I was somewhat of a celebrity to some of them here.

“His graffiti is fucking awesome,” I heard one guy say as I pulled Effy through the crowd that’d gathered around the door.

“Fucking genius, mate,” his friend replied.

If they knew the real me, they wouldn’t say that. I was the biggest fraud of them all.

“Good to see you,” Paul, one of our door security, said as he let us through and shut the door behind us, keeping the paying customers out for a little longer. “You’ve upped your game tonight. Should be a top night.” He smiled and waited for me to respond. He obviously didn’t know me very well, because I just stared back at him and stopped myself from answering in a way that’d cut him off and probably cut him down.

“It’s so exciting,” Effy answered for me, and I huffed, walking away from the foyer and into the main hall.

Usually, I didn’t even come in here. I spent my time utilising the space, getting into the zone, feeling and creating my art. But not tonight. I had Effy to think about, and she wouldn’t want to miss out on the drinks, the dancing, and the fun. Tonight, I had to suck it up and stay here with her. If the soldiers were going to show up, I wasn’t about to hide. I might be a coward, but not when it came to her.