Page 20 of Just Between Us

I wanted to see what was inside, so I sliced through him, cutting him open from top to bottom. Blood gushed out of Socks and into the sink, the warm crimson liquid covering my hands and splattering on the mirror in front of me.

A strange feeling came over me, one I wasn’t sure my almost six-year-old self had ever felt before, not when I got all those books for Christmas from Nanny, not even when Mum took me to the aquarium, and I saw a real shark.

No, this was something else, undiluted blinding excitement.

***

I was born missing some important emotional switch and if I didn’t get a handle on it, I would turn into the Dahmer type, get a documentary made about me and everything. At least that’s what Doctor Phillipe said.

Perhaps he was right. Perhaps I don’t feel as much as I should, which is why meeting Levi felt like some sort of religious revelation. From the moment I laid my eyes on him, it was like I could breathe for the first time. Every emotion I’d never felt before unfurled and bloomed in that moment. I no longer had to hold my breath and pretend I was just like everyone else. He was so easy to fall in love with, so easy to want that I’ve never thought I could desire anything or anyone else.

Which is why kissing Kai and wanting to do it again is strange.

The idea of sharing Levi makes me borderline homicidal but looking at Kai who is standing in our living room in that sheer shirt that shows off his trim waist has me questioning a few things about myself.

He’s pretty, that’s obvious, with long eyelashes and a full mouth, but there are pretty guys everywhere in this city. There’s something else I can’t figure out yet. It’s both frustrating and exhilarating and it seems Levi feels the same because since the first time Kai ambled into his office, his eyes sparkle when he sees him.

I should be jealous of the way Levi looks at him—like he wants to ruin him and watch tears spill from his eyes, but I can’t seem to find that emotion inside me. Maybe it’s because it’s the same way I look at him too.

When I kissed him on the rooftop, he melted into me, surrendering to me completely. I think I want him in a way that’s completely different to how I want Levi. I tilt my head, looking at Kai and it hits me.

I worship Levi.

I want to ruin Kai.

“You have an insane house,” he says, eyes the colour of amber under the soft light of the living room. He’s not drunk, I can tell but the little alcohol he had has made him slightly more confident.

“It belonged to my grandparents,” I say. “And it definitely didn’t look like this when she gave it to me.” It looked more like an English period drama had vomited in here.

He nods appreciatively. “Well, you did a good job.”

“Anything to drink?” Levi asks. “Eat? I’m sure Aleeta left something.”

Levi, ever the gracious host.

“Aleeta?” Kai asks.

“Oh, she’s the house’s caretaker. She keeps us both alive,” Levi explains with a smile.

Kai’s eyebrows lift slightly then he nods once. “Um, I’ll have wine, please.”

Levi grins. “Red or white?”

“Red.”

“Coming right up. Cole?” Levi’s eyes land on me. I can tell what he’s thinking. His pupils are slightly dilated, and there’s a permanent smile on his face. He wants this as much as I do.

“Yes please,”

Levi disappears and I watch Kai who is still scanning the room with his eyes like he can’t quite believe he’s here right now.

“Wanna play a game?” I ask, an idea coming to me. Both Levi and I want more than just a kiss from him.

His eyes snap to me, and he parts his lips. I walk up to him and in a few steps, I’m standing right before him. He’s a little shorter than me, but not by much so we’re almost eye to eye.

“What are we playing?” Surprisingly, his voice doesn’t shake which is slightly disappointing because I badly want it to.

“Truth or dare?”

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