Page 13 of Beck

He had never been close friends with Gavin, but they all knew what had happened to him, and they had been asked to keep their eyes open. It was great for people to have his back, but hisnerves couldn’t take any longer. There was no guarantee Andrew wouldn’t follow him to London, but he had to take the chance.

Now he just had to break the news to his family.

While they waited for the police to arrive, Kole checked his phone, having forgotten he’d messaged Ethan until he saw his reply.

ETHAN: Yes, actually. That’s pretty scary. Let me know when you’re done.

KOLE: I’m done, but Andrew was here. He didn’t do anything, and Gavin stayed with me. We’re waiting to file a police report, and then I’ll be going home. Don’t worry. I’m fine. I promise. But you’re getting your wish.

ETHAN: What? That asshole! I’m going to come up there and show him what I could fit into a place where the sun doesn’t shine! I’m going to call you later, so tell me when you get home. Don’t walk home by yourself. Please. And what wish are you on about?

KOLE: You better start looking for a place I can afford down there. It’ll take me a while to pack up and convince Mum I’m not making a rash decision.

ETHAN: SERIOUSLY? Fuck yeah! I’ll get Joey on it right away. We’ll find you some place in no time.

Kole didn’t reply straight away because the police arrived, and as he thought, they couldn’t do anything about it, but they would add it to the folder about the case. Gavin walked him home, and Peter, the owner of the tour company, called to check on him.

As he stood in his living room, he looked around. It wouldn’t take that long to pack up if he was being truthful. But was he making the right choice? Images of Ethan and Joey swam into his mind, followed by the Life in Ink crew, followed by the memories of how Beck held him when he’d lost control. Kole’s heart skipped a beat. Although he doubted Beck wanted anykind of relationship with him, that Kole liked the idea of trying was a step in the right direction.

After calling Ethan to reassure him, Kole went to bed. Despite knowing that he’d get embarrassed when he next saw him, he couldn’t stop thinking about Beck and how he’d looked at him as they’d hugged at the event. He’d been sure Beck was going to kiss him, and his stomach had swooped and swirled, readying for it, but then he’d pulled back.

Did Kole have the confidence to make a move on Beck when he moved to London?

****

Chapter 5

Beck

Beck had tried to drown the “what-ifs” from his head by searching for someone to share his bed, but whenever he found someone, it was never their eyes that gazed back at him. And each time, he found an excuse to end the night early. His frustration built, but it didn’t matter how many times he told his reflection that he couldn’t have Kole, his brain—and his dick—didn’t listen. Luckily, it hadn’t bled into his work, and because of that, he found himself working longer hours in the two months since the Bonser event.

The following morning, he had to stay at the shop as it was his turn. He’d not long been back from a trip to Amsterdam to tattoo Sem van der Berg, a top male model, while he was home. The Netherlands’ capital was a beautiful place, but Beck loved his home city much more, despite London having the reputation of being dirty, packed like sardines and never sleeping.

He stared at his TV screen as the images flashed across it, words spoken that never registered with him. What he wanted was to sleep, but that was difficult when his own screams woke him repeatedly through the darkened hours. His body was sluggish, and he laid down, shoving a cushion beneath his head and tucking his feet under another. Blinking several times to remove the gritty feeling, he relaxed as much as possible, hoping sleep would come.

Beck ran through the forest, laughing as his foster brother and sisters chased him. He jumped over a log, rounded a tree and crashed into something—someone. Falling to his ass, Beck growled up at Drake.

“Drake! Watch where you’re going!”

He clambered to his feet and brushed his trousers off, groaning when Allan, Rebecca and Sarah caught up. Beck threw his hands in the air.

“That’s not fair!”

Drake stepped closer, gripping his shoulder in a tight hand. “I’ll make it up to you tonight.”

Beck shivered at the promise in the other boy’s eyes. Drake was two years older than his eleven years, and he didn’t like him one bit. He often pretended to be nice and kind and helpful, but when their foster parents weren’t looking, he could be mean and hurtful—with his words and his hands. Beck had learnt many things during his years in the foster system, and being beholden to someone was never good.

“Don’t bother,” Beck said, shrugging him off. He turned to the others, pointing at Sarah. “Your turn.”

Sarah shouted and pumped her hands in the air and set off through the trees. Beck, Allan and Rebecca counted to ten. Allan and Rebecca set after her first, Beck giving them a headstart because they were younger than he was. But before he could join them in the hunt, Drake shoved him against a tree face first, covering his back with his body.

“You know something, Beck? You should be a little kinder to the person who shares a room with you.”

Drake pushed against him, shoving Beck’s groin against the tree and causing him to whimper as pain streaked through him.

“Let me go, Drake!”

He tried to push away, but Drake forced him back again.

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