Page 7 of North (The Moral Compass 2)

“Wait till I tell Sutton. North was not very happy when we came back in that state last night, and he looked like his head was going to go‘boom’when Nick said to tell you he’d ring you today to arrange the date you promised him.”

“Ah, shit. I did, didn’t I? And now North knows, too. This day is a fucking write-off. I think I should just go back to bed.”

“Ah, ah,non!We are going swimming. You don’t have to get in the water, but I do. I need to relax, and swimming is a good hangover cure, too. Show me where to go.”

Two hours later, I’ve confessed all to Sutton and Sherie. Sutton is not surprised. She reckons she knew that day in the pool before everything went to rat shit, and she was waiting for a big announcement that we were together. Sherie apologises repeatedly. She might take whatever she wants but not from her friends. We are family. A tight-knit, non-blood family who would die for each other. Literally.

“Yeah, but you said yourself, Sherie, his heart belongs to someone else. He told you as much last night. That’s what you said yeah?” I question her.

“Oui, I did, but you need to work it out yourself. If you like him as much as you have just told us you like him, for the love of God, just fucking tell him.” She is nearly shouting.

“I agree,” Sutton pipes in. “There is something special between you and North, and I don’t want to see you both unhappy. You’re good together. You like all the same shit. Even video games. You’re like two peas in a pod.”

“Hmm, like brother and sister,” I whisper back to them. “I’m going for a swim. I need to clear my head.”

When I go back to the girls, Sherie is telling Sutton about me falling off the table and the police officer incident.

“And now she has to go on a date with him.” Sherie laughs.

“Ah, fuck, please don’t remind me. Yesterday morning, I was mooning over North, and now I’ve got some cop wanting to take me out and let me ride on his truncheon.” My life just gets fucking worse.

West comes to pick up Sutton just before seven, but North doesn’t come back with him. West offers to drop Sherie back at her mum’s house and, for the first time in months, I’m lonely. Liz has gone away on some singles break, so it’s just me in this big rambling house. Nerves start to get the better of me, so I lock up everywhere, set every alarm I can find, then go and get into bed.

It doesn’t seem like that long before I’m woken by the security alarm blaring and lights flashing. Shaking, I sit on the bed, waiting for the worst to happen. Although they have captured everyone involved, the trial for our abduction hasn’t even started yet. We are still at risk, albeit, a small risk.

The alarm stops, and I can hear singing, a drunken singing that I know is North straight away.

“Fuck, thank God for that.” I breathe.

I slide out of bed and head down the stairs, following the singing into the kitchen where I stop dead in my tracks.

Chapter 7

North

Ispillmygutsto West who apparently knew but just hadn’t had it confirmed by either me or Kara. We seem to be high on their list of conversation topics. Some “will they or won’t they” type of shit.

The only problem is, West doesn’t have any fucking clue how Kara feels either. When I mix in the copper from last night, it all gets very blurry. She was jealous as fuck when she thought I’d slept with Sherie, though. It was written all over her face.

We play a little golf and go for a few beers. Well, I do. West was driving, and I had him drop me off in town. He came in a couple of pubs, and when we bumped into a group from the office, he decided it was time to stop for the day and go collect Sutton.

I, on the other hand, couldn’t face going back home. Couldn’t face the empty house if Kara had gone on a date with the cop. So, I stayed out and drank some more.

I never realised how interesting some of the people I worked with were. I usually lock myself away in the archive room to research “stuff”.

I must have had a few more beers than I thought, because the room starts to shift, and I start to feel a little unsteady.

That’s your cue to hit the road, North.

Just as I pull my jacket on, Alicia walks up beside me and slips her hand around my waist.

“Come on, North, let’s get you home. You look like you’ve had a bit of a day of it.”

Now, at this point, alarm bells should have been going off in my head, but, hey, I’ve had a few, and she is one mighty-fine-looking woman, all shiny hair and amazing smells. Why the hell not? It’s not like Kara gives a fuck, right?

We get into the house and fuck knows why, but every alarm is set. I can hardly remember the codes, but Alicia used to spend quite a bit of time here when Dad was alive, so she popped in a few and got the house quietened down.

I’m just setting the coffee machine off when a hand comes around my waist. A real gentle hand. A hand that slides into my front pocket and starts to caress my dick. Fuck, he’s been waiting for this for fucking ages. I’ve not been with anyone since Kara, and poor Dick has suffered. For a minute, I forget that Alicia came back with me; in my mind, it’s Kara.

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