Behind the Hood (Behind the Lives) (42 page)

“You’re nice, unlike your shit cousin.” She looked down, embarrassed at the thought of her next words. “And you’re cute as.”

There was a moment of silence before Mikey’s laughter filled the room. “You think I’m cute?”

She looked up at the smirk on his face. She covered her mouth and nodded.

“How ‘bout hot?”

Feeling confident with his reaction, she dropped her hand. “That too,” she said, her smile no longer nervous.

He squeezed her hand. “Thanks, Maia. I haven’t laughed for a while.”

Her smile slipped at the thought that he might be moving away. “Do ya know where you’ll be living after you get better?”

“Pro’bly with my Great Aunty Bea.” He grimaced. “She’s ancient though. I never liked visiting her cos she always smells.” He crinkled up his nose. “Not BO, but the way old people stink.”

“Where does she live?” She hoped he didn’t say anywhere but Claydon.

“Wera.”

Maia smiled. It may not be Claydon but it was the next town, only a ten minute bike ride from her house.

“Will you still be goin’ to Claydon High?”

“Pro’bly if I live with Aunty Bea.”

“Can I still visit you?”

“Why? You a glutton for punishment or sumpthin’?”

“I like you.”

He smiled again. “You already said that.”

She swallowed, wondering whether she should ask him whether he liked her too. Before she could open her mouth he pulled her head down and kissed her, then let go.

She brought her fingers to her lips, both surprised and wrapped.

“Maia?” her mother said.

Crap! Grinning, Maia turned around slowly, praying her mother hadn’t seen Mikey’s kiss. Her heart sank at her mother’s stern expression.

“I’ve gotta go. I’ll try and come in tomorrow,” she whispered the last bit to Mikey.

He nodded. “Cool.”

Maia let go of his hand and walked out the door. Her mother followed, the heavy clump of her shoes resonating down the corridor. As Maia veered into Nike’s room her mother put a hand on her arm, steering her straight. Yup, she was definitely in trouble.

Her mother stopped her a few rooms down and turned her around. “What were you thinking kissing that boy?”

“He’s nothing like Tama, Mum. He’s nice.”

“That family’s not right. C’mon, Maia. He’s been abused. He won’t be all there, love. I don’t want you being with a boy like that.”

Maia crossed her arms over her chest. No way was her mother dissing Mikey. He was nice and she was going to see him no matter what.

“That’s not Mikey’s fault. And he’s my friend and you said I could visit him.”

“I only let you do that because he was a classmate, and friends don’t kiss on the lips, young lady.”

“Oh, Mum! That’s none of your business.”

Her mother’s face darkened. “Don’t use that tone with me. It is my business if my daughter is kissing a boy that’s psychologically up the wop.”

“Mikey’s not psycho,” Maia snapped.

“I didn’t say he was. He’s just...” Her mother sighed. “Maia, I only want what’s best for you, and Mikey ... he’s ... the only way I can put this is ... he’s damaged.”

Maia bit down on her lip to stop from yelling. Shit, if her mother thought that way she was definitely going to see Mikey without her knowing. Yeah ... there was no way she was going to stop her. Mikey had kissed her, which in her vocab meant he was her boyfriend whether her mother liked it or not.

Before Maia could reply with a lie, Leila and a boy appeared next to them. Maia flinched and stepped behind her mother as she recognised the boy from Tama’s gang.

“Hi, Mrs. D, can I visit Nike?” Leila asked.

Maia’s mother reached out and hugged Leila, who looked stunned by the gesture. “Thank you for saving Nike.”

Leila pulled back and smiled. Bruises discoloured her face, her hand was bandaged, and she appeared to be favouring one leg.

Maia’s gaze stopped on Leila’s mouth brace. She’d hated Nike’s ex ever since she’d caused trouble for him four years ago, but now she didn’t feel the same way. With how Leila looked, Maia knew she’d risked her life for Nike.

Leila leaned into the guy, her expression now pained. He placed an arm around her waist, steadying her. Maia’s gaze shifted back to him. Fuck him! He wasn’t going to scare her. She moved out from behind her mother and stared him down. Hell, why was she so scared of him anyway? He didn’t have his gang to back his girly arse now. Plus, her mother could flatten the twat. The pretty boy would go down in a second.

“What
you
lookin’ at?” she said.

The guy scratched his face. “Sorry for what happened last Saturday. I didn’t know Tama wuz gonna hurt you. When Sledge and Tama were beating down the door I backed off. I thought they were goin’ too far. I only stayed cos I wuz afraid of what they were gonna do. I don’t like chicks gettin’ hurt. When Tama left I thought it wuz over and stayed to help Mikey, who got stuck in the window.”

Maia’s shoulders slackened. “Really?”

“Yeah.”

The guy seemed genuine. Maia looked back at Leila. She leaned over and gave her a hug.

64

Jess

Jess did a double take as Leila limped into the room with a guy who looked like a model. Shocked by Leila’s appearance, she continued to stare as the duo made their way around to the other side of Nike.

“Can I stay for a bit?” Leila asked.

Jess nodded. She may have hated Leila previously, but right this second she loved the bitch.

The guy helped Leila sit down on a chair, then hopped up onto the empty bed next to Nike’s. He appeared too young to be going with Leila, but the way he kept touching her, whether to smooth her hair or squeeze her shoulder, suggested more than friendly concern.

Leila went to touch Nike’s arm then stopped. “I’m really sorry.”

Jess smiled sadly. “You have nuthin’ to be sorry for. If it wasn’t for you Nike would be dead.”

Leila wiped her eyes. “If it wuzn’t for me Tama and Nike would never have gotten to this point.”

“It was gonna happen regardless of what you did. I knew Tama before Nike. He was always gonna come after me. I know that now.” Jess looked down as her hands began to shake. “Nike stopped Tama attacking me once at school when he didn’t even know me. If he hadn’t walked out of the toilets all those years ago Tama would’ve raped me then.” She closed her eyes. “Like he did yesterday.”

“Shit!” the guy said. “No wonder Nike wanted to kill him.”

Jess opened her eyes. The guy looked mad, like he wanted to hit something, the expression completely at odds with his sweet looks.

“Are you gonna lay charges?” Leila asked.

Jess nodded.

“I’m thinkin’ about layin’ charges against Jayden, but I’m not sure.”

“He did that to you?”

“And a helluva lot more.”

“I’m sorry. Looks like Nike was right about him being scum.” Jess looked back at the guy, now wondering whether he was a part of Tama’s gang. “What’s your name?”

“Trey.”

Jess frowned. “You’re one of the guys who chased Maia?”

Trey dropped his gaze. “Yeah, but I wouldn’t have hurt her. I thought Tama wuz just jokin’ about. I had no idea he wuz gonna stab her. I asked him why he did it. He said he wuz so high he didn’t know what he wuz doin’.”

“Tama’s a liar,” Leila said. “He didn’t look that high when I saw him the same night. He looked clear as to me. You guys are too soft when it comes to him.”

“He’d been smoking and drinking loads that night,” Trey said defensively.

“Stop making fuckin’ excuses for him, Trey. He wuz lucid as when he tried to kill Nike.”

Trey let out a sigh. “Yeah ... Sorry.”

Nike stirred then opened his eyes. He turned his head towards Jess then Leila, his eyes unfocused.

“Nike,” Jess said.

“Hmmm,” he said, moving his head in her direction.

“It’s Jess. You’re at the hospital.”

He looked confused, sleepy. “Jess?”

“Yes.” Jess gently brushed his forehead. “Leila and the police stopped Tama.”

“Leila?”

“Over here,” Leila said.

Nike moved his head towards her. Leila squeezed his hand. “I pushed Tama off you, then the cops hauled him away. The others took off, except for Trey who stayed to help.”

“But you’re Tama’s mate,” Nike said to Trey.

“I’m not into murder. Anyway, from what I hear you had a damn good reason to bash him.”

“I wuz gonna do more than bash him.”

“Yeah, I know that, but as I said you had good reason.”

“You were involved in chasing Maia.”

Jess tapped Nike’s arm. “He didn’t know, like Mikey.”

Nike looked at her, his eyes now focused and full of pain. “Sledge did. He beat me like Tama. Did the cops get him?”

“No, he got away,” Trey said.

Nike closed his eyes. “Can you tell Ash what he did to me?”

God, he was breaking her. Jess went to answer him, but realised he wasn’t talking to her when Trey replied with a, “Yep.”

“How’d ja know Ash?” Trey asked. “He’s one scary mofo.”

“My dad talked him outta killing himself when he wuz a kid.”

“Shit, I thought he had everything. Why’d he want to top himself?”

“I can’t tell you that.” Nike indicated for Jess to move her head closer.

She placed her ear next to his mouth.

“He wuz raped by his stepdad,” he whispered.

Jess’s eyes welled up. No wonder Nike was close to the guy. It made sense now why Ash had beat up his brother for chasing Maia.

“His brother knows of a group you might like to attend,” Nike said.

“Why would Sledge—”

“No, his other brother. Dante gave me a card yesterday when I went there for a gun.”

Jess’s eyes widened. “You asked him for a gun?”

“Yeah, but Ash took it off me. He didn’t want me goin’ to jail.”

“You should thank him,” Leila said. “Your honey of an arse would’ve been tapped for sure in there.”

“Not so pretty now,” Nike replied.

“You’ll heal. Then Jess will have trouble on her hands again with me.”

Jess’s jaw clenched.

Leila grinned back. “Lighten up, it wuz just a joke.”

Like hell it was. By the way Leila was looking at her she could tell the bitch wasn’t joking.

Nike looked back at Jess and patted her hand. “I only want you.”

She kissed his forehead, knowing it was true, but also knowing their future wasn’t going to be easy.

65

Tama

Fingerprinted, questioned, charged, yada, yada, yada... They were all just fucking preludes before the pricks threw him into the slammer. Hell, he knew years ago that he’d end up in prison. But it still didn’t feel good when the door closed on his face, shutting him into a cell with sick-coloured walls, a ten by eight claustrophobic shithole. Tama looked down at the toilet located opposite the bunk beds. Definitely a shithole.