Forbidden Pleasures (NSC Industries Book 11) (5 page)

Wednesday night, Mia, Leo, Emma and me bustled into the
seats quickly as the lights dimmed and the movie began.

“You coming for a drink after?” Mia whispered as she
leaned into me.

“I’m not sure, I’m tired. See how I feel after the film
ends.”

She nodded and tutted when a group of rowdy men entered
the dim cinema laughing and shoving one of their friends as they appeared to
make fun of him. “Tom, you knob!” one of them shouted. “You can tell you’re an
only child, no fucking etiquette with pussy. You should have had an older
brother to guide you along, my friend. She was practically eating out of your
hand and you…”

“Fuck you, you prick. You know fuck all!” the guy they
were making fun of spat back angrily to his friend.

My eyes widened when I spotted Jay Carter amongst the
group as they wrestled into a row of seats around four down from us. And Mia,
being Mia, shouted out loudly, “Shut the hell up, we’re trying to watch!”

A range of claps and whoops rang round the room as all
four men turned to look and see who was heckling them. One of the guy’s
switched on his phone torch and swung it our way. “Fuck, Mia! Why can’t you
ever keep your trap shut?” I hissed as I slid down my seat, trying to hide
behind the huge hair of the woman in front of me.

“What?” Mia retorted. “They’re being rude.”

I groaned loudly when Jay’s bright blues found my steel
greys and his face lit up like an excited child on Christmas morning.

“Bloody hell!” I growled when he jumped over the back of
his chair and clambered over the remaining three rows of seats, triggering some
furious shouts from people until he plonked into the empty one beside me.

“Bea!” he beamed. His gaze moved to Mia who was gawping
at him from beside me. Sticking his hand out, Jay grinned at her, “Mr Sex,
pleased to meet you again.”

“What are you doing?” I hissed when some more moans and
mumbles came from behind us.

“You have popcorn. I don’t.” His huge hand dipped into my
popcorn before he settled back into his chair for the film. “Stop staring at
me, Sugar. Close your mouth and watch the movie,” he stated firmly. “I’m trying
to listen!”

Oh for fucks sake!

 I grit my teeth together cursing him quietly and took a
huge breath, trying to ignore the arrogant arse as I shoved the bag of popcorn
into his lap and then settled back and tried to get into the movie.

About halfway through I felt my phone vibrate in my bag
but I was so engrossed in the film I ignored it. It went twice more before the
three quarter mark and just as I was about to reach down to see if it was important,
the two main characters on screen started to have sex.

Could this day get any worse???

I could feel Jay’s wicked grin as my cheeks flushed and
he leaned towards me. “Is his arse firm enough for you?”

“Shut up.”

“He’s not fucking her hard enough. Look at her, she’s
bored.”

“Shut up!”

“She needs to get on top, ride him until she gets off.”

Just as I was about to hurt him the leading lady rolled
over her man and started to ride him. Oh for fucks fucking sake!

“See,” Jay whispered in my ear, his warm breath doing
things that the film had started to. “I love a woman who knows what she wants.”

I scoffed. Mia elbowed and shushed me.

“I bet your tits are prettier than hers, Bea. I bet your
nipples are rich and plump and juicy. In fact I bet you bounce a lot fucking
better than she does!”

“Will you stop it!” I glared at him. He grinned and
waggled his eyebrows before looking back at the movie.

And then things got a bit rougher. My heart started to
pound when the man grabbed her and flipped her back over. Taking her hands, he
bound them tightly in some rope as his other hand slid slowly down her neck. I
squirmed as I tried to swallow quietly. He started to fuck her harder and
harder, their passionate grunts echoing around the silence of the dark room.

“Is this a porno?” Leo asked way too loudly from the end
of the row.

My phone buzzed again and I took the opportunity to
snatch up my bag and leave. Bursting through the double doors I blew out a long
breath and leaned against the wall. My skin was hot and clammy and that was
nothing to what my girly parts were like. “Jesus bloody Christ!” I mumbled when
the doors banged and low and behold, Jay bloody Carter grinned at me.

“A bit too hot for you, Beatrice?”

“You’re missing the end!” I spat as I pulled my phone out
of my bag.

“Seen it. He strangles her.”

My mouth popped open. “He never does?”

Jay nodded, his gaze dropping to my phone when it rang in
my hand. His eyes darkened before they slowly lifted back up. “Who’s Jack?”

I frowned then looked down at the flashing phone. “Jack?”
I answered.

“Bea! Where the fuck have you been?”

The hairs on my skin prickled at his tone. “I’m in the
cinema, what’s wrong?”

I stiffened when Jay stepped closer to me so he could
hear the conversation. I glared at him then slapped his arm and moved away. He
narrowed his eyes, snatched my phone from me then put it on speaker and held it
up high so I couldn’t reach it. “What the fuck are you doing?”

“What do you mean, what the fuck am I doing?” Jack
hissed. “I’m in the fucking hospital!”

My breath left my lungs in a sudden gush. “What?” I
shouted so he could hear me from Jay’s high hold. Jay immediately gave me the
phone back, his expression now of concern than anger.

“It’s Noah,” Jack continued. “He’s been attacked.”

“Oh God no!” Jay slipped his arm around my waist, holding
me up when my legs gave way. “I’m on my way.”

I terminated the call and rushed along the corridor then
slammed to a halt and turned back round. “Where are you going?” Jay asked when
I bumped into him and sent him staggering back a few steps.

“I came with Mia, I don’t have my car.”

“I have!” he stated as he took my hand and pulled me
after him.

***

“What happened?” I asked Ollie when the nurse showed me
to my waiting family outside Noah’s room.

Ollie shrugged. “I dunno, I just got a call from the
hospital saying he’d been assaulted.”

“Assaulted? But why? Noah’s as soft as they come!”

“I don’t know, Bea!” Ollie yelled, making me step back a
little when his spit flew in my face and he screeched at me. “I – don’t – fucking
– know!”

“Hey!” Jay stepped in front of me, his glaring eyes
narrowed on Ollie. “There’s no need for that, mate.”

Ollie stared at him, his angry gaze venturing down then
back up before his eyes widened slightly. “And who the fuck are you?”

“I’m a friend of Bea’s. And you haven’t apologised yet.”

Ollie’s jaw dropped and he took a step towards Jay.
“Apologise? To you?”

Jay shook his head as if astonished. “Not me! To Bea!”

“Alright guys,” I tried as I placed a hand on each arm,
holding them apart the more they pressed into each other. “I don’t need this,
nor does Alex and Dylan. Cool it!”

They both looked at me. Jay nodded respectfully and
stepped back but Ollie glared at me. “Who the fuck is he?”

He blinked at me when I hissed at him, “He’s my friend, now
leave it. You’re my brother not my fucking guardian. You do not get to pick my
friends any more Ollie, I’m a grown bloody woman!” All heads turned my way,
each of my brother’s wide eyes finally seeing their sister speak up. “I love
you Ollie, you’re my brother but god damn it, I’m sick of all this shit.”

“Bea,” Alex grabbed my hand, his face full of concern but
my anger was intense and hungry.

“No Alex, I’m sorry but I’ve been the little sister for
way too long. I can look after myself!”

“Really?” Ollie scoffed as his face reddened with my
tenacity. “And could you look after yourself when the prick you married decided
to fucking stab you and rape you? Could you look after yourself then, Bea? Eh?
COULD YOU?”

I froze. Every one of my brothers gasped and stared at
Ollie. “What the hell Ollie?” Jack hissed.

Ollie cringed then stepped towards me but I shook my
head. “No. No I couldn’t,” I choked out.

“Bea?” I winced at Jay’s soft tone but ignored him.

“I’m sorry,” Ollie exclaimed quietly as he rubbed his face
with his hands. “I’m just tired, Bea. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that.”

I nodded. “I’m going to see Noah.”

“You can’t,” Dylan said, “We have to wait for the
doctors.”

“Tough!”

My heart exploded in my chest when I walked into the dull
room. Noah’s face was unrecognisable, the bruising and grazes taking his once
handsome looks and morphing them into something from my nightmares. One of his
arms was in a cast and the sheet laid across him was supported off his body
with some framework around his abdomen. Two tubes were feeding him oxygen and
food and the wires fixed to his sore chest made the monitors beep in rhythm.

“Oh dear God.”

I turned to look who caught me. Jay smiled softly. “I’m
here.”

I nodded clumsily, unable to make my vocal chords work as
Jay guided me across the room and pulled over a chair for me to sit beside my
brother’s broken body. Unable to take Noah’s hand because of the bandages
around his fingers, I gently laid my hand on his. “Noah?”

He didn’t move, he didn’t even flinch.

“Noah? Please.”

“Shush, Bea,” Jay whispered softly.

“Tell me he’ll be okay, Jay.” I didn’t look away from my
brother when I spoke to Jay. I couldn’t take my eyes of the mess of him. “Who
would do this? Who would hurt such a gentle man?”

“I don’t know.”

I hadn’t even noticed Jay had pulled up a chair beside me
but when my heartache became too much and I finally started to sob, he lifted
me tenderly and placed me on his knee where I remained for the next three
hours, wrapped in his arms and his comfort.

“I’ll see what I can find out,” Mason said. “How’s
Beatrice doing?”

“Not good, she hasn’t left the hospital in the last two
days. Noah doesn’t look like he’s coming round any time soon either.”

He nodded. “I’ll get Greg to scowl some CCTV near where
the attack happened, see if we can get something from that.”

“Cheers, mate.”

“It’s not a problem, Jay. You know that.”

I smiled at Ava when she walked in with a tray of coffee
and cake. “And how are you bearing up?” She asked as she passed me my drink.

“Ahh I’m okay, just want the bastards found. I don’t know
Noah but he’s important to Bea so that makes him my responsibility.”

Ava smiled softly. “You really like her.”

I nodded but looked away with a deep sigh. “I can’t go
anywhere with it though so at the moment I’m settling for a friendship.”

“Why?” Mason asked, his head cocked with puzzlement.

Choosing my words carefully, I tapped the edge of my cup
distractedly, my mind wandering where it shouldn’t. “Bea has some issues with a
previous relationship. I… have certain… preferences in the bedroom that she
would never handle.”

“Like?” Ava pressed.

I grimaced at her. “Well you know… I kind of like it a
bit… rough.”

Ava nodded, regarding me as she waited for me to clarify
further, when I didn’t she sighed. “Jay, tell me to shut the hell up if you
want but have you actually asked Beatrice what she likes?”

“No.”

Her eyes widened and she shook her head. “Then how do you
know what she likes?”

“Well I don’t,” I explained, “But her ex… raped her, so…”

“So you just presume that’s put her off sex altogether.”

“Well, she’s not exactly going to let me spank the fuck
out of her is she?”

“Why?”

“Well it’s pretty obvious Ava.”

“Is it,” she argued. “And who’s to say you won’t be happy
with vanilla?”

“It’s just not who I am.”

“But Bea is who you like?”

“For god’s sake, do you love to argue, Ava?”

Mason snorted, nodding over his wife’s shoulder. He
straightened his face when she turned to look at him then grinned widely.
“Didn’t say a word, baby.”

“Mmm,” she countered before turning back to me. “Have you
even taken her on a date?”

“A date?”

She rolled her eyes. “A relationship isn’t just about sex,
Jay.”

“Isn’t it?” Mason and I piped up together.

“Oh good God,” Ava sighed, “I’m surrounded by idiots.”

I laughed and placed my cup on the table. “I’m just going
over to the hospital now. I’ll let her know you’re looking into it, hopefully
that will rest her mind a little.”

Ava smiled. “Well it sounds to me like the girl needs a
meal and a bath, maybe….”

“Maybe?”

“I dunno, can you cook?”

“Yes.” I stared at her in confusion.

“Idiots!” she sighed. “Then cook for her.”

“Oh.” I pursed my lips and mused over her suggestion. “Do
you think she’ll let me?”

Mason tried to hide his laughter. “Jay, just how many
relationships have you had?”

“I haven’t ever had a relationship.”

“What the hell?” both Mason and Ava exclaimed together.
“Not one?”

I shook my head. “Nah, don’t do them. Sex is it for me.”

“Then I agree,” Ava exhaled, “You need to stay away for
her.”

“Why?”

“Oh just go and see the poor lass,” Mason growled, his
frustration with my answers obvious.

“I was but you wanted to give me some lame ideas on how
to bag a woman.” I winked at Ava when she shook her head and chuckled.

“Bye Jay,” Mason grumbled when he grabbed his wife, “I
did just fine ‘bagging a woman’ so take my help or don’t.”

I smiled as I walked out, I couldn’t help but agree with
him.

***

I sighed when I walked into the room. Bea was asleep, the
side of her face squashed on the bed beside Noah’s hand. Her brother Jack
smiled at me. “You’re okay, Ollie’s not here. Come in.”

I smiled appreciatively. “Any change?”

He shook his head and sighed. “No, although they’re
certain they’ve stopped the bleeding so that’s something.”

“It is,” I agreed as I stared at Bea. She was so pretty,
even with her hair plastered to her sweaty forehead and her clothes wrinkled
from two days wear. Her long blonde lashes rested against her cheek as she
breathed deeply. “How long has she been asleep?”

“A few hours, she needed it.”

“I take it she’s close to Noah.”

Jack smiled and nodded. “Yeah, they’ve always been close.
When our parents died they found solace in each other and they’ve been
inseparable ever since.”

I nodded, softly brushing the hair from Bea’s face when
it tickled her nose. “Have the police been in touch?”

“Nope. They don’t give a shit but…”

“But?”

“Well, they think it’s a… homophobic attack.”

I shook my head and hissed between my teeth. “Bastards.”

He nodded but regarded me closely. “Can I be blunt?”

“Sure, I’d prefer it.”

He clicked his tongue, forming the words in his head
before he spoke them. I perched on the edge of the bed in front of him as I
waited respectfully. “Bea’s…” he tapped his leg nervously. “Bea’s had a bit of
a rough ride.”

“And this is your polite warning,” I finished for him.

He grimaced but nodded. “Yeah, something like that.”

I smiled widely. “I’m glad Bea has such a close family
and believe me, I understand all your concerns. But we’re just friends, Bea’s
not ready for a relationship and I like her too much to take it beyond that
anyway.”

He narrowed his eyes and scrutinised me for a moment
before he smiled and nodded, accepting my declaration. “Good. I know we seem
controlling but after… the bastard she married you can understand our close
guard.”

“Yep,” I nodded firmly, and I could. If a wanker ever
hurt Erin or Helena, I would be right there at the front of the queue to rip
some fucker a good one if they even came close. “Although I do think she needs
a good meal and a bath.”

“Yes!” he chuckled, “The girl stinks like a mouldy
cabbage.”

“Thanks, Jack,” Bea rasped as she woke and rolled her
neck around her shoulders. “I’m not at that stage yet.” She smiled up at me
when I turned to her. “Hey.”

“Hi,” I replied as I bent and lifted her off the chair.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m taking you home for a decent meal and a shower.”

I frowned when she let her head drop to my shoulder and
her arms slid around my neck. “Okay.”

“Okay?”

She nodded. “See you later Jack, call me if there’s any
change.”

“I will,” he promised, “Go get clean you stinky cow.”

“Cheers,” she mumbled as she drifted back off to sleep in
my arms.

I couldn’t control the thud in my chest when she relaxed
against me. She felt so right, so perfect against me. I couldn’t help but
imagine just how she would feel beneath me, above me or how her thighs would
feel around my head. I promised myself not to go there but my dick had other
ideas.

Pushing it aside, I growled under my breath and took
Beatrice Vine into my lair.