Twisted Mind (Chequered Flag #2) (5 page)

Chapter Eight

Dustin

“I’ve got her, Perry.” The words slipped from my mouth impulsively. I could feel Tazia’s burning glare, but I kept my hardened stare on Perry. “We were going to take my car, weren’t we, Tazia?”

Her lips pursed and her eyes narrowed. I didn’t know where the words came from, yet backtracking wasn’t an option. In my flat I had every intention of letting her go shopping alone then continuing with my wallowing. However, the thought of Perry within even a metre of her ignited a fire within me.

“Are you sure? Tazia doesn’t look like she knew of this arrangement.”

“Of course I’m sure. How else did she plan on getting there? It’s not like she can drive, and I was heading out to get a few things anyway.”

I was? That was news to me. My evening plans had been pizza and cleaning.

I straightened my back, drawing myself up to my full height. Bracing my arm on the doorframe, I rested it behind Tazia’s shoulder. She thought nothing of the possessive gesture, although Perry did. His jaw clenched hard enough I thought his teeth would crack.

“Why don’t you both ask me rather than talk about me like I’m not here?” Tazia snapped. Her mane of silk whipped back and forth as she made the point of glowering at us both.

“Okay, beautiful. Who do you want to go with?” Perry asked.

I barely contained my eye roll and I muffled my laugh with a cough. When I banged on my chest trying to clear my throat, Perry seethed. I couldn’t help it, at his fury my lips quirked smugly. And it just so happened the second I did, Tazia fixed me with a glare.

Typical.

Her whole body stiffened, the muscles in her shoulders locked. “You two are unbelievable. I’ll go on my own like I planned to. I don’t need
either
of you.”

The restrained anger in her voice smacked the expression from my face quicker than I thought possible. I reached for her, closing my hand around her upper arm gently to prevent her moving.

“Don’t be like that, Tazia. Let me give you a ride.”

The fact she didn’t slap me or fix me with another furious glower felt like an improvement. Then again, I reminded myself not everyone was like Elora. Elora’s knee-jerk reaction to being stopped from doing something was to lash out, mostly at me. While I knew normal people didn’t, I had a feeling it would take a while to get used to.

Tazia flicked her eyes to the ceiling and huffed. I took it as a victory and waited for her verbal agreement because I knew she had no other option. Taxis weren’t cheap and they didn’t give her the flexibility.

“Fine, but you leave me alone in the shop. You have to go and do your own thing.”

“Deal,” I replied instantly even though I had no intention of following through. If I drove her she was stuck with me until we returned because for the first time in the last few weeks I felt lighter. The cheerfulness I exuded was genuine, and I had stopped thinking about what could have been.

I forced the thought from my mind. I refused to go back to the dark pit I’d been in all week. Placing my hand on the small of Tazia’s back, I disregarded Perry’s presence completely. I kept my body between them and pressed Tazia forward to force her feet to move.

“Come on,
beautiful
, hurry up.”

Her body became rigid beneath my hand. Her steps faltered and she fixed me with a stubborn glare. I didn’t think it was possible for her black irises to become darker, but somehow they did. Like pools of anger, the irritation seeped from them.

“Don’t call me that,” she spat and for the first time the Tazia I’d met disappeared, giving me a hint of there being more to her story than she let on. I only said it to mock Perry, though obviously something about the name affected her deeper down. Or maybe she didn’t feel comfortable around me yet.

“Okay, how about princess?”

Her nose bunched in distaste, although she didn’t bite my head off a second time.

“No? Sugar?”

She feigned gagging and relief surged through me at the return of her more jovial side.

“Baby?”

“You can call me Tazia or Taz. No pet names.” She tried to sound serious. However, the teasing in voice dampened the effect. “And allowing you to call me Taz is a big deal. That’s usually only reserved for family.”

I raised one hand to my heart, splaying it on my chest. “It is an honour to be included in such a selective group.”

Tazia playfully swatted my arm. “Don’t take the piss.”

“I’m not. I wouldn’t want to be kicked out of the club only seconds after gaining membership. This is some serious shit. I wouldn’t dare mess with it.”

“You’re a dork.”

“But I’m a cute dork.”

“Cute is what you say about a kitten, it’s not sexy. Cute gets you friend-zoned.” She drew both lips into her mouth, trying to stifle a laugh. Turning away from me, she hobbled down the hallway and called over her shoulder, “I’ll meet you downstairs. You may want to put a shirt on before you leave the building.”

I glanced down, surprised to see she was right, then peered up at her with a grin. I’d noticed the way she’d been staring at me—now and earlier. “I think I’ll go like this and prove you wrong.”

She shrugged, no doubt attempting to feign nonchalance. However, the blush tinting her cheeks betrayed her real thoughts. “Your choice, it’s not like you’re going to be walking around with me.”

I didn’t bother to correct her and caught up in a few strides. She was mistaken if she thought I was letting her go without a fight.

I hardly knew her, yet already I felt I needed her. Something about her presence soothed my wounds and numbed the pain to a barely noticeable level, and I planned to take full advantage of every reprieving second.

* * *

“What did you want again?” I asked, pushing the trolley into the supermarket and starting down the first aisle.

“Does it matter? You’re doing your own shopping.” She waved at me. “‘Bye now.”

“Come on, Taz. Did you really think I meant it, and how are you planning on getting around with a trolley and crutches?”

She folded her arms and glowered. Though, having to balance on one leg to perform the action lessened its severity to make it more comical. “I’ll manage, and yeah I did, so you’re going to stick to it.”

“If I take my shirt off again will it make you change your mind?” I chuckled. When I had thrown on the shirt I kept in my gym bag back in the car park I swear Tazia’s eyes fell in disappointment.

“Are you trying to be an ass?” she murmured.

“What was that?”

“I thought we were meant to be starting over? You’re not exactly making a good first impression.”

“I must have made a better impression than Perry considering you’re here with me. What’s the deal with you and him?”

“Nothing. He helped me move in after some jerk knocked me over.”

Tazia wasn’t kidding about her bluntness. I kind of liked it…maybe.

“I apologised for that.”

“So? It doesn’t mean I’m going to let you live it down. I’m only biding my time for the perfect comeback.”

I scoffed, not worried in the slightest.

“Why can’t I give you a pet name?” It had been gnawing at me since I witnessed her reaction. Instinct told me there had to be something bigger there.

She paused in front of the refrigerated section, eying the selection of whipped cream. “You don’t know me. I’m not looking for more than a friend and pet names signal more. I’m not anyone’s baby, I don’t care if someone thinks I’m beautiful, I’m not a princess, and my heart is broken not sweet.”

Tazia refused to meet my eyes, pretending to read the ingredients on the back of the canister. She shrugged, the action appearing defeated.

“I want to be known as myself, as Taz, because it’s the only version that’s true.”

Dumbfounded, I struggled to find any words to create a response. I’d never met a girl who didn’t like endearing names, let alone had such an adverse reaction to them. Raine always got emotional when I called her sweet girl, although that might have been down to the fact I only used it when trying to calm her. Elora, on the other hand, loved any name I used to use for her—baby, sweetheart, babe. It was funny how none of those suited Elora nowadays.

When I dragged myself from my thoughts, Tazia was a few metres away from me. She no longer appeared like the strong, confident woman who marched out of our flats and dished out orders. Even her unwavering smile began to falter.

Unease swelled within me at her expression. I wanted the fiery Taz back.

I sidled up behind her, dipping my head over her shoulder. “Okay, new game. I say a word and you tell me the first thing to come to your mind, then me, then you.”

She regarded me with confusion. “Why?”

“Because I want to know more about you.”

“And this will help how?”

“It will tell me how your mind works.” And I wanted to distract her from whatever thoughts were eating at her.

She grumbled and placed two canisters of whipped cream in the trolley. I took the sound as an agreement and started. “Cream.”

“Milk.”

I grinned and couldn’t stop my gaze wandering to her chest. “Boobs.”

Tazia placed a hand on her hip, her lips parted. “Really, Dustin?”

“What?” I asked innocently. Although boobs hadn’t been the first word I thought of it was the one I knew would garner the biggest reaction.

“So when you hear the word milk you think of boobs?”

I jerked a thumb at my chest. “Guy.”

“Jerk,” she replied immediately, the life returning to her features.

“That wasn’t part of the game.”

She shrugged, heading down another aisle. “Your go.”

I caught up to her quickly, stooping to lower my lips to her ear with a chuckle. “Jerk off.”

She snapped her head around the aisle, I assumed to make sure no one was within hearing distance. “Are you serious?” she hissed, though she couldn’t fight the laughter bubbling in her throat or the rueful shake of her head.

“Deadly. Your turn.”

Her cheeks flushed and she marched off in the opposite direction. “Oh look, icing sugar. Just what I need.”

She regarded the rows of white and pink boxes, still refusing to make eye contact as she dumped two boxes into the trolley. What I wouldn’t have given to know where her mind went at my answer.

She didn’t look at me until we reached the next aisle. Her enormous grin made me suspicious instantly. Since Raine and I had been best friends for over ten years it gave me an advantage when picking up whether or not a woman was up to something.

Taz’s expression appeared undeniably shifty. “I want to play a new game.”

I hunched over the trolley, steering it with my forearms. “Oh yeah? What?”

“I’m going to attempt to set you up with someone and see if being ‘cute’ really doesn’t get you friend-zoned. There’s a woman over there who keeps glancing your way and I now have the perfect payback.” She rolled her ‘r’, purring with joy.

Tazia headed over in the direction of the supposed woman and in doing so allowed me to catch a glimpse of her.

I inhaled in sharply.

My heart skipped a beat, then tripled in speed.

Icy daggers of anxiety raced through my veins and I couldn’t look away from the aquamarine eyes boring into me.

Movement to my right caught my attention again.

“Tazia,
no!
” I shouted, sounding like a dog owner barking an order at their pet. For good measure I reached out and gripped her forearm, tugging on it with more force than necessary to pull her back against my side. “
Do not
go over there.”

She cocked her head to the side, the grin still lighting up her face. “Why not? Is someone worried about getting a date?”

“Taz, please,” I hissed, aware Elora was listening to every word. Her eyes kept darting to us with intrigue while she pretended to read the label on the can she held.

“Oh come on. I thought you said you were going to prove me wrong when we left.” She jabbed me in the side and I let out a grunt as her fingers connected with one of the more recent bruises that hadn’t completely healed.

Over Tazia’s shoulder I saw Elora sashaying towards us. As soon as she took the first step in our direction I snapped.

I was doing well until she’d shown up, but even Tazia’s presence couldn’t prevent the thoughts I’d locked away in my mind from escaping.

There is no baby, Dustin.

I couldn’t do it.

There is no baby.

I slammed my palm down on the handle of the trolley. The stab of pain slicing through my bones silenced the thoughts for a second. It was enough for me to realise I had to leave. If I didn’t things were going to get ugly.