Carmen Jenner - Welcome to Sugartown

“Put me down, arsehole.” I kick and scream and pound on his back with my fists. I think I may have even got in a shot to the side of his head with my knee.

“You keep strugglin’, baby girl. I can do this all day.”

I believe him, too. The boy’s probably got enough stamina to stand there for several days, but the minute I stop acting up he unceremoniously dumps me onto the blanket and crouches in the sand before me.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have yelled, I just …” He exhales loudly and looks down the empty beach before meeting my gaze. “I guess there isn’t a whole lotta good to talk about, you know? The shit I’ve seen. The shit I’ve done. I’m not proud of any of it.”

“I’ve done things I’m not—”

“I’ve done time, Ana. Twice.”

I feel my eyes widen in surprise. He’d hinted as much the night of our “date” but I thought it was all just for show. I didn’t believe that he’d actually been in jail.

“Yeah, not so perfect now, am I?

“You hurt anyone?”

He shakes his head solemnly. “Just my future and any shot I might have had at a real career. I fix bikes because I’m good at it. I’ve been taking engines apart and putting them back together since I was ten years-old. Sometimes I think I have oil running through my veins instead of blood. I make enough to get me from one town to the next, but it’s not any kind of life. Sure as shit not enough of one to drag someone like you into it.”

“Someone like me?”

“Baby girl, you could have any man you want and instead you settle for a broke ex-con.”

I wasn’t sure I wanted to know the answer to my next question. In fact, I was pretty sure I’d really rather not know, but I had to ask all the same. “What did you do?”

“The first time?”

I nod.

“Stole a car with some buddies of mine, took it for a test drive and wrapped it around a telegraph pole. Sean ended up with a concussion and a broken arm, Luke had a cracked rib and Brent and I walked away unscathed—at least until they found out I was driving. Then they marched me straight into juvie and spat me out three years later.”

“And the second time?”

He swallows, hard. “Part of my release on good behaviour is that I can’t talk about it.”

“Well, that’s convenient,” I deadpan.

“It’s the truth.” Elijah swipes a hand over his face. “Look, I should have told you this a lot sooner—”

“No shit.”

“I’ve kept my nose clean since I got out. I don’t plan on ever going back. That shit’s done with. There are parts of my life that I can’t talk about and others that I won’t. If you think you can handle that then great, if not, then we end this thing right here.”

“What is this thing?”

“You tell me.”

Easier said than done. Yes, I was falling for the guy, but holy crap, how do you fail to mention something this huge to someone you care about? And does he really care about me, or am I just a way to pass the time between this town and the next?

I finally meet his gaze and I’m surprised by the amount of anxiety I see there. It softens my anger, just a little, enough to understand why he’d keep this a secret from me. Aside from the fact that it’s been court ordered, that is. “Does my dad know?”

Another solemn nod. “One of the stipulations of my release is that I have a job to go to before I move on anywhere. I have a parole officer who rides my arse if I’m more than an hour late to check in with both her and my new employer. If I break parole I go back inside, hard time and no hearing.”

“And he’s okay with this?”

“When he gave me the job, he was, but when I met you—hell no! Why do you think he fought so hard to keep me away from you? He wanted to string me up by my balls after he found out you’d spent the night with me.”

“Well, I kinda know how he feels.”

“I’m sorry, Ana.” He tentatively cups my face in his hands, as if he’s afraid I’ll pull away. I don’t. I lean into his touch instead. “It didn’t feel right, telling you before now. I’m working hard to keep that shit buried, you know, but sometimes it all just resurfaces and kicks me in the nuts.”

“I get it, I do. But if you lie to me again, Cade, it won’t be my dad you’ll have to watch out for.”

“Shit, baby girl.” Elijah ducks his head and his dimples come out swinging. “You’re pretty bloody scary when you wanna be.”

“I learned from the best.”

“No arguments there.”

You’d think having a kid along on a date would seriously cramp any chances I had of getting his older sister naked beneath me by the end of the night, but whenever Ana saw me treating her kid brother like my six-year-old best mate, it’s like her maternal instincts went into overdrive. At nineteen, she may not have been aware that her body clock was already set to the soccer mum setting, but it was as plain as fuck to me. She’ll make an incredible wife and mother someday, and I feel a pang of stupid jealously that I won’t be around to see it.

I can feel her eyes on Sammy and me as our dodgem car careens head first into a couple of little punks that’d been out for blood since the ride began. She leans against the wire fence, her cheeks flushing as she spears her bottom lip with her teeth. I can practically feel the lust emanating off her. A couple of guys her age stop to check out her arse as I feel both a swell of pride and possessiveness roll over me. That arse is mine, and in just a few short minutes I’ll show everyone by slipping my hand into the back pocket of her jeans and squeezing it until she yelps. For now, I’ll avenge the beating we’re taking from these little Justin Bieber lookalike shits.

Sammy lets out a squeal of a laugh, his head thrown back as another little turd ramrods us in the rear.

“You okay, buddy?” I ask and he nods. “Whaddya say we hit these fools where it hurts?”

“Do it!” he screams and flies back against the seat as I hit the pedal to the floor. Christ, he’s so bloody little, I’m surprised the jolt doesn’t break him in half. We take off after the fuckers, side-slamming both their cars into the guardrail at once.

Ignoring the signs about remaining seated while the ride is in action Sammy jumps up on his seat and gives them both the finger. “Eat thit fuckerth.”

I laugh before catching sight of Ana on the sidelines. I can practically see the steam pouring out of her ears. She’s ranting about something, though the candy-coated shit they call pop music is grating at my eardrums and blocking whatever the hell it is she’s raving about.

“Dude, sit down. You’re totally cock-blocking me right now!” I yank Sammy back down in his seat.

“Whath cock-blocking?”

My eyes go wide with horror and then I laugh. “Ask your sister.”

The end of some tragic bloody Lady Gaga song signals the ride’s end and, before I can stop him, Sammy’s up in his seat again and screaming at his sister, “Ana, Elijah thaid to athk you what cock-blocking meanth.”

Every person within fifty metres turns their head to gawk at us. I throw Ana a sheepish grin and her returning glare is both a thing of wonder and the kinda shit nightmares are made of.

“Both of you get your bums over here, now!”

Aww shit, I am never getting near that pussy again.

“Thee lookth mad.” Sammy stares up at me as we make our way over to the gate.

“Here’s twenty bucks.” I fish a note out of my wallet and slap it in his little hand, “See that fairy floss stand over there?”

He follows the line of my pointed finger. “Go get us a couple bags, okay? I’ll handle your sister.”

The man opens the gate for us and gives me a brief lecture about standing up while the ride is in progress. I assure him it won’t happen again and nudge Sammy forward, before turning to face the firing squad.

“Sammy, get back here!” Ana screams after her brother but I pull her toward me to stop her from going after him. The fairy floss stand is less than five metres away and I’m keeping a close eye on him, but she’s not satisfied with that and struggles in my grasp.

“Let go of me.”

“He’s fine. I sent him across to get us some sugary goodness. You look like you need it.”

“What the hell happened back there, Elijah?” God, she’s so fucking hot when she’s fuming. “I leave him alone with you for five seconds and already he’s swearing like a sailor?”

“Come on, baby girl, it was an accident.”

“Yes, because I can totally see how the words cock-blocking slip out when you’re conversing with a six year old. You have to be careful around him, Elijah. Kids are like sponges, they absorb everything they see and hear. What the hell am I going to do when he repeats something like that in class?”

“Hey, would you relax?” I rub my hands up and down her arms. “Kids say all kinds of shit these days.”

“Relax? Is that what you’re going to be, relaxed, when my dad’s castrating you for teaching his son what cock-blocking means?”

“That depends. Will you come and nurse me back to health?” I kiss her lips and begin trailing kisses down her neck, careful to indulge that sweet spot that she loves so much just beneath her ear.

“Maybe.” She’s still not happy with me, so I dart my tongue out and lap at the soft skin. Fuck she tastes good, like vanilla and cookie dough. Her breathing becomes heavier, her eyelids close and her mouth opens in an ‘O’. “Okay, yes!”

“Ewww, groth,” Sammy pipes up. He’s standing behind Ana with a tower of cellophane bags full of fairy floss.

Ana spins around and baulks when she sees his cargo. “Geez, Sammy, why not buy the whole stand?”