SMOKESCREEN

(A Broken Lives Short Story)

Marita A. Hansen

Copyright

Smokescreen

(A Broken Lives Short Story)

Kindle Edition

Copyright 2018 © Marita A. Hansen

Editor: John Hudspith

Cover design © Marita A. Hansen

Cover photography by LMoonlight

and sourced from https://pixabay.com

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means whatsoever without the written permission of the author, nor circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. For subsidiary rights inquiries email: marita.a.hansen@gmail.com

All characters, names, places, and incidents in this book are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual events, locales, or real persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

CONTENTS

Copyright Page

Dante’s Short Story

About the Author

More Books by Marita A. Hansen

UK English is used due to the New Zealand setting.

All other variations are also due to where the short story is set, as well as the characters’ cultural and socio-economic backgrounds. This is why some characters use different speech patterns from others.

This short story directly runs on from Facing the Music (A Broken Lives Short Story #1).

DANTE

“What the fuck?” I gasped, not believing my eyes.

I planted my foot on the brake, bringing my car to a grinding halt several houses down the road from where I lived. The street was packed with cars, and most of all, with people streaming onto my property. My front lawn was covered with reporters like flies on shit, their combined voices so loud it was audible from my car. Then it hit me...

They were here because of the viral footage of what they thought was L blowing me.

Except it wasn’t me, it was my brother.

I swore, pissed off with myself for not having expected this. I’d had reporters at my door before, even fans making me consider moving out, but nothing even remotely close to this clusterfuck. This was New Zealand, not Australia or America. Rugby stars were the gods of our nation, not a new rock star who’d only just had his first overseas concert. It may have been a sold out one and in a massive venue at that, but fuck me, I still didn’t expect to have reporters doing what the paparazzi had done to Britney Spears. Yeah, my manager had warned me that the paparazzi could stalk me and that reporters weren’t above going through my rubbish, yet it didn’t diminish the scene playing out before my eyes.

Knowing I couldn’t sit here all day, gaping at the fuckers like Jade gagging for cock, I slowly moved forward, wishing I could plant my foot on the accelerator, ploughing them down for invading my private life.

Then it hit me.

Clara was home with Tyson.

A stream of curse words exploded from my mouth, hoping like fuck they hadn’t upset her. As I drew closer, heads turned my way. It didn’t take long before all eyes were on me, the piranhas descending upon my blood-red Mustang. They shouted out my name, getting their grubby mitts all over my car’s shiny paintwork, amping up my anger even more.

“Move!” I hollered, trying to get into my driveway, the parasites blocking it. Of all the times for me to hand over my bodyguard to L, I did it today? Though, I wouldn’t be surprised if there was also a fuck-ton of reporters hanging around outside her apartment. That wouldn’t go down so well with L, especially with her being such a timid little mouse. She was more likely to turn and flee than attempt to run a gauntlet of reporters. Actually, giving her my bodyguard probably wasn’t such a bad thing after all, since Little Red Riding Hood needed protection from the big bad wolves way more than I did.

I blasted my horn, yelling louder, “Move it, you motherfuckers!”

They eventually did, allowing me to inch forward at a snail’s pace, basically escorting me into my own driveway. I finally came to a stop next to my dad’s new metallic-orange ute—a utility vehicle, something he’d always wanted. He’d bought it a couple of weeks back with his whoring money, which meant he was here to do a job for my manager. He was probably in Jade’s bed right now, waiting for him to get home, ready to make Jade scream the bloody house down. I’d told him to back off from my manager, to stop emptying Jade’s bank account, but would he listen? No! He only did what he wanted and everyone else be damned.

I pulled on my brake and went to get out, even finding that a task, the microphone-wielding reporters blocking my way. There were also camera crews surrounding them, the situation surreal.

I pushed the door open hard, forcing them to back up or get hit, then stepped out, not even getting my door shut before microphones were shoved in my face. Questions started being fired off at a hundred miles per hour, all of their voices doing my head in. I brought my fingers to my mouth and let rip with a massive whistle that would’ve split every dog’s eardrum in the neighbourhood. The reporters went silent, finally letting me speak.

“I assume you’re ’ere ’bout the sex video of L—”

“And you!” the reporter smack bang in front of me said excitedly. He was a young gun, wide-eyed and barely out of nappies, probably ecstatic to have his first real job. “How long has your affair with L been going on?” he asked, looking like he was creaming himself over having asked the first question.

“There is no affair,” I replied, about to clarify why, but a blonde I recognised from TV cut me off.

“Have you broken up with Clara Hughes? Is that why you’re with L now?”

“For fuck’s sake, I’m not with L—”

“But the video and photos.”

“Will ya lemme finish what I hafta say?!” Getting a nod, I continued, “I’m not the person in the video with L, it’s my brother.”

Chatter started up, some of the reporters sounding like they didn’t believe me, while others yelled out questions over the top of each other.

I brought my fingers to my mouth and did another ear-splitting whistle. “Shut the fuck up, you morons! It’s not me! I have different tattoos to who you saw.” I licked my finger and wiped at the dark green, almost black moko—the Māori tattoo surrounding my left eye. “See! It ain’t fake, all of my tattoos are real. You saw my older brother, who has tattoos on his neck and left arm. He’s best mates with L, so you fuckers can all bugger off.”

The chatter continued, then more microphones were thrust in my face, the guy in front of me asking another question, “How long has this relationship between your brother and L been going on?”

“Look, dude, he’s a private person, not someone in the public eye, which means that you have no right to ask questions ’bout him.”

“Well, with the video going viral he’s very much in the public eye now. His life won’t ever be the same again. What do you think about that?”

“What do I think? You’re all fuckin’ leeches, that’s what I think. Just fuck off back to your desks. Go interview your keyboards like you normally do, cos some of the bullshit I’ve read ’bout me and L is worse than fanfic. I’m with Clara, she’s my woman, and I’m not interested in anyone else. So leave me be, I don’t owe you fuckers anything.”

I shoved through them, the questions still being fired my way. I kept my mouth zipped, more concerned with getting to my woman. I hoped like hell she wasn’t upset over the clusterfuck that my brother and L had created. Typical, other people caused shit and I got lumped with it. I had enough of my own shit to deal with without having to deal with theirs too.

Once I was on my front doorstep, I turned to face the reporters, all of them still yelling out questions as if I hadn’t already answered them. Though, I noticed the young reporter who’d been in my face was leaving. At least he wasn’t a dumb cunt like the rest of them.

I lifted my hands to the rest and flicked my middle fingers at them, hoping they put that on the front page or primetime news. “Wankers!” I yelled, before turning to my door. It opened before I could get a hand to it, Clara’s beautiful but strained face appearing on the other side.

“Inside quick,” she said, moving out of the way.

I slipped through, slamming the door shut when someone tried to get a microphone inside, the person yelling out, “Clara, what do think about this?” I planted my back against the door, letting out a massive sigh.

Clara stared at me with wide gunmetal eyes, looking as bewildered as I felt. Then she started hitting my chest, yelling, “Why did you do it!”

I swore, realising she believed the bullshit the bastards must’ve told her. I grabbed her wrists to stop her from hitting me more, barking, “It’s not me!”

“They said you slept with L, that they have video proof,” she cried, trying to jerk free from my hold.

“It’s not me! It’s Ash.”

She went still, her breathing heavy. “Ash?”

“Yes, they mistook him for me. I would never cheat on you, Clara, I love you.”

She blinked, looking unsure yet desperate to believe me.

“You know L isn’t interested in me,” I added. “You know she’s in love with Ash. She wouldn’t even consider goin’ with me.”

Clara’s cheeks went red, a sure-fire sign that she realised she’d fucked up. “Then why did they think it was you in the video? You have different tattoos from Ash. How could they mistake that?”

“Have you seen the photos or video?”

She shook her head, her long lilac hair brushing against my arms. “They only just told me what happened. I was firing up the computer to look when you arrived. Though, I still don’t understand how they could mistake you for Ash.”

“They don’t believe my tattoos are real. This dancer at the video shoot told me everyone thinks I paint them on for show.”

“Then let go of me, I’ll go check out the post.”

Scowling, I kept my grip on her wrists. “So you think I’m lying to you?”

“It’s not that, I just want—”

I glared at her. “Isn’t my word enough proof?”

She didn’t reply, staring back at me like a deer caught in headlights, clearly not knowing what to say.

“You think there’s a chance it wuz me? That I’m lying?”

“I... I didn’t think—”

“Obviously you’re not thinking at all!” I snapped, now angry with her. “You don’t trust me, do you?”

“It’s not that—”

“What is it, then?!”

“It’s just women throw themselves at you all the time and,” she grimaced, “even your dad thinks you’ll stray. He made a bet with Jade at how long you’ll last before you give in.”

I swore. “The bastards!”

“Don’t blame Jade, he didn’t think you’d cheat. It was your dad who started it. He said he gave you a month before you’d be going behind my back, and...” She dropped her gaze. “You haven’t been home much of late, constantly going to the studio whenever L calls.”

“So, you think I’m cheating?”

She looked back up. “What do you expect me to think? You’re always with L.”

“Cos I work with her!”

She squeezed her eyes shut. “I’m sorry, just L is so beautiful.”

“Not on your level, she doesn’t even come close.”

She kept her eyes shut. “You’re just saying that.”

I swore, realising what was happening. It was the same thing that had happened between Tiana and my brother.

L.

I just didn’t realise Clara felt insecure about me working with L. I’d assumed she knew I had no interest in my guitarist and vice versa. All L was interested in was Ash, the chick not willing to compromise. If anything, I was pretty certain she’d choose to remain single for the rest of her life if she couldn’t get him.

Even though I was still pretty pissed off with Clara for thinking I’d cheated on her, I let go of her wrists and wrapped my arms around her, pulling her to my chest. “It’s all right,” I said, not willing to allow our relationship to go the same way as my brother’s had gone. Ash had split with Tiana, furious that she’d accused him of cheating with L. They’d been arguing over L for some months now, Tiana not liking that Ash’s best friend was a surreal-looking elfin chick that made men come with one look. And for the first time I was on Tiana’s side. Ash had gotten L’s mouth wrapped around his dick far too fast for him to not have wanted her. Although he hadn’t technically cheated on Tiana, it still didn’t look good, my bro having a lot of explaining to do with the mother of his child.

“I love you, Clara,” I said, “not some anime chick who follows my bro around like a lapdog. And not to forget that L doesn’t like me. You’ve seen her lose her nut at me. Every day I go into work, I expect to be told she’s quit cos I’m too hard to work with.”

Clara pulled back, tears clouding her eyes. “I’m just...” her bottom lip trembled, “so scared of losing you again,” she said, the years we’d spent apart not our doing. I’d lost my memory of being with her due to a car crash, only getting some of it back recently. I was also working with a psychologist in an attempt to retrieve more, just hadn’t had much success of late.

“You’re my life,” she said.

I smiled down at her. “You’re my life too,” I replied, wishing I could remember every single moment with her. “No one can compete with you.”

“I don’t understand why you think that.”

“And I don’t understand how you can’t think it.” I brushed her lilac hair back, slipping it behind her ear. “I didn’t go through hell to give up the one good thing in my life. Actually, there’s another good thing in my life and you gave me him. My baby boy. There’s no way I’d leave you and Tyson for some chick I’d rather give a wedgie to than get a blowjob from.”

She snorted out a laugh. “A wedgie?”

I shrugged. “It wuz the first thing that came to mind, and her knickers pro’bly wouldn’t go up her anal-retentive arse since she’ll have a shitload of cobwebs down there.”

Clara snorted again, though her amusement was short-lived. “I’m so sorry, Dante,” she said, wiping her eyes. “I should’ve trusted you. Please forgive me.”

“So, you believe me totally?”

She nodded. “I don’t need to see the pictures or video to know.”

I grimaced. “You wouldn’t want to either. L is sucking on Ash’s cock like she’s never eaten sausage before.”

Her eyes widened. “I didn’t want to hear that!”

“Well, you would’ve saw it if you opened up those pictures. A dancer showed me, trying to prove it wuz me. I can’t believe how dumb people are.”

A whistle not that dissimilar to mine came from upstairs. “Fuckin’ hell!” a voice followed, belonging to my dear ol’ dad.

“What the fuck is happening now?” I said, taking the stairs two at a time, racing up them to get to my manager’s room—where my dad wasn’t supposed to be, the greedy bastard never listening to me.

I yanked the door open without knocking, finding my dad lounging on Jade’s bed in a pair of boxers and a computer in front of him. His muscular body was covered in tattoos, his face included. He had a full-faced moko, the curves and lines of the tribal design making him look like a Māori warrior instead of the whore he was.

His dark eyes snapped to me, no grimace for barging in. Instead, he jabbed at the computer screen. “I didn’t think Ash had it in him,” he said. “And especially not that timid pixie chick.”

I stormed over and slammed the computer shut.

“Hey!” he yelled. “That’s my computer!”

“Yeah, paid for by Jade. I told you to stop fucking him.”

Dad pushed off the bed, his gaze moving past me. I glanced over my shoulder at Clara, who was waiting outside the door.

“It’s defo Ash, not Dante!” Dad called out to her. “Dunno how the dumb bastards could’ve mixed those two up with their different tats.” He swiped out, slapping the tattoo around my left eye.

I yelped and smacked his hand away. “What wuz that for?!”

“I’ve told you a hundred times not to barge into my bedroom.”

“It’s not your bedroom, you freeloading bastard. And I’ve told you to stop stringing Jade along. You promised you would.”

He sneered at me. “My promises mean jack shit when they’re forced onto me.”

“What ’bout Killer? Do your promises to him mean jack too? You do know you’re hurting him by goin’ behind his back.”

“I’m not goin’ behind his back, I’m upfront ’bout what I do and who I do. It’s not my fault he can’t accept I’m a whore,” Dad spat, now looking angry. “And that psycho has a damn nerve criticising what I do. He kills people for a living. At least I make people happy.”

“Bit hypocritical, don’t cha think? You’ve killed before.”

“To protect my loved ones and friends, not for money.”

“Which is why you shouldn’t be putting Jade’s life at risk. Killer could—”

“Do nuthin’,” he cut me off. “He may have the name, but he’s not the one who finishes the job. Murderer is, and I’ve made sure that cunt doesn’t come near Jade.”

“If it’s Murderer pulling the trigger, then why are you blaming Killer?”

“Cos Killer accepts the jobs. He passes ’em onto Murderer to complete, making him just as responsible. Those two have found a way to work together. I know, I read their diaries.”

“You shouldn’t be reading other people’s diaries.”

“Like he shouldn’t be stalking me, tryna catch me cheating. It’s all in there, every fucked-up thing he does in black and white. But I don’t cheat, cos none of my clients mean jack shit to me, plus I’ve—”

I cut him off, “Well, Jade means sumpthin’ to me, so bloody stop stringing the poor bastard along. Christ knows why, but he’s fallen in love with you.”

“That’s not my fault.”

“The hell it ain’t. You’re in his bed more times than not. Stop bleeding him emotionally and financially dry.”

“Don’t be so fuckin’ dramatic.”

“I’m not! You’re hurting Jade, you selfish cunt, and I want it to stop!”

“You can’t tell me what to do.”

“You wanna bet.” I turned and left the room.

He followed me out. “Where the fuck do ya think you’re goin’? This convo ain’t over.”

“It will be soon.” I opened my bedroom door, heading for my baby boy. Tyson was in his cot, looking like he’d just woken up, the yelling probably causing it. I bent over the railing, cooing at my little darling. Even though I was furious with my father, I gave my boy a big smile, Tyson always able to get one out of me.

I slipped my hands under him and picked him up, cradling his little head, his wispy black hair so soft to touch. Melting a little, I placed him against my bare chest, my leather jacket pulling apart. My shirt had gotten wet at work, so I’d just left it off. I turned to my dad, who’d finally gone quiet, clearly not wanting to startle Tyson.

“Do ya wanna keep seein’ your mokopuna?” I asked, saying the Māori word for grandchild, and by Dad’s widening eyes he was clearly picking up on the threat.

“You wouldn’t,” he rasped, knowing damn well what I was getting at.

“You wanna keep seein’ your grandson, you better back the fuck off from Jade. You might not give a shit ’bout hurting him, but I do. He’s my friend and I won’t let you destroy him like you destroyed Mum.”

Dad’s eyes went even wider. “That wuz low, son.”

I grimaced, knowing he was right. “Unfortunately, it’s still true. But what makes this worse is that you aren’t under the influence. You’re purposely ruining Jade through your own selfishness. All you see is a cash cow, while all I see is a mate. I won’t let you do it anymore. Go back to Killer. You two can ruin each other’s lives cos you’re exactly the same.”

Dad narrowed his eyes at me. “You think I’m the callous bastard? You’re the one using your own son against his grandfather. That’s fuckin’ low, even for you, Dante.”

“How low is it to swindle money off a man who you know loves you? How low is it to claim you’re just fucking women for the cash when you go on and on ’bout how much you love tits right in front of your boyfriend, a boyfriend who is so in love with you he regresses into a girl when it gets too much for him to handle. You go on ’bout all this abusive behaviour Killer throws at you when you throw a shit ton back. You also say you love him. Well, prove it. Stop thinking ’bout yourself for once in your bloody life and give sumpthin’ up for him, cos that’s love, Dad. You do things to make the person you love happy, not to make yourself happy.”

Dad blinked at me, looking a touch dumbfounded.

“So, what will it be?” I said. “Seein’ your grandson or milking Jade of cash and cum at his and your boyfriend’s expense?”

He grimaced. “I choose Tyson.”

“Which means what exactly?”

“I’ll leave, but you,” he jabbed a finger at me, “can explain why to Jade. You made this decision, deal with the tears that come with it, cos he will cry, like he did the last time I left. I only came back cos he wouldn’t stop phoning me, leaving messages for me to return. Tell him to stop it. It’s not as easy as you think to walk away from someone so persistent.”

“I will.”

Dad frowned, then stepped in closer, holding his arms out for Tyson. I passed my boy over, my dad taking him into his arms. He placed him against his chest, kissing his grandson’s head, a look of adoration on his face. He started murmuring to Tyson, calling him a beautiful boy.

A door slammed downstairs, pulling my attention away from my dad and son. Dad ignored it, the big, tough man a complete marshmallow when it came to his grandson. I left them alone with Clara, who was hovering nearby, clearly not trusting my dad to be alone with Tyson.

I spotted my manager at the bottom of the staircase. Jade looked up at me with wide eyes, his pretty boy Korean face flustered, which meant some of the reporters were still outside.

He rushed up the staircase to me. “I got a call from a neighbour about what was happening,” he said, his thick Texan accent clashing with his Asian looks. “Are you all right?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Why aren’t you with L? She’ll need you now more than ever.”

“He went back into the auditorium, refusing to leave,” Jade replied, calling L a he, even though everyone else called my intersex guitarist a she. It was probably another reason why the video had gone viral. People were curious about what pretty little L had in her pants.

Jade continued, “Then I got a call about what was happening here. Nike promised to look after L, so I came straight over.”

I grimaced. “Both her and my bro have unleashed a right clusterfuck. I had to tell the reporters it wuz him, not me. I didn’t wanna lump Ash in it, but I couldn’t have people thinking I’d cheated on Clara. I have a woman and son to think of.”

“And fans.”

“I don’t give a fuck ’bout ’em. The dirty perverts are pro’bly frigging themselves to the video of my bro and L right now.” I grimaced. “This will fuck shit up bad for Ash. His ex will defo stop him from seein’ his son cos of it. Tiana can get right vindictive at times. That bitch Kara has a lot to answer for cos I know it wuz her who leaked those photos and vid, especially after what she did to me.” My ex had put hidden cameras in my bedroom a while back—and it looked like she’d done the same to my bro.

Jade exhaled. “Little we can do now, other than you need to warn Ash. The reporters are most likely on their way to his place right now if they know it’s him and not you.”

My face dropped. “Fuck, why didn’t I think of that?”

I quickly pulled out my mobile, phoning through to my bro. He picked up on the second ring, his hello being cut short. He barked, “Back off!” at someone on the other end of the line, the person’s reply too garbled to understand. Then everything exploded. Ash let out a roar, accompanied by Tiana shouting “No, Ash!” A male voice cried out in pain, my brother clearly having hit someone. The slamming of a door followed, along with a continual stream of Ash saying, “Fuck, fuck, fuck...”

“Why did you do that?!” Tiana shouted at him, her voice just as clear as my bro’s.

“He wuz in my face!” Ash yelled back.

“You didn’t have to hit him.”

“He got in my space!”

“Ash!” I barked into the phone.

He stopped hollering. “Dante?” he answered.

“Yes, what the fuck just happened?”

“I punched someone.”

“Who?”

“A bastard reporter, he wouldn’t stop spewing shit at me.”

“You don’t bloody hit reporters, bro, no matter how much you wanna.”

“Why the fuck not? He wuz on my property, sayin’ shit ’bout me and L.”

“Dude, they can arrest you for assault.”

“It wuz self-defence.”

“No it wasn’t,” Tiana snapped. “You’re a brute, Ash Rata, a brute!”

“Just can it, Tiana.”

“I will not can it! This is it, I can’t have you bringing such violence into our son’s life.”

“I hit one prick and you’re using that to keep me away from my son? You’re a piece of work, Tiana. I don’t even know why the hell I’d thought you’d changed.”

“Don’t you dare criticise me. You’re the one getting your dick blown by a woman you claim is only a friend.”

“That wuz all she wuz until a coupla days ago. I’m not a bloody eunuch. She stripped in front of me, no man can turn someone like L down.”

“You should’ve for me, for your son! And I don’t believe you, you’ve always had a thing for L. I swear if she didn’t leave for Wales all those years ago, you’d have ended up with her instead of me.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Then why did you go with her as soon as we split? We’ve been apart barely a week and you’re already at it.”

“Well, I wuzn’t gettin’ anything from you.”

“Because you wouldn’t lemme touch you! You kept turning me down, telling me you were too tired—”

“Cos you worked me to the fuckin’ bone and worse, you ignored my daughter.”

“I work hard too and apologised for the way I behaved around Lily. I tried my hardest with her.”

“Too little too late, and you work hard? How’s the school holidays goin’ for ya, eh? Nice for some to get continual breaks. Unlike you teachers, labourers don’t get that luxury. I work two backbreaking jobs without barely a breather just so we don’t go bust. It would’ve been nice if you did some extra tutoring to help out.”

“I have to spend time with Angelo during the break.”

“Don’t I deserve to spend some time with my son too? I also have to spend time with my daughter. Or doesn’t Lily matter cos she’s not yours?”

“Don’t be like that, Ash.”

“Like what? Bitter that you ignored my baby girl for months, carrying a massive grudge cos I had her with another woman. Well, Tiana, newsflash, I wuzn’t with you when I conceived Lily like I’m not with you now, so I can do whatever the fuck I like without you gettin’ on my case.”

“No, you can’t, you have a responsibility to your son.”

“Which I damn well want, but you won’t lemme see him, which stops right ’ere and now or I’ll take you to court for shared custody.”

“And what happens when they find out you used to be a drug dealer, Ash? Also, what happens when they hear about you punching reporters in the face? You’ll be lucky to get visits let alone shared custody.”

“I never thought you’d stoop this low, Tiana, never. I don’t fuckin’ know you anymore. You’re not the woman I fell in love with. Leave.”

All went quiet on the other end of the line. Ignoring Jade asking what was happening, I clutched onto my phone, waiting for Tiana’s reply.

A sob finally broke the silence. “Ash,” she cried. “Why are you doing this to me? I love you so much.”

My brother didn’t reply.

“Please say something, you’re killing me.”

“Leave,” he said again.

“You can’t do this.”

“When you use my son against me, I will bloody do a helluva lot worse.”

“I didn’t mean it.”

“You’ve kept him from me before. For eighteen months I had to fight for every visit. Eighteen fuckin’ months. And you think I’m bein’ cruel.”

“Because it’s so hard seeing you while not being with you. Please, Ash, I love you. I don’t want to split up. You told me last year that this was it, we’re together for good.”

“I wuz wrong.”

“No, you weren’t! Please, just give me another chance.”

“Why do you even want one after I went with L?”

“You were right before, we weren’t together when you did that. And I already said I love you. We’ve been together since we were kids. I know we split for a while in between, but don’t give up on me. I will do anything to make this right, even sell up and move back to South Auckland so you don’t have to work so much. I’ll also chip in with looking after Lily. I can grow to love her, be the mother she doesn’t have,” Lily’s mother having died in a road accident. “We can be a family once more.”

Ash didn’t reply, most likely not wanting to make up, my bro not the forgiving type. He held grudges, allowing them to fester, like he’d done to our father even though Dad had bent over backwards to make things right.

“Please, baby,” Tiana begged, making my heart break for her. Despite Ash hating Dad, he was the same at times—a cold-hearted bastard. “Name anything and I’ll do it.”

“I’m sorry, Tiana,” he finally spoke, his voice softening. “I think it’s best that we make a clean break.”

“No! Just give me one more chance. I promise you won’t regret it.” When he didn’t reply, she continued, “How about you sleep on it? You’re tired and upset, we’ll sort things out after you’ve had a good rest.”

“I don’t get rests, Tiana. I have to get Lily to her grandma’s, then head out for my first shift.”

“The weekend then. I know you have Saturday morning off.”

“Fine,” Ash exhaled. “But only to discuss arrangements for Angelo.”

“Don’t you think your son deserves to have both his parents under the same roof?”

For a second I thought he was going to say no, but instead he muttered, “Okay.”

“Thank you, Ash. We’ll work this out, like we always do.” What sounded like a kiss came through the line, then a few seconds later a door closed.

“Ash?” I said.

“Yeah,” he answered, sounding defeated.

“Talk to me, bro. It didn’t sound like you wanted to give her another shot?”

“You heard the whole thing?”

“Yeah, sorry, you two weren’t exactly quiet. I’m sure my neighbours heard too.”

“Don’t exaggerate.”

“So, are ya really gonna get back with her cos of Angelo?” I pushed on.

“I don’t wanna, but I feel trapped. If I don’t get back with her, she’ll defo keep Angelo from me, and she’s right ’bout the courts. I won’t get shared custody.”

“Then give her one more chance. Move back to South Auckland like she suggested, cos a lot of this tension between the two of you is due to you bein’ overworked. If you keep working like this you’re gonna end up in an early grave. Or how ’bout you grow a brain and sign that bloody contract Jade offered you. I don’t know why you hafta be so bull-headed. Singing pays a shitload more than working as a labourer.”

“I don’t wanna sing, I wanna make art.”

“You don’t have the time to do your art now anyway, so it makes no difference on that front, and at least you’ll get good money singing. Make a name for yourself, then shift over to art. People will buy your work just cos you’re a famous singer.”

“It’s not guaranteed that I’ll be successful as a singer. My taste in music isn’t as mainstream as yours, and in all truth, I don’t wanna be famous like you. Artists don’t get reporters banging on their doors. They also don’t get fanatical fans following them everywhere. That sucks, man, I need my privacy.”

“You don’t even get that now. You said my fans follow you around, thinking you’re me. Now you even have reporters at your door, and it won’t stop, especially with this video goin’ viral. You might as well get paid for it.”

“This fuckin’ sucks.”

“I know, bro, but there’s li’l you can do ’bout it. At least with singing you’ll be able to provide well for your kids. Actually, you’ll even be able to afford that massive mortgage of yours, which means you won’t hafta move back to South Auckland. Sign the contract.”

“What ’bout L? She works there. I’ll hafta work with her, won’t I? It’ll be damn awkward after what we did, and if I do decide to give Tiana another chance, she’ll be on my case day and night ’bout L. I’ll still be trapped. Maybe I should just give up chicks for a while. I’m sick of their emotional blackmail. They’re either ripping strips outta me or crying and begging for my forgiveness. It’s a right head-fuck.”

“Have ya spoken to L since the leaks?”

“No. Have you?”

“Yeah, she burst into tears when she found out.”

He swore. “I should ring her.”

“You just said you’re done with chicks, now you wanna phone L? You seem more concerned with L’s tears than Tiana’s. That’s telling, bro, real telling.”

“But L’s—”

“No buts, Ash, you were ready to call her after one mention of tears, yet you had Tiana bawling in front of you and you still don’t wanna talk to her. If L didn’t go nuts at you, do ya think we’d even be having this convo ’bout you wanting to give up chicks?”

“You ain’t Doc Phil, so cut the psychobabble bullshit.”

“It’s not psychobabble if it’s true. I think you’re holding out on me ’bout L.”

He went quiet, my brother definitely hiding something, his silence confirmation.

I pushed forward. “Is it cos you love her?”

He hung up.

I moved the phone away from my ear and stared down at it, not believing he’d done that.

“What happened?” Jade asked.

I turned my gaze to him. “I think my bro loves L.”

“He said that?”

“No, he hung up when I asked if he did.”

“But he didn’t say it.”

“I know my brother and he avoids questions when he doesn’t wanna answer ’em. If it wuz a no he would’ve told me. He defo loves her.”

“Holy shit!” Dad said behind me.

I turned to him. He was no longer holding Tyson, my boy now in Clara’s arms. She was also looking at me with surprise.

“So, he loves the hermaphy,” Dad said. “Well, ’bout time he admitted it. Had a feeling he had a major boner for her, and who can blame him? She’s a right hot li’l number, I’d bang her too, though I’d hafta teach her how to suck cock properly cos she’s rubbish at it. She wuz gagging on your bro’s cock like he had an anaconda.” He grinned. “Actually, he has. He gets that from me.” He nudged Jade, who looked stunned. “Isn’t that right, sweet cheeks. You love big Rata cock like your li’l mate, you just suck it better. No worries, I’ll teach her how to become a real good cocksucker. She’s more than welcome to practice on my anaconda.” He grinned like he thought he was being funny.

“Dad!” I snapped, my eyes flicking to Jade, who looked like he’d been slapped with a wet fish. “Think before speaking.”

“I did,” Dad said, the insensitive prick not even registering that he’d hurt Jade’s feelings. “She wouldn’t even hafta pay me for it, two Rata cocks for the price of one.” He sniggered.

“God, you’re a cunt!” I pointed to the staircase. “Just leave.”

“Sheesh, son, I wuz just joking, I wouldn’t actually do it. I have enough trouble with Ash as it is without fucking one of his birds.” He turned to Jade’s bedroom, hitting his chest as he hacked out a cough.

“Where do ya think you’re goin’?” I asked, following him into the room.

He cleared his throat. “Gotta get dressed unless you want me to flash the reporters.” He grabbed his leathers and stepped into them, pulling them up his muscular, tattooed legs.

“You don’t have to leave,” Jade said, slipping around me. “This is my house and I want you to stay.”

Dad stopped with his pants almost to his arse, his eyes going from Jade to me. “Um, I...” He cleared his throat again, for the first time looking at a loss for words, something that never happened.

Jade walked behind him, giving him a hug. “I’m so glad you’re still here, work was crazy today.” He let go of my dad and ran a hand down his back lovingly. “What do you want to do tonight? We can go out for dinner or maybe just stay in and watch a movie. I can order your favourite.”

Dad’s eyes remained on me, still looking at a loss for words.

Jade frowned, his gaze moving to me. “What’s going on?”

“Dad’s leaving.”

Jade’s frown deepened. “It better not be work related.” He looked back at him. “We talked about this and you agreed to—”

I cut him off, “What did he agree to? To be your own personal whore? Stop dreaming, Jade. Also, stop treating him like a boyfriend, cos he ain’t. He fucks for money not love.”

Dad flinched. I blinked, surprised I’d hurt his feelings since he usually strutted around, yelling to the heavens that he wasn’t ashamed of what he did.

Jade also flinched. “Don’t be so cruel, Dante. That’s a horrible way to speak about your father. Show some respect.”

“I will when he deserves that respect.”

Jade shook his head at me as though my dad’s behaviour didn’t warrant that comment. “Ignore him, Tane, he’s had a bad day, too.” He pushed up on his toes and kissed my dad’s cheek. “I’ll go order the food. Come down when you’re ready.”

He turned to go, but my dad grabbed his arm, stopping him. “We needa talk,” Dad said, his expression not happy.

Jade turned back to him. “About what?”

Dad’s focus flicked to me. “Can we have some privacy, son,” no please, his tone basically ordering me to get the fuck out.

Jade looked at me with worried eyes. “What’s happening?”

“He’s gonna tell you what I told you. He’s moving onto his next cash cow, pro’bly one with tits and pussy this time.”

“Out!” Dad barked.

I rolled my eyes and left the room, closing the door behind me, not looking forward to Jade’s heart being broken. But it needed to be done before my dad screwed him over for thousands more, leaving him not only heartbroken but flat broke.

I turned to Clara who was looking at me sadly, also knowing what was coming. “This isn’t going to be good,” she whispered. “Though, you really didn’t need to be so mean about it.”

“I’m not sugar-coating the truth with Jade or he’ll just keep believing my dad’s bullshit,” I said, placing my hand on the small of her back, directing her into our bedroom. I went to close the door, going still as Jade yelled out, “No! You can’t do this, Tane! Please don’t do this.”

I didn’t hear the reply, although I figured that Dad was probably trying to reason with him.

“No! You have to stay with me.”

“I don’t hafta do shit!” my dad finally snapped.

“You still can’t leave! We agreed.”

Silence followed.

“I love you, baby,” Jade continued loudly. “I want to be there for you.”

“You shouldn’t love me! I don’t deserve to be loved. Didn’t cha hear Dante? I’m a worthless, dirty fuckin’ whore!”

Jade’s bedroom door opened. Dad appeared through it, yanking his shirt over his head.

“I didn’t say you’re dirty or worthless,” I corrected him.

He looked at me, hurt darkening his eyes. “You basically did.”

Jade appeared next, grabbing his arm. “Don’t do this, Tane,” he cried, looking distraught. “Please, you need to be here.”

Dad’s troubled gaze moved to Clara, who was still holding Tyson. He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, making me realise I’d hurt him in trying to protect Jade. I just didn’t expect this response, especially since Jade was just a client, not his boyfriend. He didn’t give a shit about a client’s feelings only how much they were paying him.

Jade wrapped his arms around my dad, clutching onto him desperately. “Don’t, Tane, please don’t go. You can’t go.”

“I can’t stay either.” Dad pulled free. “I’m sorry.”

He went for the stairs, bounding down them. Jade ran after him, crying out for him to stop, but before he could even get to the bottom of the staircase my dad was out the door, the slam ricocheting throughout the house.

Jade opened the door, screaming out my dad’s name.

“Fuck!” I said, bolting down after him, knowing he couldn’t afford to make a scene in front of the reporters. By the time I got outside, he was already halfway across the lawn, pushing past the reporters to get to my dad, who was in his ute, revving the engine.

Dad hollered at the reporters, “Get the fuck outta my way!”

I caught Jade as he went to open the ute’s door, yanking him back.

The drama queen screamed out, “No!” He reached for my dad as though he was Kate Winslet trying to save Leonardo DiCaprio from freezing his nuts off, and I wasn’t joking, the way he was acting ridiculously over the top.

“Zip it, Jade!” I snapped, pulling him towards the house, the reporters still hovering around us like flies on shit.

One of them shoved a microphone in front of Jade’s face. “Are you in love with Dante’s father?” she asked.

“Yes, with all my heart,” Jade said, not holding back. “He’s the love of my life.”

“Jesus!” I said, yanking him inside the house, wondering what the fuck was wrong with him. I slammed the door shut, swearing at Jade. “You moron! You wanna die? Cos saying shit like that will get ya killed. Killer will come after ya.”

“I don’t care,” he sobbed. “I need your dad and he needs me.”

“He doesn’t need you, Jade, he only needs your cash. I warned you what he wuz like, but you refused to listen.”

“He wasn’t using me for cash!” he yelled. “I stopped paying him.”

I went still. “What?”

“He was here because he wanted to be, not because of my money.”

I shook my head. “Nah, you’re having me on.”

“I’m not!” Jade cried, looking miserable. “He was going to move in this coming weekend in time for—”

I cut him off, “But he loves Killer.”

“He broke up with him, said he can’t deal with the abuse anymore. He came over while you were away, said that he just wants to love someone normal.”

“He said he loved you?”

“No, but he could’ve if you didn’t force him to leave, because he wouldn’t have taken off just like that without you saying something. What did you do?!”

“I—” I looked over my shoulder at Clara, who was walking down the stairs without Tyson, our baby boy back in his cot.

“Answer me!” Jade shouted.

I looked back at him. “I thought he wuz using you.”

“Just tell me what you said!”

“That he needs to choose between his grandson and you.”

Jade’s face dropped. “How could you do that to him?”

“I thought he wuz using you for cash. How wuz I s’posed to know he wuz cheating on Killer with you.”

“I told you he’s not cheating on that psycho, he left him.”

“And he’ll get back with him in a heartbeat. I know my dad, he loves Killer passionately, while Killer loves him even more. He’d kill for him, and what did you go and do? Announce to the world that my dad’s the love of your life? What do you have? A death wish? Killer will come after you for sure.”

Jade swallowed, looking like he realised he’d slipped up. “Killer needs to accept that Tane wants to be with me. You do too.”

“You don’t understand those two bastards, Jade. They’re not normal, along with their relationship. No matter how much they fight and bash the shit outta each other they always get back together. You just needa back off and lemme talk to Killer, make sure he doesn’t take retribution, cos I don’t think he’ll tell Murderer to come after you. He’ll do it himself.”

“I... I... He... He needs to accept this. He-he’s hurting your dad. I can look after Tane better.”

“My dad doesn’t need lookin’ after, he takes care of himself by whoring himself out. Are you willing to let him whore like Killer does? Coming back to your bed after fucking some big-titted woman for money? I don’t think you could handle that.”

“He’s stopped whoring.”

“Did he tell ya that? Cos it’ll be lies. He won’t even stop for Killer, so I doubt he’d stop for you unless you’re his only client now.”

“I’m not his client! What don’t you understand about that, Dante?”

“Cos I know my dad.”

“Well, you clearly don’t know him that well. So, call him back. Tell him that he can see Tyson regardless.”

“No can do, mate, you’re better off without him.”

“How can you be so stone-cold?!”

“I’m not the stone-cold one here, that’s my dad and brother. They make people fall for them, then leave them blubbering messes. That’s how they roll.”

Jade jabbed a finger at me. “No, you’re the stone-cold one! You emotionally blackmailed your father into leaving, then tried to justify yourself to me.”

“Cos I thought he wuz ripping you off, he’s a leech.”

“He’s your father!”

I jolted. “Shit, calm yo shit down, I did it for you.”

“There’s no way I would want you treating your father so horribly! He tries to be tough, tries to pretend the stuff you say doesn’t hurt him, but it does. He expects this behaviour from your brother, not you. Although Ash hurts him he understands where it comes from, but he told me he doesn’t understand why you put him down. He said he did his best for you, he even told me he whored himself so you didn’t go hungry as a kid, yet you call him a leech? I know you don’t think before you speak, Dante, but this is the cruellest, most insensitive thing that has ever come out of your mouth. No wonder he came to me and not you for help. I’m the only person who treats him nicely, like he deserves to be treated. He gets abused by the man he loves then gets treated like crap by his sons. Is it any wonder why he wants to be with me?”

I grimaced, never having thought any of this was possible.

Jade pointed at me again. “If you have a problem with your father being here, then move out. I’m not letting you or Killer dictate what I can and can’t do for him. I love him and will protect him with my damn life.”

He lifted his chin up and walked past me, heading up the staircase. He was already pulling out his phone, no doubt calling my dad. He slammed his bedroom door shut a second later, disappearing into his room.

I turned to Clara. “First Ash, now Dad. What the fuck is happening?”

“I’m just as surprised as you are, especially about your father.”

“He’s doin’ Jade for free? Like, what the fuck? But he likes women. Only Killer is his dick kink.”

“Maybe he just wants uncomplicated love.”

“But he always goes back to Killer.”

“And always leaves him too. It’s never Killer who leaves. Maybe he can’t handle the intensity of their relationship.”

“Or maybe Killer needs to fuckin’ do as he promised and go back on his meds, cos when he wuz on ’em those two were all lovey dovey, so much so I wanted to puke.”

“How about you phone your father and talk to him without any assumptions, because you did cross the line using Tyson against him. Didn’t you see him look stuck? If he didn’t care for Jade, he would’ve said yes to leaving him straight away instead of looking conflicted.”

“I thought he wuz seeing his cash cow gettin’ flushed down the loo. And he’s always in need of money. He loses the stuff like it’s goin’ outta fashion, gambling it away worse than I ever did.”

“Obviously, it’s no longer about money. Looks like your dad might actually love two men.”

I shook my head. “Nah, he’s only hanging around Jade cos he’s not crazy like Killer and treats him nicely.”

“Do you like to be treated nicely or do you like to be treated like Kara used to treat you?”

I frowned, what she was saying... “You’re relating Kara to Killer?”

“Maybe your dad wants Jade for the same reason you want me. We’re normal, not crazy like Killer and Kara.”

“Dad loves Killer more than I ever loved Kara. Yeah, Killer can get abusive at times, but you can’t really relate him to Kara. He might be crazier than her, but Dad loves him to the point of his own lunacy.”

“Then maybe he needs both Jade and Killer. Maybe he needs a mix of calm and crazy. And maybe both Jade and Killer need to realise that they have to share him to keep him.”

“Do ya really think that? Cos I... Fuck, I can’t believe my old man gave up whoring for Jade and not Killer. Why would he do that, regardless of what he said ’bout punishing Killer? Killer wuzn’t always a hitman.”

“Maybe your dad finally had enough of the whoring. He is getting on. What is he? Forty-two?”

“Forty-six.”

“Wow, he doesn’t look it, still, maybe he’s tired of whoring.”

“He said he would keep doin’ it until the day he dies.”

“It doesn’t look that way anymore. Speak to him. Ask him what he thinks.”

I pulled out my phone and dialled his number, waiting a few seconds before he answered.

“I can’t come back, Jade,” he said. “Please understand.”

“It’s not Jade.”

Dad swore. “Haven’t you done enough harm already without rubbing it in? I did what you wanted, now leave me be.”

“Why didn’t you tell me you weren’t charging Jade, that you actually wanted to be with him?”

Silence answered me.

“Do ya love him?”

“No, I love Killer.”

“Then why are you letting Jade think he has a chance with you?”

“Cos he does have a chance.”

“But you said you don’t love him.”

“I could. He deserves to be loved.”

“Fuck, is this really my dad talkin’? Cos it sure as fuck doesn’t sound like it.”

“Don’t be a cunt, Dante. You made me be cruel to Jade. He doesn’t deserve to be treated like that when he’s been nuthin’ but nice to me.”

“Is that why you’re with him? He’s nice. You don’t do nice. Not since Mum.”

A choked sound came from the other end of the line, freezing me.

“Are you crying?”

“No.”

I softened my voice. “It sure sounds like it,” I said, not believing my old man, the toughest cunt I knew was crying, the day turning into the Twilight Zone.

“Why are you bein’ cruel?”

“I’m not, I just wanna know what this is ’bout?”

“I need Jade to look after me. He’s the only one who can do it.”

“What the fuck, Dad? You can look after your own damn self instead of bludging offa Jade.”

“I won’t be able to after Monday.”

“What the hell is so damn special ’bout Monday?”

“I’ll be starting cancer treatment.”

I went still. “What?”

“I have lung cancer. The smokos finally caught up with me.” He breathed out, the sound raspy, making me wonder whether it was to do with the cancer. He had been coughing more of late. I’d just thought it was a cold.

He continued, “It’s why I need someone to be there for me, sumpthin’ Killer’s incapable of doin’. I can’t deal with Killer’s emotional-roller coaster as well as the cancer.”

“Does Killer know ’bout the cancer?” I asked, feeling like he was tearing my heart out.

“No, and I don’t want him to. I wuz lucky they caught it early, so he doesn’t needa worry, so don’t tell him.”

“What ’bout me, Dad?” I asked, my hand shaking. “You shoulda told me. I would’ve gone to the docs with you. I wanna go to the docs with you. You shouldn’t be alone.”

“Jade went with me.”

“I’m your son, I shoulda gone.”

“You have your career to think of, a good woman, one I wuz wrong ’bout. She isn’t the paedo I thought she wuz. She loves you the way you should be loved, treats you like you should be treated. You concentrate on her and your boy, you don’t need me dragging you down.”

“You sound like you’re sayin’ goodbye. Are you tellin’ me the truth ’bout the cancer? That they’ll fix you?”

“Yes. They said I have more than a fighting chance, that the odds are stacked on my side, and it’s all thanks to Jade. I wouldn’t have gone to see the doc if it wuzn’t for him. He’s also payin’ for the best care there is, didn’t want me goin’ through the public system. He’s a lovely bloke, we’re lucky to have met him.”

My hand continued to shake. “I wanna be there for you. Come back. You should live here, I want you to live here. We’ll all look after you once you get outta hospital. I’m also sorry for using Tyson against you. That wuz a cunt move. And I understand why you chose Jade over Killer now.”

“Fuck,” Dad choked out. “I wanna choose Killer, I love that bastard, but I can’t handle his moods. He goes from callin’ me a worthless whore to clinging to me like I’m a god. The highs and lows are so extreme it’s emotionally exhausting. That’s why I need Jade. He never screams at me, yeah, he can baby me at times, but it’s damn nice to be looked after. I’ve never had anyone look after me before, not even your mother did that. I’ve always had to look after other people, no matter how shitty a job I did. And Jade doesn’t do shitty, he does first class and with a heavy dose of love. How can I turn that down? I’d be crazy to.”

“I understand.”

“Can you explain this to Killer? Make him understand that if he loves me to either gimme a chance with Jade or to get help, cos if he doesn’t I’m gone for good, that no matter what he does I’ll stay with Jade. Also tell him if he hurts Jade in any way we’re done forever. That no matter how much I love him, I won’t forgive him if he touches one hair on Jade’s head.”

“Why don’t you tell him yourself?”

“If I see him I’ll give in and go back to him. I won’t get the cancer taken care of. I’ll let it kill me.”

“Dad! What the fuck?!”

“I’m tired, Dante. I may not act it, but when I’m alone I’m exhausted. If anything, Killer is more of a cancer than the cancer is.”

“Murderer is causing this not Killer.”

“No, Killer is. He willingly lets Murderer out now. They’re working together. Murderer is changing him and Killer is allowing it to happen. He refuses to take his meds, throws ’em at me when I tell him to. If he can’t do it for me, then I refuse to do shit for him. This is it, Dante, I’ve had it.”

“Fair enough,” I said, realising he was at the same point my mum had gotten to with him. She’d loved Dad passionately, had been in pain when she’d turned him into the police for hitting Ash while he’d been methed-out. She’d walked away, even though she loved him more than her own life, just not enough to sacrifice her son’s happiness—and now the shoe was on the other foot. Dad was now in Mum’s position, wanting to stay with Killer, but knowing he needed to walk away if Killer didn’t change. Dad for once wasn’t the crazy one.

“You’re in Mum’s position,” I said.

“Yes, and it’s karma. Now I understand what I did to her and it fuckin’ stings. I deserve this, deserve to be tortured. I love Killer like she loved me. I treated her badly like Killer is treating me badly. If I don’t walk now, Killer will be the death of me. I won’t go back with him unless he does what I did. Get help. If he can’t do that, then he doesn’t love me like he claims to.”

“He does love you, he’s just sick.”

“And I’m sick too, the only difference is I’m gettin’ help. If he refuses to, this is it. I will stay with Jade and Killer will lose me forever.”

I nodded, even though he couldn’t see me. “If Killer’s willing to take his meds, to give up working with Murderer, will you take him back?”

“Yes, but I don’t think that’ll happen.”

“But if it does?”

“I hope so, but why would you even want me to go back to him when Jade treats me so well? Don’t you want me to be happy?”

“I know you, Dad, you can’t do that without Killer. I’ve never seen you so happy when you two are gettin’ along.”

“And you’ve never seen me so miserable when we aren’t gettin’ along.”

“Then I’ll make him change or I’ll beat the shit outta him.”

My dad choked out a laugh. “I love you, son.”

“I love you too, Dad. I’ll make this right.”

“I hope you do.”

More Broken Lives Short Stories Coming Soon...

About the Author

Marita A. Hansen is from New Zealand. She loves writing, creating art, watching and participating in football, and running. For more information on Marita check out these links:

Author Facebook Page:

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Blog Site:

http://maritaahansen.blogspot.co.nz/

Amazon Author Page:

http://www.amazon.com/Marita-A.-Hansen/e/B005H5W79K/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

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http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5129673.Marita_A_Hansen

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Twitter Name: @MaritaAHansen

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MORE BOOKS BY MARITA A. HANSEN

Graffiti Heaven (Graffiti Heaven #1)

Behind the Hood (Behind the Lives #1)

Behind the Tears (Behind the Lives #2)

Behind the Lens (Behind the Lives #3)

Behind the Secrets (Behind the Lives #4)

Don’t Peek (The Diaries of a Teenage Girl)

Overwhelmed (Blurred Lines #1)

My Masters’ Nightmare Season 1, Episodes 1 – 5

My Masters’ Nightmare Season 1, Episodes 6 – 10

My Masters’ Nightmare Season 1, Episodes 11 – 15

My Masters’ Nightmare Season 2, Episode 1 “Mind Games”

My Masters’ Nightmare Season 2, Episode 2 “Déjà Vu”

Ricardo (The Santini Brothers #1)

Brando (The Santini Brothers #2)

Vincenzo (A Santini Brothers’ Short Story) from the anthology Men of Mayhem

I Love You, Salvatore (The Five Families #1) – This is also a Santini Brothers’ Novella

Sasha & Andriena (Lovers & Sinners #1)

Broken English (Broken Lives #1)

Shattered Poetry (Broken Lives #2)

Jagged Pill (Broken Lives #3)

Love Drunk (Broken Lives #4)

Facing the Music (Broken Lives #4.1)