Deep (Heavy Hearts Book 2) by Sarah Duncan (red seas under red skies txt) 📗

“Then what happened?” He whispers.

“We trashed the Art room then moved on to the canteen because we were hungry. I woke up the next day with not much of a memory and a feeling like I did something bad. Travis told me all the details in exchange for a bag of weed which I stole from Mike before going to another party and getting high again and waking up on my ex-boyfriend's lap straddling him with our clothes on. But we didn’t have sex which was a good fucking thing because I saved myself for you. Yes, keep doing that.” I rush it all out and dig my nails into Ayden’s arse cheeks as he slides inside, and we ride another high together.

Afterwards, through panted breaths, Ayden growls. “Who the fuck is your ex-boyfriend, and where can I find him so I can punch the shit out of him?”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Mr Matthews is lost for words. I never thought I’d see the day when I would be successful in my pursuit to shock the guy, yet here we are.

“Are you being serious right now?” He asks, and I nod.

In line with me opening up from our session on Monday, in today’s session, I go for gold and verbally vomit everything that happened over the last two days since seeing him. There’s the visit from Muz, the song with Ayden, the sex with Ayden, yes, I told him about that. Then I told him about the call from Val, the visit from my dad, that Muz showed up with a gun, the missing file that my dad is searching for, the phone call between my parents, the cops turning up, the visit to Abbey’s, the therapeutic sex with Ayden, oh and the little chat Andrea had with me last night about having unprotected sex before giving me the morning after pill, which Ayden organised with her. Yep, that happened.

“You’ve got a lot going on.” Mr Mathews says, taking a sip of his water. He’s probably wishing it was vodka.

“Yeah, well, you wanted to know what happened since our last appointment two days ago.”

“Yes. Right. Well, with all of those things that happened, is there anything in particular that you would like to discuss in more detail today?”

I shrug.

“How about this Muts guy?”

“Muz.” I giggle, correcting Mr Matthews.

“Oh, right. Muz. You said he threatened you, but then he protected you. Do you know why?”

“No idea. Maybe he’s hoping it will win him brownie points with Ayden, so he talks to his dad about helping Muz.” I shrug, leaning forward to grab a handful of M&Ms from the bowl on the table between us.

“How about what’s happening between your parents. That must be confusing.” Mr Matthews scrubs his hand over his shiny bald head. It’s so shiny, I could probably see my reflection in it.

“Well yeah. I have no idea what’s going on. I just need the cops to hurry up and catch my dad and brother. It’s driving me crazy having to look over my shoulder all the time.”

“Yes, I can imagine it would.” Mr Matthews agrees.

My attention is caught by my phone buzzing, and I pull it out of my hoodie pocket. The boy's group chat is blowing up. I shouldn’t look while I’m in my appointment with the school counsellor, but I do.

Jared Crowley

What the fuck is Tasha’s problem? I’m over that bitch trying to bring Lexi down!

Garrett Cole

Someone needs to put her in her box.

Simon Hastings

Grady man, get your bitch to sort Tasha out.

She’ll put her back in her box and bury it so no one can find it.

Marcus Grady

Hastings, if you call Rhys a bitch one more time, I’m going to dick punch you until you’ve got a fucking vagina!

Mr Matthews clears his throat. “Lexi, can you pop your phone away, please?”

I look up to him briefly, but I’m drawn back to my phone when another message comes through.

Shaun Bossier

Ha! Take that, Hastings!

Simon Hastings

Everyone is so touchy these days!

Ayden Mitchell

Can someone fill me in?

What’s happened now?

Jared Crowley

Today’s rumour is that Lexi was Travis Watson’s accomplice in the school vandalism.

Oh shit!

Ayden Mitchell

Fuck! Are you sure it’s Tasha spreading it?

Marcus Grady

Who else would it be?

“Okay, Lexi. I think we are done here.” Mr Matthews's clipped tone gets my attention.

“No. Wait!” I panic; my knee starts jiggling up and down.

Mr Matthews frowns at my knee. “What’s just happened?”

“Ah. Um. Ah.” Shit. I can’t tell him about my part in the school vandalism… can I?

“This is a safe zone, Lexi. You can tell me anything, remember?”

He says that, but can I really, without him legally having to divulge information to the authorities? My phone keeps buzzing with incoming messages, but I slide it back into my pocket. I can read them on my way home after this.

“Hypothetically speaking, if I told you something that happened that may be illegal, would you be obligated to report it?” I rush the words out and wait quietly while Mr Matthews thinks up his answer.

“You mean like hanging around with a gangster that pulled a gun on your dad? That sort of illegal?”

Well shit. I hadn’t thought that through when I verbally vomited that information, had I? I shrug.

“Kind of, I guess, but maybe more like if I did something illegal like holding a gun to my dad's head?”

“Did you?” he asks, and I shake my head and frown.

“No! This is hypothetical.”

He sighs. “I do have an obligation, Lexi. A Duty of Care that if you are behaving in a way that breaks the law, or is harmful to others or yourself, that I must report it.”

“Right,” I say and then throw a smile on my face. “Well, it’s a good thing I’m a stellar law-abiding citizen then, isn’t it?” I laugh, but it’s forced.

Mr Matthews frowns, studying me.

“Oh, look at the time. I should go.” I glance at my wrist to a watch that isn’t there and stand ready to get the hell out of Dodge.

“Lexi, what’s happened?” Mr