Bad Boy vs Millionaire by Candy J Starr

just get fish and chips and take puppy for a run on the beach.”
     
    ***
     
    Tamaki dropped me off at Jack's apartment. We'd swung by a pet store and bought a whole heap of things for the puppy. “Vicious” was what Angie had named him, Sid Vicious. I thought that was a pretty dumb name but couldn't think of anything better.
    I’d actually been about to ask him to drop me around the corner so Jack wouldn’t see us but then stopped myself and told him to park outside.
    Vicious sat up in his crate on the back seat of the convertible, wearing his studded collar. Angie's choice. She'd actually wanted one the same for herself. She'd also wanted to buy the complete punk outfit for Vicious but both Tamaki and I had said no.
    “ You are really okay with the arrangement? I mean with me living next door. I didn't realise it would be a problem but you looked horrified when you saw me.”
    “ Yeah, I think it will be okay and it will mean that I can see Vicious every day.”
    When I got inside, Eric and Jack weren't home. I assumed they were still at rehearsal. They hadn't said what time they'd get back. Our breakfast dishes were still in drying on the rack. It seemed so long since the morning, with all the excitement of the apartment then with the puppy. I'd have to find time to tell Jack about moving and maybe prepare him for Tamaki being around. I didn't owe him any explanation but that kind of logic didn't seem to matter with Jack and I didn't want to look like I was sneaking around.
    I put away the dishes then slumped on the couch watching TV. I thought about making dinner but I didn't know what time the guys would get home and I wasn't that hungry myself after our feast on the beach.
    I must have dozed off because the beeping of my phone startled me and suddenly it was dark outside.
    I checked. Eric had sent a message saying they'd be late and to help myself to anything I wanted out of the fridge. There were heaps of leftovers from the welcome home party.
    It was weird being alone in their warehouse. I could go snoop through their stuff if I wanted but I didn't think I'd find much that I didn't already know about. Maybe I'd even find stuff I didn't want to know about. I knew Jack did drugs and even Eric did occasionally but I'd rather turn a blind eye to that than blatantly know.
    They still weren't home when I went to bed.
    During the night, I heard a noise. I figured they'd gotten back from rehearsal. I tried to get back to sleep but I couldn't. I hadn't heard Eric come upstairs so figured the two of them must be talking, maybe even getting a snack. If they were still buzzing after a great rehearsal and Eric was with Jack, it'd be the perfect time to talk to him. Also, I was really hungry after skipping dinner.
    As I walked down the stairs, I noticed only the kitchen light was on and there was no noise. Last time I'd disturbed Jack in the night, he'd been in a dream and had tried to attack me. I thought maybe I should go back to bed. But then he couldn't be asleep if Eric wasn't in bed.
    I was walking through the main room to the kitchen when I heard a scream.
    A hand wrapped around my waist and I stood stock still, as though that would protect me. I couldn’t scream or move. It was as if I’d gone blank inside. The only part of me that worked was my heart, bashing to get out.
    Before my brain could unfreeze, I was hurled across the room. Crashing, then a blinding pain throbbing in my head.
    This was it. A psychopath had gotten in the house and I was going to die.
    Then I looked up at Jack.
    He had no recognition of me in his eyes. Nothing there at all. His pupils were massive and his gaze unfocussed. He mumbled something but I couldn't understand what it was. Just words being repeated. His face was drenched with sweat, so that his hair was plastered down and I could hear his rapid, panting breath.
    I tried to get up but my head throbbed with a world of pain. I was sure it’d been cut open. I must have hit the side of