Against the Tide Read Online Free Page B

gonna drink now, or what?” Marc asks, putting a stop to the dangerous territory of a deep meaningful conversation.
    “Yeah. Let’s drink,” I reply reluctantly with a sigh.
    “Holy shit, Finn. What the fuck happened to your neck?” Marc yells, then starts to laugh as the rest of the boys take notice of what’s just flown out of his big mouth. I frown at his question, running my hand along my neck in confusion as I have no idea what he’s talking about. I push past Marc, and stand in between Kyle and Harley to take a look in the mirrored tiles behind the bar. It’s pretty dim in here, but even without clear lighting I can see the deep red mark on my neck. A love bite. A fucking great big, red love bite right in the middle of my neck and absolutely no way to cover it up or make it go away. Scrap that, I don’t want to make it go away. I want to get in to a better light to see it clearer, to see if I can make out the lines of her gorgeous mouth. I run my fingers over it and I’m momentarily taken back to our tryst in the alley. Her moans. The taste of her tongue. The sound of us moving together. Sordid perfection. So she didn’t exactly leave me with nothing.
    “Yay, my boy scored a home fucking run!” Kyle laughs out, slapping me on the back. “Hey, beautiful,” he calls over the bar. “Let’s have a round of Jager bombs over here, please. And you,” he tips his drink in my direction, “have some telling to do.”
    “I … There’s nothing to tell,” I snap.
    Harley looks at me intently with one eyebrow raised. “What?” I challenge.
    “Nothing, mate. Nothing at all,” he comments coolly. Nothing gets past him. I bet he’s worked it all out already. He’s a cop so putting pieces together is his job, he should try for detective.
    “This isn’t a playground. I don’t do kiss and tell, you should all know that by now.”
    Before the guys get a chance to goad me any further, Lizzie’s friend Jess flies at my chest babbling uncontrollably, “It’s Lizzie, you gotta come, I don’t know what’s wrong with her. One minute she was fine and the next her eyes were rolling and she started swaying all over the place. Finn, quick, Finn, please…”
    Panic takes over the whole of my body and I have to get to her. “Where is she?” I ask, much calmer than I feel, but Jess can’t get her words out and I grab hold of her shoulders and yell, “Where the fuck is she?”
    “In the toilets, she’s in the toilets with Tracy,” Jess answers, her voice thick with panic and her face covered with mascara streaked tears. I push her to the side and force my way through the crowds, I don’t care if I’m knocking people over or spilling their drinks. I have to get to Lizzie. I shove the crowd of girls away that have gathered at the toilet door and skid to a halt.
    My sister. My little Lizzie is laying awkwardly on the dirty tiled floor, her face pale and ashen, and her beautiful blonde curls lay soaked in a puddle of her own vomit. I run to her and drop to my knees, cradling her head in my hands. “Lizzie. Lizzie. Talk to me, sweetheart. Someone get an ambulance,” I yell behind me to no one in particular. “Get a fucking ambulance!”
    I gather her up in my arms, pushing her hair back from her face and stroking her cheek with my thumb. All I hear is a low murmur from the people around us as all I can focus on is my sister. What’s happening to her? Is she sick? Has she taken something? Please god, let her be okay. Please, god.

    I’m not entirely sure how much time has passed. It could be hours, or it could be minutes. I just don’t know. The ambulance crew arrived pretty fast and whisked us here to the hospital. I sit in the corridor outside of the emergency room that they took Lizzie into. Harley, Marc and Kyle all followed right behind us in a taxi and are waiting almost as nervously as I am.
    “What’s taking them so fucking long?” Kyle snaps.
    “Maybe they’re waiting for you to stop wearing a