Keep Me (Beggar's Choice #3)

by Lily Morton

  “Well don’t let it slip again,” Bram says firmly. He turns to me making sure that I can see his face. “This is Charlie, Alys. He is a professional skirt chaser. Do not ever remove your knickers in his vicinity.”

  I’m trying hard not to laugh. “I will try Bram I promise, but what about when I’m not wearing any?”

  He lets out a pained groan. “Alys did we not also have a long chat about making provocative comments in mixed company?”

  I smile. “No.”

  “Well consider it done.”

  I nod solemnly. “I’ll never do it again Bram I swear. Did you want to point the way to the nunnery while you’re at it?”

  Bram’s hiss is covered by Charlie’s bellow of laughter. When Charlie sobers he stares at me hard making me squirm a little. “I like her Bram,” he says finally. He looks at both of us. “Matty was right.”

  “Right about what?” Bram gives Matt a long look which he studiously ignores by looking at his nails.

  Charlie smiles. “Oh nothing. Shall we take Sister Alys over to meet everyone?”

  I laugh and Bram huffs. “I try and look after a woman and all I get is piss taking. Okay fool go ahead,” and he smiles at me as Charlie grabs my hand and draws me after him. His mood has done a complete flip now and his air is one of a brother as he walks me up the stairs pointing out various celebrities along the way, all of whom come over to shake his and Bram’s hands.

  The club is packed and the lights are low but the boom of the music makes the soles of my feet tingle. Clubs can be tricky for me because I can’t always hear what song is playing and the crowds pushing can make me panicky. But I always put myself near the speakers where I can feel the music, and I’m actually at an advantage because I can lip read so I can actually usually follow conversations.

  We push our way through people dressed in exquisite costumes and it’s noticeable that there are no tacky, plastic, hooker costumes in sight. We climb some steps until we reach some doors and Charlie opens one and draws me into what I see is a huge, light room with one wall of glass looking down onto the dance floor. There’s a bar on one side of the room, a long table covered with sumptuous food and lit up like a grotto, and people lounging on squashy settees dotted around the room. The door shuts behind us and I breathe a sigh of relief as the noise of the music instantly stops, meaning that I’ll be able to hear better.

  A cheer goes up as Charlie and Bram enter and they laugh. Bram holds his hands up like he’s a conquering hero and I see several women sit up straight and pull their costumes down a bit over their chests but he ignores them, grabbing my arm from Charlie and steering me over to some people sitting on a group of settees near the glass wall. They all smile as we draw nearer and a giant of a man with shoulder length black hair and dressed as Conan the Barbarian gets to his feet. “Bram,” he shouts slapping Bram on the back and making him wince slightly as the large hand makes contact. “Is this Alys?”

  Bram nods and gestures to me. “Alys this is Seth.” I recognise the drummer from photos but nothing does justice to his bottle green eyes or their kindness and I like him immediately. He has a very steady calm air about him, almost gentleness.

  “Come sit down honey,” he says making sure that I’m looking at him and I realise that Bram’s warned them so that I don’t feel self-conscious if I can’t hear anything. I allow him to draw me towards the place he was sitting at while Bram taps my arm.

  “I’ll get you a drink. Usual?” I nod gratefully and then turn to see a very beautiful dark haired woman looking at me who is dressed as an old school Hollywood actress in gold lame.

  I smile a hello as Seth drags his large hand down her bare shoulder and I see her shiver slightly like a tree in a breeze but she wipes her face clean when he smiles at her. “This is Viv, Alys. She’s a friend of mine.”

  I smile at her and sink into the place next to her feeling a little awkward but it’s instantly dispelled when she turns to me. “How’s it going living with the biggest man whore in the UK?”

  “The UK?” I query and she gives out a loud cackle throwing her head back in abandon and making Seth grin.

  “Okay you’ve got me. In the world.”

  “It’s fine,” I smile. “It’s certainly entertaining.”

  “In what way?” Seth asks, squeezing Viv into me as he sits next to her.

  “Well he can’t cook at all, he’s incredibly messy and he’s the absolutely most impractical person that I’ve ever met.”

  Viv laughs. “What’s he done now?”

  “He was trying to get a double bed into one of the spare rooms the other day.”

  “Why was he doing that?” Seth asks in consternation.

  “Because he’d got a girl in his bedroom when the men turned up so he told them to leave it and he’d sort it out. Anyway when she left.” Viv raises her eyebrow and I laugh. “Okay when he kindly chucked her out, he was left with this massive bed and it wouldn’t go through the door. He wouldn’t let me help and I went out. When I got back he’d got it into the bedroom on his own.”

  “How?” Seth asks, leaning forward and already starting to laugh.

  I can’t help laughing and it’s hard to get the words out but eventually I manage. “He’d sawn the base in half.” Seth and Viv burst out laughing and I gasp out the rest. “It looks okay but if you stay there get into bed carefully, because if you don’t the base separates and you’ll find yourselves on opposite ends of the room.”

  Seth gives out a huge burst of laughter just as Bram comes up and hands me my drink. “What are you laughing at?” he asks, sitting on the arm of the settee next to me. Seth tries to talk and then settles for just pointing at me and then bursting into more guffaws.

  “What the …?” Bram begins but then looks at me accusingly. “You said that was our little secret Alys,” he begins indignantly but gives up as Seth keeps laughing. “Fuck off it worked,” he finally says over the noise. “I mean there’s a bed in there.” Seth breaks into more laughter and Bram gives up, smiling good naturedly.

  As Seth and Viv sit with their heads close together he leans into me making me gasp slightly at the feel of his warm body. “You okay a mhuirnin?”

  I smile at the old Irish endearment. “Jesus Bram, my mum used to say that.”

  He smiles. “Mine too. You doing okay? Has everyone been nice?”

  I open my mouth to reply but the words dry up in my mouth as his whole body goes stiff and he scowls. Turning my head to see who he’s looking at I see a very beautiful girl with long brown hair and a body that fashion magazines would think lovely but I actually think looks skeletal. I stare at her wondering why Bram’s glaring at her, but then she moves forward as the man behind her holding her hand stumbles and jostles her and I see the unmistakable form of Sid Hudson, the guitarist for the band and Charlie’s brother. However, he looks vastly different from the photographs that I’ve seen of him before. His hair is limp and greasy and he looks way too thin.

  The two of them walk towards us and in my peripheral vision I see Charlie come up and Seth rise to his feet, but my attention is on Bram whose body is trembling slightly. I cast a startled look at him but he’s scowling at the pair which amazes me because I’ve read somewhere that he and Sid are best friends. I’ve never seen Bram display this much hostility.

  “Hello everyone,” the girl says ignoring the palpable wave of hostility with a sangfroid that I almost envy.

  “Leah,” Charlie finally says, his fists clenched at his side.

  She smiles almost tauntingly. “What, no hug? Charlie I’m amazed. After all I’m practically your sister in law.”

  He leans towards her almost threateningly. “You’re no sister of mine Leah. You’re nothing to me.”

  She laughs but his attention has been caught by his brother who stands swaying next to her, his attention fixed on something out of the window. “You alright mate,” Charlie asks cautiously but he gets no reply and Bram stands abruptly, something missing from the usual li
the grace of his body. He grabs Sid’s elbow exchanging a haunted glance with Charlie.

  “Sid,” he says, shaking his arm until he shifts his attention to Bram.

  “Bram,” he exclaims falling slightly into him and hugging him sloppily, going to ruffle his hair and missing his head. “How you doing mate? Fuck I haven’t seen you in ages. How’s it going?”

  A spasm of pain crosses Bram’s face. “I saw you yesterday,” he finally settles for saying and Sid laughs carelessly.

  “Fuck, it seems like a long time ago, you know what I mean?” The frenetic, light bulb gaze dims slightly and he suddenly looks confused. “Doesn’t it?”

  I see Bram sigh and then that easy going smile passes his face and he hugs Sid’s thin shoulders. “Yeah mate. Guess it does.”

  Sid’s agitation instantly passes and he hugs Bram. “I knew you’d understand Bram.”

  Bram smiles but that thought occurs to me again about how much of that easy going smile and manner is actually just camouflage, used to put people at their ease. I stare at him with this thought at the forefront for a second, until sensing my regard he suddenly looks up sharply. Catching my eye he stares at me for a second and I suddenly feel desperately sorry for him. This is his best friend and he’s patently off his face at the moment, and judging from his body it’s not the first time. He’s got the look of an addict about him.

  Something of what I’m feeling must transmit itself to Bram because he stares back for a long second, and then he breaks Sid’s hold and lopes over to me, settling onto the arm of the chair again and nestling close almost as if for comfort. I stroke his arm tentatively and am surprised when instead of moving away which I’ve seen him do before when someone gets too close, he actually moves into my caress like a big dog wanting a stroke. Looking up I catch Seth staring at us in something like amazement. Catching my eye he smiles at me almost too brightly and then turns to Charlie who is running his hands over his hair in agitation.

  “I swear to God Leah,” he fumes. “What the fuck are you doing? I thought you were both coming off this shit and instead you bring him here like this.” He gestures at Sid. “What have you fucking taken now?”

  Seth runs his hand comfortingly down Charlie’s back but Charlie’s attention is suddenly drawn to the arrival of a red headed women dressed as a young Elizabeth I by the look of her costume. For a second his expression displays such yearning that I almost turn away, but then a man comes up to the side of the woman and slings his arm around her nuzzling into her neck and instantly Charlie’s expression changes and becomes distant.

  The redhead takes one swift look at the situation and after a pained look at Sid she moves quickly to Charlie’s side and takes his hand with the air of someone who has the right to do it. He instantly draws her close and gives her one anguished look. Murmuring to him soothingly she pulls him away from the crowd and they disappear. The man she was with gives us all a comprehensive glare and then moves towards the bar.

  Silence falls for a second which is broken abruptly when Sid staggers over to the settee and drops into it making a woman squawk and move out of the way quickly. He pulls Leah down to him and then proceeds to kiss her lengthily, ignoring the rest of us. Bram stares industriously down at his fingernails before sneaking a quick peek at Sid as if he can’t help himself. Sid catches it and breaks the kiss, leaning forward and smiling brightly. “You alright mate? I feel like I haven’t seen you for ages.”

  Bram sighs heavily and then half-heartedly smiles. “I’m okay Sid, how are you?”

  “I’m good. I’m good. Leah and I have just been at home you know.” He drifts off for a second, his knee jiggling quickly as he taps out a rapid beat on his leg. Suddenly becoming aware of me he lurches slightly. “And who are you love?”

  Bram stirs as if he wants to drag Sid’s attention away from me. “This is Alys, Sid. You know, the girl that’s staying with me?”

  Sid stares into space for a second and then clicks his fingers suddenly. “I remember. You moaned like fucking hell about it Bram, about having someone dumped on you. How come you changed your mind?”

  I gasp feeling slightly winded. I knew it hadn’t been Bram’s idea for me to stay but I’d given him an out at the start and he hadn’t taken it. I’d presumed, idiot that I am, that he actually enjoyed having me there. I’m embarrassed and I don’t know where to look.

  Bram jerks next to me. “I never said it like that Sid,” he snaps and the harshness of his voice momentarily snags Sid’s attention and he bends towards Bram.

  “I’m sorry Bram,” he says earnestly. “You know me and my memory at the moment?” He turns to me. “I’m sorry Alys, that’s down to me. Bram’s happy you’re staying with him I’m sure.” He looks briefly repentant and for a second it’s like another person peeps out, the person perhaps that Bram’s been friends with for so long and I see Bram sag slightly.

  “It’s okay,” I interject quickly but that brief glance at the real him has gone now and he sits looking agitated, his leg bouncing faster and faster until Leah leans forward and whispers something in his ear and he smiles at her his face totally transformed. He nods and the two of them get up and drift off without even a second glance back at the men that he’s been friends with for years.

  I look at Bram and he looks desolate for a second staring after someone that the papers have always said is like a brother to him. I catch his hand and he jerks looking as if he’d forgotten I was there, which is a surprisingly bitter feeling. “I’m sorry,” I whisper.

  He bends close and speaks very deliberately and I get the impression that he doesn’t want me to misunderstand him. “No, I’m sorry. I didn’t complain about you being at the flat ever. I’m happy that you’re there.”

  I shake my head. “It’s okay babe, I know I was foisted on you. I wouldn’t blame you for moaning about it.”

  He shakes his head crossly. “I love you being there. That flat’s always just been somewhere that I lay my head and other things. It’s only started feeling like home since you arrived. I actually like coming home now because I know that you’ll be there and I can talk to you.” He stops abruptly looking almost surprised and then finishes lamely. “That’s what friends are for right?”

  My smile has a melancholy twist. “Yes Bram. Good friends.”

  Chapter Five

  Alys

  The mood is subdued for a bit after that but then Mick appears dressed as a pirate princess with his belly hanging over his skirt and everyone perks up a bit.

  Charlie reappears with the redheaded girl and comes straight up to us. “Alys, this is my best friend Mabe,” he announces.

  The girl turns to me and smiles. She has a gap in her front teeth and it makes her smile slightly wicked. “I’m so pleased to meet you. I’ve heard so much about you.”

  I can’t help but wince and when Charlie looks at Bram he shrugs. “Fucking Sid’s out of it. He told Alys that I’d been bitching about having her stay with me.”

  Mabe looks horrified. “Oh no nothing like that,” she reassures me. “Bram and Matty are always on about you. You sounded lovely and Viv and I wanted to meet you but Bram said no and that we had to give you chance to settle in or we’d chase you off and he’d be left all on his own again.”

  Bram stirs. “Fucking hell Mabe you make me sound like Miss Havisham. I’m not desperate for company you know.”

  I laugh and Mabe grins. “You sort of are if we’re talking decent company. If we’re talking skanks, then no you’re fine for those.” We both snort at Bram’s expression and then she turns back to me. “You should come out for a drink with me and Viv some time. We’d love to get to know you Alys.”

  “I will.” I smile staring at her curiously. She’s extremely beautiful but I’m not sure that she even knows it. However, judging by the look on Charlie’s face I think that he does.

  She turns back to him. “Charlie are you going to have that Bonfire Night party you were on about?”

  He smiles indulgen
tly at her. “If you want Mabe.”

  “Oh I do,” she says excitedly. “Let’s make it a really good one.”

  He laughs but it falls from his face when the man that Mabe arrived with appears. “Mabe,” he hisses, grabbing her hand. “You just fucking abandoned me. Where have you been?”

  She looks abashed but Charlie looks threateningly at his hand on Mabe’s arm until he drops it. Mabe smiles at the man appeasingly. “I’m sorry babe I was just with Charlie.”

  “When aren’t you just with fucking Charlie?” he snarls and she holds up her hand.

  “Stop. I’m here now. You know everyone else but let me introduce you to Alys. She’s staying with Bram at the moment.”

  He turns to me and I’m stunned when his scowl drops to be replaced with a particularly oily smile and a sidelong glance at Mabe to see if she’s noticed. “Hello Alys you’re extremely beautiful. Far too beautiful to be staying with this one.”

  “Erm thank you,” I manage. He’s a very pretty man with jet black hair and a lean muscled build, but I really don’t like the way that he’s staring down my top.

  Bram stirs next to me and shoots a look at Mabe who’s completely oblivious. “Rob you’d better get your eyes off Alys’ tits or I’ll close them for you.”

  “Jesus calm down Bram,” he says dismissively. “Nothing wrong with a bit of looking.”

  “There is if it’s Alys’ tits you’re having a bit of a look at,” Bram snarls.

  I put my hand on his arm to calm him down although what is the matter with him I don’t know, but at that point Mabe turns around from the low voiced conversation that she’d just been having with Viv. Her smile falters when she sees Bram’s face. “Everything okay?”

  “It’s fine babe.” I dig my nails into Bram’s arm until he stops scowling.

  “Okay then come and have a dance Rob,” she coaxes and with one last oily smile at me he goes with her.

  “What is the matter with you?” I hiss at Bram.

  “He was staring at your tits.” His voice goes higher in indignation at the end of the sentence attracting Matt’s attention.