Switch

by Jennifer Ryder

  April turns her head to the side, blinks as if she has a lash stuck to her eyeball, and then makes this mopey puppy pout.

  “You really want me there?”

  “It’s only a couple of hours drive and we can go out to the local pub for a few drinks after. Eevie is coming too, and we always try and keep each other company. Come on, you know you want to.”

  I let out a heavy breath. It’s not a matter of not wanting to do it. The idea sounds amazing, and I get along well with Eevie, but really, how can I afford it? I just paid another instalment on the loan, and I’m barely keeping my head above water.

  “Cash flow is kind of tight, babe,” I admit. I grit my teeth as blood rushes to my face. I fucking hate being in this position.

  April curls her hands over my shoulders and drills me with her typical don’t-fuck-with-me gaze. “Don’t worry about it. I’ve got you covered. It doesn’t take much to get you off your tit anyway.”

  I look into her steely-grey eyes, searching for pity. Typically, there isn’t any.

  “Yeah, okay. I just hate being a fucking charity case.”

  “Soph, you’re far from it. You’re my bestie, and if I’m gonna buy you a few drinks, who cares? What’s a few drinks between friends?”

  “’Kay. Just no Jägerbombs, ’right?” I smirk at her, and she does the same back to me.

  “No, Soph. I swore off those for life, remember?”

  How could I forget the day Jones broke her heart? That was one hell of a ride she took on the porcelain bus. Even though it’s been well over a year, a part of me still hates him for that.

  “Good. It’s settled then. You’re coming,” she confirms with a nod.

  “I need to do a bit of reading for uni, so do you reckon you could drive so I can catch up?”

  “No worries, Soph. Just glad to have you.”

  ****

  After watching the boys on the track for the first few races, we set up some camping chairs under the portable team canopy and take a seat. My back is killing me, thanks to the sofa bed. On top of that, I’d tossed and turned all night thanks to April and Jones humping each other into the early hours of the morning.

  “I really need to set my dad up with someone,” April says. She watches him with admiration as he works in the distance. Mac is the kind of father that everyone wants—kind, loving, and supportive, so really, the total opposite to mine.

  The next moment, Rocco comes over to Mac and they take a good look at one of the bikes, unscrewing something on the side so they can examine it further. Their discussion turns heated, and I can tell Mac isn’t impressed by the way he’s flapping his arms around. Rocco takes his phone out of his pocket, and makes a call, walking away from the group. As he speaks into the phone, he’s pretty animated with his hands.

  “How long has Mac been single for?” Eevie asks.

  “Too long,” April says. “My mum is being such a bitch about this whole wedding thing, trying to be all controlling, but I won’t have a bar of it. She seriously expects for her and Daddy to walk me down the aisle. It’s never gonna happen. I reckon she’s just doing it to get in his face, and it fucking shits me to tears.”

  “Don’t let her ruin it for you, April. It’s your day and you’re going to remember it forever, so you need to stick to your guns,” Eevie says with certainty.

  I look at Eevie and she smiles. Were there dramas with her wedding? Maybe she’s speaking from experience.

  “Yeah, I will. I just don’t need the stress. And besides, I just want to see him happy. He’s was walking around proud as punch after we got engaged. He’s been busting to walk me down the aisle, but after we met up with Mum last week, it’s like he’s deflated.”

  “You want me to cut her?” I ask April. I’m not serious, of course, but I get a kick out of saying it. I’ve only met her mother once, but the way she treated April, it was as if it was a huge inconvenience having to spend time with her only child. It left such a bad taste in my mouth. I will never be so cold when it comes to my own children. Never.

  “Ha! Thanks for having my back, Soph, but for now it’s all good. If she keeps it up, though, I might cut her myself.”

  “Well, I’m here if you need me,” I offer with a wink.

  “If he just found someone nice, you know? It wouldn’t hurt for Mum to see that he’s finally moving on. He deserves that.”

  “We love Mac, April. You know, I have an idea,” Eevie says.

  “Oooh, do you know someone?” April says, eyes wide.

  “I know someone who would be perfect for him, but…” She frowns.

  “But what?”

  “Let’s just say she’s a bit shy, and definitely not the kind of woman that’d just jump right into something. She’d be looking to start up a friendship first.”

  “Well, I’d say she sounds great.”

  Eevie smiles and then releases a loud sigh. “I’ll bring her along next round.”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  ROCCO

  “Goddamn piece of shit,” I mutter under my breath as I screw the plastics back onto Jones’s bike. Clearly I wasn’t concentrating when I pieced it back together after the last round. I’d thought it was running smoothly, but clearly I was wrong. Mac couldn’t wait to grill me over it. I fuckin’ deserve it. I don’t wanna be responsible for the guys not getting the points they need. I’m so fucking angry with myself. There’d better be enough Patron within my reach tonight.

  Today has felt like a constant attack. What could’ve gone wrong went wrong. The throttle got stuck on Billy’s bike and I had a hard job to get him cleared through scrutineering. Stone’s bike kept backfiring, thanks to an air leak in the midpipe/headpipe junction. There were snapped levers left right and centre and I only had a few spare, meaning I had to approach another team for back-up parts. Not fucking cool. Taking care of this shit is my job, and today I fucking sucked at it.

  I finish loading up the truck with Mac, wary that I’m being watched.

  April, Eevie and Soph are sitting around in a circle beside the truck, laughing and scoffing. They shoot the occasional glance in my direction. I’ve got a right mind to ask them what the fuck is so funny.

  Fuck, shake it off, Rocco. The day is done. Fuckin’ deal with it.

  Jones strolls over to April, smiling like a fuckin’ loon. I’m pretty sure by the look of lust in her eyes as he dips his head and kisses her, play biting her bottom lip, that she’d be humping him right now if they didn’t have an audience.

  “This is the awkward lovey-dovey shit I have to put up with constantly,” Soph says to Eevie, nodding in the direction of the horny couple.

  She’s still sleeping on their couch after a month?

  “It’s sweet,” Eevie says, and presses her dark glasses back up her nose with her index finger as she casts her gaze at them.

  I move over to the Esky beside the chairs and take out a bottle of cold water, drinking half of it in one hit.

  “Ladies,” I say with a nod.

  “Hey, Rocco,” Eevie says with a cute smile. She’s always nice to me.

  I get a grunt from Soph, and a not-so-welcome stare. Nothing new, there.

  “You still sleepin’ on their couch, huh?” I ask her.

  “Yeah.”

  “I’m surprised you’re still walkin’. Sofa beds are fucked.”

  “Ain’t that the truth,” she says with a shake of her head.

  An idea springs to mind. I have a room that I’m sick to death of looking at. I know Soph hates me. The disdain she has for anyone born with a dick practically drips off her, but there’s obviously some shit going on in her life, and I can’t help but feel a little sorry for her.

  “I have a spare room with decent bed in it if you wanna get away from these two,” I say and point at April and Jones, who are now locking lips against the side of the truck. Really? Public displays of affection make me gag.

  In the distance, April squeals and they both walk over, swinging their linked hands between the
m.

  I turn to face Soph, who hasn’t said boo about my offer. Her eyebrows are pulled together, causing a deep line to form between them. She regards me warily.

  “Look, I’m hardly ever around. For the time being, my spare room is empty. If you need a place to crash for a few weeks or a couple of months, I’ve got no issue with giving up a room that doesn’t even get used.”

  She looks to the happy couple, who are again pawing each other. Soph shakes her head and turns back at me. “Are you sure?”

  I nod. I’m not about to beg. She can take it or leave it.

  “I’ll pay my share of rent,” she says, seriousness splashed across her face.

  Rent? I don’t need rent. I own the place outright, but no one but V knows that. I like it that way. I don’t need people asking questions about where I got the money.

  “Seriously, I don’t even care. It’s empty.”

  “I’ll pay rent,” she says. This time her teeth are clenched.

  “Fine. You pay rent, you feel better about the arrangement, but truly I don’t give a fuck.”

  “I … I don’t know,” she mutters to herself, toying with the hole on the thigh of her faded blue jeans.

  “Soph,” April says, gripping Soph’s knee. “You can stay as long as you want.”

  “Yeah as long as you wanna continue listening to your best friend call out Jones’s name as she c—” I say before I’m cut off.

  “Okay! I get the drift,” Soph says, and narrows her eyes at me.

  “I try to be quiet, but sometimes it’s hard,” April says and covers her mouth as she chuckles quietly.

  “So hard,” Jones says, jumping into the conversation and palming down the front of his crotch.

  “Seriously. You’re welcome at our place for as long as you need, but I’ve seen the spare room, babe. It’s pretty big. And it’s gotta be a damn sight more comfortable than my couch.”

  Soph shrugs.

  April swings her body to face me. She purses her lips as she points her finger at me, as if she might fish out my eye with it. “AND, you take care of her. No bullshit, Rocco.”

  I hold my hands up in mock surrender. “I’ll be the perfect fuckin’ gentleman.”

  “Ha! Sure you will,” April says through a chuckle.

  “Like I said, I’m hardly ever there. So take it or leave it. Whatever.”

  Sophie looks up at me through her long lashes, and blinks rapidly. Has she got dirt in her eye or something?

  “I’ll take it,” she says. “Thanks.” Her last word seems as if it stung leaving her mouth, and her gaze shies away.

  I guess no one likes a hand-out. Not that I’m giving her one.

  “Just let me know when.”

  Jones throws a loud slap on April’s arse and she squeals and punches him in the arm. “You love it,” Jones drawls.

  “I’d say next week is looking pretty good,” Soph says, her tone bored. A sly smile reaches the corner of her mouth.

  “April can give you my address and number, and I’ll get shit sorted for you.”

  A few loud claps, has us all turning around. “Right, let’s get out of here, kids, and go get a drink and a fat juicy steak,” Mac says, with another clap of his greasy hands. The cool stare he sends in my direction reminds me of my failure on the track today. “I’m thirsty.”

  He’s thirsty? I could drink the bar dry.

  I stretch my arms over my head and the group disperses, packing up chairs and throwing rubbish in a nearby bin.

  Everyone else is busy doing shit when Soph strolls towards me. “Thanks,” she says with a nod, and keeps walking in the direction of April’s car.

  “Sure. Whatever,” I mutter, watching the way her arse cheeks move in those tight jeans as she walks off. Jesus, she has an incredible bum.

  I imagine running my fingers between those cheeks and down to her pussy. I’d bet my life that being a lesbian, that puss of hers is either groomed to perfection or bare as the smooth skin of her arse. I need to check out some more lesbian porn. Nothing wrong with mixing it up.

  Fuck me. Now is not the time to be getting hard.

  I snap myself out of my kinky lesbian thoughts, and walk around to the side of the truck. Jones calls out my name.

  I swing my head around, catching him jogging the last few steps to stand in front of me. “Yeah?”

  He comes close and takes hold of my elbow. “You sure you’re thinking straight?” he asks, his voice low and quiet.

  “’Bout what exactly?”

  “Having Soph move in with you.” He narrows his eyes and his mouth twitches, as if he wants to stay something but isn’t sure what. Either that or he’s having a mini stroke. What the fuck is wrong with him?

  “It’s no big deal.” She’d actually be doing me a favour. I’ll be less inclined to think of V if she’s there. “And really, what the fuck can go wrong?”

  “Oh buddy, don’t let the beauty blind you.”

  “Please, brother. There ain’t no woman that can resist the De Luca charm.”

  “She’s a lesbian, Rocco, so I’d say she’s pretty immune to that shit. Just watch your back. She’s fierce.”

  Oooh, a girl with a bit of fight. I like that. “Yeah, yeah.”

  “You ever lived with a girl before?” he asks.

  “No, and I’ll tell you, the only reason I’m offering it up to her is because I know she won’t get clingy. She can have her space, and I’ll have mine.”

  “That’s the only reason?”

  I chuckle to myself. Not exactly. “You never know when an opportunity to witness some girl-on-girl action might present itself.”

  “Fuck me. And you reckon I like to live life on the edge,” Jones says with a shake of his head.

  “Best place to be, my friend.”

  ****

  Two days later, after getting back from this weeks’ round, I get a text from a number I don’t know.

  Hey, it’s Soph. Can I move in next Thursday? I’ll be working most of the day, but will call you when I get there.

  Yeah, I guess Thursday works. I reply.

  Me: Sure, I’ll be home.

  Soph: Let me know how much rent is.

  I meant it when I said I don’t give a shit about rent. No skin off my nose.

  Me: We can sort that shit later.

  Soph: HOW MUCH IS RENT?

  I chuckle to myself. I get the feeling this arrangement could be fun. I do love riling up this girl. Really, there’s not much else going on in my life that I can laugh about.

  Me: Like I said, we can sort this shit later. Comprende?

  Soph: FINE. See you next Thursday.

  I imagine her growling the word ‘fine’ and rolling her green eyes. Something in my gut tells me that having this feisty woman move in means my life’s about to get a whole lot more interesting.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  SOPHIE

  I hope she’s not home today. I’m not interested in re-hashing shit, because I know that’s exactly what will happen. Being the debate team captain in high school, she won’t be able to help herself.

  With the small amount of credit on my phone, I text her to say that I’m grabbing the last of my boxes out of the garage, and that I’ll leave my keys on the bench. If April had the room, I would’ve taken those things sooner.

  Once I get to our old place, I back my blue Hyundai hatchback up to the garage and open the boot, moving some empty shopping bags aside to make room.

  I quickly load a couple of boxes in, and then spy a black matt paper bag with black ribbon for handles beside the last box. There’s a folded piece of white paper on top. I spy the flashes of cream, red, and deep purple. What has she done now?

  My beautiful Sophie,

  I know you think I was too lavish with these gifts, but you have to take them with you. You’re beautiful and you deserve to have beautiful things. I just hope I get to enjoy the sight of you wearing them once more.

  Love Bon x

  Straight away, I k
now what she’s done. I never felt like I deserved these gifts. Who spends hundreds upon hundreds of dollars on underwear? Certainly not me. Once upon a time, before Prince Fuckface royally screwed me over, I didn’t mind the occasional lavish purchase. Now, I prefer to spend my money on food and bare necessities. Call me fucking crazy.

  But this is not just any underwear. It’s Agent Provocateur. It’s incredible, top-of-the-line, make-you-feel-like-you’re-worth-a-million-dollars underwear, but I never asked for it. I loved wearing it, but it would always remind me of the divide between us. Bonnie would occasionally make me wear it, and she’d take her time taking it off me. Sure, she’d boss me around. We always fought each other to be dominant in the bedroom, but it was during those times when I wore beautiful lingerie that I’d give in. Playing the submissive one has it rewards.

  This time, I’m giving in again. I’m taking the damn sexy underwear, because who knows if I’ll be able to afford nice things like this in the future. I’ll just have to treat these with extra care. They may need to last a while. No farting in these pretty panties.

  I laugh to myself. Bonnie was devastated to be the first in our relationship to fart in front of the other. And didn’t I like to remind her of that fact.

  I put the note back in the bag, put it on top of the last box and jam my armload into the back of my car. Lingerie, you’re coming home with me.

  A black Mercedes pulls into the pebbled driveway beside my car. Fucking hell. Awkward confrontation, here we come.

  Bonnie’s heels click on the path as she approaches, wearing a sharp black pantsuit and a soft smile.

  “Hi,” I say, my voice suddenly tight.

  “Looks like I just caught you.”

  “You didn’t have to rush home. You look like you’ve just come from work.”

  She moves in closer and strokes my upper arm with her warm, smooth palms. She smells divine too. I bet she’s still using that sweet pomegranate body lotion I got her for Christmas. It’s a smell that reminds me of soft skin, rich kisses and all-night-long orgasms.

  “It’s no big deal. I wanted to talk to you,” she says, in her soft yet dominant tone.