“I will always want you by my side, Dee. I’m just scared,” he says, wrapping his warm, comforting arm around me.
“Scared of what?”
“Scared of losing Hux, like I lost Dad. He was a massive user when we were growing up, and he taught us everything about drugs and the drug world. I smoked my first joint at seven years old, and I did my first line of coke at twelve. By sixteen, I was as into the drug scene as Dad was, and Hux was the same. Mum never did anything about it. She turned a blind eye. Even let the three of us go out hunting, high as fucking kites. That was until I turned twenty and Hux was eighteen.” He sighs.
“Dad and I were at home and doing a mixture of ecstasy, coke, dope, and alcohol. Plus, Dad was using prescription medication by that stage as well. I was out of my mind high and zoned out on the lounge while Dad was shooting up. When I finally woke, I saw Dad on the floor, face down with foam coming out of his mouth. He was stone cold and as white as a sheet. I was still coming down, so I panicked and didn’t know what to do.” He scrubs a hand through his hair.
“Mum came home from the shops to see me on the floor, freaking out and slapping Dad across the face to wake him up. She pulled me away from him, and we called for an ambulance, but it was too late. He’d overdosed.” Colt’s eyes glass over, but I say nothing.
“Mum didn’t seem overly surprised, but she cracked the whip after the funeral. She threw out all the drugs and alcohol in the house and made Hux and me go to rehab. I was out in thirty days and doing well, but Hux took much longer. He was in the center for ninety days, and when he came out, he relapsed almost immediately. It’s been nearly seven years since he got out of rehab the second time, and he’s been clean for most of it. So to see him falling back into it…” he trails off while shaking his head.
Holy shit!I knew Colt had a past, and of course, he would’ve been exposed to drugs and doing them, but to hear him admit it. Admit he went to rehab. That’s all that stands out from everything he said.
“I can understand why you’re so angry with him. It would’ve been hard living through that,” I say.
“I know all of this probably makes you think badly of me, but it’s best if you know the truth. I’ve been completely sober from drugs for the past two years. Obviously, I still drink, but the craving for coke is still there, Dee. I haven’t felt a full-on craving since I met you, and I love that feeling,” he says, turning his head to face me.
Looking up at him, I smile. I am glad I can help with his cravings, and I’m happy he hasn’t been using with me around, but I can’t shake the image of him licking the cocaine from his lips out of my head.
“I understand if this is too much for you. I know you’ve never been around anything like this in your life, and I get it if you don’t want to be here,” he says, then swallows hard. I know he’s worried that I might leave, but I don’t think, even in light of this new information, that I could leave him. I sit on the bed, and he follows, sitting beside me. He takes my hands in his and looks into my eyes, waiting for a response.
“I’m not going anywhere, Colt. Yes, I may disagree with your brother’s lifestyle choices, but you aren’t going down that same path, for which I’m truly grateful. Because if you were… I don’t think I could stay.”
He winces and tightens his grip on my hands. “I wouldn’t do that to you, Dee. Plus, I told your dad that I’d look after you, and I intend on keeping that promise.”
“I know, but Colt, if you ever need to talk, I’malwayshere for you. You can tell me anything. I’m sorry about your dad,” I whisper.
He exhales and stands from the bed abruptly. “C’mon, let’s go party with Dingo and Sia and forget all about it.”
Talk about whiplash.
Such a sudden change of direction.
Smiling, I stand, and we walk out of the bedroom to find Dingo and Sia by the refrigerator. As we approach, they’re talking about the contract with Rob Luxley, which is why we’re having this party to celebrate the band hiring a new agent.
“What the hell is with Hux, man? Is he losing his shit again?” Dingo asks when he spots us.
“I don’t fucking know. Let him waste away. See if I care,” Colt says, but I know he doesn’t mean it. He opens the refrigerator,grabs two beers, and hands one to me. I nod in appreciation and unpop the lid.
“Seriously, Colt, you should have a brotherly chat with him when Coslecki isn’t around to make him act up,” Sia says, looking over at Hux and Jared, who are now taking turns making out with some chick I haven’t seen before.
It really is gross!
“I will, but for now, I just wanna drink and forget about tonight,” Colt says, clinking his bottle with mine and taking a long guzzle of his beer.
I raise my eyebrows and take a sip.
Many beers later, I’m feeling the buzz of alcohol hitting me as Colt and Dingo are laughing about something. I’m unsure what, as I’m too busy watching Jessi dry hump Brad against the wall. It amazes me how much of a complete whore she actually is. I shake my head and stumble slightly on the spot.
Colt takes hold of my arm and steadies me. “You right there, love?”
“I’m fine. Just a bit… drunk, I think.”
“Yeah, me too,” he says, leaning down to kiss me.
“God, don’t you two start now as well,” Dingo says, confusing me.
“Huh?” I look at him with an eyebrow raised.
