Page 18 of Ravaged By Lust

“I know.”

There’s another long pause until I decide to speak again.

“Something has been weighing on my mind, Bishop.”

“What is it?”

Here goes.

“I want to talk to my brother about us.”

Bishop doesn’t say anything at first as my words soak in.

And then he says my name. Like he’s trying to stop my thoughts.

“Chloe…”

“We can’t continue sneaking around like this forever, Bishop.”

“I think we can,” he replies.

“You know it would be worse if Axel were to walk in on us, here, in my bed together. It’s only a matter of time before something crazy like that were to happen.”

“I don’t know about that,” Bishop says.

“We can break it to him softly. In a manner of our own choosing…”

“Axel would go crazy if he found out,” Bishop continues. “He would try to kill me, Chloe. You don’t usually let one of your best friends fuck your younger sister, do you? How do you think you would react if you were as proud and as impulsive as your brother?”

My finger reaches the bottom of his chest scar. He got this pursuing something he wanted. I wonder how many scars he might get from pursuing me.

I have no answer for him.

5

CHLOE

When Bishop leaves, both Maddie and Axel pretend to act like nothing’s happened, which I’m eternally grateful for. I don’t want to talk about Ravaged’s guitarist. I don’t even want to be reminded that he was just here, in freaking front of me, just moments ago.

And I certainly don’t want to talk about Bishop with my brother, of all people.

“I’ll show you Chloe’s viral video,” Maddie says to my brother as she pulls out her phone.

I shake my head. “You don’t have to do that, Maddie.”

“Oh, I really want to see this,” Axel smirks.

They both sit there and watch the entirety of my song.

“Switch it off,” I protest, but they ignore me. I hate hearing myself back. I’m freaking out that they’re judging me. They don’t talk or comment at all during the video, and it’s pure agony.

They don’t even make a sound until the very end.

“You’re good,” Axel remarks as Maddie switches off her phone. “Really fucking good, Chloe.”

“You don’t have to please me.”

“Shut up. You’re fucking good. I’ve always told you that, but you’ve always hated performing for me, so I never see it. Your persistence for working hard all these years has paid off.”