Fragile Truths Read Online Free PDF Page A

me and I glanced at him, narrowing my eyes and exposing to him I knew he wanted, or even needed to talk. “What’s up?”
    He continued to watch the girl heave but I knew he wasn’t really seeing her; he was fighting with some sort of internal argument in his head, the small tic that twitched in his cheek gave away his mental dilemma as usual.
    “Are you still pussying about Giorgio?”
    He shrugged and pulled a long drag of his own smoke, “Something’s not right, Tate. I can’t put my finger on what, but I know…”
    “You know shit. Don’t involve yourself in Pop’s quarrels; it’ll end up in tears…” I cocked my head and decided to rephrase, “or worse… pain.”
    His tongue drew patterns on the inside of his cheek, the tip pushing ridges under the tight skin as he shook his head. “I’m telling you, I don’t like it.”
    I shrugged this time and turned to watch the girl as she tried to push herself up the wall with the palms of her hands but dropped again and threw up once more, her spew spraying the wall. I squinted at her as the whitewashed wall was suddenly decorated in a modern art canvas of red dashes and splashes.
    “Whoa!”
    “Shit!” Jude grumbled as he dropped his smoke to the floor and rushed over to her.
    “Hey, you okay?”
    She shook her head rapidly as she retched, “Leave me alone.”
    She flapped her hands at Jude, warning him to move away. He put his hands in surrender, “Calm down, tiger. You need help, you’re throwing up blood. Let me call an ambulance.”
    “No!”
    I frowned in annoyance at her arrogance as I stepped in beside Jude and looked down at her. Her face was covered by long blonde hair and I reached in to pull it out of the way so she wouldn’t coat it with her stomach contents. She kept glancing towards the end of the alley and I turned to see what she was looking at but nothing jumped out or grabbed my attention. “Look darlin’, my brother’s right, you need help.”
    She shook her head again and this time she stood upright as I heard a clop of heels running down the alley towards us. “Shit, what’s happened?” The new girl, obviously Blondie’s friend asked as she skidded to a stop beside her and peered into her face with worried eyes.
    “Dunno, she just started spewing her guts up. I think she’s just ripped the veins in her throat cos’ she was really going for it. How much has she supped?” Jude inquired as I turned back to the girl and watched her eyes frantically continue to scan the area.
    Something about her made my body shiver, a light tingling seemed to flow through my blood and I shook my head at myself, rolling my eyes. God knows what Jude had put in the joints this time.
    The brunette brushed her friend’s hair out of her face as she scrutinised her, “Are you okay, babe?”
    “I need to go home, Mags. Please.”
    Her pleading tone was sending warning signals through me. She was practically shivering with what appeared to be fright but she grabbed her friend’s arms and nearly shook her until her head wobbled, “MAGS! Get me home!”
    “What the fuck is wrong with you?” she barked at Blondie, then softened her gaze and reached in to cup her face gently. “Is it Jarod? Has that bastard been in touch?”
    Blondie shook her head and once again glanced to the main road, “No, no. Mags please.” She pulled at her, trying to make her follow but she stood her ground and defied her friend.
    “Babe, please let’s just call an ambulance. You shouldn’t spew up blood like that.”
    “Oh forget it!” Blondie shouted at her as she pulled her hair behind her then spun on her heels and made for the road.
    The light from the exit door of the club caught the side of her as she spun… And then my blood roared instead of tingled. My hairs stood on end and reached out, each one snapping to attention as if they’d been dunked in ice. My heart thundered violently against my ribcage, demanding an opening and a way out but something else