Bradleys POV

We decide to let the girls show us around seeing as it was their home turf. Julie suggested we hit up The Little Italian down the road.

Lexi was very quiet for most of the night, she seemed to have something occupying her mind. I was curious but I didn't push it yet. There was no way I would even think about overstepping, seeing as we only just smoothed things out.

JD and Jules hit it off as I assumed they would. We were tucked away in the corner in one of the booths, away from judgemental eyes. We were free to do whatever we wanted, but we were both being gentlemen tonight. For once, JD actually looked a little nervous.

Well what do you know, he actually likes this one.

Jules was definitely making him work for it though. He did however have her in stitches majority of the night.

She was laughing so damn hard, her vocal chords stopped working and she was no longer producing any sound.

I turn my attention back on Lexi. "Everything alright babe?" I ask, watching her look down at the dessert which she has barely touched.

"Oh." She says meeting my gaze. "Yea, just not that hungry."

"You're quiet tonight." I continue.

"Just have a little headache that's all." She says as she looks sheepishly at Jules.

Is that like woman code for, this date sucks now get me out of here?

Jules smiles back at me. "She had a rough afternoon, tricky clients."

"Yea, rough." Lexi states, peeking over to look at Jules again.

"Anyway, it's getting late and as much as I am enjoying this, I have an early one tomorrow so I need to head off." Julie says. "You staying Lexi?"

Lexi looks at Jules then up at me.

"Don't feel you need to stay if you're not up for it babe." I suggest. "I can walk you home if you like?"

"Okay sure." She replies with a genuine smile. "That sounds good. Thank you Brad."

"Care for a romantic walk home too me lady?" JD asks, placing a kiss on top of Julies hand.

She giggles. "Sure! But no funny business."

"I'm a gentleman babe." He replies with a wink. "For tonight anyway."

They both slip out of the booth in silence and head straight out the door without glancing back.

"She didn't even say bye." Lexi chuckles.

"She must be gagging for it." I reply.

"Mmm no, she's acting different." She says. "Usually if she wants to fuck, she would've done it already, you know? In the bathroom or in the car park."

"Oh!" I say, my eyebrows raised.

"Although she did say, she was gonna make sure he had the worst case of blue balls by the end of the night." She replies.

Women.

Damn cock tease.

We took our time walking back to her place. It was a beautiful night and I wanted to ensure we ended on a good note. A memorable one.

We walked along the front lawn and round the back of the house. She surprised me when she didn't immediately head straight to the patio doors but instead, made her way to the pergola by the pool. Suited me just fine as I didn't want the night to end.

"Thank you for walking me home." She says leaning against one of the banisters.

"Of course." I reply. "I had a great time tonight."

"Me too." She says, as I take a few steps closer to her.

My hands are tucked in my pockets as I try to refrain from touching her. My feet however take a couple more steps closer, standing directly in front of her now as she straightens up with her back directly against the pillar.

"I like you Lexi." I confess. "I'd really love to spend more time with you and I'm happy to take this nice and slow."

She looks up at me and smiles, reaching her right hand out to grip onto my jacket, pulling me in and closing the gap.

She glides her hands up my torso and onto my chest. I'm very thankful for the short workout I did on my chest this morning.

She trails her hands higher, placing them on my collar bone as my hands now move to her waist. She pulls on my shoulders, forcing me to lean in as her back rests on the pillars securely.

She brings her face closer to mine as she whispers "Nice and slow sounds good" Then she flicks her tongue out, licking my bottom lip, inviting me to taste her. I tighten my grip on her waist as I wait for a verbal invitation.

"Kiss me Brad." She says and I consume her mouth in a flash.

Slow it down dickhead.

I kiss her softly, making sure she is still in control of the pace. I feel my dick pulsing as its softly pressed up against her, so I know she feels it too. But she remains still, not choosing to tease me or rub up against me and I'm thankful.

With my dick still slightly sensitive from my violent wank session, I was glad it wasn't being called out for battle tonight.

Violets POV (Alexis and Ava's Aunt)

I saw them both standing there last night, underneath the pergola... kissing. I had seen his face before. He was one of the Vaughn boys. I didn't realise they were in town or even had anything to do with Lexi.

What do I do now?

I look down at the caller ID. It's a number I've come to know so well and yet it was still very foreign to me.

Dammit, why is she calling me again?

"What the hell are you doing? You shouldn't even be calling me!" I whisper.

The other woman is screaming at me on the other line.

"Calm the fuck down. I'm sorry okay, I just don't want you to get caught."

She continues what she has to say and I know she doesn't have much time so I try to be as understanding as possible of her situation.

"I think you should know that one of them was here last night, with Lexi." I hesitantly say.

More screams come shooting out of the receiver.

"I'll handle it. Just calm down and don't call again." I whisper loudly into the phone. "Yes both girls are fine, I promise. Just go."

I hang up the phone quickly, knowing the girls would be heading off to work any minute.

"Everything alright in here?" Lexi questions as she finishes walking into the kitchen.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. How much did she hear?

I plaster a smile on my face. "Yes sweetie. That was just the office." I say trying to sound believable. "You off to work?"

"Yep just waiting for Ava." Lexi replies.

"I'm here, I'm here." Ava says as she walks over by the fridge to grab a drink. "Come on, let's go by the fruit market this morning before work."

"Okay you two have a good day and I will see you later." I say back, watching them leave before having a mini breakdown.

That was too close. They can't know.

Not yet...

Benjamins POV

"Lads! Why the fuck are we here?" I say, leaning against the railing as I watch JD and Brad looking out at the view.

"The sun is shining, the birds are chirping." JD says smiling. "It's a beautiful afternoon Benj, if we stay long enough we might even get to see the sun set!"

"The fuck is wrong with him?" I ask Brad.

"More like what's wrong with you?" He retorts. "You've been in a pissy mood since last night!"

I roll my eyes. Have I?

"It's always business with you Benj." JD says still looking out at the view from inside the lighthouse tower. "You gotta get yourself a life again. Enjoy your surroundings, meet new people, just... have some fun!"

This... is fun?

I take out my smokes, placing one of them on my lips.

"Lad, you can't smoke in here." Brad says, walking over to me and quickly grabbing the cigarette from my mouth.

Oh fuck off Brad.

JD finally turns around, looking at me while rubbing his chin. "You're in a mood." He says.

"Yea it's called a why the fuck did you bring me here, to look out a fucking window mood." I snap back.

"Fucking buzzkill bro." Brad says while rubbing his face. "Maybe you should check back in with Dr Feller."

Pfft. Dr Feller.

Dr Veronika Feller was a therapist. She was therapist. It's been over a year since my last session and my ego was too big at this point in time, to allow me to make that call. I had fought the urge to talk to her many times this past year. I told myself that my mind was strong, unbreakable, when deep down it belonged to a little bitch boy who

Although I have noticed my intake of nicotine had dramatically increased this week, something inside me knew it wasn't because of

This time... it was different.

"I'm good." I reply. "I'll be downstairs having a smoke. Come find me when you're done playing tourist."

JD's POV

Benj had been my mate since forever. He had this way about him, this aura that had everyone noticing when he was present. I envied him and loved him. He was my brother. Although I was an only child and we didn't share the same blood, I can truly say, Benj was my fucking brother at heart. It pained me to see him this way, actually it bugged the hell out of me to watch the confident, exuberant side of him slowly deteriorate and quickly be replaced by.... pain, anger, hate.

As I watch him turn and walk away, I remember the last conversation we had, years ago. The last conversation where he was truly happy. The last conversation when we were all still brothers.

"Who's this Fellar?" I ask, knowing I had missed out on quite a lot over the years.

"His therapist." Brad replies.

Therapist?

Oh!

"The one for his addiction yea?" I ask.

"Yea!" Brad says. "Who would've thought it would be a bad thing to have a fucking addiction to sex."

"Well it's not a bad thing, but... there's sex then there's, there's...

We both exclaim.

Pure mindless fucking! No feelings, no connections, no stopping, no rules. Fucking to the point your dick is raw, but your body just won't quit. There is no real enjoyment, just the paralysing need to have your dick drilling into a different pussy everyday and every night, 24 fucking 7.

"Shit wasn't healthy for him." Brad says. "I've never seen him that way before."

"With women?" I ask.

"Yea but in general as well." Brad replies. "It was fucking eating his soul! To be with a different woman every night is every mans dream but damn, he was just all kinds of fucked up. He definitely needed help and he refused mine so I had to get the professionals involved."

"And all of this was because of right? Audrina?" I reply.

"Yea ."

Brad's jaw twitches as her name leaves his mouth. "Audrina."

Damn bitch fucked my boy up real bad.

"Think he'll relapse?" I ask.

"I hope not." Brad says. "But he's been off lately and he's going through those damn smokes like it's fucking oxygen."

"Gotta get him to get off that shit." I say. "It'll fucking kill him one day."

"Doc suggested the nicotine when hypnotherapy stopped working." Brad states. "Said whenever his addiction started to surface, to have an intake of nicotine to subdue the cravings."

"Pussy cravings?" I cracked.

Brad chuckles. "Yea. It's hard to get your head around it, but if you saw how he looked a few years back, you'd see how deep this shit really goes."

"I believe you bro."

Benjamins POV

I step out onto the pavement with my cigarette almost lit.

"Can't you read boy? Smoking, eating, drinking and animals are prohibited within 3 metres of the lighthouse."

I turn around to see a haggard old wart faced gangly bitch glaring back at me.

Goddammit!

I just want a fucking smoke for fucks sake!