Keep Me (Beggar's Choice #3) Read online

  I’m entertained. “Does this happen often?”

  Bram’s no is drowned out by Matt’s emphatic yes. “Yes a lot, so get used to it. He convinced himself that he’d taken his GCSE Maths after doing it in a dream. He was an hour late for it because he stayed in bed.”

  I laugh but Bram interrupts. “So anyway it’s tomorrow. Can you make it? Please say you can because I really want the rest of the band to meet you.”

  I’m equal parts horrified and flattered. Flattered because he wants his friends to meet me. Horrified because I have less than 24 hours to find a costume for a party that will probably be wall to wall beautiful women.

  Sensing weakness Bram brings out the puppy dog eyes. “Please Alys,” he begs. “You’ll like the lads and I want you to meet Mabe and Viv.” I know that they’re girls that Bram has known since childhood and they’re very important to him.

  Matt laughs. “You’ve let loose the spaniel eyes. Now just make your voice do that manly quiver and she’s a goner mate I’m telling you.”

  “Fuck off,” Bram hisses and smiles winsomely at me. “Come on Alys you’ll enjoy yourself.” I must look doubtful because he hastens on showing that uncanny ability he has to read my mind. “You’ll like the girls babe, they’re lovely not bitches at all, and although it’s a party we’ve got our own room there so it won’t be wall to wall tossers like at some parties.” He stares into space distracted for a second. “I remember one party when Sid vomited into a koi carp pond and the fish ate it, and do you remember that stacked blonde Matt, she had tits like bowling balls and Phil the old sound engineer put his dick between them and …”

  “Bram,” Matt hisses. “You’re getting distracted.”

  Bram looks at me and sniggers. “Anyway, you’re coming Alys and that’s an end to the discussion. Now let’s move onto the more interesting subject of what sexy character you’ll be coming as.”

  “Does it have to be sexy?”

  He looks slightly startled. “Yes I think so, or at least it usually is at the parties we go to.”

  I just bet they are. I bet there’s a plethora of sexy everything near him. Matt and I share a look of complete understanding and he smiles. “Don’t worry about the costume Alys. I’ve got to pick up mine and Bram’s and the bloke we use will have something for you. Do you trust me to pick something for you?”

  “Something sexy,” Bram adds firmly and we ignore him.

  “Yes of course dear,” Matt finally says and he subsides happily.

  The next afternoon I’m lying on my bed trying to read a course book but in reality staring out of the window at a rain swept river when there’s a knock at the door. I sit up swinging my legs off the bed as Matt pokes his head around the door. “Okay to come in?” he asks and I wave him in happily, widening my eyes as he carts in some massive dress bags and dumps them on the bed. “Phew thought my fingers were going to drop off,” he mutters bending down and giving me a big hug which I return eagerly, inhaling the scent of rain and Tom Ford aftershave on him.

  I love Matt and over the last few weeks we’ve got very close, fulfilling the promise I’d felt when I first met him. We’ve met several times for shopping and coffee and caught a couple of films together and I already trust him which doesn’t happen much with me. He’s just a brilliant person - warm and calm and funny, and I love his and Bram’s relationship. They’re like brothers arguing and sniping but always loving each other. I’d seen instantly that Matt felt a great loyalty to Bram but I’d quickly realised that Bram reciprocates this. He’s a very loyal dedicated friend and I think that once you’re in with Bram he will never abandon you and he’s very protective of Matt.

  I’d been surprised to find out that Matt wasn’t just Bram’s assistant. In fact he runs an extremely successful business that provides staff such as secretaries for very wealthy customers who demand discretion. I’d met him once at his office and had been amazed by how many people this very laidback man employs, and yet still manages to look as if he’s just getting ready to go out and catch a wave.

  He manages Bram’s life because he enjoys being with him, and because Bram is so laidback he doesn’t mind Matt living on his phone sorting out other customers. Matt said that he wouldn’t think of charging Bram for working for him but he’d insisted on paying him anyway.

  Matt’s voice brings me back to myself. “Right I’ve bought a choice so try them on for me and we’ll make a decision.” I stand up as he unzips the garment bag and draws out a beautiful, forest green, corseted dress which looks 18thcentury. I look at him and smirk. “Is it sexy enough?”

  He laughs. “Babe you could be wearing a pillowcase and that man would find you sexy.”

  I blush and he laughs again. “What? I’m not supposed to mention the UST around here.” I look at him. “Unresolved sexual tension,” he clarifies.

  “There is no sexual tension,” I protest but he shakes his head.

  “Don’t even bother to deny it. There’s no need to be embarrassed about it. You’re both very pretty people. It’s no surprise that you find each other attractive.”

  “Bram doesn’t …”

  “Doesn’t what? Doesn’t drool when he looks at you? Deny it all you want sweets but he does and I’ve seen you checking him out.”

  I’m mortified. “It doesn’t mean anything.”

  He looks suddenly serious. “Now that’s actually a bit of a shame but I don’t think either of you know that yet. So you’re what … friends?” I nod and he smirks. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen Bram hold himself to anything like this. You know I think this might be a good thing.” I look at him querying and he shrugs. “Bram’s very, very charming. He always gets whatever he goes after and it’s always been that way. Bram looks and the women roll over for him or under him. He decides he wants to be a rock star and lo, he is one. This is the first time in years that I’ve ever seen him deny himself something that he wants.”

  “When was the last time?” I ask but he seems to recall himself and just smiles instead of answering and holds up the green dress.

  “Put this on.”

  I strip down to my bra and knickers and he reaches down and pulls out something from the clothes bag. “Hang on, you’re meant to wear it with this corset.” Smiling I pull off my bra and allow him to lace me loosely into the corset before pulling the costume on without any embarrassment. As Matt has pointed out before it’s like me stripping in front of my grandma because I lack any attraction for him.

  He backs up looking at me. “Shit, your tits look unbelievable in that and you look amazing.” I smile and shake my head. I turn and we look at each other meditatively in the mirror and he pulls my hair back. “We could backcomb this really high, put talcum powder on it and bouffant it up like something from the film ‘Marie Antoinette’. You’d look shit hot. What do you think?”

  “Sounds good but don’t you need to get changed into your costume rather than dressing me up?”

  “I’m getting changed here.” Matt has his own bedroom here which he claims is for when the diva demands get too much.

  “What are you coming as?”

  “A Black Rider from ‘Lord of the Rings’.”

  “Bram?”

  “Not sure. I’ve given him a choice which is sometimes not a good thing for Bram because he can get a bit too creative.”

  “Is that a bad thing?”

  “It was when he decided to come as a streaker at a record company boss’s garden party.”

  I laugh out loud. “What happened?”

  “Let’s just say it was fortunate that they were at number one at the time and the daughter was a big fan.”

  I raise my eyebrows and he sighs. “Yes, we had to distract the father from the fact that it took two hours for her to find Bram a change of clothing.” I smile although really I’m starting to hate the stories of Bram and his women. But let’s face it if I didn’t smile when I heard these tales I’d be crying 24 hours a day.

  Matt reads my face I th
ink because he gestures at the dress. “This one? You look fucking brilliant in it.”

  “I don’t know. What’s in the other bags?” We pull the costume off me and I stand in my knickers and the sexy, cream corset pulling my hair up with a band while he unzips the other bags and lays them out on the bed. We look at a pirate costume and a dress that looks like something from a Jane Austen film but has bloodstains all over it.

  He opens his mouth to comment but just then there’s a loud bang on the door and Bram pokes his tousled head around the door. I shriek and grab for one of the garment bags to cover myself but Matt tuts and hands me my dressing gown as Bram just stands and stares, taking in every detail of my nearly naked body until I’m finally covered when he seems to shake himself and come to.

  “What are you ..?” He stops and clears his throat. “What the fuck are you two doing in here? Why is Matt standing there while you cavort around in your underwear?”

  I snort. “Cavort?”

  He glares. “Take the piss if you must Alys but I need to know if you’re trying to corrupt my Matty. You know he seems very worldly but actually he has very little experience in life and I don’t think that he needs a worldly woman like you turning his pretty, little head.”

  “Oh my God,” Matt groans, rubbing his eyes while I laugh out loud.

  “Yes, you’ve caught us Bram. Matt has renounced dick and we’re together.”

  “Say what you like,” Bram says indignantly. “I’m trying not to stress over how unfair it is that Matty can stand in here while you are dressed in very skimpy under things and oh my God that corset, while I, the rock god in this scenario am not allowed to do the same. In fact I’m also lodging a complaint about that fucking monstrosity of a dressing gown.”

  I look down at my old towelling robe that Bram is pointing furiously at. “What’s the matter with it?”

  “It’s blocking my view,” he says crossly and Matt snorts.

  “Okay children. Bram, you may be a rock star but you are emphatically not gay so I’m afraid you’re not allowed at our pyjama party.”

  “You’re having a pyjama party?” Bram shouts indignantly but Matt grabs his face lightly and pushes him out of the door ignoring his protests. Then he turns to me and as one we let out loud belly laughs. Once we calm down he points to the green dress. “That one I think. Let’s do your hair.”

  A couple of hours later I stand in my bedroom and look in the mirror. Matt really is a genius. He said he’d gone out with a makeup artist once and he’d certainly picked up some tips. First he painted my face white like a little ghostly doll, accompanying the look with red lipstick which he accentuated by sticking a little beauty spot next to my lips. He then powdered my hair and backcombed it to within an inch of its life, before pinning it up and pushing a peacock feather into the back.

  I’m corseted into the gown so tightly that I think I might have to let it out to do anything simple like drink, or even breathe. However, it’s raised my breasts up over the low neckline so they look massive in comparison to my waist which looks tiny. The dress gleams with its rich colour in the low light when I move. It has tight sleeves ending in white lace, and the skirt bells out making a lovely swishing noise. The final touch are white stockings and a flowery garter which can be seen through a rent in the skirt, and the most beautiful forest green satin, square toed ballet shoes which have delicate, green ribbons to fasten around my ankles.

  I spritz myself with perfume and make my way downstairs feeling excited for the first time today. There’s something about being in costume that takes the nerves away. You could be anyone and do anything in a costume and I think of Bram and his garden party and snort.

  “What are you laughing at?” his voice booms at me suddenly and I jump, holding my hand to my throat.

  “Jesus Christ you startled me,” I say crossly. “Don’t sneak up on the deaf person.”

  “Don’t say that,” he chastises automatically as he always does whenever I take the piss out of the deafness.

  He moves further into the light of the hall and I gasp. He looks amazing and I wryly realise why Matt was so insistent on my costume because it pairs with Bram who is wearing an 18th century soldier’s outfit. He has on tight white breeches which cling to the muscles in his thighs, and knee high boots. A black frock coat falls from his wide shoulders and underneath is a white waistcoat with gold frogging down the front. He’s tied his hair back in a short ponytail, wrapped a black cravat round his neck under a white shirt, and to top it off he’s added a horribly realistic bloody wound to his temple and dusted his hair with dirt.

  I become aware that I’m staring at him at the same time that I realise he’s staring just as hard at me, his attention seemingly divided between my breasts which are almost staring him in the face and the rip in my skirt showing off my garter. His chest rises and falls sharply and I draw in a sudden sharp breath feeling like there isn’t enough air in here. He moves towards me as though pulled slowly by a rope until he’s in front of me, and I sway towards him without any thought as he lowers his head towards me, only to breathe in sharply and jerk back when he hears Matt’s voice behind him.

  “Well, well you two do look cosy don’t you?”

  Bram mutters something that I can’t pick up and then turns to face Matt.

  “Oh Matt you look brilliant,” I gush and he does, dressed in a long, black, hooded gown and combat boots.

  “Thank you honey,” he says, breezing past me. He pauses next to Bram as he goes and I could swear that he laughs and says, “How’s that promise to Saint Agnes looking now babe?”

  “Fuck off,” Bram snaps crossly and marches off down the stairs leaving me to grab Matt’s arm and let him lead me away.

  When we pull up outside the venue I can’t help but gasp. The outside of the club has been transformed, covered by a giant cobweb and halfway up the building’s façade I can see the giant hairy legs of a massive spider. Doormen are waiting dressed as vampires but I shrink slightly as a thousand flashbulbs seem to go off in one go as photographers descend on our car.

  I can hear a lot of shouting and the word Bram a lot but thankfully I can’t hear everything and Bram turns to Matt. “I’ll get out this side and let them take some pictures. You grab Alys and go round the back of them okay?” Matt nods and Bram grabs my chin to catch my attention. “It’s just a bunch of asshole paparazzi Alys. Think it’s something to do with that actress that I shagged last week.” I grimace and he half smiles but he looks worried. “I’m so sorry that I didn’t think of this. I don’t want you to be hassled or get your picture taken because that’ll destroy your privacy at university, so go with Matt and keep your head down.”

  I nod, catching his worried eyes. “I’ll be fine. Besides no one will recognise me dressed like this with all this hair.”

  He gives me his sudden sunny smile, the one that lights his eyes up and makes them golden. “Yes but still sexy. Told you so. Everyone is sexy at Halloween.” Then he grabs my head and kisses me hard on the forehead. “Take it easy.” He looks at Matt. “Take good care of her. She won’t be able to hear if someone comes up behind her and I don’t want her frightened.” Matt stares at him hard but Bram doesn’t seem to notice. “I’ll delay them a bit until you’re inside and I’ll meet you in there.”

  He slowly unwinds himself and gets out of the car buttoning his coat, and while the flashbulbs go off Matt and I seize our chance and scoot out of the other side. I cling tight to him and we traverse the scrum. I’ve seen it happen millions of times on TV as stars get out of their cars but in reality it’s actually a bit frightening. The atmosphere is almost feral and there’s a nasty, fevered energy about it as they shout things at Bram.

  Apart from a few glances no one pays us much attention, and as Matt pulls us clear of the mob I get a quick glimpse of Bram standing in the spotlight. His shoulders are back, his posture relaxed and that easy grin is on his face as he patently charms the press. It occurs to me to wonder how much of that easy
going nature is actually camouflage, but then we’re up the stairs and into the venue and the thought leaves me.

  We both pause for a second before I glance worriedly back outside. “Will he be okay?” I ask Matt who instantly nods his head.

  “He’ll be fine babe. They’ll take their pictures, he’ll give them some sound bites and then the next star will be along. Business as usual.”

  I’m about to answer him when a voice shouts ‘Matty’ and I turn just in time to see one of the most beautiful men that I’ve ever seen throw himself onto Matt, giving him a hug and ruffling his hair. It takes me a second because he’s dressed as a highwayman with a mask and his shoulder length, shaggy, blonde hair is pulled back in a ponytail, but then I recognise the figure of Charlie Hudson, the lead singer of Beggar’s Choice.

  He and Matt exchange a few words that I can’t hear and then he turns to me making me blink at the blue of his eyes. He smiles at me. “You’ve got to be Alys. Bram said that he was bringing you. I’m Charlie.”

  I smile and reach out to shake his hand shyly, resisting the urge to check if I’ve got drool on my chin. “Yes, I’m Alys. Nice to meet you.”

  He shoots a quick look behind me where I can detect the sound of someone arriving with a lot of noise, and then I squeak slightly as he tugs my hand sharply bringing me very close to him. “I like your dress,” he says in a honeyed drawl staring hard at my breasts and I gulp. I see Matt shake his head at Charlie before firm hands grab my arms pulling me back against a lean body, and I relax as I recognise Bram’s warm, spicy scent.

  “For fuck’s sake Charlie,” Bram says crossly. “Fuck off with your hands all over Alys. Did we not all have this conversation yesterday when I explicitly told you that none of you were allowed to touch her? Were you present for that fucking chat or did I imagine it?”

  Charlie instantly laughs, throwing his head back in hilarity. “I remember it. It just didn’t seem real to me mate. I don’t think that I’ve ever had that conversation with you before so it slipped my mind.”