Falling for Ocean Blue [BxB] ✔️

Chapter Forty three ***

WARNING: Mature content...

We spend the last day in Italy on the white shores of Ostia.

Soren is learning to surf with Fray who promises he's an expert. They wade in the ocean, stealing seconds on their feet before crashing into the white spray.

Steven is recording it on his phone.

"They're both idiots."

I lay back into the soft towel, eyes clenched tight against the relentless sun. The salt in the air washes over my body, forcing memory into the threads of my clothes. I will smell this day on me for weeks. Kitty is sunbathing with Grace under a huge umbrella. She watches me in intervals, careful to look away when I meet her gaze.

I roll my eyes behind Fray's sunglasses.

"The music show is next week. Have you prepared your opening performance?" Peter mumbles. He's sat with three layers of sunscreen and a wide-brimmed hat. With an aversion to sunlight, the boy is often found with a book in his hand and an affinity for shade.

"I'll play what they want me to play." I say nonchalantly.

"Which is?"

"Redemption in C-minor. Greene wanted an original."

"Your sister is staring at you."

Steven looks up to catch Kitty's eyes lingering on us.

"He's right." He chuckles.

"She's worried about the countdown."

Steven and Peter share a look over my head.

"We didn't think you knew about that."

I know he means to say, 'Soren insisted they keep it a secret.'

They must all know by now.

I'm blind to their exchange as I lay with one hand over my eyes.

I hear the soft thuds of wet feet in hot sand before I feel a shower of water disturb my sleep. I groan annoyed, sitting up as Fray collapses next to me with a cheeky grin.

"I didn't see you there."

"Asshole."

"You're getting more vulgar the longer I know you..." Fray pretends to mull on that thought with a hand on his chin and crossed eyes.

"You're a bad influence." I mumble. I try to arrange my towel back smoothly on the even ground. In the corner of my eye, I catch Steven mouth something discreetly.

Fray quirks his brow.

"We already talked about the rogue account." He tells Steven, but his eyes are resting on mine.

"You did what?"

I feel my brother's shadow eclipse my shoulder. Kitty seems to have inched closer to us, a guilty turn in her lips.

"He was going to find out eventually. It's better if it comes from us."

"You mean you." Soren snaps.

"It's not about me. It's about Max."

"You think I don't think about my own brother. This would've blown over. He didn't need to know!"

Steven rolls his eyes. The tall boy is only part way in the sun, Soren's build disturbing his tanning session.

"I'm sure Max already knows about all this stuff. Everyone and their mother know about it."