Bad Blood - (Fransykes)

Chapter sixteen

A/N: What is this? Another update without a six month wait?? The season must be jolly😭 Happy 2021 my loves, hope this year is much kinder to us ❤️

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Josh's POV

I could feel the anxiety bubbling under the surface of my skin. Peeling at the skin cells over my trembling bones wanting to take charge and force me into having another break down right here outside my bedroom door all because I was secretly freaking out about having a bath.

What on earth was I thinking, agreeing on having a bath with my boyfriend?! Josh, what the fuck, you know you're not ready for that! Ugh, but Oli looked so damn hopeful I just didn't want to reject him and ruin the sweet moment. He's at least trying to rekindle our relationship and I can't argue with that. I wanted this, normality, but little did I know I was going to freak out at the thought of bathing with another person.

I hated this, living in fear. It's not like how it was before though, back when we first met I didn't worry about the insignificant things, like another person seeing me naked, I had a bit of confidence. Oli never failed making me feel sexy whenever we were together and he always assured me that I was beautiful. But now, things are entirely different. The tiny bit of confidence I had about myself is now down to zero and just the thought of another pair of eyes raking down my naked body makes my stomach churn in disgust.

I mean, I've had a baby for crying out loud, my body isn't the same anymore, not to mention my skin is covered in nasty, ugly scars created by... yeah. I let out a sigh and slump against the closed wooden door. I just don't want Oli to glance at me and think I'm disgusting... or worse, see what Trace left on me and no longer wants to touch me once he discovers what's underneath. That's what Trace intended- to fuck me up so bad and leave his mark on my body so that Oli wouldn't want me after he had his hands all over me.

The hiss which involuntary fell out of my mouth casts my blurry eyes down at my arm. In my subconscious state of mind I've been clawing at my fabric covered skin, a nasty habit I've seemed to pick up when I get anxious. I could already see the tiny blood drops seeping through the wet long sleeve of my shirt where I have been scratching too harshly at my tortured skin. Fuck, I'm a nervous wreck.

I pull my hand away from myself and sniffle back the tears before wiping my eyes. I take in a deep breath to clear my head already feeling a little better. I definitely needed my best friend's advice on this situation and with little strength I had I push my body away from the door and walk across the landing to my son's buttercup yellow nursery.

"Seriously Alex, get him to let go now!" the angered voice seethed through the calmness of the room made me fall into full daddy concerned alert mode. However, when my eyes come into contact with the scene before me I completely understand why and hold back the urge to laugh.

Sonny had grip of Jack's spiky hair, God heavens how? But I know firsthand how painful those tight deathly grips are and I felt for Jack in that moment, I really did. Alex on the other hand, with a face full of guilt and struggling to untangle my baby's hands from his boyfriend's hair was quite amusing to watch.

"Erm, Alex, can I quickly speak to you?"

Alex's head popped up above the brutality of the hair pulling and was quick to abandon the situation, leaving Jack clumsily holding a screaming Sonny to deal with on his own. "What the- Alex, get back here now!"

Alex tries stifling his laughter but after glancing me up and down in my dripping wet clothes the humour drops from his face rather quickly. "Did you take a shower out in the rain or something? You're drenched."