The Beast Within Read online

  Chapter 2

  Karina’s shoes tapped hollowly on the wooden floors as she entered. “Why should I be the one the move?” she asked herself hands on hips as she stepped into the lounge room. “It’s my house as much as his.” Karina took a silent inventory of the room she stood in. Everything screamed Ian. Plain, boring, generic. From the cream lounge, to the beige throw cushions and white rug. This was the house of an accountant, a boring, list making, detail planning, over cautious, turn off. Karina fell back onto the lounge and dropped her head to her hands. What to do now? She had met the nice guy who she could have a solid future with. He was charming, attractive, had a good job, her parents loved him. What more could she want? “Urgh.” Karina groaned as she threw her head back into the lounge. Ian had not always been this way. After a long moment’s consideration she stood and took her suitcase from the hall cupboard. As she packed a few clothes to get her through the next few days she thought of where she would go. Mum and Dad’s? Her stomach knotted at the thought. Definitely not, she already knew the disappointment they would pass on to her. Helen her older sister? The thought made Karina cringe. No, she had a new baby and three other kids with a slovenly husband. That was the last thing Karina needed. Her only option was her best friend Ella. Even though she was in the honeymoon stage of a new relationship, which Karina knew wouldn’t last. She would much rather be around someone positive at the moment, rather than her family who would suck her into a spiral of self loathing.

  The only thing Karina took with her to Ella’s apartment was a small overnight bag. Everything else could wait a few days. She hesitantly knocked and after what felt like an eternity Ella answered the door. Her head poked around the side of the doorway as she adjusted her dressing gown. “Hey!” she said surprised to see Karina on her doorstep “What’s up?”

  Karina held up her overnight bag and shrugged. “It’s over!”

  Ella threw open the door and pulled Karina to her. “Oh hun. I’m so sorry.” A door opened inside the apartment and she looked around. Ella adjusted her dressing gown again but Karina could see a glimpse of the sexy red lace bra that Ella wore underneath. “Oh. I’m so sorry. I’ll go,” as she reached for the door.

  “No! Don’t be silly.” Ella held her hand to the door as she looked over her shoulder. Karina followed her gaze to the barely clad lifeguard Rick, standing in the bedroom doorway of Ella’s room. He was young, tanned, hot, the type of guy you could have naughty fun with, but nothing more. The perennial playboy, he was five years Ella’s junior, but that didn’t seem to matter to either of them. Karina waved her hand in his direction “Hi Rick,” as she averted her eyes.

  “Hey,” he answered in his casual drawl. “I’m gonna go El’s. Gotta early start”.

  Ella nodded to him as he closed the bedroom door. “I’m so sorry,” Karina whispered.

  “It’s ok.” Ella took her hands and led her to the lounge. “What happened? Tell me everything?”

  Karina let out a big sigh. “It’s over!”

  “Who called it off?” Ella asked as she leant in intently.

  “He did.”

  “Did he give you a reason?”

  Karina shook her head. “No, but we both knew. Things have been stale for a while. Neither of us wanted to be the bad guy I guess.”

  Rick opened the bedroom door and quickly kissed Ella on the top of the head as he passed. “Call ya,” he mumbled as he closed the door behind him. Karina looked after him then back to Ella with her eyebrows raised mocking. “Seriously?”

  Ella blushed. “What? I’m having fun, where’s the harm in that?”

  Karina looked nervously to her lap and wrung her fingers together. “No harm, I guess.”

  “Maybe you should be having a little fun now.”

  “What?” Karina asked astonished as she looked up at Ella’s cheeky smile.

  “Karina. I love you and everything, but you always go for the same guy. Maybe it’s time to mix it up a bit. Have some fun.”

  She smirked at her best friend “Maybe,” she mumbled, looking away.

  “How do you feel?”

  Karina shook her head in surprise. “I feel fine. Relieved. One of us finally did it”.

  “Do you love him?” Ella asked sceptically.

  It took a few moments for Karina to answer. “I do, but I’m not in love with him. If that makes sense.”

  “Have you told your parents yet?”

  Karina rolled her eyes “I’m not suicidal.”

  Ella laughed. “You know you can stay here as long as you need to.”

  The two women stared at each other. Ella was not one to express her feelings or emotions openly; she’d rather push them deep down and pretend they didn’t exist. Karina had never seen her vulnerable before and knew she couldn’t handle tears in any way, shape or form. “Thanks,” she said, looking away before tears made their way to the surface.

  “We need wine,” Ella announced, standing and heading to the kitchen.

  “I have to work tomorrow,” Karina reminded her, “So do you.”

  “Urgh, God you’re boring. Ok let me rephrase that. You have knocked on my door when I’m about to do some unholy things to a man who knows just about every trick in the book. I need some wine!”

  Karina blushed as she got another glimpse of Ella’s bra as she moved past her. “Again, I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t worry. He’ll make it up to me.”

  “You’re so bad Ella.” Karina shook her head and smiled.

  Ella handed Karina a glass of wine and slumped back onto the lounge beside her. “I know,” she teased.