Sweet Misery

[RoRo90]

another great update

awww felt sorry for Brax when he figured out Charlie was with Angelo

@ Charlie running back home when she found out they were part of the River boys

the whole last bit of this chapter made me laugh

update soon

[cb2180]

Really enjoyed the first two chapters, think this fic could def be a new fave! Look forward to the next chapter!

[soph1303]

Great update,

Oooh the rivalry has already started between Angelo and Brax!!!

Hehe had to laugh when Charlie figured out that they actually were just studying !!

More soon please

[totally]

Charlie rushing back to the house was really funny. I wonder if she will ban Ruby from hanging out with Casey. Is Charlie happy with Angelo? Kind of getting mixed signals. Can't wait to see where you will take the story!

[Chax47]

Hey!!

I have the next chapter for you guys!! It's kinda a little long....once I started I couldn't seem to stop

Thanks to Jen1205, Lucii, JosieTash, ~JarlieFanEver~, Samantha1, luscious01, RoRo90, cb2180, soph1303, and totally for the brilliant reviews! They really do make my day and totally, to answer your question, I guess on some level Charlie is happy with Angelo, but the question is will her interest in Brax completely take over?!

Anyways, thanks for reading, and enjoy

Chapter 3

It was half way through his shift and Brax still couldn't shift his mood since Angelo and Charlie left. He didn't know why he cared so much, but no matter how hard he tried he couldn't get everything out of his head. Get her out of his head. He forced a smile on his face as he walked out of the kitchen door carrying two pizzas. He placed them down on the designated table and spun around just in time to see Heath walking into the restaurant.

"Wow...someone certainly has landed on their feet." Heath remarked after glancing around the restaurant. Brax ignored his comment, walking away from him and behind the bar. Heath followed him and took a seat. "I'll have a beer...please." His voice had a smug undertone, something which Brax wasn't in the mood for today.

"Are you going to pay for it?" Brax snapped, knowing fair well what the answer would be.

"My bro practically owns this joint now....I should hope my paying days are over."

Brax rolled his eyes and opted to get Heath a drink. Slamming the bottle down on the counter, he glared over at his brother. "That'll be the only one that's on the house."

"Geez, uptight much? What's got you so wound up?" Heath took a swig of the drink and placed it back on the counter, his eyes examining Brax.

Brax shrugged off the question. "It's nothing. What are you doing here?"

Heath leant forward on the counter, closing the gap between them. "I wanted to talk to you about business."

Brax knew that after hearing Heath say those words could lead to nothing good. "Business?" He kept his voice low, not wanting anyone in the restaurant to overhear them.

"Yeah. This place could be the perfect little cover up. So should I get things in motion?" He whispered, looking at Brax hopefully.

Brax stopped what he was doing and glanced around the restaurant before focussing his attention back on Heath. "Look, I don't want a part of whatever it is you have planned. And don't you dare bring it into my business or it won't just be the police you will have to worry about." He threatened before walking away to clear some tables. This business opportunity was supposed to be a new start for him, and for Casey, the last thing he needed was Heath messing everything up.

Heath watched Brax work for a moment as he finished his drink. One his way out of the restaurant, he stopped Brax and pulled him over to one side. "I'm sorry." He apologised, even though he knew that deep down it wasn't him who Brax was in a mood with. He knew his brother well enough to know that there was something else going on. Brax didn't comment so Heath continued. "Me and a couple of the boys are going for a surf later on, meet us down at the beach? It might help to clear your mind."

Heath patted his brother on the shoulder as he walked out, leaving Brax to consider his options.

------

Charlie knocked lightly on the front door, and waited patiently for a reply. After making a quick apology to Ruby, blaming her outburst on hormones, Charlie had made herself scarce. She dreaded to think what Casey must have thought of her now, and Ruby had looked far from impressed. Angelo soon opened the door, pulling Charlie from her thoughts. The surprise on his face was evident.

"Charlie!"

She smiled sheepishly at him as she took a step towards him. "I wanted to apologise to you for running out on you before." She leant forward and kissed him, resting her forehead on his as they pulled apart. "Can we carry on with our day?"

"Of course we can, but is everything ok?" He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her towards him.

"Yeah...yeah....it was just a false alarm! Shall we go back to the beach?" She hoped he didn't notice the blushed look on her face, and by the look on his face she had gotten away with it.

"Ok." He smiled at her as he ran back into the house and grabbed his keys before joining her back in the doorway.

------

"Look who's decided to join us." Brodie commented as he spotted Brax walking down the beach towards them, his surf board tucked under his arm.

"Leave it eh!" Heath warned. Over the past few weeks they had seen a lot less of Brax, and a few of the boys were far from impressed, although none of them would say it to his face.

Brax dug his board into the sand as he greeted the boys who he had once considered family. As much as he enjoyed being a part of the River Boys, he was beginning to want something more in his life. Something which didn't always involve being in trouble with the law.

"I thought we were meant to be surfing?" He joked. They all grabbed the board as they ran towards the water, Heath raced to catch up with his brother.

"I'm glad you came."

Brax smiled at him. "I only did it so I could beat your ass at the surf!" He winked at him as he dived into the cool, ocean water.

-----

After picking up some food and drinks from the Diner, Angelo and Charlie headed towards the beach. Charlie picked a spot which was fairly deserted, a luxury which was hard to come by in the summer months. Sitting down beside her boyfriend, she leant over and placed a kiss on his cheek.

"What was that for?"

"Being you."

She smiled at him as she started eating the salad box she'd chosen for lunch. Angelo copied her smile as he too started eating his own lunch. Charlie's eyes settled on the view in front of them; the sun bounced off the waves as they came creeping up the shore. A group of surfers came into view as they emerged out of the waves, the distant sound of their banter filling Charlie's ears.

"They seem to be having a good time." She commented, causing Angelo to follow her eye line.

"Looks like the River Boys...no doubt they'll be causing trouble again." Angelo replied harshly.

Charlie looked at him for a minute before glancing back down at the group. The majority of them were now leaving the water, dressed only in board shorts which left the water dripping across their half naked bodies. Something which was attracting a view stares from girls passing by. Charlie qiuckly noticed him in the crowd, and watched him for a second as she temporarily got lost in her own thoughts.

Angelo noticed that she was distracted. He was beginning to think that bringing the River Boys, or River Boy, into the situation was starting to backfire on him.

"Charlie..." He spoke softly and she turned her head to smile at him. The minute she was facing him, he grabbed hold of her face and pulled her into a passionate kiss. She responded to his advances, and caressed the side of his face as the kiss deepened.

A bit further down the beach, the surfer group had just finished drying themselves off while teasing Heath over the fact that Brax had surfed better than he had. Heath was starting to grow tired of the abuse and chose to ignore them, his eyes scanning the beach for a distraction.

His eyes stopped at Angelo and Charlie. "Oh hey, isn't that your new business partner?" He gestured up the beach as Brax turned around and caught the last few moments of Angelo and Charlie's kiss. He felt as though someone had punched him in the stomach.

"Yeah I guess." He turned around, not wanting to torture himself any longer.

"She seems hot!" Heath commented, not realising from that distance that she was the police officer that he hated. The police officer that always seemed to go out of her way to make things difficult for him.

Brax sighed as he picked up his board and headed back towards the water. "I'm going for another surf."

------

After saying goodbye to Angelo, Charlie decided that she would head to the store to buy some food to cook for Ruby. Part of her still felt guilty for her outburst that morning, and the other part just wanted to spend some quality time with her daughter. After buying far too much food and some wine for herself, she headed back to the house and froze as she walked into the kitchen. Stood in the doorway of the living room was Brax.

"Brax?" The surprise was clear in her voice. He spun around to face her, and gave her a small smile.

"Oh hi. I'm just picking Casey up." She returned his smile as she placed the shopping on the counter. "I'm just waiting for them to pry themselves apart." He joked which caused her to laugh.

Ruby and Casey eventually joined them, their arms around each other. "Are you sure you can't stay for dinner? We could finish watching that film..." Ruby begged, discretely winking at Casey. Brax tried to hide his smile. To be young and in love... He glanced at Charlie who was also doing the same.

"No, we should get going..." Casey tried not to sound too disappointed.

Charlie glanced down at the array of food she had just bought and smiled. "You two are more than welcome to stay for dinner. There's enough for four." She shrugged, trying not to make it seem like such a big deal.

Ruby and Casey immediately perked up and looked to Brax to agree. Brax stared at his brother who was nodding at him, urging for him to do the same.

Brax gave in. "Ok, only if you're sure..."

Ruby and Casey didn't need to be told twice. They rushed back into the living room, leaving Brax alone with Charlie.

"I can't promise it'll be the best meal you've ever had though..." They smiled at each other. "I bought some wine, would you like some?"

He nodded as she opened the bottle and poured two glasses, handing him one and taking a sip of her own. They made general conversation while Charlie began cooking. Brax offered to help, but she politely declined.

Leaving everything to simmer, they took a seat at the table outside.

"They're awfully quiet in there..." Brax commented. Since they had agreed to stay, there hadn't been a sound out of Ruby or his brother.

Charlie giggled as she sat down. "Teenagers!" She rolled her eyes, taking another sip of wine before she glanced over at him.

"So, how does somebody like you get involved with the River Boys?" She asked, hoping that he would be able to satisfy her curiosity.

He exhaled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. She noticed the change in him, which only sparked her curiosity further. "Ah, you know..."

She nodded. "Yeah, I saw you with them today at the beach."

Brax kept eye contact with her for a moment before continuing. "The River Boys....it's more something you are born into,rather than join." He took a mouthful of wine, watching as she nodded again, listening intentively.

"Growing up in Mangrove River...you know, it's full of gangs. One of them is bound to find you eventually. But those boys....as bad as they are in the eyes of the law..." His comment caused her to smirk slightly. "They are my family. Well for a while, they were the only real family I had. But it's not a life I want for Casey. It's barely a life I want for myself anymore..." He took another swig of the wine as he forced himself to look at her, expecting to see a look of horror or disgust on her face. He was surprised to find quite the opposite.

"Why don't you want that life for Casey?" She paused for a minute, realising how nosey her question had sounded. "I'm sorry, you don't have to answer that."

"No, it's fine. He's better than that. I mean, I'm sure you've had enough run ins with Heath to know what he is like. But Case, he's different. He's the one who is good at school, who is going to make something of his life."

"Don't underestimate yourself. It seems to me like you're starting to turn your life around. Investing in Angelos....that's a really good start. You're nothing like the other River Boys."

Her words filled him with a new found confidence. "Thank you."

She shrugged it off and smiled. "What about your parents? Are they supportive of Casey and his schooling?" She had experienced many gang related parents who were opposed to their children going down the educational route. She hoped it wasn't the same for Casey, as he seemd like a great kid. It would be a shame for something to stand in his way.

Brax sighed. "Well my dad took off at the first opportunity he got. And mum...well her love for her family stops at the liquor store. I guess you could say that I'm all the family Casey has."

Charlie felt bad for him. Looking at him, you wouldn't know that any of this was happening behind the scenes. It was far too easy for people to judge them before they actually got to know them. She excused herself for a moment to check on dinner, returning to tell him that it wouldn't be much longer. He decided it was her turn to be grilled.

"I saw you and Angelo together at the beach today." His comment made her blush slightly. She wasn't sure why but she had hoped he hadn't spotted them. "How long have you two been together." He sat back in his chair, his eyes studying her.

"A little over a year. We met at work actually."

"What? He used to be a copper?" He couldn't hide his surprise. Angelo hadn't mentioned his past, not that Brax had thought to enquire. He couldn't believe that not only was he crushing on a cop, he was now partners with an ex-cop. The boys would have a ball with this information. He knew he would have to keep that information on the downlow for now.

Charlie nodded, surprised at how little the new business partners clearly knew about each other. "Yeah, we worked together for a few years before anything came of it. He is one of the good guys. I guess in the end he decided that he needed a change. I suppose it happens to us all eventually." She fidgetted with edge of her wine glass as she spoke, her eyes occassionally darting up to look at him. The smile never left his face as they spoke. It was endearing.

"And on that note...I think dinner should be about ready..." She giggled nervously, the effects of the first glass of wine starting to take it's effect. He followed her into the kitchen, heading into the living room to find Ruby and Casey locked in a passionate embrace. He cleared his throat and they immediately jumped apart, a sheepish look on both of their faces.

"I think dinner is ready..." He rushed back into the kitchen so they wouldn't see him laughing at them.

"What's so funny?" Charlie asked, after seeing the amused look on his face.

"Romeo and Juliet in there. I'm surprised one of them hasn't suffocated the way they were behaving."

They both laughed as he helped her dish out the meal. They both moved around the kitchen as Charlie directed him as to where he could find plates and the various utensils that they would need. With Leah's kitchen only being small, Charlie found that they were constantly brushing up against each other, something which was beginning to make them both a little nervous. Thankfully Ruby and Casey walked in which broke the atmosphere a little.

After dinner, Brax helped Charlie clear the dishes. "Thank you so much for dinner. I hope you didn't put you out too much."

She reached across and touched his arm, which made his breath catch in his throat slightly. "Of course you didn't." She'd moved away from him almost as quickly as she'd touched him, much to his dismay. "Shall we finish off the wine before you break up the happy couple?" Charlie laughed, as she poured the remainder of the wine into the two glasses. They remained in the kitchen, both standing side by side, leaning up against the counter.

"How are you liking it at Angelos?"

"It's great, he has a really good business going on. I do get the feeling though that Angelo has a slight problem with me."

"He takes a little time to warm to people. It's the cop in him." She joked. Brax laughed for a second before his face turned serious again.

"And what's the cop in you saying?"

She didn't have a chance to answer as knock on the kitchen door caught their attention. They looked away from each other to see Angelo stood in the doorway. He was clearly annoyed.

"Angelo...hi!" It came out a little more drunk than she had hoped. She put down the glass of wine and smiled at him. "What are you doing here?"

Brax too put down his glass and glanced nervously at the floor. As if the guy doesn't dislike me enough already... Angelo stared between the two of them.

"I came to see my girlfriend. But clearly I should have called." He replied sarcastically, glaring over in Brax's direction.

"Brax and Casey stayed for dinner." She glanced quickly at Brax before looking back at Angelo. His expression failed to change.

Brax pushed himself up from the counter and headed towards the living room. "I best make a move....Casey!" He called, ignoring the cold stare which Angelo was giving him. Casey quickly said his goodbyes to Ruby before thanking Charlie for dinner.

The five of them stood awkwardly in the kitchen for a minute. Angelo hadn't moved from the doorway.

"Right then...thanks Charlie." Brax threw her an awkward smile as he headed to the door. Angelo still hadn't moved so Brax had to squeeze past him. Angelo's eyes didn't leave Brax, until he had walked out of sight.

He turned his attention back to Charlie. "A cosy dinner in eh?"

She rolled her eyes as she put the empty glasses in the sink. "It wasn't like that at all. He came over to pick Casey up and Ruby asked if they could stay for dinner. That's all there was to it." She turned back around to face him but his face failed to soften. "Are you coming in?" Her eyes were fixed on his as she waited for his answer.

-----

Hope it was ok! Let me know what you think

Lianne x

[Lucii]

Aw angelo go away! Let Chax be

Fab chapter update soon x

[luscious01]

Amazing once again Lianne.......i love how you write chax i can actually imagine them sitting talking!!

Update soon xxx

[Samantha1]

Great chapter, ooh Angelo getting jealous! Mind you, who wouldn't, his competition is fierce, aha!

[Inactive User]

Great chapter Update soon please xx

[Jen1205]

Aww I loved that chapter Lianne The conversation between Brax and Charlie was great, you can feel the chemistry between them already. Damn Angelo interrupting precious Chax time. Please update soon