Sean: A Stepbrother Romance (Coded for Love Book 3)

by Saskia Walker

  Draco swigged from his beer and put the bottle down on the table. “Give me a couple of hours.”

  Sky frowned. “To do what?”

  Draco reached over and tugged on her hair. “Never you mind, and don’t gossip to Rowan, the less she knows the better.”

  She rose to her feet. “Jesus, Draco, I’m not a kid any more.”

  “You’ve made that blatantly obvious these last few months, but you still seem to be a magnet for trouble.”

  “You bloody hypocrite!” Sky fumed. “After the shenanigans you’ve been in these last few weeks, banged up in the cells and hacking under an assumed name…”

  “Wait, what?” Sean slammed his hand down the table. “You’ve been hacking?”

  “No, not as such.” Draco flashed Sky a warning glance. “I was hired to find a mole, internal stuff.”

  “You sold your hacking skills?”

  “I had a contract from the…er… Management.”

  “Jesus, you claim you’re not hacking and clearly you are.”

  “Nope.” Draco stood his ground. “I’ll explain, but not now. Trust me on this. It wasn’t what we vowed off, it was different. Besides, I might be able to help you out.”

  The three guys looked at one another, and then at Sky.

  The dog was barking from the garden.

  She ignored it, folding her arms over her chest.

  Rory stood up and let the dog back in. “Come on, Sky. Give us a minute for guy talk.”

  Glaring at them each in turn, she strode off into the hallway muttering to herself.

  “Come on, what you got?” Rory nodded at Draco’s phone.

  Draco closed in. “Kerridges is a city finance house.”

  Sean was none the wiser. “And?”

  “And I might know someone who might know someone... inside.”

  Sean’s tensed. “Too dangerous.”

  Rory and Draco exchanged glances.

  Rory quirked an eyebrow. “Draco’s got friends in high places these days, bro.”

  “I can’t promise anything,” Draco butted in, “but give me a couple of hours to see what I can find out about the target.”

  Sean’s frown deepened. “Like what?”

  “Like…how tight they are, as in how likely is it you’ll be thrown back in the clink once you log on to their network, okay?”

  Draco meant Bona fide IT stuff.

  Sean reluctantly nodded. “Guess it might help to know.”

  He didn’t want to involve any of them. Even the bare bones of this discussion went against his better judgment. The weight bearing down on him was a burden he couldn’t share more than a few words of. Nevertheless, he could do with any insight Draco could offer. Even a sliver of knowledge might offer a glimmer of hope at this point. If there was no way through, he’d take Delahane’s gopher down, send a message to Delahane, loud and clear. If it landed him back in jail, so be it.

  The darkness surrounding him crowded in, and at the end of the tunnel a light—Rowan’s face, as it always had been, his beacon. It was even more powerful a beacon now because alongside it he carried Pixie’s image too. Their baby girl. Together they symbolized the possibility of his redemption. If he didn’t come out of it alive or ended up in jail again, at least they were safe in Wales.

  Chapter Thirteen

  London might as well be the biggest maze in the world, for someone who had grown up in a small Welsh coastal resort. Rowan was, however, determined to handle the big city. The pace, the glamour, the buzz—it all heightened her restless mood, making her feel edgy and ready to pounce.

  She’d left North Wales early in the morning, two trains journeys later and she still had the underground to negotiate. There was no way she was giving up and going home, although it did briefly occur to her when she hit Euston Station during the evening rush hour chaos. It took the best part of the day, but she made it to Sky’s new home before dusk. Now she just had to work out how to get inside.

  According to her GPS it was definitely the right location, but the house was surrounded by hedges and trees, and she couldn’t find the entrance. With a frustrated sigh, she gave in and phoned Sky. “I’m outside. How the hell do I get into this place?”

  At the other end of the phone, her sister, Sky, chuckled. “I’ll come out and get you. I could’ve met you at the station. You should’ve called me when you reached Euston. I told you to.”

  “No, stay where you are, I’ll figure it out.” Rowan’s stubborn streak grew bigger by the moment, fixated as she was on hunting Sean down and setting his world to rights, single-handedly.

  “Yeah, but call back if you give in.”

  “Wait…Come on, at least give me a clue.” Rowan stared at the wall of green foliage, annoyed. She’d endured the train and tube journeys, using the GPS to guide her through the maze that was London, and she wasn’t about to let herself down at the last minute by having to be shepherded into the house.

  “Follow the hedge until you find a gate.”

  Rowan looked along the hedge. There was no sign of a gate. “What is this, fuckin’ Narnia?”

  “Language, Rowan.” Sky chuckled.

  She clearly loved this. “Don’t mess with me, Sky, I’m not in the mood to play games.”

  “It’s not a game, really. It’s the only way you’re going to get in. Turn to your left and follow the hedge round until you get to a gate. I’ll meet you there to make sure you don’t miss it.”

  Rowan pocketed her phone and carried her backpack in one hand as she skirted the perimeter. If Sean had found his way in here, she damn well could. It was a pretty odd set up though. She’d never seen the likes of it before. Just when she was about to give up and call Sky again she heard a dog barking close by, and then Sky’s voice.

  “Here you are.”

  “Here? Where.” She stared at the green mass.

  Part of the hedge sprung back and there was Sky standing in the gateway, smiling. Rowan peered at the gate. It was virtually invisible if you didn’t know it was there. Foliage shielded it from left and right and the gate itself was pinned with branches. Touching them, she figured they were artificial. Like camouflage. It gave the effect of a solid wall, when the gate was shut. Looking beyond Sky she saw a garden and a pretty cottage.

  “Wow it’s like a secret garden, like in the book.”

  “It is, properly secret. The guy who used to live here was quite a character.”

  Rowan dropped her backpack and grabbed her little sister in a hug.

  “You look good, really good,” she commented when they drew apart.

  “Whereas you look like you need a good night’s sleep.” Sky frowned.

  “I know.” Rowan’s hand went to her hair. “He’s not in the house right now, is he?”

  “No, they took off early this morning, said they were going to the workshop, but there’s something going on there they don’t want me to know about.”

  “Hmmm, yes. I’ll kill him if he gets on the wrong side of the law inside a week of being out of jail.”

  “Whatever it is, they tried to keep me out of it, but I over heard a bit. Let’s get inside. You can have a rest and some food before they get back.”

  “Sounds good.” Rowan looked beyond as they walked up the path side by side. “What’s that?” Rowan stared at a big long shed covered over with trailing plants and what looked like grapes vines.

  “Bike store, what else.”

  “Of course it is.”

  A dog loped out to greet her.

  Rowan bent down and ruffled his head. “Aww he’s cute. Does he carry bags?”

  Sky hugged her side and took the backpack from her hand. “I’ll take it, you must be tired.”

  “Bedraggled maybe, but I have a head of steam that’s kept me going.”

  It was good to see Sky, who suddenly seemed the personification of calm.

  “Is it the hacking gig, or something else?” Sky frowned.

  Rowan shook her head. She hadn’t been able t
o say much when she phoned the day before, and right now she wasn’t sure she could. On the brink of tears and weary too. She was dangerously close to letting it all spill out.

  “Hey, you’re really upset, what’s going on?”

  “Sean. He came and went like a thief in the night. It’s tearing me apart.”

  Sky’s expression turned serious. “Poor love, well he always did leave a trail of chaos in his wake and it sounds as if he’s in a hell of a mess.”

  “Too right it is.” Talking about it made her anger rise. She had the urge to grind her teeth. “Can you believe it—he’d just told me he was going straight and promised he would never take off again, and then whoosh...out of there without a word, for a bloody hacking gig!”

  They’d reached an open door, but Sky stopped dead and looked at Rowan, aghast. “He didn’t explain why, before he left?”

  “No.” They stared at each other in silence for a moment then Rowan had to ask. “Please tell me what you know.”

  “Maybe its better he tells you.”

  Appalled, Rowan glared at her sibling and was about to demand she talk but Sky carried the backpack indoors, gesturing for Rowan to follow. “Wait, tell me what, Sky?”

  Once the dog loped in and the door was shut, Rowan saw they were in a kitchen, a big rambling room it was with loads of mismatched cupboards and a large wooden table centre stage.

  Sky bulled out two chairs. “Get comfy, I’ll put the kettle on and rustle you up something to eat.”

  Sky keeps her head down and filled the kettle from the tap in a deep white sink. “I don’t know a lot.”

  “But you know something.”

  “He took off because he has to do a hack, and I overheard him say it’s a matter of life or death.”

  Something in Rowan’s head stared buzzing like an alarm, and it seemed tangled up in her heartbeat. What the hell? After everything he’d said about starting over, never hacking again, and inside a couple of days he’s abandoned her for what sounded like a really dangerous hack?

  “I don’t know much about it, but it’s some guy he knew on the inside. He’s forcing Sean to do it.”

  “Forcing?” Rowan gave a wry laugh. “No one could force that man to do anything.”

  “No, it does seem odd.” Sky set about the fridge, pulling out containers of food. “That’s all I know, really.”

  Rowan nodded and sat down. Sky would spill the beans if she knew more, for sure. She’d have to bide her time until Sean arrived, then she’d take him apart, limb by limb, to get to the bottom of it.

  “He had us all convinced he was going straight. He actually sat there with Aunt Gladys and convinced her he was going to start his own fencing business in Prestatyn.”

  Sky looked puzzled. “Fencing? You mean sword fighting?”

  Rowan burst out laughing. The idea of it was too funny. “Fencing as in repairing and putting up fences.”

  Not surprisingly, Sky still looked puzzled. “Blimey. That’s gonna take some imagining.”

  “Yeah,” Rowan agreed, “if it’s not bikes or computers…pfft. Not worth their time of day.” She looked around the kitchen. It was a great space, and Sky seemed right at home. “What about you? How are you getting on here?”

  “Great, really great.”

  Rowan’s feeling was her words were genuine, but there was a little bit of a shadow in her sister’s eyes, like a doubt, and Rowan didn’t miss it. “Are you getting on with Rory, now you’re together full time?”

  “God, yes.” Sky continued to prep food, but glanced back over her shoulder occasionally as she spoke. “To be honest, it’s so much like a dream come true I sometimes have to pinch myself to make sure I’m not asleep.”

  Sky blushed. It was cute to see and Rowan was relieved. So what was her sister worrying about? “And the house, the pets?”

  “I love it all. I do.” She paused. “Although sometimes I...”

  “What?”

  “Oh, it’s nothing.”

  “No, it’s something. You can tell me.”

  “Everything is great, don’t worry. I just sometimes feel a bit overwhelmed because I don’t want make any mistakes.”

  “Everybody makes mistakes, Sky. Its how you handle them that counts.” Rowan wished she could live up the mantra herself, but it was something she believed in.

  “Yeah, I guess. I just sometimes find myself wishing you were around.” Sky put a plate of quiche on the table and gestured, encouraging Rowan to eat. “Like this, to talk properly, like we used to, not just face time, real time.”

  “I know what you mean. I miss you too. It’s not the same is it? I miss you at home too. The ladies are great, but they can be really stuffy. Aunt Gladys is out a lot doing her voluntary work, and I know Nan would like to join her more, but she covers with Pixie when I go to my classes. Besides, I can’t leave Pixie for long. It’s doing my head in already and I only said bye-bye to her this morning.”

  “You know you and Pixie could stay here for as long as you like.” Sky offered. “I’d love it if you did. I meant both of you.” Sky paused and looked at Rowan thoughtfully. “I couldn’t invite you before, living in a one room hovel and working all hours to meet the rent. But now things are different. There’s room for you and Pixie here.”

  All Rowan could think was Sean would be here, right here in this house in this kitchen. Rory had offered him a job, a room. There’d already been mention of converting the attic, or applying for permission to build an extension. But she couldn’t even begin to think of being that near him—living under the same roof—with this gaping chasm between them, the mistakes and the grievances. And yet the magnetic appeal was there too, calling on her to the very depths of her being. To be that close to him all the time. It set alight the pulse in the pit of her belly, making her restless with desire. Her skin tingled, her body heat rising. Don’t even toy with the idea, she told herself sternly. It can’t happen. Think of Pixie.

  “It’s a wonderful thought, and I really do appreciate it, but I have to be practical. I’ve only just started evening classes. Pixie will be starting nursery school soon.” Sky looked disappointed. She tried to hide it, but not enough. So Rowan pushed on. “But now you have more space we can visit more often.”

  Sky looked relieved.

  “Talk to me about any worries though, please Sky.”

  “It’s not worries, it’s just a lot of new stuff, all the time. I want my big sis handy to turn to.” Sky laughed it off.

  She was genuinely happy, Rowan could see that.

  “Like…what color do I paint the kitchen wall, and how do I find the right paint? I’m always googling like an idiot.”

  “I don’t know if I’d be any help, what do I know about paint?”

  “You know what I mean.”

  “Yeah, I do. It would be fun to do it together.”

  Sky pointed at her with one finger. “Got it in one.”

  Rowan could see it now. Her little sister was taking the world on head first, as she always had, going out there and grabbing it with both hands, way before Rowan had. With more responsibility came greater decisions. She’d felt it herself. Like every choice she made in life was a bigger crossroads than the last, and with more implications. Pixie was her priority, always, so that helped guide her.

  She didn’t feel up to eating, not yet, but Sky pushed a slice of quiche onto her plate and wouldn’t take no for an answer.

  “If it’s any help, I love what you’ve done to the place so far. The before and after photos you’ve been emailing me are the highlight of our days at home in Prestatyn. The ladies get excited every time my phone beeps.”

  Sky laughed. “That must be a pain.”

  “Nah. Speaking of pains…when do you expect the guys back?” Rowan looked anxiously at the door. She could scarcely bring herself to take off her jacket and backpack until she’d had it out with Sean.

  “Who knows,” Sky replied. “You know what it’s like when that lot get their coding head
s on.”

  “Hmmm.” It didn’t bear thinking about. “Well Sean better not get too cozy, because I’m going to make him regret he ever looked at a computer again.”

  Sky chuckled. “Yep, you really love him.”

  Rowan’s mouth opened, but when she saw her sister’s accusing expression and knowing smile, she didn’t even bother trying to muster a reply.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Sean looked around with interest.

  The old diner they used to hang out in hadn’t changed much over the last three years. A new red countertop had been put in since he’d last been here, just over a year before, and different color paper napkins. Even the waitress was the same. She did a double take when she saw him and Draco arrive, as if she remembered them but wasn’t quite sure where from. She should remember, he thought to himself with amusement. He’d been arrested by the Cyber Crime Police in this diner.

  Being back in the place they adopted when the three of them first came to London made Sean feel a bit more grounded. Marginally. Since he’d left Wales his mood was angry at worst, morose at best, and his back was well and truly up. He didn’t like being ordered around by anyone, but he’d seen Delahane’s handiwork inside the prison and he didn’t want to bring that down on anyone, let alone the women he loved. Rowan was constantly at the forefront of his mind, thoughts of her driving him. He had to reassure himself she was safe in Wales, and he’d figure out how to keep it that way.

  Draco sat opposite. It’d been his suggestion to designate this as the meeting point. He hadn’t said why, but it was home turf. They new the streets and alleyways around there like the back of their hands.

  “Does it bother you, being back here?” Draco asked.

  “No.” Sean nodded at Draco’s fitted leather jacket, jeans and T-shirt. “You look more like yourself today.”