The Promise of Tomorrow: An Inheritance Novel

by Candice Wright

  “Eden.”

  I stir in my seat when I hear my name and wince when I try to straighten up. Travelling for six hours when recovering from a car crash was downright stupid but what choice did we have? If Karl sees a weakness, he will capitalise on it. Getting out of Newcastle was the right thing to do even if I am paying for it now.

  “We’re here,” Mason tells me from the driver’s seat as he pulls into the parking spot beside Noah.

  I click off the seatbelt as my door opens revealing a tired-looking Noah. He helps me out before picking me up like he did before.

  “I can walk, you know,” I tell him, but it comes out muffled as I bury my head in his shoulder while the icy wind whips around us.

  “I’m sure you can but this way is quicker. No point in the rest of us freezing our asses off just because you’re stubborn.”

  “You’re an asshole, Noah.” I breathe into his neck, making him shudder.

  “So I’ve been told.” He carries me up a couple of steps and through the front door of what looks like an upscale townhouse.

  “Lights, fifty percent.” The lights turn on, revealing a gorgeous kitchen. Dark wood cabinets with integrated appliances and white gloss countertops make it modern without all the stainless steel that seems to be all the trend. A large island with a sleek halogen hob sits in the middle of the room separating the kitchen from the dining area. The dining area itself has a large dark oak table surrounded by six cream leather tub chairs with beautiful rivet detailing along the seams. One wall is made completely of glass but with the lights on it’s impossible to see outside. Even so, I just bet the view is spectacular.

  “This kitchen is gorgeous and so freaking clean.” I hear a snort from behind us and spot Mason and Eli loaded down with all our luggage.

  “It’s clean because we never use it.” Eli laughs. “We either aren’t here, or we order in as neither of us can cook for shit.”

  “How can you have a kitchen like this and not cook in it?” I look around in wonder. It reminds me of the kitchens from the cooking shows I watch.

  “Trust me, Eden. If either Noah or I started cooking, we would probably burn the house down but feel free to cook your heart out while you’re here. I sure as shit won’t say no to some home-cooked food.

  “You don’t say no to any food, Eli,” Noah says as he carries me back out of the kitchen and up a short flight of stairs.

  “That’s because working with you means I rarely get to finish anything, so I have to store it up,” Eli says as he trails us up the stairs with Mason.

  “Lights, fifty percent. Heating, twenty-one Celsius.”

  “That is cool as shit,” Mason pipes up. Boys and their toys.

  This must be the living area and I can see from this vantage point that it’s in a horseshoe shape. Directly in front of us is an antique desk and a cream leather chair. To the left is a dining room, this one with a light oak table and six soft grey high-backed chairs. To the right is the living room. Glass doors line one wall and I can just see they lead out to a balcony but not much else. Inside the light wooden floors are covered with a large cream shag pile rug and a massive cream leather corner sofa facing the doors. A coffee table and end table, in the same wood as the dining table around the corner, and an oversized chair make up the rest of the furniture in the room, keeping it spacious and light.

  “We’ll give you a proper tour tomorrow. Mason, you have the sofa for the night, man, we’ll sort out something better for you.”

  “Nah, Eli, the sofa is fine. Believe me, I have slept on much worse.”

  “I’m going to take Eden upstairs. Night, guys.”

  “Night, Noah. Thanks for letting us stay.” Mason walks over to me and kisses me on the forehead making me laugh at the uncomfortable look on Noah’s face. Guess he should have put me down then.

  “Night, Eli.”

  Eli inclines his head at me and turns back to Mason to continue talking about the house’s integrated control system. Whatever happened to good old-fashioned light switches? But whatever floats your boat. Two more short flights of stairs spill us out into the attic room. The first things I notice when we walk in are a king-size bed with white and green bedding flanked by two white bedside tables with glass lamps upon them. A large antique white wardrobe and a tall chest of drawers with a large, flat screen television sit across from the bed. I notice another door on the far right and figure it’s the bathroom but right now all I care about is sleeping.

  “Please tell me that’s my bed for the night.”

  “That’s your bed and this is your room for however long you need.”

  He places me down on the side of it and slides off my pumps. My eyes are drooping again despite the fact that I slept the whole journey down here. I lie back and am vaguely aware of the comforter being pulled up over me. I mumble something that resembles goodnight before I drift back off to sleep, far more comfortable than before.

  When I wake, it’s still early, but I know I won’t be able to go back to sleep now. My head throbs, my body aches and my ribs feel as if they are on fire. I glance out the window through the open blinds and see the stunning view that was obscured last night. Double doors lead out onto a small balcony with a small table and two chairs perpendicular to each other. It’s the view though, that takes my breath away. The River Thames in all its majestic glory stretches from left to right as far as I can see before it becomes hidden by the adjacent buildings. I lift myself up on one arm and look at the turbulent waters and feel a calmness wash over me. I can’t explain why it is that large bodies of water—lakes, rivers, and oceans—have always had the ability to bring me a kind of peace. I remember when I was younger, my mother would tell me that I must have been part mermaid as I adored the water and could swim like a fish. It has always been my dream to eventually settle down in a little house right on the ocean. Looking out over the vast river below me, I realise that this place is pretty special too.

  I sit up and shuffle to the side of the bed so I can slowly swing my legs off the edge. As much as I would love to sit out on that balcony and enjoy the early morning sunshine, I need painkillers more.

  Sweat breaks out on my forehead when I’m finally in a sitting position but the thought of standing makes me feel sick. I look around and realise that I’m out of breath already and the room suddenly looks huge. Fuck. I can’t even get to the bathroom across the room let alone downstairs where my medications are. Just as I am considering the pros and cons of crawling to the bathroom, I hear a light tapping on the door. Before I can answer, Eli walks in, dressed to the nines in a black suit and matching tie carrying a glass of water in one hand and my bag of medication in the other.

  “Oh, thank god,” I breathe out, relieved.

  “Feeling sore?” he asks, handing me the tablets. I pop out two, take the glass from him, and swallow them down before I answer.

  “Everything hurts this morning, even my hair,” I groan softly.

  “You need to rest, Eden. You were in a serious car accident yesterday and travelling here while you were injured, although necessary, was asking for trouble.

  “I know. I promise I have no plans to run a marathon at least until after lunch,” I tell him wryly, making him smile. “What has you up so early this morning looking all dapper? Did you get any sleep at all?”

  He smiles his Colgate smile at me, the one that’s all white teeth and dimples, leaving me feeling a little dazzled.

  “Are you worried about me, Eden?”

  I scoff at him. “I’m just nosey that’s all.”

  “I have to go to the office and update everyone on what’s going on and then I’ll be meeting with the security team Malcolm has hired to keep you safe.”

  I shift, uncomfortable. Trying to find a position where nothing hurts is impossible. “Malcolm?”

  “He’s our boss. He’s one of the owners of Turner and Smiths law firm. Malcolm Turner. Philip Smith is the other guy, but he spends most of his time in the states.”

/>   “Interesting,” I mumble, eyeing the bathroom door. He follows my staring, and a look of understanding crosses his face.

  “Erm...” He looks at me uncomfortably which, surprisingly, eases my nerves somewhat. “Do you want me to go and get Mason to give you a hand?”

  Do I want him to wake up one part of the hotness brigade, so he can help me pee? Yeah, that’s a hard no. I shake my head. “I can manage. I just need help getting there.”

  “Ah crap, I’m sorry I didn’t even think about that. Will you let me carry you?”

  I kind of love that he asked me. If it had been Noah or Mason, I would be up and in their arms whether I wanted it or not. I’m not saying that it’s a hardship being held by them, far from it, but I secretly love that Eli doesn’t just try to walk all over me and demand his own way. I’m not naïve. I know that if he thought for one second I was going to hurt myself, he would scoop me up in a heartbeat but giving me control, especially with issues like mine, makes an unexpected warmth invade my chest.

  “Yes, please. I really, really need to pee.”

  He slips one arm under my legs and one behind my back before lifting me effortlessly into his arms. He might be shorter than Mason by a couple of inches and leaner than Noah with more of a swimmer’s body, but he is far from weak. In fact, if the firmness of his chest is anything to go by, I would bet he is sculpted to perfection under that shirt. I look away so he doesn’t notice the slight flush of my cheeks from thinking of him with his clothes off. He nudges the door with his leg and carries me into the attached bathroom before lowering me gently to the floor holding onto me to make sure I have my balance.

  “You sure you can manage?”

  “As much as I appreciate everything you guys are doing for me, I am far from the stage of being comfortable peeing in front of you.”

  “Right. I’ll be just outside the door. Holler when you’re finished.”

  He leaves and closes the door behind him and I let out a relieved breath, glad that he wasn’t able to catch how much pain I’m in, or he would never have left. I’m still dressed in the light blue T-shirt and pair of leggings dotted with flowers that I travelled in last night. At least I chose something comfortable enough to sleep in and they sure beat the hell out of the borrowed pair of Mason’s tracksuit bottoms I wore home from the hospital. I slide the leggings down and manage to maneuver myself onto the toilet without falling and breaking anything. I finish my business and reach over to wash my hands before calling for Eli. I avoid looking in the mirror. I’m not vain by nature but I know whatever my reflection shows is going to freak me out and I am beyond capable of dealing with that before coffee.

  He taps the door before entering, despite me calling him, making me smile again. “Ready?”

  “Yes. Would you mind helping me down the stairs? I need a change of scenery.”

  He picks me up again instead of grabbing my arm like I thought he would and carries me out into the hallway and down the stairs.

  “Or you could carry me,” I mumble into his shoulder.

  “I get that it’s frustrating being carried around, Eden, but you better get used to it. None of us are going to be okay with you going up and down the stairs until you are a bit more stable on your feet. It’s just not safe. It’s not safe,” he repeats when I go to speak, talking over me.

  I don’t answer. I know when to pick my battles.

  Chapter Six

  EDEN

  “We have one of those coffee machines with pods because Noah and I are polar opposites when it comes to coffee. I like lattes and cappuccinos and Noah likes his black.”

  “Like his soul,” I mutter as Eli carries me into the kitchen and over to the dining area.

  “He is a hard ass, but he is a good guy, Eden.” He lowers me onto one of the kitchen chairs and lifts my feet up onto the chair opposite me.

  “How do you want your coffee?”

  “With a shot of chocolate if you have it.”

  “One mocha coming up.”

  He makes my drink, the smell permeating the air makes me sigh in appreciation. He hands it to me in a tall black travel mug then scoops me back up in his arms again.

  “I figure a travel mug would help us avoid third-degree burns.”

  “Good call.” I wonder if it’s possible to become addicted to being carried around by gorgeous men. Is that a thing? Is there a meeting I can go to? Probably not but there should be because I’m pretty sure I’m going to miss this when my body heals. For all my protesting, a part of me loves being looked after and treated as if I matter. It’s a heady feeling that makes me feel a little wary at how temporary this all is.

  “What’s going on?” a sleepy voice asks from the couch.

  I love Mason’s voice. It’s deep and sexy and when he’s close to me, I swear I can feel it vibrate against my skin.

  “Nothing, man. I’ve got to head into the office for a little while and Eden has had enough of being in bed.” He places me in one of the chairs and pulls a footstool out for my feet. “Need anything else before I leave?”

  “Just my Kindle, if that’s okay. It’s in the front zip of that purple rucksack over there,” I tell him, pointing in the direction he and Mason dumped the bags last night.

  He finds it and hands it over while I take small sips of my coffee to avoid burning my tongue.

  “Thank you. I’ll see you later.”

  “I won’t be too long. I’m just going in for a couple of hours and I’ll grab a couple of odds and ends to tide us over until we can actually do some shopping. Just relax and take it easy for a while, all right?”

  “I will. I’m just going to stay curled up here and read.”

  He nods and heads of out. I turn to Mason who has fallen asleep again and is snoring softly, which makes me smile. I lose myself in the story of a lost shifter princess and her three mates by one of my favourite authors, Winter James. When Mason calls my name sometime later, I nearly jump out of my skin.

  “Huh?”

  “I asked if it’s a good book.” He laughs at me. “I’ve been calling your name for the last five minutes, but you were so absorbed in your story you couldn’t hear me.”

  I shrug sheepishly, closing my Kindle and resting it on the arm of the chair. I have spent the last six years living frugally so the library became my favourite place. When I treated myself on my birthday to a Kindle, I opened up a whole new world with the tips of my fingers. There is a lot more choice on the Kindle than in the library, so it gave me a chance to branch out into genres I hadn’t even heard of before. When I stumbled upon ménage and reverse harem stories, I was hooked. It may not appeal to everyone and probably only works as a fantasy, but I love the idea of a group of guys being completely and utterly in love with a sole woman who is the centre of their universe.

  “Yeah, sorry. You should have thrown a cushion at me. What time is it?”

  He looks at his watch before sitting up and stretching. His T-shirt raises up slightly to reveal a sliver of skin between the hem and the waist of his boxers.

  “A little after seven. It’s still early. What time did you get up?”

  “I don’t know, a couple of hours ago, maybe.” I rub my arms as I realise it’s actually quite chilly in here.

  “Come here.” He lifts the quilt he has over him and scoots back against the far side of the sofa to make room for me. I feel oddly nervous. I have never lain with a boy before. Actually, I don’t think I have lain with anyone before.

  “No, that’s okay. I’m fine, really.” I feel stupid admitting that I’m not used to physical contact.

  “Eden, get your cute butt over here. You’re cold and I want to snuggle.”

  I can’t help but smile. You don’t expect a guy Mason’s size to use the word snuggle. I manage to get myself up rather ungracefully and hobble the couple of steps to the sofa. I sit and let Mason help get me into a comfortable position as he gently lifts my legs up so that I can lie down. He slips his arm around my back and pulls me so t
hat my head is on his chest and the quilt is wrapped around us. The warmth immediately begins to seep into me, making me relax. I feel my eyes starting to get heavy, but I fight to try and keep them open because I don’t want to miss a second of this. It has been so long since I’ve felt safe enough to let my guard down, but being wrapped up in Mason’s arms feels like the safest place in the world right now.

  “I’ve got you, pretty girl,” he tells me as he draws circles against my back with his fingertips. I smile as my eyes drift closed.

  It’s the mumble of deep voices trying to be quiet that wakes me up a couple of hours later. That and the furnace lying beside me, making me overheat.

  “Hey, sleeping beauty. How you feeling?” Eli asks from the chair I had been sitting in earlier

  “Hot,” I manage to mumble as I try to escape the confines of the blanket.

  “Well, I’ve seen you strip so I can indeed confirm that you are definitely hot.”

  “Ass,” I grouse as I try to sit up. Thankfully Mason helps me so I can lower my feet to the floor.

  “What’s that, Eden? You want me to check out your ass? Well, if you insist,” Eli jokes.

  “Eli,” Noah warns him from the other end of the “L” shaped sofa. I hadn’t even realised he was there.

  “You’re no fun, Noah,” Eli grumbles. I wince when I try to stand so I decide just to stay put for a little longer.

  “Hold on, Eden, let me just grab your pills.” Eli goes to grab them as Mason slips out from beside me.

  “I loved having you in my arms, pretty girl, but fuck me do I need to piss.” He is out of the room before I can tell him I need the bathroom too.

  “I’m not going to bite, Eden. You don’t need to look so uncomfortable.” Noah sighs, frustrated.

  “If you try to bite me, I will punch you in the throat. I just need the bathroom, that’s all.”