“It’s okay. This isn’t your fault, girl. You did nothing wrong, nothing at all. You have nothing to be sorry for. But you got one thing right: we would have replaced your shit. And we will be doing that too. I don’t want excuses. You have a business that you love and have worked hard to run. There is no way I’m letting you lose that as well because of some predator.”
“I let you down.” I look up from her shoulder, eyeing my dad, who’s barely keeping it together. “I’m sorry I got my necklace stolen, Dad.”
He snaps out of it, looking at me. His eyes soften, and when he holds his arms out for me, I run into them like I did when I was a kid. And the minute he envelops me in a hug, the weight I’ve been bearing, lifts. I feel safe for the first time in months.
Not even when my landlords put locks on the windows, changed the ones on the front door, or when they put cameras in the hallway and entrance, did I feel safe.
But my dad… he’s made me feel safe from day one.
“Liam is already looking into it. He’s hacked into her file at the police station. He’ll call when he has something,” Myles says.
I pull away, but still hold on to my dad as I shake my head. “No. You have to let the police deal with this. He’s done it before and I don’t want you getting into trouble.”
“We won’t get caught.” Malik shrugs, like it’s no big deal.
“But he knows where I live,” I whisper.
“Trust me, after we’ve finished with him, baby, he won’t even remember your name,” my dad growls, hugging me tighter.
“Can we eat now? I’m―” Max starts.
“Hungry?” Mum interrupts, rolling her eyes. “Come on, everyone is waiting round Harlow’s for us.”
We all head out, walking down the street to Harlow’s. My gaze shifts to my great-grandparents’ house, feeling a pang of grief hit me, like it does every time I think of them.
The house is empty now. Harlow, my mum and other aunties cleaned it out a few months back, keeping everything of importance and taking the rest to a local charity shop.
Mum has plans of letting Hope, Maddison and Maddox move in there, since, after me, they are the eldest, until the time comes when one of them wants to start a family. But Hope works in a library and lives in an old cottage next to it where she spends most of her time writing. She still hasn’t decided what she wants to do with her writing, but I have no doubt it will be epic. The others are waiting for it to be redecorated.
As happy as it makes them to remember our great-grandparents, it’s hard to live in their home—with reminders everywhere. They decided to update everything and give the place a new look, so we don’t feel like they’re going to walk around the corner any second.
“Come on,” Mum coos softly, rubbing my back as she steers me up Harlow’s path and around the back, into the garden.
Everyone is gathered around the picnic tables. Mason walks over to his son Ashton who is manning the barbeque.
“Hey, you okay?” my sister Lily greets.
Lily is a rare creature. She’s quiet, incredibly kind and so intuitive of others around her it’s uncanny. She’s also soft-spoken and easily intimidated. How she survives in a classroom teaching English still amazes me.
“I guess you’ll all find out in a second. I think they’re going to want to tell everyone.”
“What?” she asks, her brows pinching together.
“Come on. I need a drink if I have to listen to these guys yell at each other over who will be the first to beat him.”
She stops me, her beautiful, delicate features scrunching up in confusion and hurt. “What do you mean? What haven’t you told me?”
Seeing the hurt flash in her eyes, I drag her over to the tables and proceed to listen to my mum and dad fill everyone in; Max butting in every few seconds to remind everyone I’m not pregnant.
I’m still shocked he didn’t demand I pee in a cup.
“Does this mean you’ll bake me some cakes if I buy all the shit you need?” Aiden, my youngest brother at seventeen, says. “And thank fuck you’re not pregnant.”
Giving him a small smile, I nod. “Yeah, but you’ll have to buy new pots and pans. Everything was destroyed.”
His jaw ticks. “I’m still pissed you didn’t tell me.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t want anyone to know,” I tell them.
Lily stands suddenly, her fork clattering on her plate. “I need to go. I’ll see you all later.”
Everyone watches for a split second before they try to call her back. Mum goes to follow her, but I shake my head, standing up.
“I’ll go. Be right back.”
“Bring her back too. This is family time,” Dad warns.
I nod before rushing off after her, finding her opening her car door. “Lily, wait.” She stops but doesn’t turn, giving me her back. “Lil, please, look at me.”
She turns slowly to face me, tears running down her cheeks. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
I didn’t realise she would be this hurt. Since Maverick brought her home to us, she’s been my best friend. She wasn’t just my sister, she was the greatest friend a girl could have.
“I didn’t want you to be worried. I knew you’d want to help in some way and I couldn’t have that. You’ve got your own life to live. You didn’t need to worry about mine.”
“I thought we were sisters who told each other everything,” she tells me, her words choked.
Tears spring to my eyes. “We are. We’re best friends. I didn’t know you’d be this hurt. I’m so sorry.”
“You didn’t think I’d be strong enough to handle this. I’m not weak. I might be quiet, I may find certain things hard to cope with, but I’m not weak.”
Lily had a rough upbringing before she came to live with us. Some of it she’s shared with me, some I can only guess. But whatever her psycho mum and her boyfriends put her through, still gives Lily nightmares.
She can’t be around alcohol unless it’s with family, so it stopped her going out and having fun with friends who did drink, and she still suffers with night terrors. But she’s never let that bring her down or scare her from living.
It’s why she moved out as soon as she turned nineteen.
“You’re the strongest person I know, Lily. I didn’t not tell you because I think you’re weak. I was ashamed—ashamed I had to use a dating site to try and find my Prince Charming,” I admit, using the term I’ve used since I was five. Yep, Prince Charming has been someone I’ve been searching for, for a long time.
Her eyes soften as she steps close and pulls me into her arms. “I love you. Don’t ever keep stuff from me again. Now, I have a double bed at home with a new bed frame, and a bunch of other stuff you can have.”
“No—” I start, but she puts her hands up, stopping me.
“The only people to ever crash at mine is Maddox when he’s been out on a bender and doesn’t want to get a taxi home, or Aiden when he’s too full from eating all my food. I don’t actually use any of it, so it’s yours. I haven’t gotten rid of my sofa yet either. It’s still in my garage if you want that too.”
She really is the best sister anyone could ask for. “Thank you,” I tell her, hugging her hard. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
“Now come back in before Dad comes out to get you.”
She pulls back and rolls her eyes, ready to deny it, but then a booming voice startles me. “Too late, you took too long to get my girl back. Now come on, it’s family time.”
We both turn to face Dad, finding him smiling, a soft expression on his face. As hard as he looks and as badass as he is, when it comes to me and Lily, he’s a huge softy.
Holding hands, we both rush up to him and give him a hug.
“We love you, Dad.”
He clears his throat, holding us closer. “Not as much as I love you pair. Now come on, your mother’s going grey.”
We laugh, and each tucked under a shoulder, the three of us walk back int
o the garden together.
CHAPTER TWO
With a file in hand, I walk into Nina’s office, diverting her attention from her computer. She smiles brightly at me.
“Hey, chirpy. What’s up?”
She’s commenting on the fact I’ve been in a foul mood all day. I have valid reasons. With a new neighbour living across the hall, our bedrooms connected, I’ve heard every movement they’ve made. It’s made me jump out of my skin, causing me to lose sleep. And, well, me and no sleep… not a good combination.
I couldn’t even complain to my landlord because, apparently, he’s their nephew. Being evicted right now would just be a kick in the teeth. I’m not sure I’d be able to cope if anything else were to happen.
It sucks because I don’t know how much more banging and drilling I can take.
“Did you go over Sir Fancy Pants’ file?” I ask her.
Sir Fancy Pants is a spotted, tabby-coloured cat that belongs to an eleven-year-old girl. It was brought in early this morning by her mother.
“No. Isn’t that the cat who belongs to that frantic young girl?”
“Yeah. I’m just a little confused. On his file it says he was brought in because he’s been humping their neighbour’s cat and they wanted him castrated.”
“Oh, that’s why she was saying he was hurting the other cats?” She laughs, her eyes twinkling in amusement.
“That’s the thing, after going over Haylee’s notes, I’m confused. She’s put him down for a castration tomorrow morning. But he’s a she and is around four weeks pregnant.”
“What?” She laughs, throwing her head back. “How the hell did she get that mixed up?”
“I know, right? This is her second mishap since she started two months ago. She should be able to tell the difference.”
“Maybe she didn’t look and just booked him in?”
This time I give her a ‘are you for real’ stare. “You know the rules. All animals brought in are supposed to be given a full examination. I’m going to have to have another sit down with her. Anyway, can you call the owners, explain Sir Fancy Pants is actually Lady Fancy Pants and is currently up the duff?”
“Okay, so let them know it’s their cat that’s the hussy. Got’cha.”
Laughing, I turn towards the door. “I’m finished. I’ll see you Thursday,” I call over my shoulder. Tomorrow is my day off and I plan to use it to get my flat back together.
Dad insisted on having everything new delivered. I reluctantly agreed, knowing it would be easier to let him win than to keep arguing. When he started insisting on me staying with them until he’d done some of his own security checks, I put my foot down. There were some battles worth fighting for.
Tomorrow is when everything arrives, the first delivery due at seven. I also have paint waiting for me at home, ready for me to give the place a proper makeover. It hasn’t felt like home since the robbery. I read an article online which stated that making changes around your home will help you with your way of life. I’m hoping that decorating will make the place feel brand new. It won’t feel like the broken mess I found it in four months ago.
“See ya, wench.”
I leave a note on my desk to remind myself to have a word with Haylee when I’m back, before leaving for the night. I only live down the road from the vets, so my tired feet only have a short walk ahead of them. Starving and too tired to cook, I stop at my local Chinese takeaway on the way home.
When I get back to my building the outside light is off, along with the hairdresser’s sign, which is usually blinding in neon pink.
“Great,” I whisper to myself, juggling my Chinese and bag to get my keys from my pocket. The inside is pitch black. I swallow audibly, my heart racing as I head up the stairs.
This is just perfect.
I’ve got three tubs of paint waiting for me and no electricity to even see it.
Just great.
I’m about to take the last step when a large, looming figure walks out from the right. A scream screeches from my mouth as I drop the bag of food and try to take a step back.
I realise my mistake too late and twist my ankle on the step below when I land on it too hard and off balance. Strong hands grip my biceps, stopping me from falling and probably crushing my skull in the process.
“Please, no. Don’t. You can have everything in my purse, just please don’t hurt me,” I scream, wishing I had listened to my dad when he’d told me to stay with him and Mum. Hell, I should have taken up my brother Mark’s offer to come stay with me. But because I’m too stubborn for my own good, I freaking declined.
“Please.”
“Jesus Christ,” a deep, husky voice says, as hands lift me a little to place me between mine and my neighbour’s doors.
“Ow!” I gasp, falling against my door when a sharp pain shoots up my leg. I forget about my potential mugger in front of me and focus on the pain.
“You okay?”
“Do you ask all the girls you’re about to attack if they’re okay?” I snap.
With no lights on, I can’t see him, but I do feel him take a step back. “I wasn’t going to fucking attack you. I was walking out of my flat to check on the fuse box.”
“Yeah right,” I reply sarcastically, but then what he says registers. “Shit, you’re the new tenant?”
“Yeah,” he growls, seeming annoyed. And he has every right to be. I just accused him of attempting to attack me.
“Why didn’t you say that?” I snap, feeling defensive.
“You didn’t really give me much of a chance before you started screaming.”
Oh, well, shit. He has a point.
“I’m sorry. I’m just… I’m jumpy, I guess.”
“Yeah, the, um… landlord said you were robbed or something a while back.”
I’ll have to thank Gina and Martin for sharing when I next see them. It doesn’t pass my notice that he didn’t call them his aunt and uncle. I guess he doesn’t want me to think he has special privileges and all that.
“Yeah. Um, why are none of the lights working?”
I hear him move, something open, and the flick of a switch, before buzzing echoes around the room and the lights turn on.
I’m stunned for a split second, blinking away the brightness. I’m about to ask what happened when the words get stuck in the back of my throat. My mouth gapes and I have to tip my head back to get a good look at him.
I have to be imagining him. I have to be. He’s so ruggedly handsome I could only have dreamt him up.
I stumble against the door in shock, wincing when I press down on my bad foot.
He’s… God, he’s really freaking handsome, and having grown up around a lot of good-looking men, that’s saying something.
He’s got ash-blonde, messy, unkept hair, and a strong, chiselled jaw covered in a weeks’ worth of scruff―a look I find particularly appealing. But it’s his emerald-green eyes, flecked with white, that leave me breathless. Thick black eyelashes frame them, making them seem even brighter.
I blink rapidly, feeling like my eyes must be deceiving me as I take him in. Hands down, he has to be the sexiest man I’ve ever laid eyes on. I’ve never understood the term, ‘come to bed eyes’, until now. Would they melt when he kissed someone, or would they brighten? My breath falters at the thought, picturing him kissing me.
Okay, where did that come from?
He’s got a strong build, muscles bulging in his white T-shirt, but not over the top like my cousin Trent, who works at a local gym. My mind wanders to how hard his chest would feel under my fingertips.
Even though you can clearly see he keeps in shape, it’s not from spending hours upon hours at a gym. He’s just that fit.
His tattoos snake up his arms and peek out through the collar of his T-shirt, making him look even sexier. Even his hands have tattoos on them.
His black tracksuit bottoms fit snug on his hips—and around his large thighs that look like they could snap someone’s neck.
I don�
��t even know where that image came from. But thanks to every male in my family always watching fights on TV, I’ve seen plenty of them to know that if the man in front of me ever wrapped those around someone’s neck, they would pass out.
He just excludes power.
“Are you okay?” he asks me.
My cheeks heat when I realise I’ve been standing there staring at him. He can’t hold it against me; he shouldn’t be that good-looking. It’s not fair. “Yeah. I, um—I’m going to… Yeah,” I ramble, before going to pick up my keys.
Wrong move.
I land on my sore ankle, end up twisting it again and stumble. I wince in pain, wishing the world would swallow me up.
This is embarrassing.
“Fuck,” I hear him mutter, before his strong arms wrap underneath my knees and behind my back and lift me off my feet.
“Hey! What are you doing?” I screech, my gaze on his tattooed neck. I’m tempted to lean in and press my lips against the vein pulsing there. It’s calling to me like a dry land calls for water.
If I didn’t think I was attracted to him before, I knew right then I definitely was. I’ve never had improper thoughts about anyone before. But his scent, the feel of his chest rising and falling against me, has my brain short-circuiting.
“You’re hurt,” he states, not looking at me. “Keys?”
“You can put me down. I’m fine.”
“Keys?”
Huffing at being ignored, and uncomfortable about being in some hot guy’s arms, I grumble my response. “On the floor.”
I also feel tense; not because he’s holding me, but because I like the way it feels to be in his arms. I don’t know what to think of that.
He looks around, before bending—with me still in his arms. He snatches the keys off the floor and opens the door. He flicks the switch on like he’s been here before, which surprises me. Even family still have a hard time locating shit in my place. And they really have been here before.
He moves with ease until he notices the empty flat. He looks around, confusion crinkling his forehead.
Roxy comes strutting over, wagging her tail excitedly and sniffing the new person.
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