The Heart Series: Complete Boxed Set

by King, C. M

  “I don’t want him to get hurt, I still care for him, Brianne—”

  “Brianne what? Go on finish what you were about to say,” he snapped, his eyes widening at my words. His look sent a shiver through me, part of me was hesitant to go on, but I had to give my reasoning behind my reaction.

  “You know Brianne has a history of walking away the moment anything turns serious. I don’t want her messing him around. He is vulnerable right now.” The last thing I wanted was for her to screw him up. I lived every day with the guilt over his feelings for me. He needed to find someone who was more suitable, who wouldn’t break his heart after a quick and easy fling.

  “I’m pretty sure he’s big enough to look after himself.” He huffed, taking offence at my words.

  “You don’t understand,” I murmured, he was taking it completely the wrong way. He never saw the other side when it came to his opinion on Brianne.

  “Then try me, tell me.”

  “Ryan has a side to him he keeps hidden, I saw glimpses of it. It’s probably down to me he’s even more closed off. He needs someone stable in his life, Brianne will not provide that.” She was the complete opposite. He really needed to give her a wide berth for his own sanity.

  “You are slightly biased in the fact you don’t like her.”

  My eyes flashed to his. “She’s the one who doesn’t like me.” I had tried on many occasions to be civil, but I always got the same reaction. It had gotten to the point where I could no longer bite my tongue, so now I was giving just as good as I got.

  “It’s only because she’s slightly jealous of what we have.” He rubbed his face, and his agitation was clear to see. I could tell it was hard on him being torn between the two of us.

  But jealous?

  Hmm, that was putting it mildly.

  I snorted at his words. “Err slightly, try a lot.”

  Elijah’s face dropped, turning to face me again. “Growing up she was my best friend, we used to share everything but then she moved away. I guess now that she’s back, she isn’t so happy to see me close to someone else.”

  “Elijah, she hates me, even you have to agree with that.” He surely wasn’t that blind to notice all the constant barrage of catty remarks that were regularly thrown my way.

  “She does not.” He shook his head and chuckled at my words.

  What the hell was so funny?

  “Hello, you were there that night.”

  What a cheek.

  He saw it in front of his own eyes, yet he still defended her actions.

  “She was putting on a floor show. I agree she is a little catty. I need to try to have a word so it won’t happen again.”

  “You need to put her on a leash,” I retorted. She was like a pit bull when she got going, no one could stop her.

  “Izzy, she is my cousin, I’ll try and rein her in. I can’t promise on the whole Joel thing though, as you know I have a slight obsession of my own going on there.” He smiled at my face as I rolled my eyes.

  “Slight? That’s an exaggeration.”

  He smiled even harder. “Trust me, that’s me toning it down.”

  “Jeez, what’s full scale you humping Joel’s leg?”

  On second thought, I really didn’t want to know.

  “Probably, but there’s more than Joel’s leg I want to mount.”

  “Good god, Elijah. Like what the fuck?” Did he ever engage his brain before he spoke? He was far too direct at times. His words had the intended impact, and he smirked at the look of horror on my face.

  “See I told you I normally tone it down, do you want me to go on?” His face held a level of smugness, he was thoroughly enjoying shocking me.

  “No, let’s never go to full scale again.”

  Good lord, I just couldn’t handle it.

  “I’m not promising anything, but I’ll try and keep a lid on it.” Elijah’s phone went off as a text came through, he pulled a face before turning to me. “Well, looks like things are getting more serious with Ryan. She’s taking him to meet my auntie and uncle. She does not know the meaning of taking things slow, that girl.”

  “I would have thought once the beer goggles had vanished then so would he.”

  Miaow.

  But I couldn’t help it, it just sort of slipped out.

  “I think they are both what each other needs right now,” he added, trying to be the peacemaker. I knew he hated to see us bitching, but I was on a roll.

  “Trust me no one needs Brianne in their life.”

  “Izzy, please,” he pleaded, his eyes stared into mine, trying to get me to tone it down. I began to feel the guilt creep over me, she was his family at the end of the day.

  “Okay, but I don’t want to hear another word on the matter. Any gossip you have keep to yourself. After the way Ryan reacted last time, he can stay away too.”

  “Wow, you really have got your big old bear head on today. How about I nip to the shops and get you some Maltesers, see if those will sweeten your mood?”

  “It might help,” I grumbled. Chocolate always had the ability to do that.

  “Are you coming, Ruby?” Elijah asked grinning. She bounded over to him, only too willing to go, leaving me all alone with my thoughts.

  I heard the door slam shut, and I closed my eyes enjoying the deathly silence for a short while. Until my phone sprang to life and Ryan’s name flashed up on screen.

  “Hey Iz, I’m just ringing to see if you had a good birthday. I would have liked to have been there, but I got the feeling it wouldn’t go down well.”

  I sighed at his words. “It was probably for the best considering your present situation, but thanks for the card.”

  “What do you mean present situation?” His voice now had a hard edge to it that rubbed me up the wrong way.

  Did I really have to spell it out?

  “Well, your new girlfriend wouldn’t have been welcome, and as you can’t seem to put a lid on it either, it was probably for the best,” I retorted, if he wanted to be a bitch then so could I.

  “Ahh, so looks like Elijah has got you up to speed then,” he remarked bitterly.

  “Yep.” I made sure I popped the P just to annoy him more.

  “Nothing else to add? I’m sure you want to say far more on the matter.”

  Oh I had plenty, but I was not about to regale everything I was feeling to him. “I’m pretty sure Brianne will have told you all you need to know.”

  “She hasn’t said a word. I take it you’re not best buds?”

  I snorted. “That would be an understatement.”

  Probably the understatement of the year.

  “Look Iz, who I see is nothing to do with you. I don’t want to get into an argument with you, but she’s what I need right now.”

  “Did you hook up with her because of me?” I knew I shouldn’t be asking but there was a part of me that needed to know.

  “No,” he instantly snapped back.

  Meaning he did.

  “Well, Elijah said you were pretty wasted and that it was to do with what happened with Joel,” I offered as an explanation to my question.

  “I just . . . I don’t know, Iz, but it’s more than that, at first it was just sex.”

  My eye widened in horror. “Oh god, spare me the details.”

  “Iz, please,” he pleaded, but I was over it all. If he wanted to go down that path then so be it, it was out of my control.

  “All I can say is good luck with that one, she’ll be more than a handful, but it might just keep you occupied with keeping your nose out of other people’s business.”

  He sighed deeply down the phone. “Iz, I’m sorry, I really am. I’d had a bit to drink and I saw you together, and I just couldn’t help it.”

  “I don’t want to hear it, Ryan.” His actions that night told me more than I needed to know.

  “Are you jealous?” he asked, and my breath hitched at his words.

  What?

  “Excuse me?” I snapped, his question
totally throwing me off guard.

  “Well, what’s with all the cattiness? I thought you’d be happy with me moving on. You’d made it quite clear we were a non starter.”

  I scoffed at his remark. “I think you’re getting my concern mixed up with something totally different. I’m warning you now, I know that girl’s history and she will play you, she’s not the settling down type. I just thought you should know what you’re getting yourself in to.”

  “I don’t think that’s your concern anymore,” he murmured, and my heart sunk at his words.

  “Wow, well I’ve just been put in my place then.”

  “I just meant—”

  “Yeah, I know what you meant, Ryan. Take this call as my final say on the matter. Good luck because you’ll definitely need it.” I punched the end call as a tear rolled down my cheek; I had just lost a good friend. I guess trying to help someone would always be regarded in the wrong way, being misconstrued and that definitely was not the case. It was up to him, it was his life after all. I would just have to look on and watch him make the mistakes I knew were ahead.

  I heard a scurrying of feet and Ruby soon appeared running over to greet me. I lifted her up, snuggling into her, needing her comfort right now. She licked away the last of my tears, and I smiled at what a blessing she was.

  Elijah came around the corner several moments later with a bag of goodies, smiling and holding them aloft. “Ready to enjoy the rest of the afternoon, I trust Ruby will stay awake for Ryan Gosling.”

  Ruby barked at his words, and Elijah smiled looking proud as punch.

  “Looks like our girl just became part of our fan club.” He smiled giving me a wink, and I faked a smile back. I was not about to retell my conversation to Elijah, he’d only have a go, I would keep it to myself for now. I just needed to concentrate on the film, hoping Ryan Gosling would make me forget my own sadness. That or eating my bodyweight in Maltesers would maybe do the trick.

  Chapter 22 – Puppy Love

  “Hey, there you both are. I wondered where you’d gone?” Joel remarked, walking through, his face was all crinkled as he rubbed his eyes. I gazed up at him sleepily from the sofa I was curled up on with Ruby fast asleep in my arms. I’d woken up just after four to hear her scratching against her basket, pining for her mother. Within seconds of contact, she’d curled up tight in my arms, lulled to sleep by the sound of my heartbeat. I was now sat feeling zombiefied from lack of sleep, watching re-runs of Friends. I pulled back the cover so Joel could join us.

  He bent down softly placing a kiss on Ruby’s head. She opened her eyes for a brief moment before snuggling back down within seconds. Joel’s lips brushed against my hair. “How long have you been awake?” he asked, looking concerned before yawning only making me do so in turn.

  “An hour or so.” It was all I managed to get out, I was barely functioning. I shifted over slightly so he could climb onto the sofa as I nestled into his chest. He pulled me in tighter, his arms around me. He gave out a contented sigh, and Ruby followed suit before we all fell into a blissful sleep.

  * * *

  I awoke several hours later alone on the sofa, my hands instinctively reached out for Ruby to find her gone. I sat up in complete panic, but hearing Joel’s voice filtering through told me they hadn’t gone far. Walking to the back door that was stood open, I smiled at the sight of Joel sat in the middle of the grass while Ruby ran around softly yapping and chasing butterflies.

  He was sat in just a pair of jeans, naked from the waist up, showing off his amazing collection of tattoos, inked with the finest intricate designs. I could have stood and stared all day, but I needed to be closer, much closer.

  Dressed in only a T-shirt I moved forward, my fingers itching to touch him, to feel him. They quickly weaved through his hair, and he instinctively looked backwards, scrunching his eyes against the sun. “Hey baby, hope we didn’t wake you?”

  I bent over giving him an upside down morning kiss. “No, you didn’t. I just needed to know where my two favourite people were hiding. Joel’s hands quickly manoeuvred me around until I was eventually sat on his knee.

  “That’s better, now I have better access to these lips.” He gave me the kind of smile that always left me melting like butter before his sweet lips brushed up against mine. Within seconds we were lost in the kiss, my fingers teasing and winding around the strands of his hair. He moaned, pulling me in tighter until we became aware of an intruder trying to join in the fun. I giggled, moving away to watch Ruby try to attempt to climb up. Joel chuckled, lifting her up where he received a thank you lick in return.

  “Now I have my two favourite girls.” He smiled, and Ruby barked her approval flopping down onto my chest, obviously exhausted from all of the butterfly chasing. “Oh she’s worn out, but happy to see her mama.”

  I smiled at Joel’s choice of name, I guess I was. She was my little baby girl. She snuggled into me, and I knew she’d already worked her way deep into my heart.

  “Thank you,” I whispered, my fingers stroking along the curve of her back as she sighed contentedly.

  “It’s my pleasure, just seeing your face light up was all the thanks I needed, last night was just an added bonus.”

  Ahh, last night.

  No wonder my throat felt tight. I was almost hoarse. “Yep, thank you for that too.” I was certainly one lucky girl. His fingers stroked along the length of my leg, leaving a trail of goose bumps in their wake. My body felt ready for him again.

  Already?

  “No thanks needed, you more than told me loud enough your feelings on the matter.” His eyes sparkled with a level of mischief that I instantly wondered what else he had in store.

  “Hmmm, I was pretty vocal.” I cringed slightly, hoping no one had heard my cries of delight. “But then I blame your mouth and all the delicious things you do to me.”

  Joel’s face broke out into a humongous smile. I was pretty sure I was inflating his ego by the minute. “Ahh well, I am a man of many talents.”

  I rolled my eyes, he was full of it. But I had to admit he was very gifted in that department.

  “I know and what great talents you have.”

  “Well, I don’t like to brag . . .”

  Pffttt, who was he kidding?

  “That’s one thing I love about you, Joel, your modesty.”

  “And my mouth.” He cheekily winked.

  “Well that too,” I admitted, slightly blushing.

  “You ready for more action? You think you can handle it?”

  Was this guy a machine? “Yeah, not right now, I’m far too exhausted for those kind of activities.” I patted his face in a playful way, Joel’s phone began ringing, breaking our playful moment. He dug it out of his pocket to answer, then frowned looking at the screen. “Why is Elijah ringing me?”

  I shrugged as he answered. I was none the wiser.

  “Hello,” Joel answered, looking slightly confused. He soon rolled his eyes, passing the phone to me. “He wants you.”

  “Hey, Elijah.”

  “Hey Sweetie, I was wondering if you’d like to go shopping later for Ruby’s pet stuff? To get a collar, a lead you know that sort of thing. I’ve been having a look online, and they have some great sparkly ones. I might see if they have any tiaras too.”

  Oh dear god.

  I shivered just thinking about it. “Errrr, I suppose we could shop for Ruby some dog accessories.”

  Joel’s eyes immediately widened, and he started mouthing words to me as Elijah continued with the conversation.

  “Pick you up at one o’clock, sweetie, we can shop and then stop off at that fab cupcake place on the way back.”

  Oh, he knew my weakness.

  Cakes.

  Especially cupcakes.

  “Sounds good.” I avoided Joel’s glare that was burning into me.

  “I know you well, sweetie, laters.” He hung up before I had chance to reply.

  I turned to see a pissed looking Joel. Yeah, this was not good. “H
ey, what’s wrong?” I stroked his face, but he pulled away looking slightly hurt.

  “I thought we’d do all that together.” His eyes dropped down, and I could tell he was feeling left out.

  “We will.”

  His eyes snapped up to mine. “You’ve just arranged it all with Elijah.”

  “Do you really think I’m going to walk Ruby with a pink, diamante encrusted lead?”

  Joel snorted, instantly smiling. “Yeah, I take your point.”

  “This shopping trip is for Elijah, not me. We’ll go together, I’m thinking red accessories to match her name.”

  He smiled in approval. “Sounds good, I wouldn’t be seen dead walking with a pink sparkly lead.”

  “Really? I think it would go well with your outfit,” I teased. Before I had time to finish laughing, Joel grabbed my ribs tickling me hard. I jolted in surprise, instantly wakening Ruby.

  “Oh sorry, baby,” I soothed, kissing her lightly on the head. She yawned staring at us both in wonder.

  “Yeah sorry, Rubes,” Joel said, lightly scratching her head. “So is there anything else you’re shopping for?”

  My eyes flicked back up to Joel’s, within moments they would be filled with amusement. “Well he’s thinking about buying a tiara.” I cringed waiting for his response. His eyes widened, but Ruby yapped totally throwing us off. I was guessing by her response even she was not too thrilled at the prospect of wearing one either.

  We both looked at her smiling. “Yep, my thoughts exactly, Rube.”

  Chapter 23 – Shopping Trip

  I rolled my eyes for what felt like the millionth time that day. We had been in the pet accessories store for an hour, yet Elijah was still stood debating on what shade of pink he wanted Ruby’s collar to be. I was just happy Joel wasn’t here, he’d have had a meltdown by now. Shopping really wasn’t his thing or mine either, but I had come to the conclusion it was far easier to just go with it than to protest.

  “I don’t know, Iz, what do you think, the dark or lighter pink?”

  I really didn’t care.

  “The dark pink.”