I heard a car door open and I turned to see Ryan standing next to his van, giving me a look that asked if I was all right. Mum sighed behind me and then said, “Make sure that boy takes good care of you. I only ever wanted the best for you. For both of you.” She started to cry, so I put my arms around her.
“It’ll take time, but we’ll get through this, Mum. You have to be strong.”
She pulled away first, dabbing at her eyes to stop her make-up from running. Then she painted on her smile and said, “I’ll let you know if there’s any news. The solicitor should be out shortly.”
She wouldn’t change. It didn’t matter what I said. She was stuck in her little world that revolved around my dad. I felt sorry for her.
“Okay.” I sighed. All my fight was gone. I had to concentrate on me now. She was a grown woman. I couldn’t live her life for her and I didn’t want the kind of life she led for myself. I had to get away. Distance myself from the Winters’ circus.
I had a future and it was standing in the car park waiting for me.
Three months later
The last few weeks had been some of the toughest I’d known since Mum died. Emily had moved most of her stuff out of her family home and was living with Effy, although technically that wasn’t true. She spent every night with me, and Dad loved having her around, we all did. It wasn’t always easy to find time to be alone, and that was part of the reason I was taking her out tonight. I had a proposition that I hoped, no, prayed she’d take me up on.
We’d tried to look towards the future and plan a life together. Dwelling on the past didn’t help either of us, but it was hard to switch off sometimes. Emily’s dad’s trial date was set for next month, but it wasn’t looking good for him. The maximum sentence for money laundering in the U.K. was fourteen years. Add the manslaughter charge for Danny’s death and he was looking at maybe twenty years, probably life. The fact he’d left Danny in the driver’s seat, and the drink driving, meant the odds were stacked against him. In my opinion, he deserved everything that was heading his way. Em didn’t want to talk about it, but I had to prepare her as best I could. The press and media intrusion that’d follow the case was gonna be a shit-storm to get through, but we’d weather it out together.
I’d always be there for her.
After everything that’d happened, Emily had decided she wanted to pursue a career in journalism. I guess she liked finding justice and truth where she could. I’d given her the bug for it. It was while we were looking at prospectuses for courses she was interested in that we started to talk about my kit car business and how I could expand and make a good living from it. I didn’t want to work for my dad forever and the demand for work was there. I just needed help knowing what to do next, where to take it.
We managed to find a part-time business and accountancy course at one of the colleges she was looking at, so we both applied for our separate ventures and we both got accepted. I never thought I’d see the day when I’d be going back to school, but the look on her face when she saw those acceptance letters made it worthwhile. I’d do anything to keep her smiling and give her the happiness she deserved.
As for Brandon, no one had heard from him since the fight night. It was as if he’d been wiped off the face of the earth. We checked in on his Nan every week, and even though she’d insisted she didn’t know where he was, we noticed a few new things dotted around her room. A new T.V. that she had no idea how to use, an iPad that was never switched on and various other things that an elderly lady would never use. We didn’t ask her where she got the money from and we didn’t want to know. Whatever was going on was her business. We were just there to make sure she had a fully stocked kitchen and to lend a hand with any heavy lifting or chores she couldn’t manage. It was our brotherly duty. Brandon would’ve done the same for us.
Zak, Finn and I had decided to start the events up again too. At first, it felt wrong doing it without Brandon, but it was what we were all good at. We missed the brotherhood, and even though there’d be no fighting we still had the music, the art, the bonding it brought to a community that’d been shattered by the events of the last few months. Our generation needed the release it offered, and we needed to feel useful again.
I sat on the sofa, pretending to watch the T.V., but really, I was waiting on Emily. She was getting ready for our date in our bedroom. Connor had stepped in to help me set everything up earlier and he’d just text to let me know where he’d left the food and what to do once we got there. Like I needed fucking instructions on how to plate up his pasta.
When she finally came out to let me know she was ready, I did a double take. My girl was stunning in a light blue dress covered in glitter and sparkly shit that just about skimmed her ass. I’d look forward to taking that off of her later.
“Is this okay?” she asked, spinning around to give me the full effect. It was more than okay, and my dick was straining in my jeans with how much I liked it, but I didn’t think that was the best answer to give her.
“You look beautiful,” I said, standing up and wrapping my arms around her. “You always look beautiful, but this is just… Wow.”
She beamed back at me and when Connor walked through the door seconds later and gave her a wolf-whistle I knew it was time to leave. I loved my brother, but he never knew when to stop.
We pulled up outside the front of the asylum and she sighed gently beside me. I had damn butterflies and felt like a complete pussy, but I plastered on my smile and kept that shit to myself.
“Good job I brought my flats.” She laughed and fished her little ballet pump things out of the glove compartment. She always kept them there. She knew me well. I wasn’t the best at planning out the logistics from a woman’s perspective, but I was learning.
“Sorry. I should’ve said, but I didn’t want to spoil the surprise.” I leant over and gave her a peck. Not satisfied with that, she slid her arm around my neck and pulled me back in for a proper kiss.
“You don’t ever have to apologise,” she said as she broke away. “Now, come on. Let’s go and explore.”
We held hands and picked our way over the rubble. This place still hadn’t been knocked down or ear-marked for regeneration, but I was glad. I liked the beauty it held amongst all the decay. It was ours. We’d been here a few times recently, and Emily had talked Finn into using the main building to create some pretty amazing art work. He hadn’t touched the chapel though. That place was off limits.
Once we were inside, I led her down the hallway that Finn had painted to resemble an underground tunnel, like some kind of burrow with creatures hidden in amongst the tree roots. I swear that guy could paint anything if he put his mind to it. This corridor kind of freaked me out though. Like some twisted Alice in Wonderland shit without the whimsically magical part. Stay in one spot too long and those roots might just wind their way around your legs and drag you under. I guessed that was the vibe he was going for. A hidden twist of horror. A warning to never get too comfortable with your surroundings, you never knew what was lurking in the shadows.
When we reached the doorway to the chapel, I stopped and told her to wait outside for a moment. I needed to make sure everything was perfect, and it was. Connor had followed my instructions to the letter. There were fairy lights strung up all around, giving it that magical touch, with candles around the edge of the floor that I lit, ready for the big reveal. The table and chairs were perfect, with the pink table cloth and silverware and a pink flower arrangement in the centre. Connor knew his shit.
I flicked the switch of the machine on and then headed back to the door. She spun around, and when she walked through the doorway and saw our chapel, she covered her mouth and turned to me with tears welling up in her eyes.
“Oh my God, Ryan. This is beautiful. Did you do all this?” She went over to the bubble machine and laughed, holding her hands out to catch the bubbles that fell and popped as they touched her skin.
“Connor helped. He set most of it up for me, but it w
as all my idea.”
I came to stand behind her and wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her back into me. The bubbles were coming out faster than I’d realised, and before long, we were surrounded by them, dancing on the air and reflecting the rainbow of the stained glass windows like a kaleidoscope. The twinkling of the fairy lights made it feel extra magical, like we were standing in our very own snow globe. Only, it wasn’t snow, it was bubbles.
Our bubble.
“You create the best bubbles. I love your bubbles.” She rubbed her nose against mine and I picked her up, kissing her and holding her as tightly as I could.
“Our bubbles are the best,” I whispered into her ear as I peppered kisses down along her neck. “Only the best for my girl.”
“I could stay in your bubbles forever. I don’t need anything else,” she said, giving me the perfect in for my next surprise.
“I’m glad you said that, because I’ve brought you here to ask you something. It’s not the big question,” I said when I noticed her eyes go wide and a little shocked. “That’ll come, trust me, but not today. Today, I wanted to ask you if you’d take the next step with me? I know we haven’t been official for long, but I think we both know this is right. We were meant to be together, nobody can deny that. You’re it for me, Em. So, with that in mind, would you move in with me? I mean, into a place of our own. Somewhere with no dad or Connor cramping our style. Just me, you, and maybe a pet or two if that’s what you want. A place that’s ours.”
I had verbal diarrhoea, I was so nervous. I shouldn’t have been though, because she jumped up into my arms and squealed, “Yes!” before I had a chance to second guess myself.
“The money from my cars will help with a deposit and I’ll still work for Dad when I can in-between the college course. The parties bring in a bit too. Not as much as when Brandon was fighting, but it’s something…” The words just kept flying out of my mouth, justifying why I thought it’d work. I think I’d spent so long overthinking this I had an argument for every angle.
“We’ll both work. It won’t all be on you. I can help too.” She bit her lip and I could see all the emotions pass across her face. She was excited and probably already planning what colour cushions to buy for the living room. The woman was obsessed with cushions. They were all over our bedroom, back at Dad’s. I didn’t get it. They all ended up on the floor every night. What was the point?
I had planned to save the last surprise until the end of the night, but we were in each other’s arms and the bubbles and lights had made my head dizzy. So, I reached into my pocket to pull out the box.
“Now, I know I said this wasn’t the big question, but I have bought something for you. Something that I hope you’ll wear for me.” I put the little velvet box in the palm of my hands and her face went from playful to serious. “It’s not an engagement ring, not yet, baby. I’m saving up for that. This… This is a promise ring. It’s my promise to you that I’ll love you forever. That I promise to always put you first in everything I do. A promise that one day you’ll be Mrs Hardy, if you’ll have me. I want you to wear this so everyone knows you’re mine.”
I watched as a tear fell down her cheek and she reached out to take the box and open it. As soon as she saw it she smiled and took the ring out of the box, putting it straight onto her left hand.
“It’s beautiful, Ryan. I’m speechless.”
“I had both our names engraved on the inside and Effy helped me to get it sized right. Is it okay?”
I don’t know why I asked that, she hadn’t taken her eyes off the delicate diamond encrusted heart since she’d put it on.
“But I want you to wear one too.” She looked up at me frowning. “I wish I’d known. I’d have bought one ready to give to you.”
“If I’d told you, it would’ve spoilt the surprise, and I like surprising you.” I gathered her back into my arms feeling like I wanted to bypass the food Connor had made us and go straight to dessert. Her. “If it makes you feel better, we can go and buy one tomorrow.”
She nodded and then leaned back to look me in the eyes.
“You’ve earned some serious brownie points, Hardy, and we haven’t even started the date properly yet. You’re so gonna get laid tonight.”
“That goes without saying. Did you really think I’d be able to keep my hands off you when you’re wearing a dress like this? We’ll be lucky to make it through dinner.”
“Why do you think I wore a dress? Easy access.” She leaned closer and whispered in my ear. “And I’m not wearing any panties tonight.”
I don’t think there are any sweeter words a guy can hear than those.
“I’m hungry,” I growled into her neck as I lifted her up. She wrapped her legs around my waist and I walked us both to the altar. “And I don’t mean for Connor’s pasta bake either.” I winked as I set her down and then my bloody phone vibrated in my back pocket to let me know of an incoming text. After what’d happened recently, I couldn’t let it go. As desperate as I was to devour her on the stone she was perched on, I held my finger up and said, “One second. Don’t move. Let me just check this isn’t a life-altering text message and our house isn’t burning down.”
She smiled, licking those plump pink lips of hers and I felt my dick stir, thinking about how I was going to put those lips to good use. I glanced down at my phone and like a wave of cold fucking water had just smothered me, I froze.
We know what you’ve done.
It’s payback time.
We are coming for you.
I don’t know why I expected anything would change.
They’d carried on with their lives like I never existed. Blanked me out like a stain on their history that they needed to scrub away. But I see them. I watch them all the fucking time.
I’m the shadow in the darkness that follows them around.
I’m the problem they want to forget but never will.
I’m the demon they thought they were finally rid of, but no one can drown me out. I have a voice and it’s about to get fucking loud.
Soon… I’ll be their every waking nightmare.
Tick, tock, motherfuckers. Time is running out.
Brandon Mathers is coming for you and he wants his revenge.
The End.
For Now…
Brandon’s story will be coming Autumn 2020
Thank you so much for reading. If you enjoyed Ryan and Emily’s story, then please spread the word and leave a review.
Leave a written review if you have the time,
Or just click on those stars that too will be fine!
First and foremost, I need to thank my husband and children for putting up with me when I constantly zone out and for supporting me when I become consumed by my stories. I’m always lost in my head, but you guys keep me grounded. You are the best and I love you.
To my book besties and total queens, Lindsey Powell and Ashlee Rose. I am forever grateful for meeting you both, and for the amazing support and friendship you’ve given me. I don’t know what I’d do without you. Thanks for beta reading Renegade and loving my boys as much as I do. If you haven’t already, go and check out their books. They are fantastic.
An extra big shout-out to Robyn for being a totally awesome P.A. and making the best teasers I’ve ever seen. She is an absolute diamond. Thanks for beta reading Ryan and Emily. I don’t know what I’d do without you. If you aren’t following her, then get to it. You’ll find her at @books4days_with_robyn or @robynpa_
To Lindsey, Leanne and Tammy for being so utterly awesome and polishing this story for me. I’m so glad I found you. You’ve helped to make my little book shine brighter. Thank you ladies.
I will always be indebted to the hard work and support of all the bloggers and bookstagrammers on social media. Your posts and graphics are amazing. Thank you for every single post, share and comment. It means the world. Special thanks to Natalie @allireadislove, Suny @bookslover09 and Natalie @fromreader.withlove for the amazing teaser graphic
s. You guys are always the first to share anything. Thank you! Also Annie @emotionallyunhingedromantic. Your videos blow me away every single time. You are awesome! And of course the fabulous Robyn @books4days_with_robyn. I wish I could list everyone. You all do such a fabulous job.
To the indie author community, I love how encouraging, supportive, and utterly brilliant you are. I feel proud to be a part of such an amazing community. #indiepower
Last but not least, to all the readers out there who’ve taken the time to download, read, and review my book. Thank you for taking a chance on me. I’m always immensely grateful for every read and review. Reviews are the lifeline of every author, especially us smaller indies. You guys make my day and make it all worthwhile.
Thank you for reading Ryan and Emily’s story.
Lots of Love
Nikki x
Luca
Chloe Ellis
What you're about to read is my story, my truth. A truth that spans over twenty years of a love for two brothers. A love that was cruel, sometimes harsh and raw, but for me always honest and true. An adopted little sister to one, but to the other so much more. Ours was a love that defied all reason. It pushed us to our limits. It was never easy, but nothing worth having ever is; and Luca Marquez is so worth having. He's mine, he always has been and no one will take him away from me.
Luca Marquez
I’ve loved her forever, but I couldn’t make her mine. Not until the day she walked into my club and needed my protection. She brought light into my darkness and warmed my stone-cold heart. Chloe Ellis is my whole world, but she doesn’t know that yet.
Luca’s world stops on the day his precious Chloe is taken from him. Faced with an impossible situation, he will stop at nothing to save her. Even if that means slaughtering anyone who gets in his way, or tearing down whole cities to find her. He’ll do anything for her and he’ll never let her go again.
Renegade Hearts (Rebels of Sandland Book 1) Page 29