by M. J. Perry
“Sure, I’ll just grab us some gloves.”
“Where’s Lee?”
“He’s gone to meet Dev. Lee wants to see what the driver looked like.”
“Wouldn’t Dev know if it was Ted?”
“Lee’s just being cautious. Two pairs of eyes are better than one.”
“I guess so. You’d tell me if something had happened, wouldn’t you?” I asked.
“I’ll always tell you what you need to know.”
In other words, he’d tell me what he thought I needed to know. I shook my head.
“Here,” He said as he threw a small package at me. “We wouldn’t want you to ruin your pretty nails.” He grinned.
I looked down at my hands and grimaced. “It’s too late for that I’m afraid. I bite my nails when I’m nervous.”
“When this is all over I’ll treat you to a manicure.” He grinned. “Come on.” He said as he opened the patio door. “Times a wasting and we have lots to do.”
I followed him out the door and groaned as I saw where he was heading. That patch of the garden had caught my eye before because ivy was covering nearly every inch of the fence. “This is going to take ages.”
“Not if we work together,” He grinned.
“Do you like gardening?” I asked as I pulled on my gloves and took the clippers he offered me.
“It’s relaxing. It’s also therapeutic, especially when you’re feeling angry with someone. You can imagine it’s their head as you whack it with a spade, or saw it down.”
I giggled. “I don’t have a saw or a spade.”
“You have clippers. You could imagine you’re chopping their hair,” he shrugged, “Or their fingers. It depends on how angry you are.”
I started to pull at the ivy, finding that it came away quite easily. “I’m not angry.”
“Hurt then.”
“Yeah,” I said and bit my lip. “I don’t know what to do.”
“Let him come to you.”
“I don’t think he will.”
Matt turned to look at me his expression one of sadness. “I can’t imagine how he feels right now. He lost someone so special to him that it nearly killed him as well. He’s been living like a loner these last years, keeping himself to himself, only socialising with us. Then, bam, as fast as a speeding train, you slam into his life, and suddenly his life is chaos. He doesn’t know how he feels, and then when he realises how much he cares for you, he feels like he’s betraying his wife.” He shook his head. “I know you’re hurting. The shit you’ve just been through would have destroyed a weaker person, but you’re strong, and I believe you’re strong enough to heal Maverick. You just have to give him time, and you have to heal yourself.”
Tears streamed down my cheeks as I took in his speech. “You’re a really sweet guy. You’re also really observant,” I told him.
“Comes with the job,” He grinned. “Please stop crying now.”
I grimaced. “Sorry, I’m turning into a watering pot.”
“I’ve seen a lot of things in my time, heard things that have damn near broken my heart, but a woman crying is definitely the hardest thing I’ve had to deal with.”
I giggled at the daftness of his words. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For helping me see sense.”
“That’s what I’m here for,” He said as he leaned over and gave a tug on the trunk of the ivy.
“You can cook, you can clean, and you give out great advice.”
He shook his head with a smile, “What can I say, I’m a good catch. I just need to find a woman who thinks the same.”
“Are we talking about our feelings?” Lee asked from behind Matt, making me jump.
“No, we were talking about how much of a nob you are,” Matt answered.
“A big one hopefully,” He chuckled.
“Jeez man, do you ever stop?”
He shrugged, “Sometimes humour is the only way to get through life.”
“Was it Ted?” I asked Lee.
“Nope, it was just a friendly delivery guy with the wrong address.”
“You don’t believe it?”
He shook his head. “The friendly guy is a known associate of Ted, and he’s one of the names on the list from our inside guy. He’s also someone the police have been trying to track down for several offences.”
“Has he gone?”
“He’s gone. The police have received a tip-off that he’s in the area, so they should pick him up before he gets too far.”
I relaxed a little. “I hope they do,” I said.
“Even if they don’t, he won’t be back. He won’t risk it against us now we know he’s on Ted’s payroll.”
“Which means Ted will be looking for another way in,” I said fearfully.
“He won’t find one. In a few hours, his boss will know exactly what he’s been up to. He’ll know Ted’s going against Steele and Reid, and he won’t approve. Ted bringing attention to himself is one thing, but bringing it to his boss is a death sentence.”
“I wish I could feel bad for him, but I can’t find it in me. I don’t want him to die, but if it happens, I won’t shed a tear.”
“It’s understandable. No one blames you,” Lee assured me.
“Do you think Maverick will be back tonight?” I asked.
“It’s hard to say. He does this sometimes and usually appears after a day or two,” Matt admitted.
“He’s been through a lot, but that’s no excuse to leave her here now while she’s in danger,” Lee rumbled.
“Lee,” Matt warned.
“You know I’m right. I love that man like a brother, but he needs to pull his head out of his arse. He’s left her vulnerable, and he’s left her hurting.”
“I’m fine,” I said.
“No, you’re not.” He said with a frown. “With everything that’s happened to you, you don’t deserve to be treated like shit. He’s left you alone after spending the night with you.”
“I’m not alone, I have you guys,” I reminded him. “And we didn’t spend the night together.”
“So you said, but the evidence doesn’t lie.”
“What evidence?” I asked in surprise.
“You have beard burn on your cheeks and a hickey just under your right ear.”
“Really?” Holy cow, how had I missed that?
“It’s only small, but it’s noticeable.”
“Well, that’s embarrassing.”
Lee shook his head. “Maverick shouldn’t have slept with you.”
“It’s none of your business.” Matt reminded him.
“Maybe not, but I don’t want to see her unhappy because he’s running from his feelings.”
“I think it was always bound to happen,” I said as I started to cut down the branches I could reach. “He’s never going to be ready for a relationship with me, and I’m not sure I’m ready. Maybe, it’s just a one-off, and our lives will go down separate paths, or maybe he’ll fight his demons, and we’ll get our happy ever after.” I shrugged. “Right now, I don’t want to think about it, all I want to do is chop down this ivy, take a hot shower, eat some delicious food, and crawl into bed.”
“I’ll drop it,” Lee promised.
“Thank you,” I said gratefully. “If it’s meant to be, it will happen. If it isn’t, then I’ll deal with it.”
“I know you will,” Lee said as he reached over to caress my cheek with the back of his hand. “And we’ll be here either way.”
“I appreciate it. I really do. You’ve come into my life and helped me so much already. You didn’t have to. You could have said no, but I’ll be forever grateful to you both that you didn’t. I owe you so much.”
“Ivy, you owe us nothing,” Matt said.
“Thank you,” I whispered. Tears filled my eyes at their generosity.
“Uh oh, we’d better get on else one of us is going to have to get the tissues.” Lee grinned as he caught the sheen of tears in my eyes.”
“Ha-ha,” I sniffed. “I’m fine, I’m just feeling emotional. It’s not every day you get two men offering to save your life for free.”
“I didn’t say it was for free.” Matt grinned. “To pay off your debt, you have to help us clear all this and then wash up.”
I giggled feeling lighter than I had in weeks. “I’ll help with the gardening, but there’s no way I’m washing up. You have a dishwasher.”
Matt chuckled. “Okay, just the gardening then.” He agreed.
“We need to hurry up, its lunchtime soon and I’m starving.” Lee moaned.
“We had pancakes about an hour ago.”
“No, you did, we had ours about three hours ago.”
“Why do you get up so early?”
“To train. With the food, he cooks if we didn’t work out we’d be no good to anyone.”
“I cook healthy sometimes.”
“Name one thing you’ve cooked in the last week that was healthy?” Lee dared.
Matt stared at the floor, trying to think of something.
“The chilli was healthy.” I offered.
“The garlic bread wasn’t.”
“God, that tasted good,” I said.
“I can make it tonight if you like?” Matt asked.
“That would be lovely.” I smiled.
Lee pulled out a spade from behind the green bin. “You cut, and I’ll dig the roots out.” He said as he moved closer. “If we crack on we might finish it before tea time.”
“It’s not going to take that long.” Matt scowled.
****
Three hours later, we sat at the kitchen table drinking lemonade, dirty and exhausted. Ivy was a pest, one that wrapped itself around everything it could and clung on for dear life. It took us nearly an hour to find its root, and when we did, it was deep down in the soil. Lee got so pissed off he pulled out a pickaxe and started hacking at it. I’d had a go as well and declared that the root was Ted’s head. It had been fun until my arms had grown tired. It’d made me feel better, but pangs of pain kept interrupting the fun I was having. I just couldn’t put Maverick from my mind. I was worrying where he was, what he was doing, wondering if he was coming back to me. All of those thoughts sucked and made it so hard to keep a smile on my face.
Matt grabbed ham and butter from the fridge and went about making us sandwiches. I tried to help, but he ushered me away.
Lee pushed a pack of cards over to me. “You deal,” He said.
I shook my head. “You don’t have to keep me busy twenty-four-seven,” I said with a grim smile. “I’m a big girl.”
“We’re just trying to help,” Lee told me.
“I know, and believe me I appreciate it, but I’m not going to fall apart because he’s gone.”
“Okay.”
Matt placed a plate in front of me, the bread, looked fresh and soft. My tummy rumbled. “Thank you. It looks so good. I’m absolutely starving.”
“Me too. I told you gardening works up an appetite.” He grinned.
“After I’ve finished this I’m going to have a bath and read a book if you don’t mind.”
“We don’t mind. Do whatever makes you feel better. We have things to sort out.”
“Ted things?”
Lee nodded. “We’ve got to make sure the information we’re feeding people is getting to where it needs to go.”
“What if it isn’t?” I asked.
“If it isn’t, then we’ll go about it a different route. But it will get there, don’t worry.”
“I wasn’t worried, just curious,” I said before taking a bite of my sandwich. My tummy rumbled again.
“You only had pancakes a couple of hours ago.” Lee grinned.
“More like three hours ago.”
“Leave her alone, Lee, pulling ivy takes a lot of energy.”
“That’s because it’s tough just like its namesake.”
“I think that’s one of the nicest things you’ve ever said to me,” I grinned.
“I say nice things behind your back.”
I opened my mouth to ask him what they were, but Matt cut me off. “Don’t ask, love.” He said with a grin.
I rolled my eyes. “Okay, I’ll stay in the dark.”
“Best place to be,” Lee said as he gave me a wink.
Shaking my head, I stood up with my empty plate and walked to the sink.
Looking out the window, I saw a man walking towards the back door.
“Guys, there’s a man walking up the path,” I told them in a voice that sounded high-pitched even to my ears.
Lee rushed to stand behind me while Matt headed to the door.
“It’s okay, it’s only Dev,” Lee reassured me as his hands landed on my shoulders and kneaded them gently. “He works with us.”
“Oh,” I said on an exhale. My legs were still shaking, but I stepped away from Lee, and his arms dropped to his sides.
“I should have told you he was coming. Sorry.” Lee apologised.
“It’s okay. There’s no harm done.”
“Except you’re still shaking,” He grimaced.
“He just surprised me, that’s all. I’ll leave you to chat.”
“Okay, we’ll be here if you need anything, Ivy, just come and find us, or shout out.”
“I will,” I answered as I left the room. There was no point staying to hear why Dev had come to speak to them because I knew they wouldn’t let me hear it. They were trying to protect me from the truth, and it might make me a coward, but right now, I was happy to let them.
A bubble bath was calling my name, and I had never wanted one so badly. My entire body felt sore and achy. Gardening most definitely wasn’t for me. I grabbed a book from the living room table and headed up the stairs to relax. Or try to at least.
Chapter Thirteen
Ivy
The water was starting to feel chilled, and I realised I’d been in the bath for nearly two hours. I’d been so engrossed in my book that for the last half hour, I hadn’t added any hot water, and now I was suddenly cold.
Chucking my book onto the stool by the side of the bath, I climbed out and grabbed a towel to wrap around me. I dried myself quick as a flash and huddled into the dressing gown on the back of the door. I inhaled with a shock. It smelt like Maverick. Had he put it here for me? The thought made me smile.
I knew he didn’t use this bathroom because he had his own so he wouldn’t have left it here by mistake. The pangs in my stomach were back, and somehow they were much worse. How could he be so sweet and then leave me just like that? I couldn’t understand him, and when I tried to, it only managed to make me mad.
I opened the bathroom door with a sigh and chose some clean clothes to wear. I couldn’t put on the ones from earlier because they were filthy, which reminded me that I needed to see where the washing machine was because before too long I was going to run out of clean clothes.
I felt out of sorts. At home, I would have my things around me. I’d be able to relax, potter about, and do my own thing. Here, it was awkward; I couldn’t exactly make myself at home. Instead of staying in the house, I thought about going to the bench I’d sat on before, maybe just sitting and staring at the birds for a couple of hours would help me feel less frustrated. I’d take my book and let their love story take my mind off my own complicated one.
I opened my bedroom door intending to find Lee and Matt just to tell them where I was going. As I stepped out onto the landing, I heard gunshots. There was no mistaking the noise, and it was terrifying. I ran back inside my room, slamming the door behind me. I ducked down behind the bedside table and placing my hands on my ears, I tried to calm myself. If I panicked now there wasn’t a chance I could get away, I’d be in no state to think clearly, and I needed my wits. He’d come to get me. Ted, would never let me be, hadn’t I known that.
And what about Lee and Matt? I didn’t know if they were hurt, what if Ted had shot them. They could need my help, and I was hiding here like a scaredy-cat. The tho
ught of them injured, or worse, overtook the terror I felt at coming face to face with Ted. I stood up intending to find them, but my door burst open, and Ted appeared.
I screamed. The demented look on his face frightened me. “Hello, Ivy,” He sneered. He carefully closed the door, trapping us inside together. His eyes were crazy. “You shouldn’t have left me.”
I stood frozen, staring at the knife in his hand. It wasn’t the first time I’d been in this situation with him, but by the look in his eyes, I thought it might be the last. One of us was going to end up dead, and I wasn’t about to let that be me. When he lunged towards me, I threw myself sideways to the door. I tugged on the handle, and to my horror, I found it locked with no key in sight. I heard him chuckle darkly and I slowly turned to face him, determined to look him in the eye. “You’re crazy. How did I not see this before?” I gasped.
“You saw what I wanted you to see. You were perfect for me, a sweet woman willing to do my bidding, or so I thought.” he shook his head. “I won’t take defiance from my fiancée.”
“Ex fiancée,” I spat. “I would never in a million years marry you.”
“I could make you.”
“No, you could not. I’d slit my throat before you could.”
He chuckled. “Why, darling, you’ve found your balls. The last two weeks we spent together, you wouldn’t say boo to a goose. I enjoyed those times.”
I shuddered. “I didn’t enjoy it one bit.”
“I worked that out when you left me. You shouldn’t have done that.”
“You’re sick.”
“And you are a hot piece of ass. That’s why I picked you. When you’d bent down to wipe the coffee stain from my jacket, and I’d got a glimpse of your tits I’d gone rock hard.”
I stared at him in shock. “Who the hell are you?”
“I’ll show you who I am as soon as you come here,” he said as he pointed to the floor in front of him.
“Do I look stupid?”
He shrugged. “If you don’t come to me then I’ll come to you.”
I had nowhere to go. He was suddenly two steps away from me, and I stared defiantly at him. I refused to show him my fear.
“Enough of this silliness,” He said, swiping a hand out in frustration. “You’re going to come home with me, be a good little fiancée, and on Saturday we’re going to get married.”
