by Nana Malone
“It’s doing,” Jason responded, always the man of few words. “Sales look promising. All of the VIP suites are sold out for tomorrow night.”
Zach nodded. That was promising. He had sunk a great deal into that club and wanted it to be a success. He needed it to be a success.
Jason pushed himself out of the chair he was sitting in and tucked his clipboard under his arm. “I’ll go work on the supplier issue.”
“Thanks,” Zach answered, watching as Jason walked out of the office that was above his first club, Club Thames. It was by far his favorite office. It was his oldest club, the one that gave him his start in the business world and helped him pay back massive loans in the process. So much for never being a success. His dad would have to choke on those words.
His mobile rang and Zach picked it up, grinning as he saw the name on the screen. Lifting it to his ear, he pressed the button. “What’s up, fucker?”
“Mate, I think your bank account if I had to say so,” Steven Welsh, his oldest friend, said into the phone, amusement in his voice. “How’s the club business?”
“It’s pretty good,” Zach admitted. “How’s the Coastguard?”
“As good as it can get,” Steven replied with a laugh. “Though I believe your situation is much better than mine currently.”
Zach couldn’t help but agree. Steven was part of Her Majesty’s Coastguard, saving lives while he served his country. Zach didn’t know how he did it. The thought of people depending on him to save their lives made Zach twitchy. He knew he wasn’t the guy to be counted on. No, he gave them joy and entertainment, which was just fine with him. “What’s up?” he asked, glad to hear his mate’s voice.
“I need a favor,” Steven said.
Zach sat up in his chair immediately. Steven wasn’t one to ask for many favors. “What is it?” Zach asked. He would give Steven the shirt off his back if he asked for it. His friend had done so much for him throughout the years and he owed him.
“Emma’s in town,” Steven said a moment later.
Immediately, heat flooded Zach’s belly at the mention of Emma Welsh, Steven’s younger sister. How long had it been since he had seen her? “Why the hell is Emma in town?” he asked, his voice calm and measured. Look at that. He’d actually been able to school his response to her. Emma didn’t need to be in London. She was a small-town girl. The city would swallow her whole.
“She’s working on her master’s,” Steven answered with a sigh. “I found her a decent flat not far from the tube but I need you to look out for her, Zach. You know Emma; she’s not really prepared for the city. I don’t want her to get hurt. Mum would kill me if anything happened to her.”
“Look, mate. After everything, do you really think—”
Steven interrupted. “We’ve been over this. Ben’s choices were his own.”
Zach rubbed a hand over his face, thinking of all the things that Steven could ask for, this was probably the worst. It wasn’t that Emma was a bad person or that he didn’t like her. He liked her all too well. His friend might not like just how well Zach’s dick liked Emma. His best friend’s sister was firmly in the no-go zone. First, for the obvious reason: little sisters were off-limits. Then the far more complicated reason that made his stomach churn. You’re responsible for her brother’s death.
Emma was working on her master’s? In his mind she was still fourteen and he was rescuing her from Paddy Maguire’s roving hands. He’d almost killed the git that night. Hell, he’d wanted to. He shut the memory down.
He really didn’t want to think about the first time he noticed that Steven’s little sister wasn’t so little anymore. He’d been acting as her protector. All the while some seriously unprotectorlike things had been playing through his head.
This was Steven; he couldn’t say no. Steven was more than a best mate. He was family, and he was asking Zach to look after his baby sister. Not to mention, I owed him. “What do you need me to do?”
“Just look out for her, will you? Like, call her, make sure she has everything she needs. Make sure she leaves her flat now and again,” Steven asked. “I’ve gotta go. I’ll text you her address. I appreciate it, mate. There’s no one else I would trust with her.” He clicked off before Zach could respond. Fuck. Zach slid the phone across the scarred desktop, a rush of emotions drumming through his veins. Emma Welsh. There were many things he had forgotten about their small town, but she was not one of them.
“Bloody hell,” he muttered, leaning back in his chair. The last time he had seen Emma was the night before he and Steven had left Tenworth. The memory was still imprinted in his mind after all these years, one of those memories that would never fully go away.
Zach took a deep breath as he stared up at the sky, wondering if the stars would look any different tomorrow night. He and Steven were both leaving but on different paths. His secondary school days were officially over and tomorrow they would start their bid in real life. It was a huge weight settling on his shoulders and he wasn’t sure how he felt about it. He’d finally be free. Steven at least had a plan. Not him, though. He just knew he was leaving.
“Zach?”
He turned to see Emma behind him, her arms wrapped around her waist with her long red hair flowing about her in the strong evening wind. There was a front coming through, no doubt bringing a ton of rain over the next few days but he wouldn’t be here to see or feel it.
“What are you doing out here?” he asked, his words coming out harsher than he intended. Shit, she always put him on edge lately. “You should be inside.”
She tucked her hair behind her ears and ducked her head. Fuck, he was such an arsehole.
“I’m sorry,” he muttered. “I didn’t mean to be so harsh.”
“You’re nervous about going?” Her question was soft, but her gaze was direct. “I can see it on your face. There’s nothing wrong with that.”
Shit. She saw too much. He took a step back, knowing one very big reason he didn’t want to be alone with her. Emma could read him too well. Much better than Steven could. Ben was like Emma. Perceptive as hell. But unlike Steven, he had an air of not giving a shit. He always liked to pretend he didn’t care, but he saw it all.
He and Steven had both fucked around too long, taking odd jobs for the past year but now it was time to get serious about their future. “I’m not nervous,” he lied.
She laughed, the trill floating on the night air. Her parents had thrown a farewell do, and most of the crowd had dissipated over the last twenty minutes or so. It had been when everyone was wishing him well and saying goodbye that he realized there was a potential he might not see these people again. The Welshes were his family so he would see them. But everyone else? Most of them had looked down on him his whole life. But still, it made him sad to leave and he had no flipping idea why. He legitimately needed a few minutes to collect his thoughts.
It wasn’t like he regretted his decision. There was no choice. He couldn’t stay. He wouldn’t turn into his father.
“You are Zach Andrews,” Emma said, taking a few steps toward him. “I’ve known you all of my life, remember?”
“So, what if I am? Like the name Andrews means anything,” Zach finally ground out with a shrug of his shoulders. “It doesn’t matter. I’m gone tomorrow.”
“I know,” Emma said softly. “I’m going to miss you and Steven of course.”
She was going to miss him? The thought made Zach slightly uncomfortable. Emma made him uncomfortable. She always had. Because you love her. No. She deserves better than you and everyone knows it. “You’re going to miss me?” he asked her, needing to hear it again.
Emma nodded, her eyes shiny as she looked at him. He swallowed, knowing he should turn and walk away. Emma had grown up in the last few years while he and Steven were out doing dumbass things. She had started dating. Steven had confided in him more than once he couldn’t stand the thought of his little sister dating. Zach whole-heartedly agreed with that sentiment, especially after Padd
y Maguire. But likely for an entirely different reason.
The feelings he had for Emma, Steven would gut him where he stood if he knew. “I, uh,” Zach started, not sure what else to say. Emma gave him a soft smile, one that made his heart do a slow thump in his chest as she reached up and touched his face.
“Please be careful,” she said. “And watch out for my brother in London. You hear me, Zach? Somehow he seems to find trouble.” While Steven was off to Her Majesty’s Royal Coastguard, Zach was off to join her brother in London. Ben had left home before completing school, much to his parents’ chagrin. Zach had stayed, but with his best mates gone, there was nothing here for him anymore. Except Emma.
“I will,” he said as he cleared his throat. Emma turned to go but he grabbed her arm, wanting to touch her just once. “Ems, wait.”
She lifted her gaze to his, her lips parted in surprise, and his dick twitched. Would she let him? Would he feel like a shit for kissing his best friend’s sister? Or would it be worth it? Hell yes. But he knew he wasn’t good enough for her.
“Zach,” she breathed as he leaned forward.
But then the back door slammed and they jumped apart. Emma slipped through his grasp as Steven rounded the corner.
“There you are,” he said, a beer in his hand. “What are you doing out here?”
“I was just saying goodbye to Zach,” Emma said, sliding a sidelong glance to him.
Zach nodded tightly. Fuck, had he just tried to kiss Emma? Hadn’t he known her nearly all his life? She was off-limits, way off-limits.
Zach
Zach ran a hand over his face. God, he hadn’t seen Emma in years. Probably the last time was her brother’s funeral, where the pain had been too much to even speak to her or her parents.
Ben might have been a bit of a wanker, but Zach had been responsible for his friend. He could have stopped him that night. It was a secret that only he and Steven knew about and his best friend had always tried to tell him he didn’t blame him for his twin’s death, but Zach knew. He’d shouldered that responsibility for years.
Shaking off those thoughts, Zach pushed away from the desk and stood. Emma was now his responsibility and he had no bloody idea what the hell to do about it. One rule though: despite the years, she was still off-limits.
You’d do well to remember that.
3
Emma
I am not nervous.
This was one of the many lies she told herself. Along with, “You can do this! There’s no reason to be intimidated.” But there were plenty of reasons. She was about to step foot into class with Xander freaking Chase. If there was ever a moment to feel out of her element, this was it. But she was going to do this because she needed to. There was no going back.
“There you are. I’ve been looking for you forever.”
Emma turned around with a relieved smile on her face. “There you are. I got lost on the way up here. I had everything written down. You know, my directions and everything, and I couldn’t get my laptop to connect to Wi-Fi, so it was just a mess, as I was trying to decipher from the map how to get here.”
Laila laughed. “I swear, it’s like you’re lost without that thing.”
“I am lost without that thing. I had it all planned, but I’m ready for adventure.”
Emma was walking backward as she talked. And then Laila started to shake her head.
“Em.”
“No, you’re right. I can live without my planner. It’s fine. I am totally okay. I mean, honestly —”
And then she bumped up against something hard. It felt like a man. A person, really. “Shit.” Emma turned around and peeled her eyelids open. Right in front of her stood Xander Chase. Oh my God!
First, any rumors about his good looks were completely well-founded. The man was absolutely gorgeous. Sandy blond hair in an artful disarray about his head, silvery gray eyes, and a smile that probably had panties dropping for several kilometers. While he was very good-looking, he didn’t exactly do it for her, but she saw the appeal. “Oh my God. I am so sorry. I swear to God, I just —”
There was a flash of a grin. “You’re fine. All right there?”
She nodded. “I think so. Oh my God, I’m sorry. What a way to start the first day.”
He laughed. “You’re fine. I’m Xander.”
She stared at his hand outstretched in front of her. “Right. Hi! I’m Emma Welsh. I’m your student, also a complete and total klutz.”
There was a clearing of a throat behind her and she groaned. “And this is Laila Dunst. We’re both your students, brand-new students.” Bollocks, she was blathering.
He shook his head. “Don’t worry. Everyone’s nervous the first day. You should have seen this one when she got here.” He aimed his thumb in the direction of a woman behind him. When the woman turned, Emma stared. Her skin was a gorgeous cinnamon color. Completely smooth and devoid of any blemish. How was that even possible?
She came over with a wide grin. “Seriously though, don’t let him intimidate you at all. He’s a pain in the ass. Hi I’m Abbie, Abbie Nartey.”
Xander grinned. “Soon to be Chase.”
Emma frowned. She heard he was engaged, but everything she had seen hadn’t indicated that it was Abbie Nartey. The name was different, she thought. “Oh, uh, congratulations, I guess.”
Abbie’s eyes went wide. And then her head fell back and she laughed. “Him? No. One of us would be dead within an hour.” She leaned forward to whisper, “And it wouldn’t be me.”
Xander rolled his eyes. “No, she’s engaged to my brother. Isn’t he lucky?”
Emma could tell the two of them were close. There was a lot of love there. She had done all the research on Xander Chase. Abbie was his protégé. She had been for a couple of years. She was starting to make her own name in photography. The idea that Emma would get to work with the both of them was huge. She could barely contain her excitement. Next to her, Laila said, “Oh my gosh! You’re Abbie Nartey. Your series of photos of London through a foreigner’s eyes—I loved them.”
Abbie smiled shyly. “Thank you. Xander here had nothing to say but criticize them.”
“I did not criticize them. I just said I would have made different lighting choices.”
She rolled her eyes. “Criticism, but he’s my teacher, and my soon-to-be brother-in-law. So we can have this argument forever.”
Xander shook his head. “If you two ladies will excuse us, I need to grab my things for class.”
Abbie gave them a wave. “Don’t let him intimidate you, honestly. Make your own choices. You guys will be great.”
All Emma could do was stare as they sauntered off and then she turned her gaze to Laila. “Oh, my flipping God! First of all, I just walked into Xander Chase. Second of all, he had Abbie Nartey with him.”
“I know, right?”
“I could pass out and die right now, right on the spot.”
Laila laughed. “What do you say, darling? You still feel like running home with your tail between your legs?”
“Hell no, I’m ready for this.” And she was. Despite a rocky start, she was doing what she wanted. And she had the best teacher she could ask for. So, she wasn’t going to let herself get scared off despite what her mother said.
Emma
Emma hefted the backpack on her shoulder as she walked out of the class. She’d made the right choice by coming to London. After a week of classes, she felt even better than she had when she had first registered. She was learning so much and was excited to see what else was going to happen. She was meant to do this.
“Hey Em,” Laila, said as she reached her side. “What did you think about the assignment? It’s going to be hard, isn’t it?”
Emma shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe not. I’m just trying not to shit the bed, you know? I want to impress him. But I also just want to escape one of his scathing critiques. But I think I can manage.” After all, she had nothing else to do but schoolwork. Next on her list was a job. Her sa
vings were enough to support her for another month at least. But that would run out.
“We need to let loose a little. The whole point of you coming here was to live a little,” Laila said as they reached the entrance to the tube. “I got us invited to a new club in Soho tonight. You should come along.”
Emma shook her head. “I don’t think so but thanks for the offer.”
“Oh, come on,” Laila prodded. They started down the steps to underground. “The guy who invited me was saying he’s a bouncer there. We can get in free. It’s the hottest place in town. I won’t even keep you out late.” She laughed. “Well, not too late anyway.”
She hesitated. She had good reason to not want to go out to the clubs. Her brother had lived in the clubs before his death and ultimately it was what got him killed. Well, that and the alcohol, but she wasn’t her brother and knew her limits. An hour or two, nothing more. “Okay,” she finally said, knowing she might regret this decision.
“Great,” Laila said, grinning as she turned to go. “I’ll pick you up. It will be a blast.”
Emma gave her a tight smile as she walked to the platform, waiting on the tube along with the rest of the passengers. She could go to the club, dance, and have a good time. She needed to start living her life.
Ben had loved the London nightlife. But the nightlife had not loved him. She wasn’t so sheltered she didn’t know how to have fun. But the bar he’d been at had kept feeding him drinks long after they should have stopped. The medical examiner had said he had a dangerous cocktail of alcohol and drugs in his system. Her brother made his own choices, but those club owners who cared more about lining their pockets than about the people in their establishments were partly to blame in her opinion.
The train came into view and she sighed. Why had she agreed to this? Because you had a reason for coming to London. She was never going to go anywhere, never going to do anything extraordinary if she stayed in her sleepy village. She wanted adventure. And she was going to get it.
