“Saul! Watch your mouth,” she snarls and the real mother starts appearing, her cracks getting wider.
“Don’t fucking tell me to watch my mouth. You’ve come into my home. Uninvited. Do you not understand we’re done? I thought I made it clear, but just in case here’s round two. I fucking hate you. You were a bitch of a mother, completely worthless. You didn’t like me when I was a kid, which you made abundantly clear. When I was an adult, you only wanted me when I was useful. So tell me, what is it, Mother?” He spits the word at her, his jaw working, and I wonder if he really will go for her whether I’ll need to hold my brother back.
“Well. There is no need to speak to me like that Saul.” She looks at me ready to start.
“Don’t.” My one word is shot at her.
“Dane,” she whispers and looks like she’s going to cry. Anyone who didn’t know her would feel bad for her. I can see the evil behind her eyes. It’s hidden, but it’s there. A few words and it will come out. Saul’s dug in his knife, now it’s my turn.
“I don’t want to hear anything you have to say. There is nothing in my life for you. Including me. You don’t realise it, but you gave me more than you ever gave Saul. You know why? Because you gave me away. Anything was better than being raised by you.”
Soph and Nova come around the corner. Cakes and plates in hand. They both drop them on the sideboard and walk to us. Nova stands in front of me, her body slightly covering mine. My chest swells, I couldn’t love this woman more. Standing to protect me. It’s too late, though. I’ve already said my piece and I can see the wicked witch’s eyes change.
“You,” she spits at Soph. “After all these years you still ended up with that piece of trash.” Saul goes to move, but I grab his arm.
“Fuck you. Get the fuck out of my house,” he roars at her.
Her eyes glimmer. She loves the reaction her words are creating. “You want to know how I found you. It wasn’t hard. I hired a private investigator to get all the dirt he could find. There wasn’t a lot, granted. But when you suddenly moved he came in handy.” An evil smile spreads across her face. My pulse picks up speed as blood whooshes in my ears when I see her gaze is aimed toward Nova. “You! I know a lot about you, Elizabeth.” She smirks.
“Don’t say her fucking name,” I grind out, my body going solid even though I still have Saul’s arm.
She laughs humourlessly throwing her head back for effect. “You are his precious Nova. Hmm. You’re not good enough for my son. He doesn’t need a gold digging whore,” she spits and Soph grabs my arm as I jolt ready to pounce.
“I don’t give a shit what you think about me,” Nova’s voice rings out and it’s like an angel in the dark. It’s a strong, confident, steady voice. She means what she says and I see my mother’s eyes widen slightly. She didn’t expect Nova to be strong. I feel my mouth twitch. Proud of my little warrior.
“Okay, well you know he’s a manwhore, right? He’ll be fucking someone else within two months. He’s cold, like his father. One day you’ll wake up and realise you wasted your life with him. That he’s a waste of a lifetime of love. He’s worthless—”
Her words are cut off as Nova springs forward, seizing my mother by her arm. She pushes her backward, slamming her into the wall. Then Nova moves, punching her square in the jaw. As my mother holds her face, shock and pain register in her eyes. Nova leans forward and growls at her.
“You stay the fuck away from Dane or I will end you. Take that whatever way you want. Just know I mean every damn word.”
Fear is oozing from every pore in my mother’s body as she tries to pull herself together. Turning she stalks out, slamming the front door. Nobody speaks for a minute.
“Well, that was some Jerry Springer shit right there,” Eric announces and the tension in the room ebbs away. My body unlocks and Saul rubs his arm where I was holding it, grumbling about something, I ignore him striding over to Nova. Her face registers shock as she realises I’m not stopping. Picking her up Nova winds her legs around my back as I push her against the wall she just pinned my mother too. I wipe the stray hair from her face and trail my hand down her cheek and then curl it around the side of her neck.
“A few minutes ago, you stood in front of me, protecting me. I thought about how I couldn’t love you more. I was wrong. You just made me love you more.
When I walk into the kitchen the next morning I can hear Eric chattering in the lounge. We all stayed at Soph and Saul’s house last night. That was always the plan, but I think, with what happened, we all needed to stay in the family fold for a little while longer anyway. After the drama was over and everything died down the party spirit fell flat. I chose not to drink anymore. I was on my way to drunk—even if I wasn’t willing to admit that to my cocky better half—but if I had carried on drinking, I would have turned into a depressed drunk. That’s how much that woman brought the vibe down. Instead, I curled into Dane and we all talked. Reminisced about when we were younger. It gave me time to bask in mine and Dane’s childhood together. Whatever happened, however hard it was, we had each other. We could rely on each other and no matter if people laughed, thinking we couldn’t possibly know what love was. That we were just kids and it would fizzle out. We proved that love can span time, no matter your age when you fall. I feel strong arms snake around my waist and I’m pulled back into a hard body.
“Morning baby.” Dane’s sleepy voice is slightly muffled as he nuzzles into my neck, dropping a kiss on my collarbone.
“Morning big guy,” I reply reaching up and cupping the side of his face. He turns his head and kisses my palm, which makes me giggle because I’m ticklish there.
“You left me.” He pouts.
“You’re adorable pouting like that,” I say, which makes him drop his lip further. “Now you’re taking it too far.” With a wink, he returns to the original pose. “Better,” I smirk. “You look exhausted. I wanted to let you sleep. I could hear some of the others moving about so I knew it was safe to get up, that I’d have company.”
“The bed’s too empty and cold without you. I don’t like it,” he complains and I giggle.
“You’re giggling a lot lately,” he says planting a soft kiss on my lips.
“You give me a lot to giggle about. You make me happy.”
He kisses me again and smiles. “Means I’m doing my job baby.”
“Okay…I don’t need to be put off my breakfast ‘cause my brother has a boner, so can we stop this shit right now?” Saul says walking into the kitchen and searching the cupboards. Dane chuckles in my ear then pulls away slapping my ass. He moves to the sink washing his hands. I watch his movements, he’s so fluid, so precise, so beautiful. “If you start drooling you can go back to bed,” Saul tells me quietly, a smirk on his face, a dimple in his cheek and his bright blue eyes almost matching my own colour, twinkle.
“Ha-ha!” I say pursing my lips with humour.
“Where’s the frying pan?” Dane asks twisting away, unaware of me salivating over him.
“Why? Saul asks.
“I’m gonna make pancakes,” he replies and Saul points to the cupboard grinning
“I heard pancakes!” Soph squeaks excitedly as she enters the room.
“Okay, everyone out. Let me work in peace,” Dane says and we turn around to leave. “Nova you stay,” he dictates and I sit my ass down, drooling once again.
“This is freaking awesome,” Eric says clapping his hands together in glee as he pushes another forkful of pancake into his mouth. We’re all sitting around the dining table and eating a breakfast of treats made by Dane. My man can cook.
Once the food is consumed and everyone is more awake the conversation takes a serious turn.
“Saul, Dane…I’m…I’m so sorry I let her in,” Eric whispers looking down at his plate as Rich slides his arm around the back of Eric’s shoulders.
“It’s fine. It was bound to happen at some point,” Saul tells him dismissing his anguish.
“The door kno
cked as I was coming back from the little girl’s room. I thought I’d imagined it as the sound was so soft. Stupid me opened the door to check, and this woman stood there. I asked if I could help her and she told me she was here to see Saul and Dane. Then added, my sons, at the end of the sentence. Obviously I’ve never met your mother before, so I didn’t know who she was until that point. Still, I know that Saul had fallen out with her and that Dane wasn’t brought up by her. I should have known better. I mean, I didn’t invite her in. I told her I was going to find someone to come see her, but then she complained that she was freezing and she told me she was unwell. I believed her when she said that she had spoken to Saul the day before, that he had invited her to his new house. I figured that was plausible. I guessed that she hadn’t been invited that night, just, maybe…I don’t know, like an open invite or something? Anyway, I told her she could stand inside the door in the warmth while I went to get you…she followed me in without me realising it. I fucked up. It won’t happen again. I promise.” Eric looks like he might cry and I feel bad for him.
“Don’t beat yourself up. Shit happens. She’s a bitch, and would have worked it so she could get her way. You don’t feel fucking bad because of that woman’s actions. Okay?” Dane tells Eric, who nods in agreement. “Just remember, if she tries to press charges against Nova…we’re all going to say Nova didn’t touch her. Clear?” This time, Dane demands their agreement. They all nod but I’m not worried. There’s nothing she can do to really harm me. I have Dane, I have a family. I’m happy. That’s everything I ever dreamed. I have it all thanks to the ‘so hot it should be criminal’ man beside me.
“Fuck, she’s drooling again,” I hear Saul say as Dane’s eyes meet mine, a cocky smirk twitches at the corner of his mouth as everyone else starts laughing.
“The light always breaks through the dark,” Dane says softly into my ear.
Sitting out in the garden isn’t what I had in mind on a Sunday afternoon in November. Surprisingly it’s actually pretty warm out. The sun is shining and we’re making the most of it. The phone vibrating in my pocket brings me back to reality with a thud. Everyone I love who would call me is here. Jenson is a possibility, but then that would mean trouble because he never calls unless shit is about to hit the fan. The modelling business that I have built over the years runs itself. I don’t get involved unless I have to so there, so there should be no calls from that direction, especially on a Sunday. Once my brain has assessed that it’s probably not something I need or want to deal with, I let it ring. When I feel it buzzing against my leg again a few minutes later, I excuse myself and walk back into the house to take the call. There’s a number I don’t recognise flashing on the screen.
“Yeah,” I answer.
“Dane. Lewis.” Lewis’s voice surprises me. I thought he’d gone home. “Can we meet? Now?” I know this must be urgent and his voice tells me he can’t talk.
“Of course. Do you remember the place where you found me?” He takes a second to figure out I mean when he found Nova and me at the factory.
“Fuck yes,” he replies.
“Go there. Look for the red building. Soon,” I tell him.
“Later,” he throws out then it’s just dial tone.
Fuck.
As I turn, I see Saul saunter in. He knows something’s up immediately as his face clears of the smile he was sporting.
“What?” is all he says.
“You know that conversation where you watch Nova. It’s now,” I explain.
“Fuck,” he rasps out.
I nod but say nothing more moving swiftly to the back garden. When I reach Nova, I crouch down next to her chair and lean into her ear. “I love you, baby. Stay here with Saul. I have to sort some things out. Then I’ll be back.” I watch as confusion followed by worry crosses her face. She bites her lip then nods.
Leaning forward she kisses the corner of my mouth. “Be careful my beautiful man.” I crash my lips onto hers, owning her for ten seconds, before pulling away just as quickly. Then without saying anything else, spinning around and disappearing.
“I’ve been tracking him,” Lewis explains.
“I thought I said thanks but to go home, let me deal with it,” I complain. I already have enough blood on my hands with the people who have been dragged into this situation.
“I know what you said. I sent my friend back. But you were in the hospital. If I hadn’t have acted quickly, and stayed, you would have lost him. Worse, you would always be looking over your shoulder. Not for you Dane. Libby. She would’ve been who he’d have gone for…and it would’ve been just as you finally let your guard drop.” My shoulders sag, I know he’s right. I just wish he wasn’t, I wish other people didn’t have to get tangled in whatever the fuck this is.
“Do you know why?”
“Why?” Lewis asks, his eyes narrow then widen. “Why he’s done all of this?” I nod. “He’s jealous. Pretty simple. Fucking scary, though. People will go to these extremes because of jealousy? Fuck bro.”
“Explain,” I order. It’s not his fault, but I’m holding myself together. Thinking about Ryan makes me savage.
Lewis chuckles, light-heartedly ignoring my tone. That’s good. I have no doubt in my head that he can handle himself. I don’t need him being pissed at me. The jokes, the messing about. It’s all an act. A front. I know underneath he’s a dangerous bastard. I can see the darkness that sits inside me, shining in his eyes. “It started simply with the fact that you got Libby. I found his place man…fuck…the dude is seriously fucked up. He had photos of Libby all over the house.” Lewis shakes his head then pushes both his hands behind his neck linking them. “Shit,” he whispers this time looking down.
“Where is his place?” I ask.
“It was this little run down house, looked like it hadn’t been lived in for years. He was squatting. Over by the river, a condemned house on a piece of land,” he replies.
“Was?” I question, not missing that word added in.
“Yeah, was, I burnt that fucker to the ground.” His eyes meet mine and there’s the darkness I see reflected from my own. Nodding, I wait for him to continue.
“When Jenson recruited you? He was looking into Ryan too. He picked you…this you know. What you didn’t realise is that Ryan knew that he was on the cusp of being recruited, that you beat him to it. He knew that he made that happen by taking Libby from you, setting off that chain of events. To say he was pissed would be an understatement. The fact that he should have been wanting to shove his own dick in a grinder, being that it was all his own fault, was irrelevant. He wanted revenge on you. Then you went dark. He couldn’t reach you. Eventually, Libby got away and those years he festered. His break was you coming back, finding your family. By this point, he’d managed to make connections with people like Dex. Petty crimes and thieving, thinking he was a big boy but not actually being one. He was going to use Pea. He had photos of you and her together. Then his course changed when Libby came back and everything slotted into place for him. He’s a sick fuck. But I’ve smoked him out of wherever he’s been. There’s nowhere left so he’s dangerous. He has nothing left to lose. He’s going to your place. Now. He thinks you’re both there, plans to shoot you both. He was drunk, stupid and rambling the other night at some bar. I listened. Then I watched him break into your house this morning. I was going to go in, but you said you wanted to deal. I knew where you all were, I spoke to Con yesterday. He told me you were all having a family barbecue.” A look of disgust washes over his face as his lip curls. “Sorry dude, but you English are strange. It’s fricking freezing out here and you’re having a barbecue?” I roll my eyes and smirk.
“Need to ask you another favour, well actually two,” I tell him.
“Shoot.”
“First. Make sure Davy gets what he deserves for hitting Nova. I can’t deal with him or I’ll end up killing him too.”
“That fucker! I knew I didn’t like him. I wish I’d known sooner I would have sorted him
before coming here. Consider it done,” he tells me smirking. Then he asks, “What does Libby know about me?”
“Nothing. She’s asked, but I have said that my business is hers, just as your business is for whoever your person is,” I answer.
“I don’t have a person.” He doesn’t give me a chance to respond before continuing, “What is the other favour?”
“Can you go to Saul’s? Sit somewhere, make sure nobody leaves. Call me if they do.”
“Sure, but don’t you want me to come with you...you know, just in case?” he asks.
I snort with hollow laughter. “No, this I can do on my own. Don’t forget Lewis, you were a bounty hunter, a tracker…I’m a killer.”
“I’ve killed my fair share too Dane.” His voice is guttural.
“I know, but I told Nova about it. Not that I’m here now, but that it would happen at some point. She asked me to make it quick. She hates him, but she hates the thought of me letting the dark in even more. I think she worries that I’ll go back to it. I never will, though, not now I have her. Anyway, this is what I’m trained for and he’s mine. All fucking mine,” I say and Lewis smirks.
“Dane fucking Matthews,” Ryan spits.
His voice is behind me as I close the front door of my house, no longer a home, not now he’s been inside. I spin around and face him. He looks similar to how he did years ago. Blond hair, which is shaved nearly to his head. He’s skinnier that he was. Drugs probably. Still fairly big though. His face is gaunt, his hand shakes and the gun he’s pointing at me shakes with it.
“Ryan. What a nice surprise. I’ve been looking for you,” I answer coolly.
“I bet you fucking have. You’re a piece of shit Matthews, you know that?” he spits.
“So I’ve been told,” I answer taking a step forward.
“Stay the fuck back!” he shouts.
Love Renewed (Entwined Hearts #3) Page 25
