by Holly Martin
Right on cue there was a knock on the door. Somehow she knew it would be Rome. He had texted her earlier and she hadn’t replied. She had been going to come up with a suitable response later that night, but clearly he wasn’t going to wait. How on earth would she explain the strange man that was currently probably stark naked just a few feet from where they stood? Rome had most likely come round to see why she had missed dinner the night before. She could make some excuse. She only hoped he didn’t know that she had missed her rent because she had no excuse for that. Another knock came on the door; clearly Rome wasn’t going to just go away. Bella stared at the bowls of porridge and was quickly shoving them inside a cupboard when he knocked again.
She went to the door, plastering a smile on her face before she answered. She could pretend everything was normal.
‘Rome,’ she said, her cheeks aching from the huge smile as she subtly blockaded his entrance into the house. ‘What a lovely surprise.’
There. That was normal and not at all obvious that she had been hiding in the kitchen hoping he would go away.
Though Rome didn’t look convinced.
He stepped forward, all six foot five of him, towering over her as he moved to give her a hug.
‘Hey Bella,’ he kissed her on the cheek. ‘We missed you yesterday, is everything OK?’
‘Of course.’ She leaned into him, glad of the comfort for a moment and as she wrapped her arms round him, he used that moment of weakness to slip past her into the house.
Damn him.
She watched him as he took his coat off. Rome Lancaster was tall, muscular, athletic and could easily have walked straight off the catwalk. All the Lancasters were ridiculously good looking with their dark hair and blue eyes. As a Roussel, she had somehow missed that gene.
She heard a clonk upstairs and Rome looked up, following the noise.
‘I was just going out actually,’ Bella said, loudly, trying to distract him. He turned back to look at her, his eyes casting down to her bare feet. ‘Well, in a few minutes.’
‘That’s alright, I won’t stay long. I just wanted to make sure you were OK.’
‘Of course I am,’ she said, breezily. ‘What makes you think I’m not OK?’
He cocked his head slightly in that way he had when he was studying someone. He had that way of commanding honesty from people. Fortunately for her, she was immune to his powers.
‘Well, let me see, you look like you’ve lost a ton of weight, you cancelled dinner plans last night because you were supposedly out but I stopped by on my way home and you were fast asleep on the sofa. Your voice has that note of desperation and bravado to it as if you are pretending everything is just fine and you missed the rent on this place yesterday for the first time in… well, forever. So are you OK?’
She felt herself deflate, the smile fading from her face. He knew her too well.
‘I’ll get Uncle Finn his money; you don’t need to worry about that. I’m just having a tiny setback.’
He stared at her. ‘Do you honestly think I’m here because of the money? I’m worried about you, we all are.’
‘You don’t need to be. I’m fine,’ Bella said. All her family fussed over her and though she knew it was out of love for her she did find it a bit suffocating sometimes.
He strode into the kitchen and opened the fridge, which was completely devoid of any food. He started opening cupboards and they told the same story.
‘I haven’t had a chance to go grocery shopping for a while.’
He turned to face her, his arms folded across his chest. He looked furious. ‘What’s going on, Bella?’
She sighed. ‘I may have lied when I said that I was still working for Magic Wishes. The company went under after Clara’s embezzlement went public. No one was willing to donate money to the charity any more and I don’t blame them.’
‘That was three months ago,’ he said, his voice getting louder as he clearly got more angry. ‘What have you been doing for money since then?’
‘I’ve struggled to get work ever since. I think a lot of people think that I had something to do with stealing the charity’s money; that somehow I knew what Clara was doing.’
‘That’s bollocks. Everyone on this island knows what kind of person you are and would never think you are capable of doing something like that. You are one of the most honest, genuine people I’ve ever met.’
Her heart filled with love for him. He never doubted her for a second. Tears filled her eyes at his unwavering love and loyalty.
‘So are you telling me you’ve not had any money coming in for three months?’ Rome almost shouted.
‘I’ve had savings, I’ve been OK.’
He spotted the packet of porridge. ‘You’re having porridge for dinner.’
‘I like porridge,’ Bella lied. She would be glad if she never had to see another bowl again.
He looked around her lounge. ‘You’ve sold your TV and your stereo?’
‘Admittedly things have been a little bit tight lately.’
‘Why didn’t you come to us?’ Rome shouted. ‘You should have come to me. I would always give you money, you know that.’
‘I don’t want your money Rome, you work bloody hard for that money,’ Bella shouted back.
‘And it’s mine to do with what I want and I would much rather spend it on my family than buy material things that hold no value. I think you should come and stay with me for a few days. I can help you, at least until you get back on your feet. And I’ll make damn sure you eat something better than bloody porridge.’
God, that was the last thing she wanted.
‘I’m not moving in with you. I’m fine here.’ Bella dashed angry tears out of her eyes.
‘The hell you are.’
A cough at the door of the lounge drew both their attention. There was Zach, completely wet and naked apart from a towel wrapped round his waist. Without his hat, she noticed the blond curly hair that was swept back from his face.
Good god, he was glorious. He was so big and toned. His stomach was sculpted and he had that delicious V-shape that disappeared just below the towel. His chest was smooth and he had a tattoo that curled from his chest and over his shoulder, a black curly pattern that looked like it might be Celtic in origin.
He was literally dripping and Bella suddenly had an overwhelming desire to lick him dry. Any coherent thought had been wiped clean from her mind.
Chapter Two
‘Bella, are you OK? I heard shouting,’ Isaac said. He’d had no intention of getting involved when the row broke out, but although he couldn’t hear the words, as the shouting sounded pretty heated, he knew he couldn’t just stand by and do nothing.
Isaac glanced at the man Bella had been shouting at and the man glared straight back at him. The man was big but not as big as he was. He was pretty sure it wouldn’t come to a fight but, if it did, Isaac knew he could take care of himself.
He turned his attention back to Bella but she seemed frozen to the spot, her eyes transfixed on him but seemingly not seeing him. She certainly wasn’t looking at his face.
The other man cleared his throat. ‘Bella, I didn’t realise you had company. Will you come to my house for lunch tomorrow and we can talk about this some more?’
Bella still wasn’t moving or talking but she managed to nod her head absently.
The man stepped forward and kissed Bella on the cheek and Isaac experienced an unexpected jolt of jealousy. Then he walked out, flashing Isaac a glare as he walked past.
Isaac waited for the man to leave before he turned his attention back to Bella who still looked like she had seen a ghost.
‘Are you OK?’
She nodded.
‘I’m sorry to interfere. I heard shouting, I was concerned.’
‘No, it’s fine. Rome is just a little protective of me sometimes.’
‘Boyfriend?’
She smiled. ‘Brother.’
He frowned slightly. The two of them didn’t look
anything alike. He had dark hair, she had a flame of gorgeous red. She was tiny, her brother was tall.
‘Well, cousin technically. I was raised by my mum’s older sister. Aunt Lucy and Uncle Finn are Rome’s parents, so I always think of him and Eden as my brother and sister even though they’re really my cousins.’ Her eyes cast down his body again. ‘Let me get you some clothes.’
She walked past him, trying to avert her gaze, and he followed her up the stairs.
‘Why was your brother shouting at you?’ Isaac asked. Whilst in the shower, he had decided that he would direct the conversation onto her, find out more about her and that way avoid questions about him at the same time.
‘Because I’m one step away from being in your position.’
He watched her open the wardrobe and root around inside. ‘You owe him money and he wants you to pay him back?’
Bella laughed. ‘No, he’s angry that I’m in this situation and never told him. He’s my knight in shining armour, he would come in, pay all my food and bills if I’d let him, and then buy me some new shoes to cheer me up and never once ask for the money back. I’m just a little tired of playing the damsel in distress. His family have already done so much for me; I refuse to go to them for help again. I got myself into this mess, so it’s up to me to get myself out of it.’
He thought about this for a moment. ‘Sometimes bad things happen and it’s nobody’s fault. We all need a little help sometimes and it’s OK to ask for it.’
‘What about you, do you not have anyone who could help you out?’
Crap. He didn’t want to lie to her but he could hardly tell her the truth either. ‘My dad died when I was seven and I’m an only child. I’m very close to my mum, speak to her every day… well I used to,’ he quickly amended. Bella didn’t need to know he’d had an hour-long chat to his mum just that morning. ‘She lives in Australia.’
‘And she wouldn’t be able to lend you some money?’
‘She doesn’t know about my situation.’
She smiled at him sympathetically as she laid some clothes on the bed. ‘Sometimes, it’s nice to bask in the rose-tinted view they have of us, isn’t it, rather than have them know the truth and feel let down by us. When was the last time you spoke to her?’
He hesitated. ‘It’s been a while.’
‘She’ll be worried about you. You can call her from here.’
‘You’ve just told me you’re one step away from being homeless. I’m not going to rack up a huge phone bill for you too. There’s accepting help and then there’s taking the piss.’
‘I want to help you.’
‘Why?’
She shrugged.
He stepped closer. ‘Why do you trust me in your home? How do you know I won’t steal anything?’
She laughed again. ‘I have nothing to steal. I’ve sold everything of value; I have no expensive jewels or technology. I have no money stashed away in shoe boxes under the bed. My most precious things are my books but I don’t think anyone will want them. If you can find something of value here and you’re really that desperate that you need to steal it, then go ahead.’
This complete trust in him was disarming. This attitude of putting his needs before her own was something he had never come across before. Almost everyone he had ever met had a hidden agenda. Apart from his mum, his friend, Dougie, and his PA, Claudia, he trusted no one. Everyone wanted something from him, money, a job, an endorsement, expensive jewellery or clothes. She had nothing and wanted to give him what she did have. Why did she trust him so much? In his world, trust had to be earned but she had given it so willingly.
‘What if I hurt you?’
The smile fell from her face. He didn’t want to scare her; he just wanted her to think twice about inviting a stranger into her home. ‘Why would you hurt me when I’m trying to help you?’
‘I’m not going to hurt you Bella, I promise you that, but other people might. You just need to be a little bit careful about who you trust and who you invite into your home.’
‘You sound like my brother. Although I’ve always been accepting of what people tell me. I’m a very honest person and I always see that virtue in others even when it isn’t there. Trusting my boss was what got me into this mess in the first place. Maybe I am too naïve for my own good.’
Her trusting nature was part of her charm; he didn’t want her to lose that.
‘I never said naïve. Just… be careful.’
She nodded. ‘I’ll leave you to get changed.’
He watched her leave and quickly threw on some clothes. He was going to get to the bottom of what happened with her old job. He pulled a hoodie on over a t-shirt and glanced at himself in the mirror. Without his disguise of a holey jumper and dirty blanket he looked more like his normal self. He hadn’t shaved when he’d had a shower so he still had a bit of stubble to hide behind but he wondered if she would recognise him.
Being so successful in his line of work meant that everyone knew who he was and everyone wanted a piece of him. Well, that was how it was in London. Bella seemed to have no clue who he was. Unless… she knew exactly who he was and this was all a ploy to get in his good books for the interview. No. He refused to believe she was that deceitful. He’d only known her for a few minutes but she was clearly an open book. What you saw was what you got with Bella Roussel.
He went downstairs and found her on all fours, lighting a fire in the log burner. He looked away, not wanting to stare at her inappropriately. The tiny lounge was strewn with books, the three bookcases were overflowing and there were multiple piles on the floor. Most looked like they had been read numerous times. There was a real mixture too, crime, fantasy, sci-fi, books set in foreign countries and a few romances as well.
She stood up and looked over at him. ‘You look good.’
He looked down at himself. The tracksuit bottoms she had given him were about six inches too short and it felt like the hoodie belonged to a man half his size. She stifled a giggle and he looked back at her in surprise.
‘Well… you look clean.’
He smiled.
She disappeared into the kitchen and came back with two bowls of porridge. She passed one to him and then curled herself up in the corner of the sofa to eat her own.
Isaac looked at the porridge and sat down next to her. The night before he’d enjoyed steak in a gorgeous red wine sauce at one of his favourite restaurants and now he was eating a very small bowl of watery porridge. Bella was tucking into it like it was her favourite meal, though he knew it was probably more due to hunger than actually enjoying it.
‘I have to say this is not what I expected when I came up to the richest part of the island.’
Bella laughed. ‘Is that why you came up here?’
‘I was begging down in the town and someone said I should try Blossom Grove as they were all rich up here.’
‘You chose the wrong door to sit outside, I’m afraid. Sorry to disappoint you.’
‘I’m not disappointed. Not at all. I get to spend the night with a beautiful woman and that was a lot more than I had hoped for when I came up here.’
She paused with a spoonful of porridge halfway to her mouth as she stared at him. Then she returned her attention to her porridge and didn’t look at him after that. He knew he had embarrassed her and he had no idea why he’d said it.
He took a few spoonfuls of his own porridge.
‘So tell me your story. Why are you living on porridge?’
She carried on eating for a few moments and it was clear she was toying with whether to tell him or not. She finally finished her porridge and put the bowl on the coffee table before curling back up into the corner of the sofa.
‘I had a job, a fantastic job as events manager for a local charity – well, it was based locally over on St Mary’s, but they did charity work all over the UK. Magic Wishes, have you heard of them?’
Isaac hesitated because of course he had heard of them. They had been all over the news a few
months before. But was it only of interest to him because he was a CEO of a charity himself? Would the average Joe know the story? ‘It rings a bell,’ he said, vaguely.
She nodded. ‘Yeah, probably for all the wrong reasons. We were a very small charity, but we did wonderful things, giving special days out to children with cancer and their families. Clara was my boss, and the owner and founder of the company. Her husband did the accounts. I arranged all the fundraising events and Clara helped to co-ordinate all the days out for the families. There was an admin girl who worked part time a few mornings a week too. It was a great team to work for and Clara was lovely. I say that because I literally had no idea that between her and her husband they had been embezzling thousands of pounds of the charity’s money over the last five years.’
He knew all this of course. He knew that Bella herself had been investigated and cleared of all charges and even Clara and her husband Phil had been adamant that Bella and Sally, the admin girl, had nothing to do with it.
‘You didn’t even have an inkling?’
‘No, god no. Clara lost her own son twenty years ago to cancer and she met so many families during that time that were all going through the same hell that she and Phil went through and she wanted to do something to help them. She was passionate about the charity and the work we did and I always thought she was such an inspiring person to work for. I was so naïve. She had a big house, a nice car, she went on expensive luxury holidays and I didn’t think twice about it. I knew her husband was a successful, high-paid accountant, not just for the charity but for other companies too, and I just assumed a lot of their money came from him. She got paid a salary, I knew that; I just didn’t realise how much and that her salary was over ten times as much at the end as it was in the beginning. All these events that I arranged to raise funds, I was working my arse off for them, thinking I was doing something good and worthwhile, and they were taking almost all of it for themselves. I was horrified when I found out. All those people that had donated money and it was going to line Clara’s pockets.’
Bella sighed, playing with a hole in the knee of her jeans.
