“Like fuck you will. I’m running this show. You’ll get your chance, mate. But not with Emily. Stay away from her and let me do my thing.”
“That’s a shame. I was looking forward to breaking in little Winters.” He grabbed his crotch and groaned, and that was my cue. I couldn’t stop myself. I flew across the room and grabbed Brandon up out of his chair. Zak stood to the side of us, ready to intervene, but he didn’t need to worry. I still had my shit together. Just.
“That pleasure will be all mine, mate.” I gave his cheek a playful, but not so friendly slap. “You just need to sit tight and wait for me to deliver the goods. I’ll leave the mother for you if you’re that desperate to tap some Winters’ ass though. Or maybe you can really fuck with Daddy Winters? If that’s your thing.” I shrugged, knowing my comment would get to him.
Brandon pushed me off, flaring his nostrils at my insinuating that he’d go anywhere near her fucked-up father. He was a depraved sod at times, but even he had a line he’d never cross.
Hoping to steer the conversation down a less confrontational path to stop us butting horns, Zak piped up, “Do you really think she’d go for you?”
We both turned to face him, giving him a ‘What the fuck, dude,’ expression.
“Of course she’ll go for him,” Brandon answered for me. “Girl could barely breathe when he was whispering to her earlier. She’s a woman, isn’t she?”
“Barely. She’s only just turned eighteen and she’s Danny’s sister. Don’t you think that’s kind of fucked-up?” I knew where Zak was coming from. Danny had been a friend to all of us. There was a time when I’d have called him one of my best friends. But he was part of the reason we were doing this. There was no room for sentiment or second guessing, not now. A job needed doing, and I was the best, damn it, the only man to do it.
“She’s collateral damage. She’ll get over it.” Brandon was good at staying focused. I knew I’d have to use some of his steadfast determination to keep my head in the game though. I had to bring Winters down. Whether that meant father and daughter remained to be seen, but I couldn’t lose sight of the end goal.
I couldn’t deny Emily Winters had always held a fascination for me. She was the ultimate forbidden fruit. The M.P’s daughter, friend’s little sister, always perfectly turned out and so fucking pretty you couldn’t help but stare if she came into a room. Worse thing was, she didn’t even know it. She was like bloody kryptonite to me, and sometimes, when no one was watching, I saw her. I mean, really saw her. The girl who hated the restrictions put upon her by her family. The rebel who wanted to break free. The little hellcat that I knew she could be. Nobody had ever intrigued me like she did. Nobody held my attention like Emily Winters, and that’s what made her dangerous.
“She might get over it, but will he?” Zak said, nodding to me. Guy could read me like a book sometimes.
“Oh, I’ll be fine. Don’t worry about me.” I gave Zak a reassuring pat on the back. “I’ll worm my way in, get what I need and get out. No harm done. Not for me, anyway.”
“I hope you’re right about that,” Zak said, then shook his head at us both before walking out of the room.
Brandon and I looked at each other.
“Game on, motherfucker,” I said, and left him to clean up his bloody, beaten-up face.
“He said what?” Liv huffed, looking ready to tear all those Renaissance losers a new one.
“He said I was a rat and that he’d have me on my back before I’d get anywhere near his balls.” I laughed at the last part, I couldn’t help it.
It was the day after the warehouse party and we were all sat in Liv’s bedroom, picking over the bones of the evening and discussing what a shit-show it’d turned out to be. After Finn fetched Effy and Liv for me, we’d gotten ourselves out of that place quick smart. Neither one of us felt up to the challenge of going against those boys on the night. Now, we’d had time to think it all through and we were fuming.
“He’s got a death wish, Em. I swear to God, if that fucker ever touches you, I’ll-”
“You’ll what, Liv? Do you really think we could do anything to hurt those guys? Emily needs to stay away from them. Especially Ryan and Brandon,” Effy said, shaking her head and looking concerned. I think she’d have put me on house arrest if she could. She was our little peacemaker after all.
“I know those boys don’t like us all that much, but I never thought they’d be such complete and utter knobheads. I wouldn’t have taken you there for your birthday, Em, if I thought they’d threaten you and chase you. What kind of asshole does that?” Liv was seething.
“A Renaissance asshole,” I answered, raising my eyebrow at her to show her I wasn’t surprised by their games at all.
“Renaissance my ass. Even their name is ridiculous. They’re all twisted fuckers,” Liv said, making me laugh.
“Not all of them,” Effy replied defensively, and then bit her lip, knowing she’d said too much.
“Which brings me to my next point…” Liv turned to face Effy and I gave her a reassuring smile. I knew exactly what was coming. “What was up with the whole Finn Knowles thing? He came up to you like he knew you already. How? And why did he want to help out Em?”
“I’ve no idea. I’ve probably spoken two words to Finn Knowles in my whole entire life.” Effy spoke, but she couldn’t look us in the eye.
“Well, it didn’t look like that from where I was standing. Dude was looking at you like you were a straight-up snack and he was fucking hungry.”
Effy’s cheeks went bright red.
“Leave her alone, Liv. If Finn hadn’t gone inside to get you two, I don’t know what I’d have done.”
“Oh, he didn’t come in to get me. Just Effy here.”
I gave Liv a pointed stare and watched as Effy swallowed and looked nervously at her hands twisted up in her lap. Why was she nervous?
“Don’t worry, Eff. Finn didn’t come across as an evil twat like the others. Liv, back off.”
“Fine,” she huffed, looking put out. “But I won’t hold back if they come for us. I’ll be ready.”
“So will I,” I shot back. I was more than ready to stand my ground. I’d had a lifetime of being pushed around. That shit wasn’t happening anymore.
I left Liv’s house and made my way down the driveway towards my car. In the distance, I heard the screech of brakes and looked up to see an old black Ford speeding off down the road. I didn’t give it a second thought though, just got into my car and started the engine. My little Audi purred like a dream and I pulled off, ready to head back home and start looking into universities and courses that I liked. My parents wanted me to go to Oxford or Cambridge, but it wasn’t about them. I wanted to make the decision for myself. Do what was right for me. I had no idea what that was yet, but it would come, in time. School was over for the summer; finished. I knew I was later than most to sort my options out, but I figured I’d take a gap year, a bit of breathing space after the stress of the last few months dealing with Danny’s death. My careers guidance could wait, and that way, I’d make the right choice in the end. At least that’s what I’d hoped.
I indicated to turn right, heading towards town. I’d decided to take the scenic route, seeing as the sun was shining. Nothing better than an open road where you could put your foot down and blow out the cobwebs. I was driving without thinking, and daydreaming about my future, when I felt the car shudder. I turned my music off and at that precise moment the power died, and I rolled to a stop at the side of the road.
Fucking brilliant.
There wasn’t a house or building in sight. No other cars had passed me since I’d turned into this lane, and when I got out, all I could hear were birds chirping and the bloody breeze blowing through the trees. I slammed the car door shut and leant against it, then grabbed my mobile out of my pocket and dialled the breakdown service my dad had set up when he got me this car.
Two minutes later, and I was even more pissed off than before. Over an hour
until someone can get to you, they said. We’ll try to get someone out sooner, seeing as you’re a woman on your own, they promised. But I knew I was probably gonna spend the rest of my day sat in a layby, waiting to be rescued. I tried calling Liv or Effy, but all I got was their voicemail. So, I swallowed my pride and rang my home phone. Surely one of my parents would be concerned enough to come and help me?
“Emily, did you run out of petrol?” my mother scolded, after picking up the phone and letting out a disappointed sigh when she found out it was me.
“No. I’m not stupid. There’s something wrong with the car. Give me some credit, Mum.”
“Have you rung the breakdown service? That’s what they’re there for.” She really wasn’t getting why I’d rung her.
“Yes, and the waiting time is over an hour. Mum, can’t you come and pick me up?” I knew what the answer was going to be. I didn’t even know why I’d asked.
“No, darling. I have errands to run myself. I can’t drop everything just because you can’t manage your affairs.”
“I can manage myself just fine. You know what, just forget it. I’ll wait here. I’ll probably get murdered by some psycho and you can live with that on your conscience for the rest of your life, but that’s your affair to deal with.”
“Stop being so melodramatic, Emily. It’s your problem, solve it. Oh, and don’t bother your father with this. He’s in Westminster for the week. He doesn’t need to know about your dramas.”
They really broke the mould when they made my mother. I knew she was still pissed that I’d bailed on their “kick-ass” garden party, but she didn’t have to put my life at risk to hammer home her point.
“This isn’t a drama, it’s…” Typical, she hung up. I really was a blot on their landscape of perfection.
I threw my mobile onto the front seat and sat in the car with the door open and my legs on the road, contemplating walking back in the direction of Liv’s house, just to give me something to do.
Twenty minutes later, and I was lying back in my car, the driver’s seat reclined as far back as it’d go, and my eyes closed, trying to make sense of everything and everyone in my life. There was no sense. That was my conclusion and I was sticking to it.
I heard the hum of a motor in the distance and sat up, looking in my rear-view mirror to see a recovery truck making its way down the lane. I got out of the car and painted a huge smile on my face, ready to greet the breakdown guy. He was early, and I felt like doing a happy dance right there in the middle of the road. When the red truck pulled up behind me though, my stomach dropped out. Hardy and Sons was emblazoned along the side.
Great.
Just my fucking luck.
I folded my arms and braced myself. This wasn’t going to be pretty. The driver’s door swung open and Ryan Hardy stepped down from inside. I half expected him to be grinning at me, but he wasn’t. It looked more like a scowl, but it did nothing to stop the butterflies from attacking my system. My hands were shaking, and I couldn’t quite look him in the eye. Ryan Hardy had always done this to me. Turned me into a blithering wreak. I’d hated that Danny had been friends with him, but thankfully, he’d never been invited to our house. So my contact with him growing up had been minimal.
He was wearing grubby blue overalls, but even I could appreciate how hot he looked. He’d always had muscles. He’d always been that guy. The one that takes care of himself, likes to look good and knows he does. His dark blond hair had a wave to it and did that thing where it fell into his eyes all the time, so he was always running his fingers through it or dipping his head whenever he looked at you, giving him that sexy vibe that most girls drooled over.
Who was I kidding? We all lost our shit over Ryan Hardy whenever he was around. But I wasn’t dumb enough to fall for his bad boy charm. Not that he ever sent any of that charm my way. I don’t even think he knew who I was until last night.
He stalked over to where I was, running his eyes over my car and then onto me. He ran his hand across his tanned, stubbled jaw and gave a low chuckle.
“Well, what do we have here? Got into a bit of trouble, Winters?”
I was grateful my voice didn’t come out as a squeak when I answered him.
“I’ve broken down, but then you can’t be that dumb, surely? Why else would I need you?” I said the last part on a sneer. I needed him to know he was a blip on my radar.
A nothing.
A nobody.
“I think you need me more than you realise. But I can always go… Leave you to sort this shit out yourself.” He turned and went to walk away. Asshole.
“Fine, wait!” I called out after him and he stopped, looking back at me under that damn curtain of hair. “Can you get it started again?”
“That depends?” He smirked, coming back towards me.
“On what?” I put my hands on my hips and stood my ground.
“On whether it’s fixable? Pop the bonnet open and I’ll take a look.” He swerved past me, brushing against my side as he did and then stood in front of my car. He motioned to the bonnet, nodding his head down as he did, and bit his lip to stop another smirk escaping. He was loving this.
I grabbed the door handle a little too hard and flung it open, then pulled the lever to free the bonnet. The hood clicked open and he rolled his sleeves up, showcasing his forearms, veins, and muscles that he’d been hiding. Damn, what was it about a guy’s forearm that was so sexy? He lifted the bonnet and fixed the arm to hold it in place, then he started fiddling about with things, unscrewing caps and pulling things off, blowing on them and putting them back. He did a really good job of making it look like he was an expert, but when he sauntered to the side of the car and bent down to rest in a squat, leaning his arm on my car window, I wanted to push him off, expert be damned.
“Looks like your head gasket.” He brushed down the front of his overalls, ridding himself of some imaginary lint in an effort to look nonchalant.
“Can it be fixed now?” I gripped my useless steering wheel to stop myself from shoving him and making him fall and roll backwards like a fucking beetle. I smirked at the image, but he soon wiped that off my face.
“Those parts will probably take a couple of days to order. Another couple of days to fix. This,” he gestured to my car, “is gonna need towing.”
I smacked my hands on my steering wheel in anger.
“Mother fucker.”
“Does daddy know you have such a dirty mouth?” He grinned and then stood up and opened my door.
“What are you doing?” I made a grab for the handle to close it again, but he put his body in the way, forcing me to pull back.
“You need to get out. I’ll get your car onto the back of the truck and then you can ride with me back to the garage.”
“I’m not getting into that thing with you. I’ll stay in here and you can tow me with it.”
He laughed and shook his head, crossing his insanely muscular arms over his broad chest.
“Sorry, sweetheart. No can do. It’s against health and safety. The car goes on the back,” he said, pointing to his truck and talking to me like I was a five year old. “And you go in the front… With me. Or you can stay here and enjoy the view a little longer.”
I was so done. This day sucked balls, big time. Every day of being eighteen sucked ass. In fact, things had been pretty shitty ever since Danny had gone, but I pushed that thought to the back of my mind. Instead, I took a steadying breath, braced myself, and got out of the car. I could do this. It couldn’t be more than five or ten minutes tops until we made it into town, where his father’s garage was.
Seeing me acquiesce he gave a smug, satisfied smile and started getting things ready to hitch my car up onto his truck.
I made a point to give him a wide berth as I headed towards the front of his pick-up and then I noticed a car heading towards us. A red sporty number that slowed down as it got closer, and once it was parallel with my own, the tinted windows came down and a familiar head poked out. A f
riendly face beamed back at me, and the relief it gave me made some of my butterflies disappear.
“Emily, are you okay?”
Chase Lockwood had been in our year at school. He was a good guy, worked hard, and always had time for everyone. Effy had had the biggest crush on him a year ago, but I didn’t see it myself. That goofy, nerdy, but secretly hot librarian thing he had going on did nothing for me. He made us all laugh though, and he was super kind.
“Chase, hey.” I went to walk over to his car, but Ryan blocked my way, giving me a warning glare as he did. What was his problem?
“Have you broken down?” Chase asked.
“Observant, isn’t he?” Ryan said under his breath.
“Do you need a lift anywhere?” I felt Ryan tense up as Chase said this. He obviously wasn’t a fan of the nice guys.
I went to speak, but it wasn’t my voice that answered.
“No, she doesn’t.” I frowned at Ryan and gave him a warning glare.
“I can speak for myself,” I snapped, but Ryan turned his back to me and muttered something I couldn’t hear to Chase.
Instantly, Chase sunk back in his seat and looked at the road straight ahead. “I’ll see you around,” he said, not even daring to look at me, and sped off down the road, leaving me at the mercy of the psycho mechanic.
“What the fuck was that?” I marched over to Ryan, feeling braver than I had all day. “What did you say to him?”
“I told him to mind his own fucking business. Now, get in the truck.”
“Mind his own business? Are you crazy? Chase is my friend. I wanted to go with him. I’d rather get a lift off him than take my chances in this shit heap with you.”
“Stay here then, princess. No skin off my nose.”
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you? To leave me here on my own. You’re making a habit of fucking with my life just lately, aren’t you?”
“You’ve got no idea,” he said, coming closer towards me and penetrating me with his stare.
“I wouldn’t give you the satisfaction of leaving me here. I’m gonna get in this bloody truck, and not because you’ve ordered me to. You’re the last person I’d take orders from, but because I want to get out of here. I want my car fixed and I’m getting really good at blocking your crap out.”
Renegade Hearts (Rebels of Sandland Book 1) Page 4
