He looks me dead in the eyes through the mirror. “Nate, we don’t know what we’ll find.” He turns to my mum. “Please pass me the walkie-talkie.”
She hands it to him. “You’re a good friend, Archie, if not a little bit...over the top.”
Archie clicks the button. “Hawk here. Toucan and Eagle, be ready to rock and roll. As soon as we touch down in enemy territory, Ethan and Rafe, you go round the back. Mum and Dad will stay with the getaway car. Emmy and Cas go through the front, and Nate and I will find a window to climb in. Over.”
My shoulders shake as I hold in my laugh. There’s static and then a beep before Emmy’s voice floats through. “Eagle here. Don’t you think that’s a bit much, Hawk? Over.”
Archie lets out a humourless laugh. “Oh, she has no idea.” He clicks the button. “Hawk, here. Eagle, this is unknown territory; we have to be ready for every eventuality. Over.”
There’s another beep before we hear Ethan’s sarcastic drawl. “Toucan here. Have you got rope, Hawk? Over.”
“Hawk, here. Actually, yes. Over.”
My eyes pop open. “What do you mean you haverope? How?” I look at him through the rearview mirror.
He looks back at me and waggles the rope in his hand. “Every eventuality, Nate.”
Fuck me. He’s utterly insane.
**********
We pull up towards the entrance to Hayleigh’s parents' home and drive down the long driveway. Hayleigh’s car is parked up, and I breathe a sigh of relief knowing that she’s here and not somewhere else.
We all park up and get out, Archie with the rope through his arm and hanging onto his shoulder, face paint on and looking utterly ridiculous but somehow scary at the same time, probably due to his size.
I open my mouth to speak, but Archie beats me to it. He walks in front of us, turning to face us. “Okay, this is the moment we’ve been waiting for. In there–” He throws a thumb behind him at the house. “Are our targets, Hayleigh and Thea. Ethan and Rafe, you’re both around the back. Mum and Dad, stay near the car. Emmy–” He doesn’t get to finish what he says because Emmy shouts out.
“Hayleigh!”
We all look over to see Hayleigh walking out the front door with a large cardboard box in front of her, a bewildered look on her face, when she sees us all rush towards her.
She laughs. “What are you all doing here?” Her eyes snag on Archie. “Archie, is that smudged eyeliner? Why do you have a rope?”
He shifts the rope on his shoulder. “We’re here to rescue you, and I brought this to make a citizens' arrest.”
Hayleigh’s brow furrows, and then she’s laughing. “Citizens' arrest? What do you mean you’re here to save me? Why?”
I step forward, grab the box from her before passing it to Archie, and turn back to Hayleigh. I slide my hands along either side of her face, kissing her softly while my brothers hoot and whistle behind me.
We break apart, and I rest my forehead on hers. “I missed you, and we were worried that something had happened because your phone cut off and didn’t come back on. Also, Archie…” I trail off because that doesn’t even need an explanation.
The door opens behind Hayleigh, and Thea steps out, holding another cardboard box. Cas steps forward and grabs it from her.
I nod towards the house. “Is Thea coming home?”
Hayleigh smiles and nods. “Yeah, she’s going to stay with me for a bit until she’s gotten herself sorted. She’s…a bit sad.”
I rub Hayleigh’s arms. “Give her time.”
“Oh, look at this spectacle. Get off my property.” Morgana Wallcroft staggers out of the front door. Gone is the smartly dressed, sharp woman; she’s been replaced with a dishevelled, gaunt woman.
Thea walks towards our group, and my mum places her arm around her. Hayleigh turns around to face her mother.
Morgana’s eyes narrow towards me. “You.I knew you would be behind this. Turning my daughters against me.” She reaches out to steady herself on the wall of her home.
Hayleigh steps forward. “You’re wrong, Nate isn’t the one who’s turned us against you. You’ve done a pretty good job of that yourself, you and so did dad.”
Morgana scoffs as she waves her arm out. “We gave youeverything. We needherto marry Rupert, or we’re done. We havenothingleft.” Her voice wobbles at the first show of emotion.
