Page 65 of This Reckless Home

Turning around before I can start crying, and Noah needs us to be quick, I go to a large painting on the wall. It’s actually of my mother, and I give her a smile before pulling it to the side. It swings open to reveal an equally big safe in the wall.

“Jesus, Petal. That’s some rich person spy shit,” Nox states, coming up next to me as I punch in the code. I glance at him as his eyes go wide. “Why didn’t you hide the code just then?”

I pause after the safe lock clicks. “Because I don’t have to, Nox.”

He swallows hard. “You really do trust us.”

“Of course, silly,” I reply lightly, knowing that this is big for him, and given his background, the fact that he’s not been able to trust many people, I’m not surprised at his reaction.

“Fuck me,” Ant breathes when I swing the safe door open. On the shelves are stacks of cash, hundred dollar bills in bank bands. Small bars of gold, plus my mother’s collection of jewellery which is worth more than this mansion. Much more. There’s also important documentation in waterproof folders, plus another locked part to the safe. But first, I need the cash.

I grab one of the brand new duffel bags still with tags on and wrapped in plastic, ripping that and the tags off before handing the bag to Nox to hold.

He takes it, none of us speaking as I start counting bundles into the bag. “Ten thousand. Twenty thousand. Thirty…” My voice is mechanical as I fill the bag up.

“How much are we taking?” Ant asks from behind me.

“One million, one thousand. The extra thousand is to get in the door.”

“Jesus fucking Christ, Blossom,” Nox exclaims just as I finish up.

I can practically feel the fire coming from my eyes as I look up at him. “He called me sobbing and begging to come home.” I glance over my shoulder. “How much would it take for you to walk away from Justin?”

Ant reels back like I just slapped him. “Nothing.” His jaw clenches. “There’s no amount that would be enough.”

My heart twinges at that. This is why I trust them. “Exactly,” I say, adding a contract that I had prepared and zipping the bag closed. “But these people? They're not like us. They see Noah as property, as a check from the state, as someone to take their anger out on. But they do understand money. So let's speak their language.”

“Okay, Flower,” Steele agrees, taking the bag from Nox. It’ll be pretty heavy with that much cash in it, but his arm hardly strains.

“Can any of you use a gun?” I ask, and they each still.

Ant nods. “We all can.”

“Good,” I reply, turning back to the safe, taking out a small key safe and punching in a different code. It opens and I grab out the key, unlocking the part of the safe that stays locked unless you use this key. There are a selection of handguns in here, so I grab three out, then shut the door and lock it, returning the key. The guys’ are preloaded, which I know isn’t best practice, but they are for emergencies. “Keep them out of sight. We may not need them, but it might help with intimidation.”

Nodding, they each take one, making sure the safety is on before tucking them in the back of the waistbands of their jeans, making sure their shirts cover them.

“When we get there, you guys need to let me do the talking, okay? You just need to stand there and look scary,” I inform them as I shut the safe and put the painting back into place.

“Yes, ma’am,” Nox teases, and a small smile flits across my lips.

“Let’s just tell Tina we’re off and then I’ll take you to the garage.” I go to step around Ant, but his tattooed fingers clasp around my wrist.

“You’re incredible, you know that?” Something warm fills my chest.

“Thank you for helping,” I whisper back, leaning up and placing a kiss on his lips.

“Always. I told you, we’ve got your back, Bloom.”

We find Tina in the kitchen, nursing a cup of tea, a Tupperware next to her and latex gloves on her hands. “Off to get little Noah?” she asks, and Ant pauses at my side but I’m not surprised that she somehow knows already.

“Yes. Not sure how long we’ll be,” I reply and she gives a solemn nod, picking up the Tupperware.

“I packed him a peanut butter and jam sandwich, some of his favourite chocolate chip cookies and a banana.” She hands me the box. “And you four were here all night, making a terrible racket upstairs.”

She gives me a wink and I pull her into a tight hug. “Thank you, Tina.”

“Just bring our boy home,” she instructs, hugging me back tightly.