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“When? How?”
“Jeb found a new place a few years back, and I brought it for a steal from the family who owned it. I think they were grateful to finally get rid of it. It was a shit-tip, and now it isn’t.”
“But…” I shake my head, my eyes blinking back the shock as I take in the stunning home before me now. There are no broken windows, or missing tiles from the roof. The metal door that was supposed to keep squatters out, but never did, has been replaced with a large red door adorned with a lion’s head brass knocker. The front drive is well manicured and lined with shrubs and plants, and the window frames are painted white. It’s beautiful, and a far cry from the building I remember in my not-so-distant past.
“Home sweet home,” Grim says, smiling proudly as she clicks a button on her key fob and the shiny black iron gate swings open, allowing her to drive straight in.
“This is unreal,” I say, climbing out of the car. My gaze trails to the side of the building and the basement entrance that we used to use. I wonder if Asia’s mural is still painted on the walls. My heart squeezes at the thought that it probably isn’t.
“Come on, let’s get you settled in,” Grim says, winding her arm through mine and guiding me up the freshly painted front steps. She doesn’t need to unlock the door because the second we reach the top step; Beast pulls it open.
“Well, hello there, sweetheart. How’re you doing?” he asks, grinning at me with two black eyes and a plaster across his nose.
“Better than you by the looks of it,” I joke.
“What, this?” he says, pointing at his nose. “I fell onto Grim’s right hook.”
“That’s what she said.” We all grin.
“Come on, it’s bloody cold out here. Move aside, Roger, and let us in,” Grim says with a wink. Beast swats her on the butt playfully as she walks past him. A laugh bursts from my lips but is soon snatched from my mouth as I step into the hallway.
“Holy shit!” I exclaim, my eyes widening as I take in the stunning hallway with wooden parquet flooring and artwork covering every inch of the walls. “Is that Asia’s work?”
“Yep, the girl’s got wicked skills,” Beast replies.
“She’s so talented,” I say, my eyes drawn from the incredible artwork and upwards to the huge chandelier-slash-art installation hanging above the staircase. “Wow! Did she do that too?”
“No, it’s awesome though, isn’t it?” Grim asks, closing the door behind us and handing her coat and bag to Beast. He takes them and drops a kiss to her cheek. A look passes between them, and my chest tightens at their obvious love and intimacy. I look away.
“It’s amazing. This place is…gorgeous.”
“This is just the hallway, wait until you see the rest of the house,” Beast says. “Grim has a good eye when it comes to interior design. She ain’t just a pretty face.”
Grim shoves his chest. “I’mmuchmore than a pretty face and don’t you forget it.”
“Babe, I’ll love you when your hair is thinning, your arse is sagging, and your tits are—”
Grim punches him in the arm. “Quit whilst you’re ahead,” she chides.
Beast turns to me and winks. “Come on, let me get you something to eat. Then we can discuss how hard I need to kick your Breakers’ arses.”
An hour later, after stuffing myself with a delicious ham, cheese and mushroom omelet and washing it down with a cup of tea, I climb under the covers of one of the most comfortable beds I’ve ever slept on and fall into a deep, dreamless sleep in the house that once held both my fondest memories and my darkest demons.
