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Jess’ eyes land on me, and her angry rant comes to a halt. Rick releases her, and she shoves past Maddox to reach me, wrapping me in a hug.
“I can totally murder him, right?” she whispers.
I shake my head and chuckle as I pull away. “He has his uses,” I jest, pinning my gaze on Maddox, who has now turned to watch Jess and me. Letting me go, I move toward Rick, who pulls me in for a hug too and drops a kiss on my cheek.
Two deep, synchronised growls come from behind us, and I feel a rumble of laughter in Rick’s chest.
“I don’t like them, Roxy, but I appreciate their caveman mentality.” He doesn’t even attempt to keep his words between us. I step back out of his arms, casting a quick glance over my shoulder at Maddox and Zak. The look on their faces is quite possibly the deadliest I’ve seen so far, and a flutter of…something winds its way through my belly.
Turning back, my eyes land on a third person, and someone I’ve not met before. Rick sees where my gaze is and turns to introduce us.
“Drew, meet Roxy,” Rick says, as Drew reaches out a hand for me to shake. “And Maddox and Zak Lawler,” he continues, pointing to each of the guys in turn. There’re no handshakes offered with their introductions, just a simple nod in acceptance they’ve heard who each of them is and written their names down for future reference if needed.
There’s an awkward moment of silence before I say, “Shall we.” And I direct Rick, Jess and Drew to the lounge.
There’s a grunt from Maddox as the three of them trail past into the lounge, and I turn to him with a look of warning.
“Knock it off,” I tell him.
“I’ll knockhimoff if he touches you like that again,” Maddox mumbles as I enter the lounge behind the others.
Once everyone is settled, I explain to Rick what I need, even though Jess has no doubt already told him.
“What’s the rest of the story, Roxy? ‘Cause if you think I’m putting Jess’ and Max’s life in danger without knowing the full story, you’re sorely mistaken,” Rick tells me, and I watch as Jess runs a hand over his thigh, giving a shake of her head when he looks at her.
“Jess, it’s fine. I wouldn’t expect anything less from him, but unfortunately, it’s not my story to tell,” I say, looking to Maddox and Zak where they sit on the opposite side of the room.
After a minute, Maddox says, “What do you want to know?”
Rick pins him with a hardened stare. “If you want me to keep them safe then I need to know everything. Nothing left out. I want to know who’s likely to be looking for them and why.”
“Well then, I guess this was pointless. I’m not telling you fuck all. If I had my way Axel would be dead and buried for what he did.”
There’s a gasp from the doorway, and all eyes turn in that direction.
“Eva,” I say, rising to my feet. Her eyes jump between us all as I make my way to her slowly. “It’s okay. These are my friends, and I’m hoping they are going to get you out of London to somewhere safe for a while.”
“And what about Axel, huh?” Her eyes fill with unshed tears, but she doesn’t let them fall. Instead, she turns to Maddox. “Do you have any idea how difficult this has been for him? Betraying the only two people who’ve ever given a damn about him. It’s been eating him up inside. How you can stand there and talk about killing him like he’s nothing makes me sick. You’re just like my fath—”
Maddox is on his feet in a second, cutting of the rest of Eva’s words, and Zak snatches hold of him. Drew, who is standing closest to the door, moves to Eva’s side. I raise a curious brow at his eagerness to protect her having only known her for less than a minute.
“Okay, enough. Jess, how about you, me and Eva go get something to drink in the kitchen. I spin Eva toward the door, who is shaking and wide eyed, as Jess takes the other side of her, and we lead her out to the kitchen.
Settling her on a chair at the dining table, I make us some tea, then join Eva and Jess.
“Look, Eva, you need to understand something—”
“I understand just fucking fine. Maddox and Zak are just like the rest of these arseholes that think they own the streets. Kill or be killed, right? But you know what? I don’t want this life. I don’t want this for our child”. Her hand automatically rubs her small bump. “My mother died making sure my bastard father never discovered I exist. I should never have stayed here in London.”
Jess lifts her cup, taking a sip, before saying, “Do you mind me asking why you did then?”
Eva seems thrown by the question for a moment, as though she expected a different question, and I hold my breath knowing what’s coming. “I…had a sister, younger than me. She went missing just after my mum was murdered.”
Nausea roils in my gut, and I daren’t look at Jess. Give her her due, she doesn’t take her eyes from Eva or show any reaction to what Eva just said.
Eva continues, “I wanted to find her.” Her eyes glass over again at the memory.
Jess casts a quick glance my way, and I give her a nod. “Did you?”
