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“Honey, I don’t know, and we’ll have to find out. Keep an open mind until we get answers,” Kelly said and turned to his laptop. Maybe I did nod in agreement, but my mind was already set. Chance and his friend Bear and the rest of them were a danger to my sister. One that simply needed to go!
???
Kelly drove up the narrow lane, and my eyes narrowed. Wherever we were going, I expected to see a rundown shack. My lips pursed together in a self-satisfied smirk, and I kept sending, ‘told you so,’ glances at Kelly. Kelly merely suffered in silence. Finally, I couldn’t keep it in.
“Told you Chance was lying; the only place here will be a shack with no running water and an outside toilet,” I complained unhappily.
“Uh-huh,” Kelly muttered.
“Once I get Clio to visit home, she’ll not come back to this. Not even if she owns a tearoom. Hell, Clio can probably buy the tearoom a thousand times over and still have time to travel the world. I wonder how much of a payoff Chance would accept? Because I bet that’s what he’s holding out for. Possibly one million will keep Chance out of her life?” I said happily, sunk deep into my thoughts.
“Doubt it, and you might want to change your thinking,” Kelly said as we swept into an open space, and I stared stunned at the house in front of me. Chance had mentioned a cabin. This wasn’t my idea of a cabin.
In front of me was a substantial single-storey log house. On the right side was a wide wooden door and a window on the left. Down the left-hand side of the door ran more big airy windows. There was a wrap-around porch with hand-carved spindles and two porch swings hanging between the windows. The far end of the cabin ended in a sizeable pure glass sunroom. There was space for parking, and the house had an attached garage, built of wood in keeping with the theme.
This place would have cost a fortune to either buy or build, and my smug words came back to bite me on the ass. The house was beautiful and natural. A lot of effort had been put into building it. Perhaps Chance had stolen it from someone; I voiced my thoughts, and Kelly gave me a disbelieving glance.
“Seriously? Thal, if you can’t keep a single nice thought in your head, then I’m taking you home. And when I say home, I mean your grandmothers!” Kelly threatened, and I turned huge, wounded eyes on him. Kelly rarely made threats, and I guessed I’d crossed a line. Two bikes were parked outside the house, and the door opened as Kelly and I exited the car. The front door opened, and Chance strode out, casting cautious glances over his shoulder. Yells came from inside, and I straightened my back.
“Clio’s in the kitchen. Do not intrude on her space. Get me? She frightens me when she’s got knives in her hands,” Chance warned with a twitch to his lips.
“Why is Clio yelling?” Kelly asked as we walked towards the entrance.
“Because first I offered to help, which resulted in a knife being waved at me. Secondly, Bear doesn’t understand the word no where Clio is concerned. He’s determined to get back into her good books and is bugging her. Warned the asshole not to grovel when Clio’s in the kitchen, but he doesn’t listen,” Chance grunted and smiled. My guard had gone up at hearing the big brute’s name. That man was on my shit list and not coming off soon.
We entered the cabin, which was beautifully decorated and tastefully done. In the middle of the cabin was an ample kitchen space where I could see my sister banging pots and pans. At a table set to one side sat the giant man who’d held a gun on me. Bear had a pleading expression on his face and spoke gently to the knife-wielding woman who happened to be my sister.
“Bear, I love you, okay. But you’re a raging, hot-headed, impulsive, thick-headed, stubborn asshole. You hurt me by thinking I’d cheat on Chance or treat Hellfire so shitty. I ought to make Chance take you out back and beat you with a branch,” Clio hissed, waving a knife. Kelly, Chance, and I froze at the look on Clio’s face. Damn, she was mad!
“I know, Clio, how about I get Chance to tie my hands, and he can beat me senseless,” Bear offered, shamefaced. Chance snorted.
“As if Clio will let that happen,” Chance whispered to Kelly. Kelly, who’d been studying the scene, nodded.
“Clio’s going to make Bear grovel and suffer, but she’s already forgiven him. Clio just won’t let him know,” Kelly whispered back, and Chance nodded. I felt anger rise at Kelly bonding with Chance.
“Hey baby, can I get me and Kelly a beer. And Thalia would like a wine,” Chance called, not walking forward. Nice to be asked, I thought as I watched the big man skirt Clio warily.
“Hey!” Clio said, waving the knife in the air at us. Clio realised what she was waving and put it down sheepishly. “I’d like a cream soda, please, Chance,” Clio said sweetly, and I chuckled at the rapid mood change she experienced.
“On its way,” Chance said and kept a reasonable distance from Clio as he stepped around and opened a drinks fridge. “Red or white, Thalia?”
“White please,” I said, as I kept a wary eye on Clio. She’d turned back and given Bear a filthy glare, and he looked abashed. In front of him was an enormous bouquet, a massive box of chocolates and a cute little quirky teapot. In addition, was a gigantic box of… chicken satay?
“Are those chicken satays?” I blurted, confused.
“Clio’s craving them, so I thought I’d bribe her into forgiving me,” Bear said. Clio gazed at the box, clearly seeing it for the first time. She softened and gave Bear a small smile.
“I’ll forgive you if you fetch me two boxes of those a week,” she offered. Bear lit up in a smile, and I blinked as the surly man became a damn good-looking one instead. I was dazed at how handsome Bear was, but Clio didn’t seem to be.
“One,” Bear offered, glancing at Chance and seeing Chance holding up one finger. Clio flipped Chance the birdie and then folded her arms across her chest.
“Now it’s three,” she stated, and I giggled at her tone. Clio wasn’t in a pacifying mood.
“Okay, two,” Bear agreed, as Chance wore a dark expression. “Sorry, Prez, but I hate having the girls mad at me, and Tati’s not talking to me either. And Phoe gave me a disappointed Bearbear.”
“You’re too fuckin’ soft,” Chance taunted, and Bear nodded with a grin.
“So Chance brought me up to date, you’re quintuplets? But you and Clio are identical?” Bear asked.
