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His life is unravelling, and my poor mother has no new ship to jump to. The only person she can turn to is me, and I have purposely chosen to ignore each call or message she has sent me in the last few hours.
“Perry did well to get the original. Royce is finished. Cain, I did want to note that it’s likely that your mother is aware of the forgery, and if not, I believe he will throw her under the bus to save his own neck.”
“I suspected as much, too. She’s been trying to reach me all morning.”
“Guilty conscience, perhaps?”
“Not my problem.” Danvers doesn’t react to my blatant dismissal. Olivia stopped being my mother a long time ago.
“I’ll see you Monday. Enjoy your weekend, Cain.”
Dropping my head into my hands, I sigh heavily. Ruining Royce seemed much more fun when Lauren wasn’t on the scene. Each time I picture bringing him to his knees, he has my girl in his grubby hands. Fear claws at my throat. If he so much as looks in her direction, I will implode.
“Everything okay?” Her soft voice pulls my head up. She’s wearing one of my t-shirts, and the sight alone has my stomach twisted in knots. I need to contact Kelvin Deeks. I need Lauren safe and protected.
I lean back and smile confidently at her. “Sure is. Come here.” I beckon her with my finger, and she pads to me quietly, her fingers tugging at the hem. “Sleep well?” I know she did. We both fell into bed, and she dozed off into a deep sleep, her arm slung over my stomach.
“Your bed is coma-worthy.” Her smile is sleepy. She kicks her leg over mine and lowers to straddle me. Her weight sinks through the tension and chases it away. “Morning,” she hums, taking in my features.
“Hey, pretty girl.”
“What’s on the agenda for today?” Those eyes fall to mine, and I suck in a low breath. I’m falling hard and fast for this woman.
“Whatever you want. I’ve invited the gang round for dinner later.” Perry was adamant that he see Lauren. I figured it was best to remove any awkwardness and extend the invite to Matteo too. I know that Lauren will want Amberley here, and Kat has yet to respond, but with everything happening, I doubt she will leave her parents for the night.
“A night in with the lads! Is this a baptism by fire type of thing?” She chews her lip, a cheeky sparkle in her eyes.
“Oh, absolutely, although if it helps, Amberley is coming.”
That gets her attention, and her face lights up. “Thank you.” Her cheek dimples. “Kat?”
“Hopefully.”
Her hands slip to hook behind my head. “She’s struggling with all this.”
Nodding, I stand, lifting her with me. “I’m wrecking everything she thought she knew. Her life was a perfect little bubble, and I stabbed a big fat pin in it.”
“There you go, swinging that big prick around again,” Lauren chides, and I laugh deeply.
“It’s a danger.” I widen my eyes playfully.
Her fingers trace the stitching on my top as she flicks her fringe aside and surprises me by saying, “What can I do to help? With Kat, I mean?”
“Just be you. She likes you, and she doesn’t have many friends. Olivia treats her like an accessory.”
“Who’s Olivia?”
“Our mother.” Her lips twist sympathetically. I don’t want her pity. Carefully, I secure her face in my hands and lean in to kiss her softly. “Fancy a swim—we can go down to the indoor pool?”
“I’m not sure the residents of this nice building will appreciate seeing me in the buff. I didn’t bring any swimwear. I don’t even have fresh clothes,” she imparts.
“I can have something sent up, bikini or swimsuit?”
“Just like that?”
I grin, but it slowly slips away when I see her resistance, so I kiss her again. “I want to go swimming with you.”
Her mouth parts, the words lost on her, but her eyes say it all. This is new territory for her, and my life is one giant glitter ball. Once you get on, it’s hard to get off. She’s terrified to step on.
