AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Okay,” I found myself agreeing without even thinking it through.
“Good,” he said as he turned to work on the other foot. “Did you get a look at him?” Finn asked, glancing over at Perish.
“I came in the back. He went out the front. By the time I got around the house, he was gone.”
“You don’t have cameras, right?” he asked.
“So they can catch me doing shit my parole officer wouldn’t like? No,” Perish said with a lazy grin.
“Fair enough,” Finn agreed. “Guess we have to wait to see what Junior figured out.”
“Junior?” Perish asked. “The hacker?”
“Yep. He’s kind of in the club’s orbit. A family friend sort of thing. Been doing your research on the people operating in town, huh?”
“Figured it’s good to know,” Perish said, shrugging. “Heard there was a new crew moving in.”
“The Irish? Yeah. I met Cian yesterday,” Finn said.
“He’s got a reputation,” Perish agreed.
“Yeah?” Finn asked, curious. “As bad as his father’s?”
“He was in and out of juvie, then county. Came across him once or twice, but we didn’t really roll in the same circles. No one fucked with him, though.”
“Yeah, that was the vibe I got from him too.”
“It’s like you’re talking in code,” I said, looking between them.
To that, Finn shot me a little smile.
“Yeah, we do try to manage to all operate under the radar of the average Navesink Bank citizen,” he agreed. “But there’s a lot going on around here.”
“It sounds like it.”
“Okay. What do you need for a few days?” Finn asked.
My gaze slid around the living room, my throat feeling tight at the thought of leaving all of my comfort items behind.
“Can’t fit all the CDs and records in your car, babe,” Finn said, reading my thoughts.
“You could rent a truck,” I joked. “I guess just some clothes, toiletries, laptop… and maybe my guitar. It’s special,” I told him.
“Special?” Finn asked.
“Carl, my boss, gave it to me. It was given to him by Myleo,” I told him.
“Myleo?”
“He was this really obscure musician both Carl and I just so happened to love. Best lyricist I’ve ever come across. But he died after his second album.”
“Okay. Important guitar for sure. Does it have a case?”
“Yeah.”
“Tell Perish where to get it. I’ll go grab some clothes and shit for you,” he said, then stood up quickly, his knees cracking loudly.
“Pretend you didn’t hear that. I’m young and ache-free,” he said, giving me a smirk.
Before he moved away, though, he grabbed the back of my neck, pulling me close for a quick kiss, then disappearing.
“The fuck is wrong with this light?” he called at the top of the landing, likely after having tried to flick the switch a few times.
“It’s located in the ceiling above the staircase, that’s the problem,” I called.
“I’ll fix it while you’re gone,” Perish offered.
“You don’t have to do that.”
“Still gonna do it. The glass on the back door too,” Perish said. “Where’s the case?”
With that, Perish carefully put my guitar in the case, then moved off into the kitchen, sweeping up the glass as Finn moved around upstairs, rifling through my stuff.
I hoped he remembered to grab underwear and socks or shoes in case I needed them. And my shampoo and conditioner, because I hadn’t met any guys who had decent products at their houses.
Alone, I got a moment to wrap my head around the whole… going to stay with Finn thing.
I was an adult.
I knew that if we were trapped in the same place together, we were going to be getting physical.
I had no issues with that.
The thing was, I never got physical with someone I couldn’t easily make a getaway from. I usually felt… smothered when I spent too much time with someone new. I liked my quiet and space.
There would be no getting space from him when crashing at his place.
Somehow, though, it wasn’t unease that was flooding my system as I heard Finn coming back down the stairs.
No.
It was—dare I even think it—anticipation?
“For someone who is such a homebody, you have a pretty big luggage collection,” Finn said as he came into the living room, dragging a weekender bag that Lottie had gotten me and two rolling suitcases.
“Oh, I bring the rolling suitcases when I go to music swap events. I always need the extra storage.”
Two suitcases and a weekender made me think that he likely had covered all of his bases.
“I’m gonna fix the glass,” Perish said as he came back in.
“I appreciate it,” Finn said, nodding. “And you’ll keep an eye and ear on the place while we’re gone?”
“Of course,” Perish said, looking a little puffed up at the job.
“Mind running these out to Lexy’s car?” Finn asked, passing my luggage to Perish, who took them and my guitar case, then snagged my keys on his way out of the door.
“Ready?” he asked, coming closer to me.
