CHAPTER FIVE #2
In the time I’ve been around her, I’ve noticed she has sass when it comes to her family.
Hell, I saw her tackle Mark’s new missus to the ground back at the bed and breakfast. But when it comes to being around others, she withdraws, gaining her composure way too quickly.
She doesn’t use her beauty to get what she wants like so many others do.
I already checked out her Instagram as soon as I got her full name off Hayden, so I know she doesn’t like to flaunt herself on there either.
Her account was mostly photos of landscapes and a cat doing questionable things.
I guess being around someone who has so many pieces to them has my interest piqued.
With me, you get what you see. I am who I am and I give no fucks about it.
I’ll flirt with a grandma if it means I get a cup of tea or some food made for me.
Hell, I’ve used my charm to get out of trouble more times than I can count.
Summer, however, is more than what you see on the surface. Otherwise, she wouldn’t blush at being flirted with. And I was definitely flirting.
“Thanks for the ride—I mean, the lift. And the, um, the chasing off the burglar,” she stutters as she brushes past me.
She heads to the back and grabs the little girl’s bag.
Before she can attempt to pick up the little girl, who has fallen back to sleep, I lift her up and place her on the ground behind me.
“I’ll get her,” I assure her.
“I can do it,” she argues, but there’s no heat behind the words.
“Babe, I’ve got her. You need to grab the keys for the house.”
“I swear to God, if you call me babe one more time, I’m going to punch you in the dick.”
The threat shouldn’t make me grin but it does. “And there’s the sass,” I whisper.
“Did you say something?” she questions as I hear keys jingle.
I unclip the seatbelt, trying to keep my laughter inside. “I said you’ll wake her,” I lie.
I lift Milly into my arms, and immediately her arms go around my neck while her legs lock around my waist. I guess I have Lily to thank for being so at ease around the kid.
A few years ago, when Lily and Jaxon were getting together, she took to a little girl who was being abused at home.
Star and her older brother ended up being related to Lily’s neighbour, and they’re close, so we spend a lot of time around them.
Then there’s also Sunday, Aiden Carter’s little girl.
If it hadn’t been for them being brought around us, I would probably be still staring at the kid, wondering how I should pick her up.
I follow the spitfire, watching her perfectly round arse bounce as she rushes up to the door.
I glance at the house, wondering why they don’t build them like this anymore.
Concrete steps lead to the front door, above them a small porch.
It’s only big enough for maybe one seat and a flower pot, but still cool as shit, and something I’ve been thinking about with our upcoming newbuilds.
People have decking out the back, so why not out the front?
She turns on the inside light and looks around warily. “It doesn’t seem to be touched down here,” she whispers. “Aside from that mess by the window.”
I glance at the tipped over table near the window and agree with her. Nothing else in here seems to be touched, which means if the rest of the house is untouched, they didn’t want anyone to know they were here.
“I think there was only one of them,” I assure her. “I think he would have called out to his friend if they were still in here.”
She drops the bag on the bench in the little hallway. “Here, I’ll take her.”
I roll my eyes. “Just tell me which room is hers. I’ll carry her up.”
“My god, are you always this bossy?” she remarks.
“No. But my mum raised me right.”
A smile tugs at her lips. “Mamma’s boy? Did not see that.”
“Fuck yeah, and I’m not ashamed. You don’t bite the hand that feeds you. She’s also scary as fuck when she gets mad, so I’d rather not do anything that will piss her off.”
She sighs, shaking her head. “Follow me.”
Milly lifts her head from my shoulder. “Please can I sleep in your room?”
“You don’t want to sleep in your own room?” Summer asks softly as we stop at the bottom of the stairs.
The carpets have been ripped up, the paint stripped off the banister, I notice as I glance up the stairs.
From what I’ve seen so far, it’s nothing like I pictured it to be.
The Addisons were old-fashioned but warm.
Mrs Addison always had cookies for us boys or some sort of baked goods.
We could always smell them from outside.
This place, whilst still a home, feels kind of cold.
Movement on my shoulder pulls me from my thoughts. Milly lifts her head a little. “Please. I’m scared. I want to stay in your room.”
Summer nods, tucking a strand of Milly’s hair behind her ear. Goosebumps rise on my neck at the brush of her hand on my shoulder. “Okay, squirt.” She glances at me, swallowing. “My room is on the first floor.”
I nod and follow her up. At the top of the stairs, there’s a hallway that leads left, and if my calculations are correct, three bedrooms will be down there and a bathroom.
I remember a conversation Mum was having about the house with Jaxon and vaguely recall her talking about the unique layout.
Summer turns right, into the next hallway, passing three doors until we get to the fourth door.
To the left, there’s another set of stairs that I’m assuming lead to the other two bedrooms in the house.
Summer pushes open the door and flicks on some fairy lights as she enters.
My eyes widen at the room. It’s such a different contrast to the rest of the house that I’ve seen.
I think it’s because the walls are perfectly smooth, there’s thick lush carpet, and everything is so well put together.
There’s a swing chair in the corner, but my eyes are drawn to the big-arse bed, before they return to Summer.
She rubs her hands down her trousers. “Maya, Freya’s nan, bought it, and she went overboard with the size.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Size clearly matters.”
She forces out a laugh. “Yeah, clearly.” She glances around the room, seeming nervous. “Um, could you wait with her whilst I run upstairs to get her pyjamas? I know I’ve already taken up a lot of your time, so you can say no.”
“Sure,” I reply, and lower Milly to the bed.
Summer rushes out, and I glance down at the little con artist on the bed. “You completely played her, didn’t you?”
She blinks her eyelids open. “Don’t tell her,” she whispers. “Her room is so pretty and it smells really good, but Malia is all like, don’t go playing in there.”
I chuckle. “My lips are sealed—as long as you tell me what you really wanted the money for.”
She gets comfy on the bed, clutching one of the throw pillows to her chest. “They moved Bones to Disney, and then Criminal Minds, so I need to renew my Disney subscription. I spent all my pocket money on a surprise for Malia.”
My eyebrows scrunch together. “Should you be watching those shows at your age?”
She shrugs. “Baby shows bore me.”
I want to say there’s nothing wrong with a Disney animated movie, but I don’t get the chance. Soft laughter startles me.
Summer breezes in with a set of pyjamas in her hands. “She’s really advanced for her age. Her school reports say different because of behavioural problems but it’s only because she’s not challenged enough.”
“Why not move her up a year?”
It’s Milly who answers. “Because it’s not common practice and my old school discouraged it.”
Summer rolls her eyes. “And they need to be careful about potential challenges it could cause with her academics and social life. Freya is going to be giving us some extra work.”
“And being gifted means watching traumatic shows?” I question.
Milly’s eyes narrow on me. “No, it means I like to know what my options are if such an event ever presents itself to me. I will know how to get away with murder and how to make the body disappear.”
“Stop scaring him,” Summer warns, but I can hear the amusement in her voice. She’s enjoying this. She turns to me, holding the pyjamas closer. “Thank you for dropping us off and helping with the situation.”
Her gaze goes to the door, and I get the hint. “Got it. I’ll let you get her changed.”
“Thank you.”
“Bye,” Milly calls out as I turn to leave.
“See ya, kid.”
I reach for my phone once the door to the bedroom clicks shut. I need to call Jaxon.
First, I have someone else to call.