CHAPTER SEVEN #2
“You know how to look after chickens and grow stuff?”
“No, but how hard can it be? Paisley has a duck who thinks he’s a dog.”
“You really can’t compare it to them,” I stress as she gets up.
She laughs. “Don’t worry, I’ll read up on chickens before we get some.”
I breathe a sigh of relief. “Thank you.”
“Now come on downstairs and eat. I want to lock the food away before we let another stranger into the house. That Liam guy is coming over in a couple of hours, and last night, I heard he’s really close to the Carters.
One is even named after him, so I’m thinking he might want to try and steal our food too. ”
“Not everyone is out to get your food, Malia.”
“Then why do you keep letting food stealing fuckers into my house? Because I know it was Reid who ate the cookies I left in the oven.”
“You couldn’t possibly know it was him.”
“Babe, I had it padlocked after Mercedes kept glancing at the oven. And I know you don’t know how to pick a lock. If I wasn’t so impressed that he managed to get into it, I would be waking him up with my bat.”
I laugh. “He’d probably get turned on.”
Her nose scrunches up. “Eww. I didn’t need to know that,” she replies, getting to her feet. “I’ll let you get ready.”
I stop her when she gets to the door by calling her name. “Thank you for trusting me with all that information.”
“You are our family,” she states. Instead of leaving, she stays near the door, facing away from me. Her head lowers. “Do you think we can trust this Liam guy?”
There’s that vulnerability again. “I think the Hayes family are good people. Plus, you said he’s close with the Carters, and we can trust them.”
“Really?” she questions, her eyes narrowing.
My lips twitch. “If you push aside the food issue, then yes. I haven’t known them long, but their story has been passed down like gospel around here.
If anyone knows what it’s like to do everything possible to protect those they love, it’s them.
Freya has told me some of the younger generations’ stories, and trust me, none of them have had it easy.
Faith was catfished, burgled, and beaten by said person.
Bailey, Aiden’s missus, got beat up so badly, she lost her hearing.
Landon nearly died. Hayden got kidnapped.
Charlotte, the sweet redhead, had something heinous happen to her and then after had to deal with a psycho wife who tried to kill her, and you know all about Mark. ”
Her eyes widen. “Wait, what about the food stealing idiot, Maddox?”
“He was the one who delivered Asher, who was later kidnapped by his biological father’s family.
Honestly, I really do think you can trust this person.
He’s been helping the Hayes brothers for a while now.
And Reid told me last night that Liam was kidnapped by Black and they didn’t think he would survive when they found him. Apparently, he coded a few times.”
“Well shit,” she rasps. “I guess we don’t have a choice. I can’t let them lose any more of their lives running. They need to be able to live free.”
“No more running,” I whisper.
She clears her throat. “Food.”
She pulls open the door, and every single one of my cousins stand on the other side, staring in.
Makayla pipes up first. “Is she staying?”
All eyes turn to me. “I’m not going anywhere,” I reply.
They take a step but Malia blocks the door. “Let her get dressed.”
“Told you she would stay,” Mercedes mutters.
“You said she would leave,” Makayla points out.
“I was panicked, but deep down, I knew she would stay.”
I chuckle as the door closes behind them.
“I’ll be down in five. Promise.”
As soon as the door clicks shut, I grab my phone—which someone kindly placed on charge—and dial Freya.
“Morning, ho,” she greets.
“Bitch,” I reply.
“What can I do for you on this fine Saturday?”
“I need to know if that Liam guy can be trusted, and I mean this seriously.”
“Liam as in Mark’s cousin or the family friend?”
“You talking about Liam?” a male voice asks.
“Oh God, are you with the Carters?” I whisper.
“It’s Maverick and, um, he wants to talk to you.”
Shit.
The line rustles for a minute before a deep, masculine voice starts speaking. “Why are you asking about Liam?”
“He’s going to help my cousins. They are meeting with him today because Katherine Black is trying to look into them and I’m panicking that they are going to get fucked over. I can’t bring someone into their life who will only cause more damage.”
“Liam will look after you all. He doesn’t like bullies, and he also doesn’t like it when rich people think they can take what they want. I know we don’t really know each other, but you can trust me when I tell you he is the person you want helping you. He’s family.”
“Thank you,” I whisper.
“I’ll hand you back to Freya.”
“No need. Tell her I’ll call her back later. Thank you, Maverick.”
“Any time,” he replies, ending the call.
I lower my phone to the blanket, letting out a breath. Whilst I don’t know the Carters in the same way as Freya, I don’t need to. They have this energy about them. They say what they mean, mean what they say. There’s no pussy-footing around when it comes to them.
So if Maverick says we can trust him, I believe him.
Now I just hope this Liam doesn’t like to steal food as a hobby, because I don’t think my relationship with my cousins will survive another person taking their food.