39. Lockheart
LOCKHEART
Sometimes life isn’t fair. Sometimes it gives you everything you’ve ever asked for and then makes you realise that what you asked for isn’t what you actually wanted in the first place.
All I ever wanted growing up was a huge house to counteract the council flat we had, and now I have a mansion in a beautiful, sought- after, gated community.
I have millions in the bank, flashy cars, expensive watches, all the trappings of fame and fortune.
But I couldn’t protect the people who mean more to me than all that crap.
All I want right now is to take the ten steps parting me and Nico, and wrap my arms around her.
To bury my nose into her hair and get lost in the tropical paradise of coconuts and sunshine.
To gaze into those whiskey pools of hers and dance in the flames I ignite in them. But her attention is fixed on Kincaid.
She’s biting the inside of her cheek, twiddling with her hair, and avoiding my gaze at all costs as Detective Kincaid informs us both Rocco and Doctor Sheen have been arrested.
Doc has enough evidence to prosecute Rocco, and hopefully get a lesser sentence for herself.
Even though she was a part of it, I still feel a little empathy for her.
She wouldn’t have done anything like this if she felt like she had a choice.
They’re throwing the book at Rocco, to quote Kincaid.
He’s being charged with kidnapping, blackmail, threatening someone's life, domestic violence, and coercive behaviour. Turns out Doc saved all the images from when he’d hurt her during their brief relationship.
She’s smarter than I had her pegged for.
I wish I could get my hands on him, just for a minute or two. I’d show him what I’d do to people who hurt women, threaten the elderly, and kidnap children. Fucking scum. I unclench my fists, relax my jaw and focus on what Kincaid’s saying now.
“We may or may not need Lucky to testify. It all depends on whether or not Mr. Burns cooperates. If he accepts the charges, Lucky won’t have to appear in court.
But if he doesn’t…” He takes a little breath and shrugs his shoulders and the tension in my neck increases.
I don’t want Lucky to go through that, he’s been through enough.
“It would be visually recorded testimony so he wouldn’t be anywhere near Mr. Burns.
But let’s cross that bridge when we get to it.
For now, this is over. Focus on being together with Lucky. ”
He shoots a smile at us both and I tip my head as Brady walks him out. It’s just me and Nico left in the room and she jumps when I clear my throat.
“Sorry, Nico.” The gravelly husk to my voice makes her pupils dilate and her breath hitch. I take a step closer to her, but she darts away.
“I, um, should go and get Lucky.”
She runs from the room and I grab the back of my neck. A groan escapes my lips as Brady walks back in.
“Where’s Nicole?” he asks through a grin, and I narrow my eyes at him.
“Getting Lucky. And not in the way I would like either.”
I turn my back to him and face the windows. It’s too dark to see anything outside, so instead I look up into the sky and try to spot any stars. The downside of living in London is you barely see them, but you can grab a takeaway at three am any day of the week.
It must be my lucky night as I spot a twinkle in the darkness and I do something I haven't done since I was a kid.
I make a wish. ‘I wish I may, I wish I might, on the first star I see tonight. I wish Nicole would agree to marry me, to forget this ridiculous guilt and be how we used to be.’ Once I finish the wish in my head I take a deep breath.
“Watcha doing?” Brady interrupts my silence as he stands next to me and tilts his head up to see what I’m looking at.
“I’m wishing on a star,” I mumble, bunching my shoulders up toward my ears, ready for his insults.
“Move outta the way, I wanna make one too. I miss seeing stars. I used to see all of them back home. Small town living, you know.” He gives me a little smile tinged with sadness and I drape my arm over his shoulders. It must be hard to be away from home sometimes.
“What you two doing? Why you looking in da sky? It’s not Christmas eve.”
Lucky’s voice rings out and I stifle the chuckle his statement brings. In his little mind the only reason I’d be looking in the sky is to watch out for Santa. Before I can respond, Brady’s flashing his mischievous grin at both Nico and Lucky.
“Lockheart was wishing on a star. I know, pretty lame. I told him it was lame too, but he didn’t listen to me.”
An oof escapes his lips as my elbow finds his ribcage and I smirk at him. “It’s not lame to wish on stars, kid. It’s lame to stop wishing.”
I catch Nico’s eye and hold her gaze. She fidgets about with the hem of her top and bites on her bottom lip, but doesn’t break our connection.
“I wanna wish too.” Lucky bolts over to me and I scoop him up in my arms. I recite the wish rhyme out loud this time and smile when he closes his eyes tight, his little lips moving but no sound coming out from them.
When he’s finished, he looks at his mum, then at me, and nods his head.
He wraps his little arms around my neck and squeezes me.
“I wisheded for a brova. I’d take a sista if I had to dough. ”
I know Nico heard him, he hasn’t grasped the concept of whispering yet, so I tell him just as loudly, “I’d take a brother or sister for you too. But my wish was for mumma to marry me. I don’t think she’s ready yet, but when she is, I’m going to need you to be my best man.”
He nods his little head, a smile taking over his face, and I grin back.
“I mean, I’ll be your proper best man though, old timer. Right?” Brady’s voice whispers behind me.
Ignoring him, I place Lucky back on the floor. He walks over to his mum, grabs her outstretched hand and looks up at her, his eyes wide and his smile huge. She looks down at him, trying to fight the smile from her face, but I see it. I’m getting there, slowly but surely.
“Come on, it’s time for bed, Mister.”
Instead of Lucky dragging his feet reluctantly, he zooms ahead of her, shouting ‘night’ over his shoulder, and pulls her up the stairs. I smack Brady on the shoulder and give him a smile.
When they’re out of sight, I walk into the living room and grab my phone. I bring up my contacts list, find Marcello, press call, and listen impatiently as it rings continuously. I’m just about to hang up when he answers the call.
“Hey, Lockheart, what's up, man?” His breathless voice makes my lips turn down and my nose scrunch up.
“If you were ‘busy’ you shouldn’t have answered the damn phone, Marcello. You’re gross.”
His laughter bellows down the line and I have to hold the phone away from my ear for fear of being deafened. “I was working out, you fool. If I’d been that kind of busy you’d have been left hanging, my friend. Nothing comes before my sunflower. Now what’s up? You never call me.”
I rub the back of my neck and pace around my living room, Brady watching me intensely. “Well the thing is, I need to arrange for some roses to be delivered to Nico and I have no idea where or who to…”
“Say no more, my friend. Actually one more thing, what colour? And I’ll sort out the rest.”
I breathe out a huge sigh. “Thanks, man. White and yellow, please. Can you also make sure the card says, ‘This is just the start… Love Owen.’ Does that sound stupid?” I glance around the room, avoiding Brady’s stupid grinning face.
“Nah, it’s beautiful. What else are you planning on sending? My assistant knows a great place that makes up baskets for all occasions…”
I chuckle at the enthusiasm in his voice. “Thanks but I think I have the rest covered.”
After we say our goodbyes, I hang up and push a still grinning Brady into the kitchen and out the back door. His laughter lingering in my ears and the image of his thumbs up through the glass in my mind, I head down to the gym, ready to plan my next course of action.
I want to show Nico just how much I love and need her in my life. I’ll shower her in love, gifts, and tell her constantly how much she means to me. And hopefully, by the time I do my grand proposal, she’ll be ready to say yes.