‘Lola, please stop fussing. You need to rest. John will rip me a new one if you freak out. I’m fine.’
Lola tried to start up again, but Brody jumped in. ‘I think I’m going to sleep now, Lola. The meds are kicking in. Yes, I’m sure. Okay. Bye.’
She hung up, and he dropped the phone onto the couch next to him.
‘Jesus Christ. I hope John takes her phone away.’
She’d called four times. Four times, and John had only left an hour ago. Brody had not moved from the couch since then. He wanted to be in bed, but he wasn’t sure he could get back down the stairs. Going up would be bad enough. He reached for his drink, wincing as a blinding-hot flash of pain reverberated around his body. The hospital staff had been pretty pushy, wanting him to stay in, but he had Bullet. He could let him out into the garden from down here, and he had the downstairs toilet for himself. He could wing it for a couple of days. He didn’t want Bullet in kennels, and he had no one else. With Lola being pregnant, he didn’t want to put on John. He’d not even wanted the lift home, but he’d soon realised that he needed the hand getting inside. He’d not let on of course. John needed to be home with Lola. Brody was used to taking care of himself. It wasn’t the first time he’d been attacked on the job.
They’d been working on taking down an illegal puppy farming gang that was causing issues in their area. Their head guy was a huge, rotund dude called Big Pete, and he was a big hitter in every sense. Drugs, guns, stolen goods. All funded by overbreeding puppies in warehouses and selling them through fronts. He’d taken a fair few kickings along the way. Big Pete had introduced him to Bullet. He was one of the farmed puppies. Instead of running away terrified like the rest of the dogs the scumbags released, Bullet chose to fight. He’d come right to Brody’s aid, just a pup. Stinking and matted, too thin for his age. They’d saved each other. Teamed up, and now they both had Big Pete’s scent in their nostrils.
It wouldn’t be the last time Brody would be hurt, either. Fuckers on this job had even taken a swing or two at Bullet, but he’d dodged them. Managed to take a couple of them down, but the whole thing was off. Obviously word was spreading. They’d been surprised on the early morning raid, and it was all he could think about. They were getting close to smashing the gangs apart, stopping the traffic they were producing with the dogs and the drugs. They’d even had dogs of their own this time, trained to attack. Brody had a feeling that he and Bullet were a hot topic of discussion tonight at Camp Scumbag.
Bullet growled, padding to the hallway and sniffing the air near the front door. He wagged his tail, sitting down on the mat. Brody looked across at him from his couch viewpoint. His big dark brown eyes told him they had company. He heard the footsteps coming up his path, a low rhythmic squeak providing a backbeat. There was a knock at the door, and Bullet stood. He barked once, moving to Brody.
‘I heard it.’ He slowly rolled himself off the couch and into a standing position. Well, he was standing, but his stooped stance took a fair few inches off his height. ‘Coming.’ He shouted louder. He motioned for Bullet to get back out of the way and unlocked the door.
‘Hannah.’
What are you doing here? Oh God. Look at the state of me. He ran a hand through his hair ruefully, instantly regretting the motion when his broken ribs screamed at him. He wobbled a little in the doorway. She looked beautiful standing there, but her eyes showed her concern. He knew what he looked like. He’d clocked himself in the mirror of John’s car.
‘Hi.’ She looked around, up and down the street. ‘I came to see if you were okay.’
‘How did—’
‘I passed by on the way home – I saw John taking you inside.’
Shit. She’d seen him half dragged in. The car ride had been a nightmare. He’d never felt pain quite like it, not that he showed it. He’d gritted his teeth so hard he thought they might crack in half. She looked behind him, her eyes a little wider now. She had such soulful eyes. He forgot what he was saying half the time when she really looked at him. He wondered where Ava’s father was. Not for the first time. Did he ever feel like that when he’d looked at her? He felt his jealousy bristle deep within him. Even in his battered state, his mind was still very much in commission.
‘Do you have company?’
‘No, just me and Bullet. John left to get back to Lola.’
Hannah nodded once, looking over her shoulder at nothing. It was dark and quiet, like every night in this small corner of England. She glanced at Ava, who was now fast asleep. ‘Do you have anyone coming?’
‘No. Why did you come? You look nice.’
He leaned forward a touch, resting his back against the doorjamb. His pain lessened a little.
‘I came to check on you. You’re hurt.’
‘I’m fine.’
‘You can barely walk. A couple of ribs gone at least, I’d say. From the blown vessels in your eye, you took quite a blow to the head. I’m surprised you weren’t kept in.’ Bullet whined from behind him.
‘I’m fine,’ he said to them both. Neither gave an indication they believed him. ‘Listen, you can’t stand on the doorstep. Come in.’
He stood back slowly, partly because he always acted that way around her. Partly because he couldn’t move fast to save his life. He’d keel over. The pain meds were wearing off, and he was feeling the long day.
She hadn’t moved, but she was contemplating it. It was all over her face. The question kept swirling in his head.
‘Why are you here?’ Well, I asked.
She straightened up, slowly pushing the pram to the threshold.
‘I told you. I came to check on you.’
She went to take Ava out, to collapse the pram, but he leaned down, veerryyy slowly, and took the footrest in his hands. He started to lift and with raised brows she lifted the pram handles. The door closed behind them as the pram wheels hit the wood floor.
He gave her a moment to look around her. He didn’t miss the jolt of her shoulders when the door clicked shut. He made no move to lock up, although given his day, he probably should. He didn’t fancy being a sitting duck.
‘I won’t stay,’ she muttered. Her eyes fell on a photo on the wall. Him and Maddy.
‘My half-sister,’ he offered. ‘She lives in Ireland, with her husband.’
‘She’s pretty.’ Hannah smiled. Her shoulders lost a little of their slump.
Not as pretty as what I’m looking at.
‘Thanks,’ he said instead. ‘Do you want a drink? Ava need anything?’ He tried to lower himself down to Ava’s eyeline, but he didn’t get far before he gave up. ‘Actually, I need to sit for a second. The kitchen’s just through there.’ He walked to the lounge, and Hannah followed him through not long after. Ava was in her PJs, her little cheeks flushed pink from the short walk in the night air.
‘Hey, little one.’ He said it softly, not wanting to wake her up, but it did anyway. He was rewarded with a smile though. She was adorable.
‘She was tired.’ Hannah went to get her out of the pram when she lifted her arms to her.
‘Please, sit down.’
Hannah looked at the easy chair, Bullet in front of the fire next to it. She surprised him by bypassing it and choosing the opposite end of the couch to him. Ava grizzled on her knee to get to Bullet, and she jiggled her. ‘Are you sure I’m not intruding?’ She bit her lip, and it became his new favourite thing about her. ‘I just wanted to see you, really.’
‘Frankenstein’s monster, eh? Why do you keep asking if you’re in the way?’
‘I don’t.’
‘Don’t you? No one’s coming.’ It clicked then. ‘I don’t have a girlfriend, if that’s what you mean. It really is just me and Bullet.’ Another connection formed in his mind, and it pissed him off. ‘I don’t ask anyone out for lunch, especially twice, and I wouldn’t be doing it if I was involved.’
Her mouth opened. Closed. ‘I didn’t know it was a date.’ He wasn’t sure he bought that.
‘Yeah, well it was. I’m not seeing anyone. Don’t you want a drink?’
Ava was drinking from a bottle of milk on Hannah’s lap, eyes half lidded again.
‘No thanks, I need to go really. I just wanted … well, you checked on me. After the park. I figured we’re square now.’
Go? Oh, hell no.
‘Square? Don’t like owing people, do you?’
Her lips pursed. ‘I just find it easier to have full control.’
Brody laughed low in his chest. ‘No such thing.’
Her look hardened, and he realised he really needed to take his meds. He was getting snarky. ‘I disagree. It takes work, sure, but it’s possible.’ Her words petered out, and her face changed. She got a far-off look on her face. It wasn’t the first time he’d seen it.
‘Where did you go then?’ he urged her to tell him. He leaned forward, but his ribs decided that he’d pushed it a bit too far. ‘Ouch. Okay, that hurt.’ He settled back down.
‘Stop,’ she half demanded. She’d shuffled, filling the space between them. Ava jolted a little, milk drunk, but was settled with a shush. ‘Sit there, please. You’re going to pass out at this rate.’
She turned the pram towards the doorway, putting Ava in and covering her with a blanket. She was quiet in seconds, Bullet moving to lie at the child’s feet. Brody had given him the nod. He couldn’t see the pair of them, but he could hear her soothing voice as Ava finally gave up the ghost and slept. Hannah leaned and dropped a kiss onto Bullet’s lowered head. He licked her, and Brody’s heart exploded in his chest. He almost looked down to see if his torso was still intact. He wasn’t sure he could take many more surprises in a twenty-four-hour period.
‘Where are your pain meds?’ she asked, arms folded, standing in front of him. Close enough that if he reached out, he could pull her into his lap. It would likely kill him, but it would be bloody worth it to feel her on him. She was like a nervous little bird, and he wanted to smash whatever threats came her way. It was a quite visceral feeling in his gut, as he watched her trying to take care of him. Well, he just knew it. You’re fucked. This is it. You’re going to have to learn to crack this woman’s code, because you just have to have her in your life. He’d known he was screwed the minute she’d thanked his dog in the park. She was dignified, independent. Kind. Moody. Complicated. Bloody hard work, he imagined. All the best things are.
‘Brody?’
‘Andrew.’
‘Brody. Where are your pain meds?’
He motioned to the bag on the coffee table. She picked it up, hooking it under one arm and holding the other out to him.
‘Come on, you need to get to bed. You can’t sleep here. I’ll take you.’
Colour me surprised.