Page 18 of Swan

Shaking my head, I sighed and glanced up at Lockland. Humour danced in his gaze.

“Your family is as I remembered them. Your dad intimidating, your mum funny and supportive, and Nickolas is just as full of life as he was back then.”

“Do you want to sit down here for a bit?” I asked, my dang face blushing. I couldn’t believe Nicky said those things. But at least Lockland didn’t seem too fazed by the teasing. When he nodded, we went to the couch and took a seat. “Nicky has Mum’s loud and carefree side, as well as Dad’s protectiveness and smarts.”

I looked up, and my face flamed once again when I saw Lockland staring at me.

He smirked and reached out to run the backs of his fingers over my cheek. “You still blush easily.”

Rolling my eyes, I nodded. “It’s a curse.”

“Always liked it. I’m sorry it was Mum who came between us, Swanny.”

“It doesn’t matter now, right? We’re back?”

He took my hand in his and rested them on his thigh. “We’re back. I’m not losing contact again. Can’t tell you enough how much I missed you.”

My heart drummed against my ribs. I stared down at my hand in his as his thumb rubbed over my skin. “Missed you too.”

“Must have been hard walking into that room today.”

Laughing, I shrugged but then told him, “The scariest thing I’ve done.”

This was my Lockland. The Lockland I held in my memory and heart. Right now, I felt like no time had separated us. Happiness bubbled up inside me. As did the warmth of desire for the man sitting next to me. Desire I’d pushed away because of the distance but was rushing back into me with the impact of a tidal wave.

“Scarier than that time I dared you to put your hand in the letterbox when there was a spiderweb?”

Smiling at the memory when I was twelve and he thirteen, I nodded. That day I was terrified, but my past feelings were nothing like what I felt today when I entered the room and fear closed my throat at the thought of Lockland seeing me and kicking me out. “Definitely.” I squeezed his hand. “How is life overseas?” I asked to change the subject.

He rested his head back. “Tiresome.”

“Lockland.” He rolled his head my way. “I’m so sorry about your dad.”

His breath hitched; he cleared his throat as he straightened up. “Wish you could have been there.”

“Me too.”

“She took that from me.”

His mum.

God.

I couldn’t agree with him, even though silently I did. I didn’t want to feed his already-burning anger.

Instead, I took a shaky breath, slipped my hand from his, and moved close to wrap my arms around him in a tight hug.

“Your dad will always be proud of the man you’ve become.”

“Fuck, Swanny.” His arms wound around my waist, and he held on tight, burying his face into my shoulder.

“He loved you very much. I could always see it when we were around him.” Barry had been an amazing father. He was the one who taught his son to play the guitar. The one who took his work on the road so he wouldn’t miss out on anything his son did. So he could be there to support him. Barry had been the buffer between Alisa and her controlling ways.

No doubt Alisa had gotten worse since his dad passed.

She loved the attention she received from her son’s fame.

I couldn’t believe she was the one who forced me out of Lockland’s life.

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