Page 133 of Into These Eyes
“So, aren’t you going to introduce me?” Anika asks.
My heart pounds for an entirely different reason now. I haven’t told her a single thing about our father’s crimes, let alone the fact that Gavin’s living in my home.Ourhome. He’d been right to push me. I should have done it weeks ago. Now she’s here and I’ve totally fucked up.
Before I can formulate a sentence, Gavin turns around, giving Anika her first look at him.
She makes quick work of scanning his body. When her gaze settles on his face, she grins with appreciation. “Well look at you.” Her eyes flick to me. “Nice work, Jamie.”
Just like I hadn’t recognised him when I turned up at his caravan, neither does she.
I swallow over my closing throat. “Anika … this is Gavin Lake.”
It takes less than a second for the name to register. Eyes widening, her mouth drops open.
“What the fuck?!”she shouts.
A completely reasonable reaction considering she believes the man standing at my side is our enemy. At the time, she’d been too young to understand what happened to Mum, but as she grew up, I’d made sure she knew exactly who Gavin Lake was. I even made up that obnoxious poem to teach her to hate him.
“It’s not what you think,” I blurt, knowing how pathetic that sounds, but I have to start somewhere.
“Oh? So you’renotfucking our mother’s killer?”
Gavin’s muscles tense against me where our arms touch.
“No, I’m not, Anika.” I release one of the hands holding my up dress and reach down, entwining my fingers with Gavin’s. “I have a lot to tell you, but right now, just know this … Gavindid notkill our mother.”
Anika’s eyes flick from me to Gavin. “Bullshit.”
“I know I should have told you sooner, but I—”
“Why the fuck are you still here?” Anika glares at Gavin, ice in her words.“Leave!”
His hand loosens in mine, but I hold on tight. “He’s not going anywhere. This is his home.”
“What?!” Anika stares daggers at him, then me.
I suddenly feel like the walls are closing in and there’s no escape from the escalating pressure to straighten out this mess I’ve caused.
“She’s right,” Gavin says, his attention on me. “Let me go for a walk while you two catch up.”
“You don’t have to do that,” I insist.
He squeezes my hand before releasing it. “I know. But it’s the right thing to do.” Shoving his feet in his shoes, he picks up his phone and keys. When he returns to me, he places a soft, reassuring kiss on my forehead.
“Seriously?” Anika shouts. “Fuck off!”
He flinches away.
“Anika!” I yell at her before turning to Gavin. “I’m sorry.”
Instead of the hurt and anger I expect to see, he gives me a lopsided smile and winks, telling me he’s okay. He understands.
“Text me,” he says softly, then strides toward the front door. Almost there, he swoops down and snatches something from the floor. I catch a glimpse of white lace as he shoves it in his pocket.My panties. Saving me the from the embarrassment of my sister finding them there, discarded and damp.
Anika’s glare follows him until he steps outside. The moment the door closes, marches to the back of the couch.
My heart sinks to the floor. This is all my fault. I should have told her the day Dad died. Putting it off has done nothing but hurt the two people I care about most. Although Gavin seems to have taken Anika’s abuse on the chin, it must have brought back memories of the hatred thrown at him all those years ago. And now he’s out there, alone in the dark, unsure of what he’ll come back to. I absolutely hate myself right now.
“I’m sorry,” I say, desperately trying to blink back tears. “I should have told—”
