Page 44 of The More the Merrier

“Why the fuck are you stealing to fund your charity, then? I’m sure they left you with a fortune.”

I shrug, now able to look at them again. I wipe at my face and Johannes' hands me an honest-to-goodness cotton hankey. I smile at him before cleaning up.

“It’s in a trust until I turn thirty. My adoptive uncle is managing it.”

“That makes no sense. Even the most basic of trust funds ensures enough to get by, at the very least. That said, I don’t believe William Standish would leave his daughter with the bare minimum.”

“I dunno what to tell you, Andre. I get a stipend paid into my bank account every month. The rent on my flat is paid for by the trust, and I use my allowance to buy food. The little that’s left over I push into the Haven. It’s not even close to enough, so a few months ago, I started using my old skills. I have a friend who sends me targets to hit, people they know to be greedy and bad. Until you, of course. I heard about your stash at a charity event. I couldn't pass up the chance to get my hands on it.”

The cheeky grin on my face now is matched with Amanda’s. If I get through this a free woman, I’m definitely keeping her.

“I wouldn’t have, either. And I wish I had your guts,” she says to me before looking at her husband. “Oh, honey! We justhaveto help her. We need to give those babies an amazing Christmas, and we need to get that place funded properly.”

“Yes, Dollface. Johannes has a plan for that. We have our own list of assholes, and with some training from Johannes and Cameron, she’ll be able to get in and out, no problem.” Then he looks to me before carrying on, “And whatever you manage to steal, I’ll match pound for pound.”

I’m speechless. Luckily, Amanda has plenty to say.

“And we’ll throw them an amazing Christmas party, all on us. The whole hog, with filled stockings, presents under a tree, and a dinner they’ll never forget! It’s gonna be amazing!”

And all I can think about is how amazing it would be if my parents could be here for this, and the feel of the large hand holding mine, very tightly.

Chapter 9

Zanya

We spend a few hours talking about training logistics. Johannes will work on my physical training, while Cameron will focus on the security. After we’re done discussing that, Amanda and I start on the plans for the Christmas dinner.

And by dinner, I mean extravaganza bonanza. Once Amanda sinks her teeth into something, she doesn’t let go. What was going to be a dinner with a present for each of the kids soon turns into a whole afternoon filled with games, rows and rows of trees covered in decorations, and towers of presents. Somewhere during our discussion, both Andre and Johannes get up to go ‘deal with business’. Amanda barely blinks when Andre tells her this, merely lifting her head for a kiss.

Much later Amanda leaves for an appointment after giving me strict instructions to come up with a list of gifts for the kids. I send a text to the director of Rainbow Haven to get started on it. Minnie might be small, cute and leaves you thinking of the cartoon mouse when you see her, but she’s insanely fierce. She’s the only one I know that fights harder for the kids than I do.

The only response I get from her is a promise to grill me for more details when I show up for work tomorrow.

I have never dreaded a Monday so much in my life.

Putting my phone away, I switch my thoughts to hunting down more delicious croissants from the cook. I’m about to make my way to the kitchen when a throat clears by the door. Cameron is leaning against the doorjamb with a hand shoved into the pocket of his slacks.

“What has you frowning at your phone, Kitty Cat?”

“What’s with all the cutesy nicknames?”

He lifts a solitary eyebrow and straightens up. Slow steps bring him closer to me and I swallow down the sudden onset of nerves.

“How about instead of trying to snap at the hand that’s saving your arse, you respond to my question instead?”

“Ugh. Infuriating man!” I say as I stomp a foot down on the floor. I’m not even sure why the heck I’m so annoyed at him right now, but I don’t feel like being reasonable and sensible, so I’m going with it.

“Why should I answer your question, Cameron? What’s it got to do with you?”

“Okay then, Kitty Cat, if that’s the way you wanna play it…”

He pauses and moves even closer to me. He’s just a couple of steps away from me now, and if he reached out he could probably grab hold of me. My heartbeat increases and I have to focus on controlling my breathing.

Another step, followed by one more, and he’s in my personal space. He leans down and whispers in my ear, “Anything that has to do with you is now my business.” He stops and places a soft kiss on my neck and I know I should pull away, punch him, or stamp on his bloody toes, but I can’t move. I can’t think or even focus long enough to come up with a response. “The second you fell asleep in my arms this morning, it became my business. You can fight it all you want, Kitty Cat, but that only makes me enjoy it more.” This time when he pauses, he softly nibbles on my earlobe, eliciting a shiver.

I take a deep breath, hoping to get a handle on my raging hormones and the sudden need to be filled by him. All it does is overwhelm my senses with his strong, masculine scent, intoxicating me even more.

Up to this point, other than his lips and teeth touching my neck and earlobe, he’s kept his hands to himself. His body is hovering mere whispers away from mine, and all I need to do to be in his embrace is relax.

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