Page 242 of The Black Trilogy

“Uh, okay. It’s just odd seeing you with anybody but my brother.”

“I get where you’re coming from, honey, but I’m sorry to say that’s over. Your brother’s a great guy, but I’m not the one for him. Our relationship was all kinds of screwed up. I hope one day he’ll meet a sweet girl who’ll give him what he needs, which is someone with considerably less baggage than I’ve got.”

She pursed her lips for a second or two, thinking. “I’d like it if you guys got back together, but I understand if you don’t want to.”

That was what she said, but the wistfulness in her voice made my breath hitch. She still dreamed of happily ever afters. I knew they didn’t exist.

“I’ll always be there for you, though. You know that, right?”

She brightened a little. “Really?”

“Call me any time, day or night. There may be moments I can’t answer because I’m in the middle of something, but if that’s the case, I’ll always phone you back. You can talk to me about anything.”

“Uh, there is one thing…”

“Yeah?”

“Do you think if I asked him, Ryan would dance with me?”

“Way he’s looking at you, honey, I think Ryan would do anything if you snapped your fingers. The only reason he hasn’t is because I’m here, ready to chop off parts of him he’d quite like to keep if he does anything inappropriate.”

“You wouldn’t do that, would you?”

Bless her, she looked so worried.

“Maybe not to Ryan, but any man who hurts you, I’d make their life pretty miserable.”

“Thank you. I think.”

“Now, go dance.”

Tia smiled and walked over to Ryan. I saw her talking and gesturing, and then they both headed for the dance floor.

I pulled out my phone and fired off a quick message.

Emmy: Keep your hands above her waist or you’re on surveillance duty for the next six months.

Ryan checked his mobile, then our eyes locked and his chin tipped up as he acknowledged my words. I knew he’d look after her. Ryan was a good kid, and Tia needed that.

“Come and dance!” Dan grabbed my hand and dragged me into the heaving sea of bodies.

Nick repaid my earlier favour by keeping eager men at bay, but my heart wasn’t in it, and after a few songs I escaped back to the VIP room, now empty, thank goodness. Boy, I really was the life and soul of the party tonight. I knew I should have stayed at home. Even the tapas tasted like cardboard as I waited for the rest of the gang to come back.

“You okay?” Tia asked, red-faced and obviously buzzed.

“Fine. Just not really feeling it tonight.”

But she was. I knew this because when she sat down, she did so on Ryan’s lap. His arm stayed loose around her waist, and I noticed he was careful not to drop it any further downwards.

Good man. See? I trained them well.

“What’s that?” Tia poked the top of my arm. One of Nick’s girls had tugged a zip open, leaving my skin exposed. A multi-coloured skull glowed through the gap, and my lips curved into an involuntary smile.

“It’s a tattoo. A special one that only shows up in black light.”

“Why a skull?”

“It’s a sugar skull. I thought it was cute.”

---