Page 5 of Dangerous Love

I shook my head, my hands raised in the air. “No fucking way. Nuh-uh.”

Avery uncrossed his legs and leaned forward, his hands cupped into a ball. Sweat glistened at the base of his skull as he spoke, his tone desperate. “I would never ask you to do anything unprofessional, unethical, or otherwise. Riley, you’re the only person who could get through to her while you guys were friends. But since she’s been back, she’s exiled herself completely. She won’t come to any family events, just in case you might show your face, and I need her to get over this.”

Over me. My brain fuzzed with this conversation, and I shook my head, begging for five seconds of reflection time.Am I being her friend, or am I helping her get over things between us?“You wouldn’t be asking me unless there was more to it.” I rubbed my palms over my thighs. “Am I helping her, or am I turning her off from the memory of us so she can start coming to your social gatherings?”

He deadpanned, “Do they have to be mutually exclusive?”

I raked my fingers through my hair, my heart thundering against my chest. Sienna was an amazing girl. She was kind. Honest. Caring. And right now, she needed a friend. Because as much as Avery’s request might have been…unique, it wasn’t right that Sienna missed out on all the Legacy family bonding just because I hadn’t managed business and pleasure right once upon a time. It’d been my fault. I’d liked her as much as she’d liked me, but she had deserved better than what any Cooper could have given her. My shoulders dropped, their weight feeling like a thousand bricks. I wanted to be there for her. I really did. But what I didn’t need was the risk of reigniting feelings and finding myself ten steps backwards, right when life was finally looking up.

Feelings from her or from you?“Can you guarantee me that once I find out what the issues are, you will make sure she gets the help, and we can all heal moving forward?”

“You have my word.” Avery extended his hand towards me. “Just be her friend and find out how we can help her.”

My fingers shook all the way up to my arm, like hesitation had set through my bones.All you have to do is be her friend. No strings attached.“And once we know what’s up, you’ll take it from there and really help her?”

“I’ll go to my grave fighting for Sienna, Riley. You don’t even have to ask.”

My hand gripped his, and I shook it. “All right, Avery. I’ll reconnect with her because I care, but if I can’t find anything out, or worse, if I’m hurting her somehow, deal’s over and you’ll just have to help her the old-fashioned way. Fair?”

Avery’s forehead smoothed out, and he leaned back against his chair, somewhat of a smirk replacing his earlier frown. “That’s all I’m asking.”

I closed my eyes, exhaling deeply, the mixed emotions drilling through my gut. It had been years since I laid eyes on Sienna, and a part of me did want to help her. It was in my job description. But the other part screamed at me to run, and not to fuck up the stillness in my life right as the chaos finally settled.

“How do you suggest I start?” I asked, resolve crawling in.

Avery stood, confidence returning to his face, and marched towards the main dining room. “I have to get back to work.” Then, right before he pulled the handle, he added, “I hear she likes to hide at the Coffee Hub.”

I nodded. “Got it.”

The exit door held ajar, I unlocked my car from a distance and jumped into the driver’s seat. I started the motor, desperate to climb into bed for the night. Alone, any thoughts of Little Red Riding Hood long gone.

CHAPTER3

Sienna

The barista behind the counter smiled at me, his green eyes twinkling. “Hot chocolate with skim milk, three Splenda?”

God, he remembers my order.“Don’t judge,” I teased. “They’ve got no calories, so it doesn’t count.”

He raised his hands in the air. “Hey, no judgment. I think it’s sweet.” He winked at me. “Almost as sweet as you.”

I cringed at the cheesy comeback but said nothing. After all, who knew whether he was the type to spit in my drink if I rubbed him the wrong way. “Thanks.”

Thanks? You’re as cringy as he is, now.

The coffee machine gurgled as milk frothed in some small metal jug. The guy mixed cocoa powder in my takeaway cup, then poured the hot liquid over it. “I’m Mark. You come here quite a bit.”

Quite a bitwas an understatement. I hid here almost every night after my shift at Coles. Long enough to avoid the mandatory heart-to-hearts with Avery, the patronising encouragements from Grace, or worse, their synchronised eye glances as I declined the social invites to meet up with their crew.

If I wanted the motivational speeches, I’d listen to podcasts.

“I’m Sienna.” I eyed the wooden arch above the front entrance. “There’s a good vibe here.”

He nodded as he handed me my cup. “For sure. Catch you around, Sienna?”

“Definitely.”Only from behind your counter, Mark. I’m done with guys.

I waved at him and made my way to my favourite table in the back corner of the café. I slid through the booth and nestled against the wall.

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