Page 11 of North (The Moral Compass 2)

“What a fucking morning,” I declare. “Breakfast, anyone?” I ask with a big grin. They all nod.

“Is it going to be like this all the time after we move back?” Sutton asks.

“Bloody hope not,” I answer.

Kara and Sutton share a smile that tells me that the drama will probably never be over, and, for that, I am sort of grateful. Kara brings me to life. I’ve spent too much time with my head buried in a computer, searching and digging.

“Anyway, why are you two here? I thought I was meeting you at your place later to help with the packing?” Kara asks.

Sutton raises her hand and starts waving.

What the hell is she doing?

Kara jumps out of my arms and grabs Sutton so hard that I think she’s going to wrestle her.

“You’re getting fucking married!” she screams.

I look at West, and he is grinning like a Cheshire cat.

“You sly bastard. You never said a fucking word yesterday.”

West winks, and that tells mehedidn’t know yesterday. Good for him, though.

“Does Mum know yet?” I ask.

“Nah, we wanted you two to know first.” He nods to the girls who are staring and cooing over the ring.

Breakfast is done, and a family video call is up on the laptop. Mum’s all excited and wanting to get started planning a wedding, East is talking about guest lists, and South? Well, he just nods and shakes his head as usual. One day, that guy is going to get excited about something, and we’ll all have a bloody heart attack. Even when Sutton announced triplets, he didn’t even bat an eyelid.

I can see East’s eyes are questioning, but I’m not saying anything just yet. I’d rather tell them in person about me and Kara. Plus, I want her to myself for a bit. If East thinks she’s getting another female in the family, Kara will be dragged down the rabbit hole just like Sutton has been, and it’s too soon for all that shit. Fuck, we’ve only been together a few hours, and that’sifwe are together. We’ve not exactly had much time to talk about it.

Time flies when you’re having fun they say, but today is dragging. I love my brother and his soon-to-be baby mamma, but I just want some peace and quiet. The girls are laughing and talking about Kara and her two days of madness, whilst West and I play one of the video games. I just want to kick back, relax, and chill. I think the emotional turmoil of all the Alicia shit has gotten to me. Also, I want to talk to Kara. I want to make sure we are good and that we are a we, after all.

I know I sound like a sap, and I’ve no idea where these insecurities are coming from, but I’ve had months of wanting her and all the doubts in my mind disappeared when she screamed that I was hers through the bathroom door. Did she mean it or was it just anger? I know I meant it when I told PC Plod she was mine. I just need to get West to go home.

“Hey, Bro, listen. Can you do me a favour?” I ask.

“Yeah, what’s up?”

“I need you two to fuck off. I want Kara on her own. We need to talk about stuff, and it’s a bit difficult with you two occupying both our attentions, if you get my drift,” I blurt out.

“Why don’t you just speak your mind?” He laughs. “Sutton, beautiful, we are going home. We still have lots to do, and you need to rest,” he shouts across the hall.

“Okay, I’m coming.” She giggles.

“Dirty little bitch,” West replies as he smacks her ass.

A few minutes later, the house is silent. And fucking awkward. Kara is washing dishes that were washed earlier and fumbling around in the water. I know she feels the electricity between us. I can tell when I brush past her to help with the drying.

“You okay?” I ask.

“Yeah, I’m just tired and a bit embarrassed.”

“Why are you embarrassed?” I ask.

“Well, there’s the police arriving this morning, Sutton catching us in bed together, me behaving like a fucking lunatic last night, and, to put the icing on the cake, you saw me completely naked. With the lights on, may I add.” She reels off the list, and she is blushing red like a traffic light.

I take the pots from her hands and turn her to face me. My hands are wet now, but I don’t care. I put them on either side of her face.

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