Page 18 of North (The Moral Compass 2)

Kara listens to the broad picture I paint. I also remind her of why I love her and why she is the most perfect person for me. That she is beautiful and classy, and she only has to look around her to see all the guys eyeing her up. Holly might be good-looking, but Kara is in a class of her own and has the personality to bring out the best in me. She’s not daft, she knows there were others before her—many others—and she also knows that since our first time in the pool, there has never been anyone else. I’m not interested.

I give Kara my phone and instruct her to find Holly’s number. It’s not there. I know it’s not. I deleted it straight after she insisted on putting it in my phone. She hands me back the phone, and I place a gentle, loving kiss on her beautiful pink lips and hold her like it’s my last breath.

The rest of the weekend is uneventful except for the sex marathons that happen at least once a day. Holding hands, we walk around the waterside and talk, and we have lunch in the village and just “be.” It’s what normal people do. I know I’m not your “normal” type of guy, but it’s nice to just pretend for a while.

We head back home, but Kara insisted we can get the train back. The car will be returned in a couple of days. I couldn’t face sitting in that fucking car for the best part of a day, either.

It’s 8:00 p.m. on Monday when we get back, and the house is filled with the family. Sutton rushes in for a hug from Kara, and I drag our bags inside. Mum is busy in the kitchen, and I have a feeling she is making some of her T Tea. It’s her truth serum. She thinks it makes us tell the truth. I don’t know what she wants to know this time, but if it’s anything to do with me and Kara, I will happily give her the details.

My baby sister, East, comes flying out of the game room and jumps full force into my arms. I say baby, but she’s twenty-six. She looks really good. All bright and happy. East is always cheerful, but she has a bit of a glow that tells me something’s afoot with her. I’ll get it out of her later, but right now, I’m just pleased to see her.

“So, if you’re here and so is Mum, is South hiding somewhere?” I ask.

“He’s in the office. Doing some work. You know South is always bloody working, looking for the next lost artefact or looking for some random shit no one cares about,” she replies.

I smile and nod. Yep, that’s my eldest brother. We are all named after the points on a compass. It was something to do with my grandad wanting us all named after something nautical.

“What’s going on?” I ask as I enter the kitchen where everyone, but South, is gathered.

“Mum has an announcement,” West says with a big grin.

“Oh, really?” I smirk back. “Has this little announcement got anything to do with you, Mark?” I point to Sutton’s dad who is also in the kitchen, looking a little embarrassed.

Mum and Mark have always been close, but since the reunion between Mark and Sutton, things have taken off a bit. Mum keeps going away for the weekend on “singles holidays” and, at the same time, Mark is away on “business.”

“Well, yes it does, actually,” Mum says. “I wanted you all here. Where the hell is South? Can someone go and get him, please? God, that boy!” she grumbles.

I go to the office to fetch him, but as I get close, he slams the lid of his laptop down.

“What’re you doing there, South?” I question. He jumps up from the chair.

“Nothing that can’t be fixed or for you to worry about, Little Brother,” he says cryptically.

Hmm, another puzzle to unravel later.I smile.

“Okay, but Mum wants you in the kitchen. Now! She’s going to come clean about her and Mark, we think. As if we didn’t already know.” I laugh, but South looks at me, surprised.

“Mum and Mark?” He tilts his head. “Are you sure?” I nod in response and head off to the family waiting for us.

“So, my wonderful boys and girls. I wanted you all to be the first to know Mark and I are a couple,” Mum announces proudly as Mark goes to stand beside her. I can’t help but feel happy for her. She’s had it shit since Dad died, and it hasn’t been easy watching West and I move on and find the loves of our lives. I know he was Dad’s best friend, but I actually think Dad would have been fine with this. I turn to look at South. He was the only one who didn’t see this coming, but he’s gone.

I stay in the kitchen, chatting shit for a while, and then I go to find South. I need to check in with him to see if he is okay. We all know he is quiet and a man of very,veryfew words, but it was still odd for him to just leave without even a grunt.

I find him back in the office. So, I grab a chair and pitch up beside him. He doesn’t close the lid this time but has flicked to a different screen. I’m observant. I observe people. I find information and put pieces together. That’s my skill.

“Why’d you leave?” I ask bluntly.

“Because this whole fucking family is fucked up, North. That’s why!” He’s pissed off, but I don’t understand what caused it.

“Why? Why are we all fucked up?”

“Look, just leave it alone. You don’t want to know what I think. You wouldn’t agree with me even if I told you, so there is no point.” He seethed.

“No? Why don’t you try me? Even if I don’t agree, I promise not to get in a fight with you over it, okay?” I want him to get this off his chest, and if he thinks I’m going to blow up at him, he won’t say spit.

“Okay, you promise not to lose your shit?” he asks.

“Yep, I promise.” Not sure what I’ve just done, but a promise is a promise after all.

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