“I shouldn't really,” she says, trying not to smile at me. And then she starts looking in her system anyway. Yeah, the looks help. Bad boy shit. Men get fucking scared of it, women get all flustered and stupid because of it. Dark eyes. Dark scowl. Not that the little Broderick princess behind me gives a fuck, apparently, but most do.
I turn to look at her, watching as she walks around the lobby. She’s got the professional vibe nailed down. Nothing bad girl about her at all. High neck lines. Sensible footwear. Makes me wonder what I could do with her before I have to give her up.
Spreading those legs wider would be a damn good start.
“Sir?” I swing around again. “He did stay here again according to the records. Other than that, we haven’t seen him.”
“Okay. Thank you,” I look at her name tag. “Gemma. We'll be in touch if we need anything else."
Five minutes later and we’re walking along the high street. We both grab a drink from a coffee shop and trail around the town. There’s nothing here, though, according to Neve. Nothing that makes any sense to her or gives her any idea of why he might have been here.
I shrug and drink some decent coffee. “Maybe it was just a place he used to stay and this is a fool’s errand.”
“But why here?” she says, stamping around. “There must be a reason he came here specifically.”
“Not necessarily. Might have just needed a place to lie low and this is a random place.” I walk back towards the car, her trailing after me. “I use random places all the time. Means no one can track me.”
“I suppose that makes sense. It’s not helping us find him, though.”
I walk on. “No.”
“That’s not the kind of response I’m looking for,” she snaps, coming around in front of me.
My head rears back. “What the fuck is it you’re looking for then?”
“Help. More than this. This is my life. My family. There’s got to be … Something!”
“I’m here, aren’t I?” She frowns and turns away, crossing her princess arms in a huff. “Look, Neve, there’s nothing to go on. We need more than what you’ve got, and this is pointless, especially if we disturbed him at the farm. In fact, we’re done here.” I stride off, less than fucking pleased with the attitude change all of a sudden. If she thinks getting arsey with me is gonna help her cause she’s got another thing coming.
“Noah? What’s that supposed to mean? We had a deal,” she says, catching up with me.
I don’t talk. I keep walking, intent on getting back to the car and then back home. Shame of it is, I’m already thinking of going somewhere else considering how close we are to him, and that’s probably riling me up past sense.
“Noah, wait.” No. Don’t feel like waiting. I feel like shouting and getting fucking pissy with her because she’s intruding on my life. First, she’s in my house, and then my systems, and now my head?
I can’t see fucking straight anymore.
Grabbing the door handle when I reach it, I get in quickly and lock all the doors instantly. She ratchets the passenger side handle straight away, wrenching the thing about as if she might just break it. My eyes close at the sound of it, a few long breaths taken in to try calming the impending storm brewing. I shouldn't be going there to see him, and I sure as shit shouldn't be taking her anywhere near the place. Maybe it would do her some fucking good, though, show her what it’s like to get on the wrong side of her brother. Not that it was his fault. It was Stefan’s. And I should be thankful to Landon, but the thought of seeing him now is sending my head into a riot of fucking problems.
“NOAH! Open the bloody door!” she yells, yanking again.
My finger hits the unlocking switch, and she flies backwards, tumbling to the ground as the door opens on her. A half-smirk crosses my mouth. Can’t help it, as I look at her princess arse down there covered in dirt and dust. She huffs and gets up, brushing her clothes down. It’s a good look on her – dishevelled and messy. I could use more of it instead of prim and proper.
“Don’t touch my fucking shit again,” I grouse, as she slides in next to me. Her face flies to mine, anger or humiliation on it. Don’t care. “And stop with the fucking attitude. I don’t like it, or need it, and it'll take nothing for me to change my mind and take you home.”
“We had a deal,” she snaps. “You don’t get to have a hissy fit because you don’t like my frustration.”
“Hissy fit? Screw you. Be careful, or I’ll rethink whatever deal we made.”
“Of course you would, wouldn’t you? Because this means nothing to you other than some time in bed, does it? I’m not surprised you work for my brother with your attitude.”
“My attitude? You need to get yourself in check, Neve, I’m warning you.”
“No, enough. My whole life is imploding and you think it’s okay to act like a barbarian? It isn’t. A little sympathy or patience might help here. You're behaving just like Landon would. No care or consideration for my feelings and-”
My head turns away. “Sympathy ain't worth shit, Neve.”
Her finger jabs me in the shoulder, making me swing around sharply to face her. “What is he? Like some big brother to you? Do you copy his ways in the hope that you won’t care for anything?”
