When I close my eyes, I visualise every impoverished inch of her home last night, feel the horror of living hand to mouth at a level that had been solely intellectual for me up till now. The chasm between us is so extreme our paths should never have crossed.
But I’m glad they did.
I grab my clothes and toss them into the wash, setting the shortest cycle so they’ll be ready to take out before I leave for school. Our housekeeper might be surprised to find wet clothes in my hamper but it’s not the first time that’s happened. We live lakeside, after all.
Returning to my room, I take the stairs two or three at a time, energised, the day ahead full of promise.
And I’m not gonna lie.
The thought a friendship with Evie will piss off my father is sweet icing on an already tempting cake.
CHAPTER SIX
EVIE
I don’t wakeuntil after midday, blearily greeting the new day with a dearth of enthusiasm. It doesn’t help that the power meter ran out of credit sometime during the night and when I step in the shower the water runs lukewarm then cold.
At least it’s summer. I screw my eyes shut, attempting to fool my brain into believing it’s taking a refreshing swim. It doesn’t work but I’m in and out of there in a flash and have stopped shivering by the time I towel myself dry.
The cold water also woke me up, a benefit after a night spent with little sleep. In the darkness, I had seen the wild glint in Maddox’s eyes, felt the gun rest against my lips, heard the horror of his suggestion.
In the light of day, the offer doesn’t seem nearly as bad as it did last night.
The worst thing is knowing that if I’d just capitulated, the experience would now be over. I could be coaxing Ant into an expensive treatment clinic instead of trying to pretend that a sachet of coffee in cold water is a satisfying breakfast.
It works about as well as my shower trick about swimming. As in, not at all.
I sneak onto the sofa, carefully avoiding my brother’s splayed limbs. After a few minutes, Ant rouses a little, looking at me through dull eyes as he pushes himself upright. The moment he does, I snuggle close, lifting his arm to put around my shoulder.
My mother was killed in the same car accident that turned my father into an addict. When Dad overdosed, I was back home, but I’d been in and out of foster care for years. His death propelled me into another temporary shelter while my brother fought to get me away from people who were paid to care for me yet didn’t.
He rescued me as I stood on the edge of a dark abyss, hypnotised by its depth.
Ant isn’t just my flesh and blood, he’s my hero. It fills my heart to have a family member who loves me by my side.
A knock at the door destroys my equilibrium. I inch towards it, tilting my head to hear better, trying to work out who on earth could be outside. Neither of us have friends close enough to visit.
“Anyone home?” a voice calls out and I don’t recognise it at all. It’s gruff. Impatient.
I crack the door open a sliver, staring at a large man wearing blue overalls with a store logo on the front. “Yes?”
He looks down at a clipboard. “You’re Evie Mansen. That right?”
“Yeah.”
“Thank goodness. This place is a fucking nightmare to navigate.” He lowers the board, face colouring. “Sorry, love. Didn’t mean to swear. I’ve got a delivery for you.”
I’m as surprised by his apology as I am by his news. “We haven’t ordered anything.”
“Evie Mansen. Flat twelve.”
I nod, still wondering if this is a trick or a game. Perhaps a neighbour having fun at our expense.
“Sign here.” He shoves the clipboard into my hands, moving to the window that overlooks the street, signalling his men. “It’ll be a few trips worth,” he warns, taking back the sheet with my scribble. “This place is a proper rat run.”
He’s gone before I can ask what’s being delivered so I hover in the doorway, filled to the brim with curiosity.
Two men appear first, lifting a heavy box. I retreat farther into the room as they enter, one slicing the cardboard with a box cutter and the other pulling away the packaging to reveal a fridge. Half size. The same height as our bench. It slots into the space between the counter and the side wall, a perfect fit.
