Broken Silence (Silence, #2)(21)

“How did you get that?” I asked, noticing a small, faint scar on his jaw. That definitely wasn’t there four years ago. If I hadn’t been looking so closely, I would have never noticed it.

“Ben. We were paintballing last year, and he shot me in the face. It bled like a bitch.”

“Don’t you have to wear protective gear for that?”

“You’re supposed to but apparently that’s ‘pussy paintballing’. Ben changed his mind after I shot him forehead for revenge.”

“Mature.”

He shrugged. “It’s Ben, and it hurt!”

Cole pulled into Ali’s drive, and I suddenly wished we had gone back to the club.

“I’ll see you tomorrow?”

I nodded. “Definitely. You still want me to view the house?”

He smiled. “I’ll pick you up at eleven.”

“Great.” I bit my lip, staring into his eyes. Cole shuffled on the seat. The air thickened. “Bye,” I whispered, fighting every urge to stay in the car and kiss him.

“Bye, Oakley.”

My heart beat like crazy, and my stomach was in knots. I think we both wanted the same thing, but I knew it wouldn’t be a good idea. I hoped he did too.

As soon as I got inside, I texted Jasper to tell him Cole brought me home, and then I went to bed. All I could think about was seeing Cole again. I had turned into an obsessive teenage girl and although things were about to get hard, I couldn’t have been happier.



Cole and I arrived at the house after picking the key up from the estate agent. The agent was Cole’s uncle’s new wife so we were trusted with the key. Plus the house was empty and in some serious need of some TLC. The window frames needed replacing because the wood was rotting and falling apart, and it needed a new door. I hoped Cole wouldn’t be put off because even from the outside I could tell it was perfect.

The entrance hall was large with an old-style black-and-white-tiled floor. It had a high ceiling and dark, chunky oak staircase to the side. Past the square entrance hall and staircase was a long corridor with three doors off it.

“This is amazing,” I whispered, still looking around in awe. For a second I forgot myself and imagined living here with Cole, walking through this door clutching our shopping or stumbling up those stairs after a night out.

Cole stepped forward; his chest pressed against my back. I bit my lip.

“We’re only in the entrance hall, Oakley. The rest of the house might be a crap hole,” he whispered in my ear.

“So! This room’s huge, just camp in here.”

He chuckled and nudged me forwards, towards one of the doors.

“Let’s go in this one.”

I didn’t pay any attention to what he said; all I could concentrate on was how close he was and how my body felt alive again. Cole reached around me and opened the door.

“Wow,” I said.

We stepped into the most amazing kitchen. It needed a lot of work; the units were old and falling apart, but it was huge, perfect for parties and entertaining.

“Cole, buy this house.”

He rolled his eyes. “You’ve only seen two rooms, and one was a hall.”

“But if it’s all like this…”

“Broken and falling apart?”

“Even the things that look broken beyond repair have a chance at being whole again. It just depends how much you want to rebuild it.”

His hand reached out, and he stroked his thumb along my jaw.

“Why do I get the feeling you’re not just talking about the house.”

“Because I’m not.” I frowned and stepped away. “Let’s check out the other rooms.”

Grabbing his hand, I pulled him out of the kitchen and into the lounge next door. It was just as amazing as the rest of the house. Large, tall ceiling, chunky wooden floor, and in need of some work.

“Alright, if you don’t buy this place I’m going to.”

Cole smirked and looked around. “I do like it, but I want to see the rest first!”

“Come on then. Oh and promise me you won’t replace the floors, have them restored.”

“Yes boss!”

After making our way through the house, checking out the three bedrooms, box room and bathrooms, we went out in the garden. Outside was also quite large, but overgrown. The patio was broken up and covered in slimy green moss.

“So what do you think?” I asked, watching Cole look around the garden.

“I like it.” He got his phone out, and I knew he was calling the estate agent. “Hello, Margaret… yeah, I really like it but is the work just cosmetic? I mean I’m not gonna move in and it falls down or anything.”

I held my breath as they discussed the structural damage or what seemed to be a lack of.

“Okay, then I want it.”

Yes! I didn’t even know why I was so excited. I wouldn’t be living in the gorgeous house. Soon I wouldn’t even be in the same time zone as it. Cole hung up and slipped his phone in his pocket.

“You’re buying it?”

He nodded. “You’re helping. You’re staying here until stupid o’clock in the morning painting and tiling. You’re working for hot chocolate and ice cream.”

I laughed. “Deal. Wait, how quickly can you move in?”