Head On (Strength And Love)(12)

“Ethan thinks someone hired him to pretend…well, you know. With me. But I panicked, truly panicked, and he realised and he stopped, and the rest you know. I’m here because he doesn’t think I’m safe at home.”

“Do you live with housemates?” she asks.

“No, with my father. And he’s away on business in America.”

“I see.” She seems a lot less friendly this morning, and I’m starting to think I’ve maybe got her all wrong.

“My brother’s a hero, you know?”

I don’t know what to say to that so I simply listen.

“Not only because of what he did in the military, and his medals, but he’s a hero to me because of what he does for my daughter and me. I know part of the reason he does this job is so he can be there for us. Help us out, pick her up for me, and drop her off sometimes, and help out financially.” She laughs and it holds a bitter edge. “Being a bastard in the sack pays well.”



“I don’t judge him, but I want him to stop, and I need to get my shit together for that to happen. It’s been two years since I lost Mike. I need to get my act together. At first, I spent days, weeks, and months if I’m honest, in bed, and Ethan took over most of Katie’s care.”

She goes and opens a cupboard but keeps talking with her back to me. “When he first got out of the forces, he worked in the local gym, but the hours were long and included weekends, and he was worried about Katie, so he packed it in.” She clears her throat. “It’s my fault he’s where he is now and I hate it. I want him to stop it. I hope maybe you can help me persuade him.”

Her words shock me. Why would he listen to anything I have to say? With a bright smile plastered in place, she turns to face me and holds up some cereal bags. “They’re all low carb, low sugar, paleo bullshit, but do you want some cereal with me?”

“Yes please.” I don’t know what paleo is, but I’m hungry. “I don’t quite know what you mean when you say I can help you persuade him. I don’t know Ethan at all. Most likely, I’ll be out of here by tomorrow, and then you’ll never see me again.”

“Oh, but I doubt that’s true.” She smiles a little mysterious grin.

“I’m sorry?” Ann is making my head spin with all her cryptic talk.

“Let’s just say, I know my bro. He didn’t have to bring you back here with him. He met you for a few minutes, but he’s already worried enough about your safety to keep you with him. He’s going to be looking into what’s going on, and he wouldn’t do that for simply anyone. I think you’ve got under his skin. How, in such a short space of time, I have no idea. But I think you have. And so, you may find you have more sway with him than you think.”

On that note, she stops talking and starts serving up our breakfast, leaving me with my head swimming.

An hour later, I’m fresh out of the shower and dressed for the day in a knee length skirt, and a strappy top with a cardigan over it. Downstairs I hear the door bang. With some trepidation, I make my way down the stairs. Ethan is in the kitchen when I walk in. He looks different, relaxed and happy as he chats with Ann about Katie. He looks up, his eyes meet mine, and the joy vanishes. To be replaced with something serious. Thoughtful.

“I need to start doing some digging today, Isla. You and I need to talk.”

Talk? What about? I don’t know anything. About to say as much, he carries on.

“I’ve considered anyone who might be coming after me, and my friend, Reece, has been busy hacking their accounts. So far, nothing.”

“You’ve hacked their accounts. It’s illegal. What if you get caught?” I’m worried now. He could go to jail, and for some reason the thought disturbs me.

“Reece won’t get caught.” He shuts down the conversational avenue with his firm words. “So far, things look pretty tight at my end. It seems more and more, someone wanted to hurt you.”

I drop down into a chair and look from him, leaning against the counter looking delicious, to Ann sat opposite me. “I can’t see how anyone would want to hurt me. I’m a nobody.”

“Yes, you are.” Ouch. Okay, his words sting. “But your dad isn’t.”

His words pull me up short. My dad isn’t a nobody. He’s a successful businessman and a big circuit speaker, as well as having his finger in a few political pies. Behind the scenes, of course. Dad doesn’t believe in putting himself out there, but he puts a lot of money into certain politician’s campaigns.

“And your dad has a partner, yes?”

I experience the familiar, involuntary shudder as I think of Dodgy Dave. “Yes, but he wouldn’t want to hurt me.”

He wouldn’t. I’m sure of it. Or at least, not by hiring someone else to do it. If anyone were to be touching me inappropriately, I’m sure Dave would prefer to be doing it himself.

“Your dad also has an ex. A woman it seems you didn’t get on with, and he ended the relationship.”

“I suppose you know my shoe and bra size, and what book I read in bed last night,” I snap. God, what did he do to find out so much about me in such a short space of time?

“Information is easy to find if you know where to look, Isla.” It’s as if he read my mind.