Malik (Carter Brother Series Book 1) (4 page)

Such a school girl Harlow.

“Okay. What time?’’ I ask reluctantly, wondering if I’ll have time to get a run in before dinner.

“He’s just popped out to pick up some bits he forgot from the store, so he asked me to head on round to keep an eye on the lasagna. So if you run on up and get dressed we can head over.’’

“Whose going to be there?’’

“Well the boys I presume, though Maverick is probably still at work. He works most nights since he lost his night manager. Mason runs the club upstairs, but there’s a V.I.P club below for certain guests. I’ve never really been given the specifics. Mark told me it isn’t my kind of club when I asked him to take me out for a drink there once.”

“Oh,’’ is all I can say, wishing there was an excuse I could use to get out of going. “I’ll be ten minutes.’’

“Go on then girl, I need to get my face on too. I don’t want to look like an old hag in front of those fine men,’’ she cackles, making me smile at her.

She may be an old woman, but she has so much life inside of her that it’s scary as hell. Most women her age are sitting in their chairs knitting or watching their favourite TV shows. Not Gram’s though. She’s too busy making sure she looks good for Mark next door.

Fifteen minutes and three outfits later we’re finally heading over next door.

Arriving, Gram’s lets herself in scurrying off to what I presume is the kitchen, leaving me to stand awkwardly near the front room.  I’m just about to follow her into the kitchen when I hear someone coming down the stairs to my left. Nervous as hell that it’s Malik, but also excited at the thought of seeing him again, I straighten up my burgundy blouse that I paired up with my black leggings and burgundy dolly shoes. I’d left my hair down not bothering to mess with it as I’d already blow-dried and straightened it after the shower I had when I got in from school.

Turning around, I groan. I should have fucking known from the eyes, “Fuck! Please not you,’’ I snap, praying like hell he’s just visiting here or something, but the eyes tell me to keep on wishing. They resemble Malik’s a lot, they’re just not as dark and intense. They’re softer, lighter than Malik’s.

“Huh?’’ Max says looking at me confused yet slightly amused. Great, not only has he made my first day hell for me, but he’s already forgotten who I am. Figures. He’s also not jumped me again, so I’m guessing he moved on pretty quickly.

Thank God!

“Do you know the shit you’ve caused for me today? What I’ll most likely have to put up with until I finish up with the school year? What the girls have being calling me all day?’’ I growl stepping into his space.

Something flashes in his eyes, like understanding and something else that I can’t put my finger on, “Look, I’m sorry, but I think...’’

“You’re sorry? Are you fucking kidding me?’’ Unbelievable! Not only has he forgotten who I am, but the rat bastard has the nerve to tell me he’s sorry. What’s worse is that he added a freaking ‘but’ on to it.

“Harlow is it?’’ he says, looking slightly taken back by my assault which confuses me based on his earlier behaviour towards me.

“Typical,’’ I laugh. “You don’t even remember my name.’’

Just then another figure walks into the room halting my next words, time freezes, and all blood runs from my face and I swear I can feel my pulse beating so hard that I’m sure the two boys in front of me can hear it.

“Hey there bro, you’ve met Harlow I see,’’ he grins, giving me a flirtatious wink.

“Oh my God.... you,’’ I say pointing to, fuck-knows who. “You’re... oh my God, there are two... ‘’

“Before you finish we’re not into sharing. Myles here doesn’t like to share and I love having all the attention, so only way you’d get me having a threesome babe is if you invited another girl,’’ he winks.

“Oh my God,’’ I whisper, mortified at what I just said to Myles thinking he was Max. “I am so sorry,’’ I tell Myles when I open my eyes to look at him. He’s looking at me with an amused expression, not saying anything. It’s then I notice he’s carrying a health and social care course workbook. It seems like an odd course for a boy to take as a G.C.S.E, especially looking as hot as he does.

Wonder why he’s taking those classes
, I think forgetting about the actual problem in front of me.

“Did she try to kiss you thinking you were me?’’ Max says laughing to his twin brother. I can’t believe I never noticed the difference before. Max has dark hair, slight dimples and a bigger build. Myles is still big muscle wise, but he doesn’t look like the type to keep in shape. In fact, he looks more like a bookworm than a pest like his twin brother.

“No. She was filling me in on the drama you’ve caused her at school already on her first day. Really Max?’’ he says, slapping his brother across the head. “Couldn’t you have just left her alone?’’

“Is that why you’re here?’’ he asks me, confusion written all across his face. That’s when I grin, a plan forming in my head. Myles obviously knows who I am because he didn’t seem too shocked to find me standing in his house, whereas Max hasn’t clued in yet. He was probably looking at himself in the mirror when my arrival was announced to them or something.

“No, I’m here for dinner. Your Grandpa and I got talking about our wedding and we agreed on having a summer wedding. It’s going to be great. We can start a life together, buy a house have a kid or three,’’ I say in an excited dreamy voice, teasing him.

“What?’’ he squeaks and I watch amused as his face turns pale. “You spoke to my Granddad?’’

“Yeah, he was really excited about the whole idea of us being together and said it was about time you settled down with a good woman. Just think, me, you and the rest of our lives, together, forever,’’ I say dreamily, earning a chuckle from Myles. Max looks like he’s about to pass out, but I’m having way too much fun teasing him to drop it.

“Oh Max, Myles, I see you’ve already met my Granddaughter Harlow,’’ My Gram’s grins walking in and ruining my prank.

“Your Granddaughter?’’ Max repeats, his shoulders relaxing before he turns a hasty glare my way. “You... you little...’’

Myles stops him before he finishes what he was going to say by slapping a hand over Max’s face making me laugh. Max glares at me then his brother before stomping off out of the room, mumbling about getting the table ready, and how unfair girls are.

“It’s about time someone put him in his place,’’ Myles says grinning at me.

“I’ll bet.’’

“You two know each other already?’’ Gram’s asks pleased.

“No, we’ve only just met, Joan. Harlow had the pleasure of meeting Max at school,’’ he says dryly, amusement clear though in his voice.

“Oh dear, he tried to woo you didn’t he dear?’’ she asks me making me laugh.

“Not really sure about the wooing Grandma, but he certainly tried something,’’ I smile.

“Well I’ll let you two get to know each other. Why don’t you watch television or whatever you kids do now-a-days. Maybe Myles can let you on that FakeBook you mentioned,’’ she says before looking to Myles smiling. “We haven’t got the web-net yet, we’re getting a cable installed so she can use her laptop.’’

“Grandma,’’ I laugh, “It’s Facebook. It’s a social networking site I had signed up for to keep in touch with my friends back home. Also it’s the internet and we’re having cable installed not
a
cable
,”
I laugh, Myles joining in with me.

“Same thing honey,’’ she says waving me off. “You two go upstairs and do that then and I’ll call you down once it’s done. Mark should be back any minute now with Malik and Mason.’’

“You’re letting me go upstairs with a boy?’’ I squeak out before realising I said it out loud. I blush furiously not looking at either Gram’s or Myles.

“I trust you, plus I trust Myles with you, but if you’d asked me to be alone with Max on the other hand, it would be a no,’’ she whispers, her eyes wide with laughter.

I just laugh and follow Myles when he tells me I can use his laptop up in his room. I thank him, and then nervously follow him up the stairs. I’ve never been alone with a boy in a bedroom before, hell I’ve never been alone with a boy period.

“So, this is mine and Mavericks room. He’s hardly here, so we share,’’ he tells me nervously, giving me space to walk into the room. On one side it’s completely neat and organised, while the other side is a mess, clothes thrown over the unmade bed, and dirty laundry all over the floor. Already I know that’s Maverick’s side and I’ve still yet to meet him.

“I would have presumed you shared with Max.’’

“Nah, we’d fight too much. He has to share with Mase because they’re more like twins than we are,’’ he laughs, then points to the bed where the laptop has been left on. “Go ahead and do what you need. I’m just going to read through this before dinner,’’ he says, sitting on the end of the bed with his back leaning against the wall. Feeling comfortable in his presence, but still nervous about being alone in a room with a complete stranger - a hottie at that, I sit down at the top of the bed, using his pillows to lean my back against.

“Oh, you might need to sign out of my Facebook by the way.’’

“Okay, I won’t look at your messages, I promise,’’ I chuckle.

“You’d be bored if you did. Most are from creepers asking me how I am,’’ he laughs.

“And here I thought I was the only one who received those.’’

“Nope, me too. Had one once telling me how special I was, and that he couldn’t wait to have my children. I had written back stating with my gender I wouldn’t be able to conceive, he never responded. I was broken hearted for a week,’’ he teases making me laugh. I’m pretty sure I had one just like it, but about marriage. Some people obviously have nothing better to do or are that lonely they’ll surf social networking sites emailing every Tom-Dick-and-Harry just to find some sort of intimacy. What a sad world they must live in. It kind of makes me feel sorry for them, but then I remember the messages I used to get sent and feeling sorry is the last thing I feel.

Myles goes back to reading his health and social workbook, and go back to the laptop. I open up the web browser to Facebook to find, he is indeed, signed in. And although I said I wouldn’t, I couldn’t help but look at the profile he had up on his screen of a pretty blonde girl, she looks much younger than us, but then nosing down at her last status update, I notice she hasn’t been on here for two years. I hope nothing happened to her. I sign out, hoping my red cheeks don’t give my guilty behaviour away. My reddened cheeks were always my giveaway to my parents whenever I got up to something I shouldn’t. They always knew something was up if I had red cheeks, if they were bright red along with my neck, they knew I was embarrassed. It’s a horrible condition to have. One that doctors really should have medical treatment for. Especially when someone states publicly and loudly you’re going red because it just makes you redder. Honestly, it’s like having a curse. Not that I know what having a curse feels like.

Signing into my own account, I’m surprised by the amount of notifications and emails sent from my best friend Lilly. I scroll up not reading any until I get to the top at the first one she sent me. When I do my face instantly pales when I read her second message. Braving it, I keep on scrolling through.

Lilly Mathews:
I miss you

Lilly Mathews:
I need you to call me. Mom spoke to that creepy officer.

Lilly Mathews: I know I said I’d give you time to settle in, but it’s been two days now. Please call me.

The messages are similar to one another, up until the last few messages she sent and I swear I can feel another panic attack coming along as my chest tightens to the point of pain.

Lilly Mathews:
I didn’t want to write this in an email, but the officer in charge of your parent’s murder has been in contact with my mom. They can’t get a hold of you and your Nan’s phone has been disconnected. They think they found him. No, I’m sure they have got him.

Lilly Mathews
: Harlow Mae Evans, please give us a call, my mom is sick with worry and so am I. There’s been a lot going on that you need to know about. Call me please, I’m begging.

Lilly Mathews:
Look, I’ve come to the conclusion you aren’t checking your FaceBook which I totally understand, with everything being rumoured around town I wouldn’t want to read it either. Mom says I need to tell you before you read it somewhere else, but the officer confirmed the other day that the man they arrested is indeed your parent’s killer. He was caught going back to your house with the same knife he killed your parents with. When questioned he confessed saying he thought you were with them that night and he never saw you, so he was going to... well he wanted to remove the chances of being caught I guess. They found him. He has been declined the chance of going to court and instead been charged with the murders of your mom and dad and attempted murder on you or something. You’ll have to talk to mom; I only got the clean version. I miss you and I love you. Lilly x

My heart is beating a mile a minute, my vision blurry with tears and those pesky black spots.
No, no not here, not now,
I plead when I feel my palms become sweaty and the room to whirl around me.

“Hey you okay?’’ Myles asks, his voice sounding so distant yet I can feel how close he is.