First Light (26 page)

‘You should be careful, we don’t expect visitors this late. I might have mistook you for someone else.’

I opened my mouth to respond, but another voice replaced my own.

‘Laith.’ Kal’s tone was as dark as the night around us.

With a roll of his eyes, Laith turned and melted back into the shadows. I looked up at Kal, standing in the doorway.

‘How did you get here?’

‘I drove Dad’s car.’

He peered around me. ‘I didn’t know you could drive?’

‘Well, while we’re talking of things we didn’t know about each other,’ I snapped.

He glanced over his shoulder and I noticed Nash and Denver sitting at the kitchen counter watching TV. They both nodded in my direction. I returned the gesture.

Kal stepped out onto the stoop and pulled the door closed behind him.

‘What’s the matter?’ he demanded crossly. His face seemed impassive enough in the darkness, but it was obvious he was cranky with me. Well, I was mad at him, too, so I ignored my compulsion to try to make him feel better.

‘I need to talk to you.’

‘Look, Veronica, I am not in the mood for this.’

‘Oh, it’s Veronica now is it? Do you think I’m in the mood to wake up at three in the morning, drive without a licence because there’s no other way for me to contact you, and stand on your doorstep in the cold?’

He gave me a look of exasperation then took my hand and led me inside. Even in my flustered state, the touch of his hand on mine sent electricity bolting through me. We walked through the kitchen to chimes of hello, and I waved back at the boys, but Kal didn’t allow me to stop. He took me upstairs to his bare room and stood in front of me, arms folded.

‘Why are you being nasty?’ I asked, caught off guard.

‘I’ve had a bad night.’

I bit back the apology that nearly tumbled from my lips. ‘You lied to me,’ I breathed. ‘I mean, you told me what I wanted to know, but you left information out. You didn’t just turn up when you heard my father was ill, did you?’

Kal’s eyes narrowed.

‘Tell me if you saved me three years ago when I was attacked on the beach. Tell me the truth!’

He stared at me, his lips pressed together. ‘What difference does it make?’

‘It makes every difference!’ I didn’t need any further confirmation of course – his reply said it all. ‘I know it was you. Kal, please!’

‘Fine,’ he almost shouted, raising his voice at me for the very first time. ‘It was me. I did it for your father. Everything I’ve done has been for your father. He saved me, I saved you. That’s all.’

I flinched. Was he saying he didn’t care about me? That everything he’d done had just been out of gratitude? My throat was suddenly so dry that even if I’d wanted to say something more I couldn’t have. I turned and ran from the room.

28 – Confessions

I had to fight to keep my eyes open at my desk.
I’d filled Alex in on what happened at The Half Moon – leaving out the part about my crazed three a.m. excursion, and she spent the morning cursing that she hadn’t come out.

‘Cheryl needs to get a clue. I hate girls that cause fights,’ she said angrily.

‘Yep, if only Mae saw it that way.’

Alexandra kept her thoughts about Mae to herself, but I could read them clear as day on her face. I shrugged to show I understood.

At five, just as the work day was ending, a knock on the window got my attention. Ace was waving through the glass, his white-toothed smile gleaming against his olive skin. It had only been three months, but it looked like he’d grown even in that time. In spite of him being younger than the others, I was sure he was as tall as Kal now. The anxious knot I had been carrying around all day disappeared.

Alexandra put a caller on hold and pulled her mouthpiece to one side. ‘Which one’s that?’ she whispered.

After I’d told her, I took off my own headset and stepped outside.

‘Hello, you,’ I said.

Ace looked at me sheepishly. ‘Hey, Ron.’

‘You’re a rubbish friend.’

‘Oh, don’t say that. I had to leave. If it helps any, I moaned about it the entire time.’

‘I guess it helps a bit.’

He wrapped his arms around me, lifting me off the floor.

‘Ace–’ I choked.

‘Oh, sorry!’ He put me back on my feet.

‘Good to see you too,’ I smiled, straightening my blouse. ‘I know you think you don’t get a say when Kal tells you to do something, but you do. You should have at least said goodbye.’

‘
I really am sorry.’

‘It’s fine,’ I said, realising just how pleased I was to see him again. ‘Let me get my things.’

Back in the office, I happily ignored the questioning glances from my coworkers. I waved a big goodbye to everyone and winked in Alexandra’s direction as I left. She was beaming. It felt good to have someone who understood how I felt and not judge me for it.

The first thing I noticed was that Ace had cut his hair since I saw him last. It made him look older, his boyish curtain style was now short and cropped close to his head, like most of the others.

‘Did you hear about last night?’ I asked, as we walked to the bus stop.

‘Not from K, but Laith was pretty riled up when he came in.’

‘He hates me.’

‘Laith hates the whole world. Kal meeting you has thrown him a bit, because we never saw it coming. He can’t understand because it wasn’t part of the plan, you know? He’ll get over it.’

I stared at his profile, contemplating all the things I knew about them. Mainly, how Ace had never killed a man and still, he was doomed to hide for the rest of his life.

A low whining made me look up, the bus had pulled up in front of us. I paid for us both and headed towards the back.

'So, how have you been?' I asked.

'Not bad, you know I turned sixteen while we were away.'

‘I missed your birthday!'

'I know, I thought that day of all days I could have got another awesome home cooked meal, but–' he stopped himself as though he wished he hadn't brought up their departure.

'It's okay Ace, it wasn't your fault. I'll make you a birthday dinner tonight instead, how does that sound?'

He grinned in response, but then he seemed to think something over. His silence lingered until the bus stopped at the end of my road. We hopped off and

walked the gravel-lined track to my house, heading straight to the kitchen door round back. As we stepped up onto the verandah Ace’s hand wrapped around my arm.

‘Ron, I probably shouldn't say anything, it's none of my business, but I just wanted to tell you, I'm really glad K met you.'

I smiled, but the serious of Ace's expression made it clear he had more to say .

'I just mean, he didn't want to leave you – I think he believed he was doing the right thing, so, try not to be too mad at him.'

'Hey, leaving without saying goodbye to your friends is never the right thing!' I pointed out.

He grimaced. 'Yeah, sorry. I don't get a say in how things go. I'm the youngest. I fall in line.'

I frowned and sat on the chair that looked out across our back garden and the fields beyond.

'I don't mind,' he continued, leaning on the verandah and staring straight ahead. 'I'd rather that than be responsible for the lives of the team.'

I swallowed, my mind reeling as I tried to gauge how to respond. Kalen had told me not to mention anything to Ace about what I knew about them, but from what he was saying it was obvious he had somehow worked it out by himself.

I stayed silent. The air was damp and smelled of rain to come. I really liked spending time with Ace, when he was around I felt calm, like I'd known him all my life, but something wasn't quite right about him today.

'Ace, I'm so glad you're here, but I feel like there's something you want to tell me.'

He looked at me then, turning his head, but not his body. 'I'm just worried about you is all and I'm torn what to do about it. Kalen is like his old self since he met you. His
old
, old self – back when I first met him, and before he got sent out, well, you know. He smiles more. I'm really happy for him. But he left because he was worried about what our presence in your life might mean for you and though I was upset I didn't get to say goodbye, I understood. Now, we're back and I don't know if he'll ever be able to leave you again.'

We stared at each other. I was trying to digest the warning he was giving me. Because that's what it was: a warning. Right now, Kalen leaving was the last thing I wanted to think about.

'Hungry? I said eventually. He smiled and we both headed for the kitchen door. He made it first, reaching up and sliding the spare key from the top ledge.

‘You really shouldn’t keep this here.’

'Ace,' I said, taking a deep breath to prepare myself for what I was about to ask, 'should I be scared?'

His face fell, his eyes serious, almost pained. 'I don't know,' he said.

29 – Decision

The following morning, I was mulling over my conversation with Ace. I knew it had taken a lot for him to be so honest with me, but what it meant was making my head hurt. I decided to inflict some pain of my own – Kickboxing would do nicely.

I opened the front door and slumped to find Rachel on the front porch with Cloud.

‘Eight a.m.?’ I said.

Rachel gave me a pursed-lipped smile. ‘We thought we’d come to see you. I’m taking Cloud to ballet lessons in an hour.’

‘Rach she’s not even three.’

‘They have to start that young if they’re going to be any good. She’s also started gymnastics, modeling and theatre school for toddlers.’

‘Dear Lord,’ I said under my breath as I stepped outside, then more loudly, ‘Rach, I can’t stay. I’m heading to the gym.’

She held her arm out in front of me so I couldn’t walk past her. ‘Just a coffee, Ron, I haven’t seen you in over a week.’

‘I am aware of that.’

‘Well, I’m here now. Please stay.’

‘Please stay with us, Aunty Wonnie.’

Relenting, I crouched down and gave Cloud a hug, taking her small hand and leading her back inside. ‘You look bigger every time I see you, CJ.’

'We're off to Marbella on Sunday and it's her birthday not long after we get back, did you remember?’

‘Of course.’ I flicked the kettle on. I hadn’t forgotten a family birthday yet. 'How long you away for?'

‘Just a week. We’re having a bouncy castle for her on the twentieth and we want you and Adam to be there.’

Adam... I hadn’t considered him at all today. I’d have to see him later and the notion didn’t fill me with the joy it should have. He was sweet, caring, happy and uncomplicated. He didn’t walk around as though the world sat on his shoulders. More importantly, he wasn’t a wanted criminal. My brain took no trouble at all in trying to rationalise the obvious, yet it still felt so wrong.

I sighed heavily. ‘I’ll be there.’

‘What about Adam?’

‘Yeah, maybe.’

My sister shook her head and placed her chin in her hands, her freshly rolled blonde curls bouncing with the movement. ‘Ronnie, this is why I wanted to talk to you. I know that boy’s back.’