Love Renewed (Entwined Hearts #3) (37 page)

Her words are cut off as Nova springs forward, seizing my mother by her arm. She pushes her backward, slamming her into the wall. Then Nova moves, punching her square in the jaw. As my mother holds her face, shock and pain register in her eyes. Nova leans forward and growls at her.

“You stay the fuck away from Dane or I will end you. Take that whatever way you want. Just know I mean every damn word.”

Fear is oozing from every pore in my mother’s body as she tries to pull herself together. Turning she stalks out, slamming the front door. Nobody speaks for a minute.

“Well, that was some Jerry Springer shit right there,” Eric announces and the tension in the room ebbs away. My body unlocks and Saul rubs his arm where I was holding it, grumbling about something, I ignore him striding over to Nova. Her face registers shock as she realises I’m not stopping. Picking her up Nova winds her legs around my back as I push her against the wall she just pinned my mother too. I wipe the stray hair from her face and trail my hand down her cheek and then curl it around the side of her neck.

“A few minutes ago, you stood in front of me, protecting me. I thought about how I couldn’t love you more. I was wrong. You just made me love you more.

When I walk into the kitchen the next morning I can hear Eric chattering in the lounge. We all stayed at Soph and Saul’s house last night. That was always the plan, but I think, with what happened, we all needed to stay in the family fold for a little while longer anyway. After the drama was over and everything died down the party spirit fell flat. I chose not to drink anymore. I was on my way to drunk—even if I wasn’t willing to admit that to my cocky better half—but if I had carried on drinking, I would have turned into a depressed drunk. That’s how much that woman brought the vibe down. Instead, I curled into Dane and we all talked. Reminisced about when we were younger. It gave me time to bask in mine and Dane’s childhood together. Whatever happened, however hard it was, we had each other. We could rely on each other and no matter if people laughed, thinking we couldn’t possibly know what love was. That we were just kids and it would fizzle out. We proved that love can span time, no matter your age when you fall. I feel strong arms snake around my waist and I’m pulled back into a hard body.

“Morning baby.” Dane’s sleepy voice is slightly muffled as he nuzzles into my neck, dropping a kiss on my collarbone.

“Morning big guy,” I reply reaching up and cupping the side of his face. He turns his head and kisses my palm, which makes me giggle because I’m ticklish there.

“You left me.” He pouts.

“You’re adorable pouting like that,” I say, which makes him drop his lip further. “Now you’re taking it too far.” With a wink, he returns to the original pose. “Better,” I smirk. “You look exhausted. I wanted to let you sleep. I could hear some of the others moving about so I knew it was safe to get up, that I’d have company.”

“The bed’s too empty and cold without you. I don’t like it,” he complains and I giggle.

“You’re giggling a lot lately,” he says planting a soft kiss on my lips.

“You give me a lot to giggle about. You make me happy.”

He kisses me again and smiles. “Means I’m doing my job baby.”

“Okay…I don’t need to be put off my breakfast ‘cause my brother has a boner, so can we stop this shit right now?” Saul says walking into the kitchen and searching the cupboards. Dane chuckles in my ear then pulls away slapping my ass. He moves to the sink washing his hands. I watch his movements, he’s so fluid, so precise, so beautiful. “If you start drooling you can go back to bed,” Saul tells me quietly, a smirk on his face, a dimple in his cheek and his bright blue eyes almost matching my own colour, twinkle.

“Ha-ha!” I say pursing my lips with humour.

“Where’s the frying pan?” Dane asks twisting away, unaware of me salivating over him.

“Why? Saul asks.

“I’m gonna make pancakes,” he replies and Saul points to the cupboard grinning

“I heard pancakes!” Soph squeaks excitedly as she enters the room.

“Okay, everyone out. Let me work in peace,” Dane says and we turn around to leave. “Nova you stay,” he dictates and I sit my ass down, drooling once again.

“This is freaking awesome,” Eric says clapping his hands together in glee as he pushes another forkful of pancake into his mouth. We’re all sitting around the dining table and eating a breakfast of treats made by Dane. My man can cook.

Once the food is consumed and everyone is more awake the conversation takes a serious turn.

“Saul, Dane…I’m…I’m so sorry I let her in,” Eric whispers looking down at his plate as Rich slides his arm around the back of Eric’s shoulders.

“It’s fine. It was bound to happen at some point,” Saul tells him dismissing his anguish.

“The door knocked as I was coming back from the little girl’s room. I thought I’d imagined it as the sound was so soft. Stupid me opened the door to check, and this woman stood there. I asked if I could help her and she told me she was here to see Saul and Dane. Then added, my sons, at the end of the sentence. Obviously I’ve never met your mother before, so I didn’t know who she was until that point. Still, I know that Saul had fallen out with her and that Dane wasn’t brought up by her. I should have known better. I mean, I didn’t invite her in. I told her I was going to find someone to come see her, but then she complained that she was freezing and she told me she was unwell. I believed her when she said that she had spoken to Saul the day before, that he had invited her to his new house. I figured that was plausible. I guessed that she hadn’t been invited that night, just, maybe…I don’t know, like an open invite or something? Anyway, I told her she could stand inside the door in the warmth while I went to get you…she followed me in without me realising it. I fucked up. It won’t happen again. I promise.” Eric looks like he might cry and I feel bad for him.

“Don’t beat yourself up. Shit happens. She’s a bitch, and would have worked it so she could get her way. You don’t feel fucking bad because of that woman’s actions. Okay?” Dane tells Eric, who nods in agreement. “Just remember, if she tries to press charges against Nova…we’re all going to say Nova didn’t touch her. Clear?” This time, Dane demands their agreement. They all nod but I’m not worried. There’s nothing she can do to really harm me. I have Dane, I have a family. I’m happy. That’s everything I ever dreamed. I have it all thanks to the
‘so hot it should be criminal’
man beside me.

“Fuck, she’s drooling again,” I hear Saul say as Dane’s eyes meet mine, a cocky smirk twitches at the corner of his mouth as everyone else starts laughing.

“The light always breaks through the dark,” Dane says softly into my ear.

Sitting out in the garden isn’t what I had in mind on a Sunday afternoon in November. Surprisingly it’s actually pretty warm out. The sun is shining and we’re making the most of it. The phone vibrating in my pocket brings me back to reality with a thud. Everyone I love who would call me is here. Jenson is a possibility, but then that would mean trouble because he never calls unless shit is about to hit the fan. The modelling business that I have built over the years runs itself. I don’t get involved unless I have to so there, so there should be no calls from that direction, especially on a Sunday. Once my brain has assessed that it’s probably not something I need or want to deal with, I let it ring. When I feel it buzzing against my leg again a few minutes later, I excuse myself and walk back into the house to take the call. There’s a number I don’t recognise flashing on the screen.

“Yeah,” I answer.

“Dane. Lewis.” Lewis’s voice surprises me. I thought he’d gone home. “Can we meet? Now?” I know this must be urgent and his voice tells me he can’t talk.

“Of course. Do you remember the place where you found me?” He takes a second to figure out I mean when he found Nova and me at the factory.

“Fuck yes,” he replies.

“Go there. Look for the red building. Soon,” I tell him.

“Later,” he throws out then it’s just dial tone.

Fuck.

As I turn, I see Saul saunter in. He knows something’s up immediately as his face clears of the smile he was sporting.

“What?” is all he says.

“You know that conversation where you watch Nova. It’s now,” I explain.

“Fuck,” he rasps out.

I nod but say nothing more moving swiftly to the back garden. When I reach Nova, I crouch down next to her chair and lean into her ear. “I love you, baby. Stay here with Saul. I have to sort some things out. Then I’ll be back.” I watch as confusion followed by worry crosses her face. She bites her lip then nods.

Leaning forward she kisses the corner of my mouth. “Be careful my beautiful man.” I crash my lips onto hers, owning her for ten seconds, before pulling away just as quickly. Then without saying anything else, spinning around and disappearing.