Maverick and Beau are chatting about the boxing when I reach the bottom of the deck steps.
Uncle Maverick is the first to spot me. “Hey, short stuff, you looking for your mum? She’s inside.”
I wave him off as I make my way up the steps. “No, I’m actually here to see Beau. I need to talk to him privately.”
I don’t like the scrutinizing gaze he’s sending my way. “Why?” I cross my fingers behind my back, my lips parting as I inhale, ready to answer. “And before you think you can fool me, I know that look. It’s the same look your father gets before he makes up some wild bullshit story or tries to con his way out of shit.”
I slump down into the deck chair, pouting. “What I’m saying is confidential, Uncle Maverick. I can’t let you jeopardize what’s happening because you can’t keep it to yourself. People’s lives are at stake.”
He sits up straighter at the seriousness in my voice. I don’t have time to mess around. This is my last chance to talk to Beau before we get back.
“What’s going on, Hayden?” Beau asks, also leaning forward in his seat, his forearms resting on his thighs.
I arch my eyebrow at Uncle Maverick, waiting for him to agree not to repeat anything. “I won’t tell anyone anything. I can call it even with your dad for getting Mark arrested. If you’re at risk, though, I will intervene.”
I don’t know how Beau is going to react, and until this very moment, I hadn’t even thought about it, nor remembered that Rob is his friend.
I inhale, preparing myself for the worst but hoping for the best as I launch into everything I know and assume about the gang and break-ins.
When I’m finished, he’s pale, sagging back into his chair.
“And this plan… you’ll be safe at all times?” Maverick asks, concerned.
I nod, forcing a smile. “I might be my father’s daughter, but I’m not stupid enough to put myself in danger, and neither is he, despite all the situations he’s found himself in. He raised me right. So, once I’ve played my part, I’m done. It will be up to Beau and whoever is clean to deal with.”
Beau slides to the edge of his chair, clasping his hands together. “This is serious, Hayden. Those allegations, whether true or false—”
“Hey, she wouldn’t have made them unless she was sure,” Maverick interrupts, his jaw clenching.
“It might not turn out to be one of them. But my gut is rarely wrong, and evidence is evidence. With it being done this way, no one is directly accused or are tipped off so they can cover their tracks. And your boss could fire you over such a serious allegation.”
“I’ve worked with Rob since I started full time. He’s dedicated to his job. I can’t see him being involved.”
“But would you bet your life on it? Faith’s life?” I ask, raising an eyebrow.
His jaw hardens. “No. No, I wouldn’t.”
“So you need to go along with this. It’s the only way it will work,” I tell him, my lips pulling down into a frown.
He gives me a short nod. “It can’t be next weekend though. Come in the following Monday after we have our monthly meeting. That way, we are all there. Then set up the meeting for Friday the same week at nine. I know Walker is working the night shift then, so he’ll have no other choice but to bring Colin and Rob in. It’s also my night off, so they might ask me to come in. I’ll make the excuse that I’m out for a meal with family. You can use the excuse that she wanted to meet near a crowded place. We have bars and clubs on that street. Liam is a genius for thinking of the double ploy.”
“I planned it,” I grit out. “And that’s fine. I’ll let Liam know.” I stand up, brushing off my Ninja pyjamas. “I don’t need to tell you to keep this to yourself and act normal.”
He runs a hand across his face, still dazed by the news. “No.”
“Oh, and I told Faith I came here because Clayton needed help with his…” I whistle, my gaze travelling to his crotch.
“Great.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Our four days away have come to an end. We had said goodbye to everyone after getting off at the coach station, thanking Beau and Faith for a great time away.
Before leaving for our trip to the Butterfly Village, we stopped off at Nightingale Care Home to go visit his father, who, luckily, is still doing okay.
I hadn’t realised how eager Clayton was to see his dad. He had hidden the worry and stress easily from me; either that, or I had taken his mind off it. The minute we stepped into his father’s room, his shoulders sagged with relief and a wide smile spread across his face, even though the worry was still there.
Yet, even with the reassurance his dad was okay, he left quiet and withdrawn. And he’s been this way ever since I left him and his father to spend some quality time together. I can’t help but worry that I was mistaken about his father’s intentions when it came to me and Clayton.
His silence in the car has only made it worse. There’s a chance he’s sitting right there, running through ways to end this. Whatever ‘this’ is. And if his father had disapproved, I have no doubt in my mind that he will do whatever it takes to make him happy.
Because how can you say no to a dying a man?
You can’t.
And I wouldn’t want him to. If roles were reversed… well, maybe not reversed. I’ve never really listened to my dad, but if it was my mum, I’d do exactly the same.
I want to voice my concern, but I don’t want to come across as one of those girls that clung, and yet the girly part inside of me that I try to stow away, can’t help but cling to him. I want him in a way I’ve never wanted anything else. Yet the rebellious side of me wants to say, ‘fuck it, we don’t need a man’.
I’m at war with myself.
Taking a deep breath, I decide to be straight with him. I can’t be anyone but myself right now, and I never shy away from anything.
“Clayton, if you’d like to cancel this trip, I’m good with it.”
He takes his eyes off the road for a second, his brows pulling together. “Why would you think I’d want that?”
“You don’t seem overly joyed right now. In fact, you don’t seem yourself at all.”
His fingers tighten around the steering wheel. “I’m sorry.”
“Is it your dad? Because I spoke to Amelia and she said he’s doing okay, that there hasn’t been a change in his health.”
“I know. That isn’t it. He seems to really like it there.”
“So why are you being quiet? I’m not gonna lie, it’s making me feel uncomfortable.”
He blows out a breath. “That wasn’t my intention. I’m sorry.” He gives me another quick glance before continuing. “When you left the room, he pulled me up on how we were together. He guessed right away.”
“He doesn’t approve,” I surmise.
“The opposite in fact,” he explains, a smile pulling at the corner of his lips. “He thinks you’ll be good for me.”
I grin, relaxing somewhat. “Because I rock, right?”
He lets out a chuckle. “Yeah, that. Apparently, I’m uptight.”