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“Undecided,” Hayden says, “He thinks it’s too good to be true.” He throws a thumb behind him toward Brent. “And he thinks it’s real.” He jerks his head toward Lance next to him who looks vaguely annoyed.

“This doesn’t feel like a stunt Volkov would pull,” Lance explains to me.

“It’s too risky to trust this person,” Brent growls at his cousin.

“What do you think?” Hayden asks.

I take a deep breath, ticking it over in my head. “What does our resident detective think?”

I watch as they all look up to Harvey in unison. He steps forward to stand next to me rather than behind me, placing his palms on my desk and bowing his head as he thinks. “I would agree that it seems strange for Volkov to do this.” He gestures at the phone. “I would assume that this personistrying to help.”

Brent scoffs, turning his back in frustration before coming back to face us, looking angrier than usual.

“But,” Harvey says pointedly. “There’s no reason you shouldn’t make them prove their helpfulness.” When they look at him in confusion, he continues, “Has he asked you for anything?”

“No,” Brent growls.

“Then let them help you. Once they’ve proven that they are indeed just trying to help, then you can engage more.” He jerkshis head at Brent. “Text them back and ask them what they want for helping you.”

He frowns but picks up his phone and taps away at the screen. Only seconds pass by until he flips the phone to show us the response.

UNKNOWN:Nothing. Volkov needs to be stopped and you are the best people for the job.

“Well, maybe you should take his advice seriously but with caution.” Harvey stands straight again.

“Upstairs, now,” Harvey growls at me as soon as the Daos leave us. His face nuzzling into my neck.

I groan, both from the delicious touch and the sheer annoyance of it all. “We can’t, we’ve got to have some dinner. I want to spend some time with the girls, make sure they’re okay with everything that’s gone on.”

He pulls back and gives me a soft smile. “You’re definitely getting punished for turning me down, but I think that’s a good idea,rainha. They probably need you right now.”

I frown.They need me?

He sees and chuckles, understanding me without having to hear a word. “They love you, Annika. You’re their safe place.”

That brings a burn to the back of my eyes and I nod, letting him take my hand in his and pulling me to the kitchen.

Mabel and Keeley are perky at dinner, chatting away with their usual enthusiasm. If anything, they seem lighter, like a weight has been lifted. Keeley has decided Tiana is definitely her favourite princess and announces this with the same seriousness one might use to declare their abdication. Lee, Guinevere, and I just blink at her but Harvey claps and congratulates her on making such an important decision.

Mabel asks Harvey if she can go back to the choir group he took her to before and he agrees with an indulgent smile. Lee stays with us through dinner. He doesn’t usually but Mabel and Keeley have decided he’s their best friend and I can’t say I mind it. I watch them all interact, laughing and talking over each other and it’s like our own little fucked-up family. I’m completely in love with it.

41

ANNIKA

It’s two hours after dinner that Keeley falls asleep on the sofa and Mabel keeps yawning into her hand of cards as Lee tries to teach her how to play poker, much to Harvey’s disappointment. I tell her it’s time to sleep and Harvey picks Keeley up, heading up to their room. I watch as Harvey lays Keeley down and removes her slippers from her feet. He places the stuffed bunny she likes to sleep with in her arms and Mabel emerges from their bathroom in her pyjamas.

Yawning, she gives Harvey and I a sleepy smile. “Thank you.”

“For what,ursa?” Harvey says.

Surprising us both, she wraps her arms around Harvey’s waist and cuddles into his chest. “For everything,” she sighs. When she lets him go, she comes over to me and does the same. It’s weird how natural it feels to wrap her in a hug and kiss the top of her head. “Love you, Anni.”

My eyes burn and a single tear escapes me. Harvey watches on with the warmest expression and my heart feels full and strong in my chest. “I love you too.”

I have never said that to another person before. I have never felt love for another person before but there are three people in this room who have made the emotion swell and sway withinme until it’s breaking over me like a wave over sand. Mabel and Keeley have made this house a home, turned it from an empty space I used to sleep in, to the place I cannot wait to get back to at the end of the day. Then there’s Harvey, and as much as I wanted to push him away and hate him from a distance, I’ve come to need him close by and hate has been replaced by…something.

“Night,” Mabel says, climbing into bed next to Keeley and I’m pretty sure she’s asleep before we close the door.