Page 2 of Mutual Obsession (Rivals of Blackthorn #2)

- SEVEN YEARS EARLIER -

“ A re you sure you don’t want to come away with us for the summer, Miles? We have so much fun shit planned,” Marcus groans as I continue to pack the last of my belongings into my large bag.

“I wish I could, but I have to go home. Courtney wouldn’t have asked if it wasn’t important.”

Even though I try to keep my tone calm and neutral, my racing heart betrays just how worried I really am. My little sister, Courtney, is twelve-years-old, and she’s always been a good kid. She gets on with school, keeps to herself, and helps to take care of our mum.

Neither of us has had the easiest of lives, but she’s never once complained. She always just gets on with things. So when she called me on my final day at university, just two days before me, Marcus, and Jacob were about to go travelling, asking for me to come home, I didn’t hesitate to say yes.

She wouldn’t elaborate on why she needed me. She just said she’d tell me when I get there.

I finished my final day, woke up early this morning, and started to pack. Marcus has been trying to talk me out of it for the last half an hour, but he knows my family comes first.

“Can’t you go home, see what she wants, and then fly out to join us? It’s our final summer to really let loose.”

My mind ticks over as I think about whether this would be possible. We’ve been planning this trip for months—our last blowout of sorts. After the summer, Marcus and Jacob have to go home and take on the roles they were born for.

They are both heirs to the mafia families who run Blackthorn, and once their education is over, it’s expected that they will work with their fathers to learn the business before taking over when they turn twenty-five.

Marcus has already hired me to be part of his security staff, and I’ve been training with his father Maximus’ team, so I’m ready when the job starts. We all just wanted one final summer with no responsibilities before we have to embrace the hectic and dangerous life we’re destined for.

Don’t get me wrong, I could walk away from all of this shit—unlike Marcus and Jacob—but Marcus has been my best friend for as long as I can remember, and this became my path from then.

If he’s walking into the fray, he can be damn sure I’m going to be by his side.

“I don’t know. I’ll have to see what’s going on when I get there,” I tell Marcus, not committing either way.

It’s unlikely that I’ll be able to meet him, but I have a sneaking suspicion—given the way he’s staring at me intently—Marcus won’t want to go without me. He’ll want to come home, to make sure Courtney is okay.

Sure enough, my suspicions are confirmed when he opens his mouth. “I’ll come with you, then. We can find out what’s going on and fly out after that.”

Before I have time to respond, Jacob, who has been sitting on Marcus’ bed, watching me pack, opens his mouth. “Absolutely fucking not. We are going on this holiday like we planned. If he wants to pull out or delay, that’s on him. We are not changing our plans.”

I roll my eyes at the way he deliberately avoids saying my name. As I cast my gaze over to him, he drops his head, suddenly finding something on his lap incredibly distracting.

Fucking coward.

“Pretty Boy is right. You should go without me,” I state, keeping my gaze fixed on Jacob, eagerly awaiting his response.

As predicted, Jacob’s head snaps up, and he glares at me. “Don’t fucking call me that,” he snarls, and I can’t help the way my lip tilts up into a smirk.

“What’s the matter? I thought you liked it when people acknowledged how good looking you are?” I reply teasingly.

Even though he’s glaring at me, I don’t miss the light blush that spreads over his cheeks. I try to ignore the way my heart races, but it’s not that easy.

“I like it when it’s a compliment, not a thinly-veiled insult,” he retorts through gritted teeth.

I let out a laugh that sounds closer to a snort. “Oh, there’s nothing thinly-veiled about my insult.”

Jacob leans forward, looking like he’s about to start the usual rant he flies into whenever I push his buttons, but Marcus stops it.

“Enough. I don’t have time for you two to bicker like a fucking old married couple.

Half the time you ignore each other, the other half you argue.

It’s giving me a bloody headache.” He even rubs his temple to really hammer the point home.

Both Jacob and I grumble our apologies, like chastised schoolchildren, as Marcus throws himself onto the chair beside his desk. “You’re really not coming with us?” he asks me.

I shake my head, my lips pressed in a tight line. “I really wish I was. My family needs me.”

Marcus lets out a huff, but he nods in understanding. “Then you should go to them. But, promise me this—if you need me, call and I’ll come home.”

We both know I won’t call him and disturb his holiday, but I tell him what he wants to hear. “I’ll call if I need you.”

If the way his piercing blue eyes narrow on me is any indication, he doesn’t miss the fact I don’t make him any promises. Nevertheless, he lets it go. If anyone understands how much family has to come first, it’s Marcus.

I left my mum and sister behind to come to university, which never would have been possible without Marcus and his father funding me. They both agreed it was an opportunity I couldn’t turn down, but that doesn’t mean I was keen on leaving.

My sister was only nine-years-old when I left, but Mum, despite her many flaws, assured me she could cope with raising Courtney, and I believed her. Still, I phone regularly, and send them money, so I know they’re not struggling.

Court has always maintained everything is fine, and she even encouraged me not to come home for the holidays. She’d tell me all the time that I need to live my own life, not worry about them, so I took her at her word. But after hearing her yesterday, I’m worried I made a lot of wrong choices.

Once I’ve finished packing, I make my way to the door. Marcus stops me and pulls me in for a hug. “Call me when you get there and let me know what’s going on. Tell Court I miss her.”

Marcus has been part of Courtney’s life since she was a baby, and they see each other as siblings. He’s just as protective of her as I am. “I will,” I reassure him with a smile as I pull away.

Jacob is standing beside Marcus, shuffling from one foot to the other, looking uncomfortable. His arms are twitching, as though he’s contemplating pulling me in for a hug too, but I deliberately take a step back before he can decide.

He may be confused, but I’m not. I’m done letting him hurt me.

When he sees the distance I’ve created between us, there’s a flash of hurt in his sparkling chocolate eyes that I purposefully ignore. My stomach sinks as my heart races, a little flash of hope betraying me.

“I hope your family is okay,” he tells me, sounding more sincere than I’ve heard from him in a while.

“Thanks,” I mutter, not sure what else I can say. I turn back to Marcus. “Stay safe on the trip, and for fuck’s sake, don’t get into any trouble without me there to bail you out.”

Marcus lets out a chuckle as he waves his hand at me dismissively. “I make no promises.”

We say our goodbyes and I head outside to my car, throwing all of my possessions into the back seat. Both Marcus and Jacob stand by the side of the road, waving me off as I start the journey back home. My mind is racing, and I wonder what the hell kind of situation I’m about to walk into.

BANG. BANG. BANG!

After the third time of knocking on my mum’s front door, my nerves are prickling, and the knotting I’ve had in my gut since Courtney’s phone call worsens.

I’m pissed that my key doesn’t work, and that there’s a car in the drive I don’t recognise.

The curtains are closed, despite it being the middle of the day, and the garden looks completely unkempt.

In fact, the whole house looks a bit on the disgusting side, which is throwing me, as I was under the impression Mum was coping fine.

She’s always struggled, ever since our dad left when we were young. She’s had her rough patches, and hasn’t always been the greatest single parent, but we’ve managed.

Since I became old enough to help around the house, and contribute financially, things have been good. That’s why I felt comfortable leaving for three years to go to university. I’m thinking I made a big mistake.

I pull my phone out of my pocket and call Courtney. After about the fifth ring, she picks up. “ Hi, Mi. ”

“Court, where are you? I’m at the house. What the hell is going on?” I try to keep the panic from my voice, to protect my sister, but I’m not sure how great a job I’m doing.

“ Did anyone answer the door? ” she asks, sounding almost shaky.

“No. Why? Who did you think would answer?”

My heart is beating out of my chest, and all the unanswered questions are sending my head into a spin.

“It doesn’t matter. Can you meet me? ”

“Where are you, Courtney?”

There’s a short pause, and the silence is killing me. Just when I’m about to demand answers, her tiny voice echoes through the speaker. “ I’m at the Sundown Motel, on the edge of town. ”

I have to focus on taking a few deep breaths, so that I stay calm when I respond. “Why the fuck are you at a motel?”

“Please, just come and meet me, and I’ll explain everything. I’m in room four.”

Before I can ask anything more, she hangs up the phone. “Motherfucker!” I shout, sliding my phone back into my pocket.

I race over to my car, my thoughts running a million miles a minute, and I hope like hell that the real story isn’t anywhere near as awful as the negative things I’m thinking.

The motel she’s staying in isn’t too far, and after breaking the speed limit, I’m banging on the motel room door, just over ten minutes after she hung up on me.

The door flies open, and a tiny girl with a blonde head of hair launches herself at me. I have just enough time to catch her as she throws her arms around me, clutching onto me tightly. A small sob leaves her, and my heart breaks.