Page 6

CHAPTER SIX

SWAN

T here was a storm of giddiness inside me as I watched Lockland talking with my parents and brother. Yes, he knew them when we were young, but this, now, was on a different level. He made Nicky laugh about something, but I wasn’t really listening. I was just focused on watching him here in my home.

I worried I’d wake from a dream and none of this would be real.

That Lockland wasn’t really in my house.

That he hadn’t been excited to see me.

That I wouldn’t get more time with him.

It still made my breath catch that this was reality.

He really was sitting next to me.

“Swan, what do you say?”

“Sorry?” I asked.

He smiled. “Your mum offered for me to stay here again tonight before I go back to Melbourne tomorrow afternoon. I was hoping you’d come for a drive to the hotel to grab a few things?”

Mum did? My belly fluttered at the thought of being alone with him.

I glanced at Dad and found him staring Mum down while she ignored him.

Dad suddenly stood, which had Mum cursing at him since she got bumped. “We’ll all go,” he announced.

“What? No!” I shouted and then covered my mouth with my hand, my cheeks flaming.

Mum patted Dad’s arm. “He’s joking.”

“I don’t think he is,” Nicky commented, smirking.

Mum glared at him and looked to us. “He is. We’re not going anywhere.”

Dad’s jaw clenched before he unlocked it to tell Mum, “They’ll need security.”

“I have security at the hotel. I’ll call them on the way and let them know we don’t want to be seen,” Lockland offered.

Dad slowly turned to glare at him. “It could still happen.”

I stood. “It doesn’t matter if we are.” Reaching down, I picked up Lockland’s hand and tugged it until he stood too. “We’ll be back later. I have my phone and my keys.” Dad opened his mouth. “Yes, Dad, I have my illegal Mace. Not that I think I’ll need to use it.” I pulled Lockland out of the room, calling, “Bye.”

“Bye,” Mum yelled.

“Later,” Nicky said.

And I was sure I heard a grunt from Dad, which was better than nothing.

Once outside, I looked up at Lockland. He was already staring down at our clasped hands. I quickly dropped his, not realising I still held it.

“Sorry.” I tried for a laugh. “I just didn’t want to leave you behind while we escaped.”

He grinned, which made my stomach roll pleasantly. Then it happened again when he tucked some of my hair behind my ear. “Thanks for the save.”

I nodded.

Lockland retook my hand and led me to the hired car he’d come in. I presumed it wasn’t his since he lived in America.

I swallowed.

He lived overseas.

He wouldn’t be in Australia for much longer.

I was going to lose him again.

Pressure pressed down on my chest.

“You know— What’s wrong, Swan?” He ducked his head to catch my misty gaze. His brows pinched, and he stepped close, cupping my cheeks.

I sniffed, blushing. I couldn’t believe I was about to cry in front of him just thinking about him leaving here.

“Allergies,” I lied, glancing away and back again.

He gave me a tight-lipped smile. “You remember me, right?”

I scrunched my nose, wondering where this was going. “Of course I do.”

“And I remember you, Swan. I know when something’s on your mind. I understand if you’re not yet comfortable with me to share, but?—”

I shook my head and blurted, “I am comfortable.”

The corner of his lips pulled up. “Okay then.”

Sighing, I dropped my forehead to his shoulder. “You’re leaving Australia Monday. I…. Knowing you’re going just got to me for a moment.” I lifted my head. “Sorry.”

“You’ve got nothing to be sorry for, angel. Your reaction means you’re just as worried about missing each other as I am.”

Angel?

He called me angel.

He’d never done that before.

What did that mean?

“Y-You are?”

His palms ran down over my shoulders, arms, and he threaded his fingers through mine all while watching me. I gripped his tightly, staring up at him and breathing faster.

He was touching me a lot more than he ever had, sending my body into hyperdrive with every contact.

“Need you to think about something today and give me an answer tonight.”

I nodded, swallowing my heart.

“I was wondering if you’d want to come to Melbourne with me for the weekend.”

My belly whooshed.

I opened my mouth, but he shook his head. “Think about it, angel, and think about it in a way where you’re not just hanging out with a friend.”

My eyes widened as I sucked in a sharp breath.

Did he mean?—

“Crushed on you back in the day, and my feelings have never gone away, Swanny. I’d love to get us back to where we were as friends, but I also want more.”

Oh my God, oh my God.

Did I imagine his words?

“You….” I licked my suddenly dry lips and cleared my throat. I felt clogged at the back of my eyes and nose. I sniffed. “You do mean dating, right?”

“Yes, angel. You and me dating.”

“How would that work?”

“That’s something we can figure out, but I just need you to think about all this for now. Really consider a relationship with me and my chaos.”

My heart wanted to gallop out of my chest. “I will, Lockland.”

His eyes darkened, and he leaned down and gently pressed his lips to mine before pulling back.

He said something as he tipped his chin to the car, but all I could manage was a nod while he led me to the vehicle and my ears rang.

Lockland Humphrey wanted to date me.

* * *

At the hotel, we walked in through the back entrance where the security stood just inside.

“Welcome back, Mr Humphrey.”

“Thanks, Jack. I’m just heading to my room to get a few things, and I’ll be leaving again. I’d like for you to pick two guards to stay on me until I’m back here and we all regroup. Have them outside waiting in another vehicle to follow us.”

Jack dipped his head. “Of course, sir.”

I knew we’d get attention. But I didn’t think that when we walked through the main lobby area, we’d have every person turning our way to stare. Thankfully, the elevator was empty.

On the top floor, Lockland tapped his keycard to the door and pushed it open, stepping back for me to enter first. It was the biggest suite in the hotel and utterly beautiful.

“I won’t be long.” He pressed a kiss to my temple and walked off into the bedroom while I looked around.

I jolted and spun when his door was suddenly unlocked and opened.

“Lockland, dear.” Alisa stopped when she saw me, making the person behind her bump into her. “What are you doing here?” she sneered. She moved towards me. “This is all your fault. You should have stayed away. I always knew you were no good for him. He could get anyone ten times better than you.” She glanced towards the bedroom, figuring Lockland was in there. “Leave here now, and I’ll pay you one millon.”

“No,” I replied instantly.

The man who’d entered behind her scoffed.

Ronald Gard, Lockland’s agent. He looked at me from head to toe with his nose up in the air. “I’ll top her million with another. Obviously, you could do with the money.”

My cheeks flamed. They didn’t like how I looked. But their opinion didn’t matter.

I was here for Lockland.

He wanted me as I was.

Tipping my chin up, I told them, “I think you both need to accept me in Lockland’s life.”

“I refuse,” Alisa hissed, taking another step forwards.

“Swan,” Lockland called before he appeared in the doorway. He glanced around at us all, jaw tightening.

“Son, I cancelled that interview for you,” Ronald said, smiling.

“What do you both want?” Lockland demanded.

Alisa waved her hands out. “Just to talk.”

“I’m not interested in listening right now.”

“What are you doing?” Alisa asked, eyeing the items in his hands.

“I’ll be staying at Swan’s tonight. I’ll speak to you tomorrow about the plans.”

“The plan is to leave for Melbourne tomorrow afternoon,” Ronald supplied.

“I’ll let you know if things need to change.”

Ronald took a step. “Lockland, you must do the concerts. So many have spent money on?—”

“I’ll be doing them. I wouldn’t let my fans miss out. I’ll speak to one of you tomorrow. Please leave.”

Alisa huffed. “But?—”

“ Please leave,” he said again in a sharper tone. “But before you go, I don’t want either of you to speak to Swan. She’s off limits. If you want to talk to her, you run it by me, and I’ll pass on the message. If you see her on her own in a room, you walk away.”

“Lockland—”

“Do you understand me?”

They both nodded.

“Good. Off you go.”

I could see them fuming underneath their tight smiles. Of course, I received a look of pure hatred before they turned and walked out of the room, closing the door after them.

“Lockland—”

“If you’re going to say I was too hard and that you don’t want to come between this, I’m going to tell you that you mean more to me than anything and anyone in the world. I won’t have them disrespecting you. I’m sure they said something vile to you before I got out here, and you don’t deserve that or any type of bad treatment. Especially if you’re willing to take a chance on me.”

Oh my God.

How could I not fall for him all over again after all that?

“Okay,” I whispered.

His smile was big, and then he winked. “Nearly done.”

I’d wait forever for him.