Page 154 of The Man Upstairs

Her eyes didn’t leave mine.

“Thank you. For keeping her safe.”

“I always will.”

She gestured back tochapter one. “That’s pretty obvious, if those words are true.”

Beverly let out a long breath. I could feel her calming down in my presence, and I calmed myself, feeling strangely at ease. There was no hostility emanating from her, no rage, or finger pointing, or threats. She just sipped her coffee and looked at me.

I didn’t push her, or ask her for forgiveness, or approval, or anything. Her reactions were up to her, and I’d support them. She was Rosie’s mother. I had no place to influence her, other than offer the truth.

“I love your daughter,” I told her. “On my life, and her life, Beverly, I love your daughter, and I would do anything to keep her safe. Anything.”

Fresh tears sprang up in her eyes.

“Then take her away from this place, please. Take her away from here. From this shithole, this crappy estate, from this block and all its bullshit, all itseverything.”

“Sorry?”

Her gaze was so real. So true.

“Please, Julian. If you love my daughter like you say you do, then take her away from here and give her something more. Will you do that?”

I was surprised by her request, but I didn’t hesitate.

“Yes. I’ll do that. If she’ll come with me, I’ll take her anywhere she wants to go.”

“You promise?”

“I swear.”

She smiled at me. Rosie’s mother smiled at me, like I was a hero and not a villain. It meant so much that I felt my own tears welling.

“So, where’s chapter two, then?” she asked. “You can’t leave me hanging after chapter one.”

I raised my eyebrows. “Seriously? You’d like to read more?”

“Hell, yes. I think anyone would.”

My heart swelled. Proud. But my trepidation tingled around the edges.

I laughed a nervous laugh. “I’m afraid things get a bit raunchy after chapter one. I’m sure you don’t want to read about that.”

She grinned back at me. “You’re blushing,” she said and I felt my damn cheeks burning up.

“Sorry,” I said, “it’s just, yes, it’s a bit… explicit.”

She rolled her eyes. “Don’t worry. I’ll skip those parts.”

“I mean, really explicit. Kind of, kinky, and…”

“Seriously Julian,” she said and she sounded so much like Rosie. “Get over yourself and let me read it. I’m not as vanilla as you might think.”

I was beaten and I knew it. In for a penny, in for a pound, as the saying goes.

My heart was racing all over again as I led her back through to the dining table, offering her a seat at the laptop.

“Beverly, please be careful, there are different levels of explicit, and these ones can be…”