Irrevocable (Fated series (can be read as a standalone) Book 3) Read online

  ‘Ok, ok I’m here now, so what have you been doing with yourself while I’ve been working my arse off, eh?’ I questioned her as she continued to bounce around my legs and whack her tail against the plastic shopping bags. The noise and excitement was intense in the small space.

  ‘Come on then, let’s get you some dinner, shall we?’ Enthusiastically she bounced her way through to the kitchen, where I set about making myself a cuppa and filling her bowl with her favourite food. I opened the back door to my small but neat garden and took my tea outside to drink. I watched as Coco, having finished her dinner, came bounding out to see what sniffs she had missed while she had been locked inside. I had been away for a few hours, doing the lunchtime shift at the local pub and then had spent the rest of the afternoon serving customers and filling the shelves in the corner shop.

  Sitting down on the wooden love seat in the garden, I bent over to rest my forearms on my bare legs, sipped from my mug and thought, not for the first time, how very different my life was compared to my brother and sister’s. Jack was in London, doing whatever investment bankers do, and Bella was in the Hamptons at her best friend’s wedding. I had never really craved to be anywhere other than the place I would always call home, although I did have dreams of visiting Rome one day and connecting with the history there, I loved to sketch and Rome seemed like a beautiful place to draw.

  Unlike my brother and sister, I had never wanted a career. I wasn’t stupid, far from it, but I certainly wasn’t academic like them. I was 26 years old and in some ways very mature for my age, in other ways though, I thought with a small laugh, I was very immature. Friday nights out with the girls were definitely one of those times.

  What I wanted, when I was being most truthful with myself, was a simple life. I was completely different to a lot of women my age. Home and family meant everything to me.

  I wanted to be married. I wanted to belong to someone else so wholly that they wouldn’t know where they ended and I began. I wanted to be the very centre of some man’s universe. To be chosen above everyone else they had ever met and to be given unconditional love, was what my heart desired more than anything else. In other words, I wanted the fairy-tale love story.

  Just then, I heard the sound of my mum’s voice calling from the front of the cottage. I really needed to get the antiquated bell mended, just another thing to add to my already huge list. My beautiful cottage needed money spending on it desperately, but I didn’t have it, so I made do and got on with it.

  ‘Hi, Mum,’ I shouted out to her. ‘I’m in the garden, come on through.’

  In the space of a few minutes I heard the tap of her smart, heeled shoes on my small patio and she kissed the top of my head. ‘Hello, darling, how are you today?’

  ‘I’m good, tired but good.’ I watched Coco as she made her way over from sniffing bushes to make a fuss of my always beautifully turned out mum. My mum lived in the next village over; where my dad was the local doctor. She and my dad still lived in the home that us three children had been so happily brought up in. If I’d had to choose my parents, they were the ones I would pick every time. I knew just how lucky we were to have them. She sat down next to me on the love seat my grandad had so lovingly built to share with his wife. I knew my mum loved to visit me here, as this was the home she had grown up in. It was her dearest wish for me to find someone to love me and to fill the cottage with grandchildren. To be quite honest there was nothing I would like more, but it seemed that it wasn’t to be.

  ‘I’ve just popped in to show you pictures of Frankie’s wedding. Bella took them and emailed them over.’

  I tilted the screen slightly to get a better look. Frankie had been my younger sister Bella’s best friend since well, since forever. The pictures looked amazing and I was so pleased for her. Frankie’s life hadn’t always been easy, but looking at her in the pictures we had been sent, she looked radiant. Her new husband, Alex, couldn’t take his eyes away from her.

  I wanted that!

  ‘Wow, Mum, what a good-looking wedding party, the dresses they’ve chosen are beautiful aren’t they?’

  ‘I know, as soon as I received them I wanted to show you, so I drove over.’ She expelled a small sigh as she stared at the phone in her hand.

  ‘She’s ok, Mum. You have got to let this go. Bella is safe now.’ I rubbed her free hand with my own. She passed over the phone to me as she removed a tissue from her handbag and quickly dabbed at her eyes, being careful not to disturb her make-up.

  ‘I know, but it’s hard to let the feelings of uselessness go, do you understand?’ I gripped her hand tighter with mine to show her I did. ‘As your parents, we would do anything for any one of you, you know that don’t you, Jasmin?’

  ‘You know we all do, Mum.’

  It had been a harrowing few months for our family. My baby sister Bella, an investigative journalist, had returned from living in America to our small part of the world, to go undercover for the police. She had lived through the worst time when she was fifteen, but she had returned a few months back to put it to rest. It had been heart breaking as she had stood in front of our parents and slowly told them the truth of what had happened to her at the hands of an evil, demonic man. I had always known, but it was her secret to tell, not mine. I had respected her choice to not tell them when it had happened ten years before. It broke our hearts to watch as realisation took over our parents’ faces. In not sharing her most painful secret she had unwittingly shut them out. She had wanted to spare them, but actually I think hearing it ten years later had, if possible, been even worse. I was glad my secret had died with my gran, Stan, and a young locum doctor who had eventually moved away to another county.

  We all had our secrets, even our baby brother Jack, although that was just a silent hunch of mine. I had no facts to back up that thought. I looked again at the phone in my hand.

  ‘Oh look.’ I opened the image to study a picture of what I knew to be the love of my sister’s life, Nathan Blackmore, the brother of the groom. My mum and I peered closer.

  ‘He’s just…’ We looked at each other then, tearing our eyes away from the phone and both speaking together. ‘WOW.’ Our girlish giggles filled the tiny garden and sent Coco off into her chase-my-tail routine she knew so well.

  ‘I can see what she sees in him,’ I said, examining the picture again. He wasn’t my type, but he was most definitely hers. He was staring straight at the photographer, through her phone camera lens and further, like he was staring down deep into her soul. I wondered how she was getting on with him. My mum and I knew that she had flown back over, not only for Frankie’s wedding to Alex, but also in the hope she could convince Nathan to give her another chance. I hope she succeeded, after all she had been through she deserved to be happy.

  The pub was a great place to be that evening; a local rock band were playing in the corner. They were generally good enough to pull a large crowd into the place and I had sat with Tom and a few others, grateful for actually finding a seat. Another of our group of friends was working behind the bar and I relaxed into an evening of music and banter.

  ‘So, what can I get everyone?’ Emma questioned, as she managed to extract herself from our small table. A couple of drink requests came in answer and she pushed her way through to the edge of the bar. I watched as Ben, her husband, lifted himself up and see-sawed his body over the wooden bar top to place a kiss on her lips.

  ‘We could have that you know.’ Tom’s voice filtered through my thoughts. I felt his fingertips gently brush over the top of my hand.

  ‘Oh no, Tom change the fucking record mate, please… You know the only guy for Jassy is me.’ Connor interrupted what I had thought was an almost whispered conversation. The rest of the table burst out laughing as Connor was undoubtedly only into guys. I shook my head at them both and waited for Emma to return to our table.

  I loved Tom as a friend, sure we had helped each other out sexually a few times, but I knew without a doubt he wasn’t going to be my
forever. I was the ultimate romantic, I loved to read and knew that was half the problem. I was waiting for something earth shattering to tell me when I had found my soul mate. The band started another song and Emma slipped back into the seat next to me.

  ‘Any news from Bella?’ she shouted to me over the rocking pub.

  ‘Yes, mum showed me some pictures earlier. Frankie’s wedding looked beautiful and Bella looked happy, so keep your fingers crossed for her.’

  ‘She deserves to be happy… I can’t believe what that awful family put her through, did you see their house went on the market a couple of days ago?’ She nodded at me while taking a sip of her drink. A few very select friends knew the truth. I’m sure other people in the surrounding area had their own ideas, but we weren’t as a family going to acknowledge their gossip and questions.

  ‘I didn’t. I can’t tell you how much of a relief that’ll be to the whole family… if you don’t mind though, can we chat about something else?’ I watched as her eyes widened.

  ‘Yeah of course… So, when are you going to do Tom again, you know he’s got it bad for you, don’t you?’

  I almost spat out my mouthful of cider, instead it shot down my nostrils, much to everyone’s glee. Talk about leaving one conversation I didn’t want to take part in and hitting me immediately with another. My reaction caused her to burst out laughing. I loved her, she was always so to the point. I hastily grabbed a tissue and cleaned myself up.

  ‘Wow! You sure know how to squirt, Jassy.’ I heard Connor over the top of the loud music. I shook my head at him as he chuckled away at my distress, lifting another rum and coke up to his lips.

  I felt Emma nudging her elbow against mine.

  ‘Seriously, Jasmin, if he stares at you any more tonight he’s going to burn a hole in the side of your face. It was you that wanted to talk about something else and that’s the first thing that came to the front of my mind.’ She grinned.

  I knew I shouldn’t turn to look, but of course I did so, right at the moment when he was once again staring at me and adjusting the front of his jeans over a very noticeable erection. I raised my eyebrows at him in question as he mouthed over, “It’s for you.”

  I heard Emma burst out laughing next to me. She had obviously followed my gaze.

  ‘I don’t think my husband would be too impressed at you offering me that, Tom.’

  I turned my head towards her and whispered my thanks, as once again she had managed to diffuse a possibly sticky situation, in more ways than one.

  The band finished their set on stage and I got to my feet, grabbing my purse and phone as I did so. I knew I needed to get out of the pub before everyone else. I didn’t want to be left with the Tom situation all by myself. I wasn’t usually such a coward, but this wasn’t the first time my flirting had backfired. I just wasn’t able to cope with it this evening. The cider I had been drinking all night, mixed with the packed pub of young, good-looking, testosterone-filled males, had definitely taken me to a place where an orgasm would be most welcome. There was no way I was going out of the door with Tom. I knew what would happen and I’m sure he did too. I wasn’t sure our “friendship” could take much more.

  When would I learn?

  ‘Bye,’ I shouted out to everyone, in the vicinity of our table.

  I weaved my way expertly through the sea of sweaty bodies. I heard some reciprocated shouts behind me and lifted my arm up in acknowledgment. A large tattooed male arm opened the pub door for me and I ducked underneath.

  ‘Going somewhere, love?’ a deep voice asked.

  ‘Off home thanks, Charlie.’ I had instantly recognised the tattooed arm as one of my younger brother’s mates and smiled my thanks to him. I had heard that he was bare knuckle fighting for a living. I could see why; he had certainly filled out since I had last seen him about a year before. Yeah, he was another fling of mine. But thankfully one that understood the ground rules.

  ‘On your own?’ he questioned.

  ‘Hopefully,’ I answered, just knowing that Tom was making his way ever nearer to me. I heard a deep chuckle leave him.

  ‘Got ya… I can see incoming at 9oclock. I’ll do my fucking best to slow him down and you can get on your way.’ He was staring over the top of the crowded bar.

  ‘Thanks, I appreciate it.’ I smiled up at him.

  ‘Anything for you, love… give me a bell soon, yeah?’ He winked at me and then let the door slam with such a force behind me, I was sure I heard the glass rattle in its frame.

  I hurried the short distance to my cottage and within a minute I was inside with the door closed behind me. I really had to stop, my life was becoming more and more complicated by the week.

  What I didn’t realise at that precise moment was just how right I was.

  Three hours later, the sound of banging on my dilapidated front door reached my ears. Groaning, I turned my body over and buried my slightly hungover head under my feather pillows. It had to be a joke, whoever it was would walk away soon. Coco began to grumble in her basket as the knocking continued and I knew that unless I came out of hiding and tried to placate her, she would soon be raising the roof with her protective barking. I lifted my head away from the mattress and pulled the comforting feathers away from my head. Listening again I realised the knocking had stopped. I forced myself to sit up in bed and glanced down in the dark towards Coco. I could just make her out in the shadows, she was sat up to attention in her bed, whoever it was had obviously not gone away. I swung my legs over the side of my mattress and tip-toed to the window, placing a finger to my lips and shushing Coco as I went. Peering hesitantly through a lace hole in my net curtains I looked down. The figure of a large, suited man was staring straight up at me. He knew I was there, in the darkness our eyes met through the tiny holes. I leapt away in surprise, a feeling of terror and panic ran through my body. I backtracked in my mind, trying to think whether I had locked all my outside doors properly, and my stomach rolled over in horror as I realised I couldn’t remember. I had arrived home so relieved at having got there without company, I didn’t remember dropping the lock into place. I thought hard again, trying to conjure up in my head the resounding thud the lock made when it hit home. I made myself look out of the window again. The face was still staring up at me. The large man in my small front garden was holding up his phone to his ear, I could see the light from the phone shining on his face. He lifted his other hand and pointed at his watch and then his mobile. My mobile began to vibrate on the bedside table, its screen lighting up my room.

  What the hell?

  I lay gently over my covers and picked up the phone in my hand. An unknown number lit up my screen. In a panic at the thought of the stranger at my door, I quickly turned off the phone and refused the call. I knew I had to get downstairs and check my front door before he did. I ran as fast as I could down the narrow stairs with a bounding Coco at my side, her nails unfortunately clicking on the bare stairs either side of the threadbare carpet, announcing our arrival better than if a trumpet had sounded. I reached the bottom of the stairs and lifted my arm towards the old brass knob just as it began to turn. Every hair on my body stood on end and fumbling around in the darkness I pulled an old umbrella out from an equally old umbrella stand. Standing stock still I started to raise it above my head just as my front door opened.

  ‘Just because you live in a small place, your door should still be locked.’ I heard a rich American accent. Even though it sounded warm, I wasn’t letting down my guard that easily. I kept the umbrella raised above my head, my shaking forearms fighting to hold it in place. Moving suddenly, Coco went towards the stranger breaking into my home.

  ‘Coco,’ I called out in fear she’d be hurt. She however was wagging her always friendly body towards the intruder. I watched as he entered my small hallway and squatted his huge body down to her as he rubbed around her ears.

  ‘Jasmin, you can put down your weapon.’ He spoke as he looked up towards where I stood prone over him. A smile crept ac
ross his mouth. ‘I come in peace.’

  ‘Who the hell are you and what the bloody hell do you think you’re doing coming into my home uninvited?’

  He made no move to stand up, but continued rubbing Coco’s ears and she closed her eyes in sheer bliss.

  Bloody traitor of a dog.

  ‘The Blackmores have sent me.’ He stopped caressing my dog and moved himself slightly as he leant his forearm on his bent knee, causing one of his bones to crack and break the silence.

  ‘You can prove that, of course?’

  ‘I can,’ he replied, handing me his passport and a letter. I switched on the hall light and cast my eyes over them quickly, but thoroughly.

  He didn’t need to say any more, I allowed my arms to bring the umbrella down gently to my side. I knew it had to be bad for the Blackmores to be involved.

  I was bundled into the car. I had been awake all of twenty-five minutes. The situation that my baby sister had been involved in, yeah that. Well it seemed that we, as a family, had suddenly been upended and catapulted into it with her, not that we would have ever left her to face her demons by herself. But now, all our lives could possibly be in danger and security guys from the Blackmore family had turned up to whisk us away. My beloved Coco had been taken across the road to my gran’s friend Ivy. Luckily, she was a light sleeper and had answered her door quickly once she realised it was me. She sent me on my way with a wave and her good wishes for a lovely surprise holiday with my boyfriend. Well I had to come up with something and on the spur of the moment my wishful thinking appeared to do the trick. I had time to throw a few bits and pieces into an old tattered holdall, before my intruder, a guy named Brent, placed me in his car. I knew Coco would be well looked after at Ivy’s. I just hoped my family would receive the same care and attention.