Hollow Hearts (The Harkwright Trilogy)

He spins around and I can’t help the smile that is on my face or the laugh that turns to a gasp as he descends upon me and claims my mouth with his own. He steps between my legs but he doesn’t try to get too close, he’s a perfect gentleman. Even though his mouth is devouring me and I wish it never had to end but I can’t stay in here forever.

“Cole, wait for me and I’ll be yours. I trust you, please don’t hurt me,” I hate that it sounds as though I’m begging but I can’t help it.

“I promise you Luna, I won’t break your trust. I will not hurt you,” he kisses me once more before breaking away, then he helps me to use the crutches, and sends me on my way.

“One last thing, why do you work here?” I ask, before he opens the door and he smiles as he gently shak

es his head.

“That’s a story for another time, I’m here every two months. try to stay safe until I get back,” one last chaste kiss before I’m hobbling away and it feels as though I’m leaving my heart behind.

Daria laid down the law and I’m stuck in my room ‘to rest’ until the masquerade. It’s ridiculous but she doesn’t want me to miss yet another party I swear, being under house arrest is driving me insane this time. I’m missing out on valuable cooking time and I have a presentation to do with Maddox and we still have a few minor details to iron out. It’s ridiculous. It’s only Friday so I still have a whole day to get through, but at least Daria is going to come here to get ready for tomorrow night, so I can’t complain too much. A little sure, but not a lot.

She’s apparently coming round later to have a pamper night, and I haven’t got the heart to tell her no. Hey, who knows it may be fun. I hobble over to my love seat and put my ankle up on a pillow before shoving an ice pack over it. When a knock sounds at my door, I know there’s no way I can make it over there, crutches are evil, just saying. So, I can either ignore the door or tell whoever it is to come in. Daria would have just walked in by now.

“Come in.”

My eyes open wider as someone pushes the door open and it reveals an awkward looking Maddox.

“Hi, I heard about your ankle and I thought you’d be worried about the assignment so I thought we could finish it off together and then I can present it for the both of us in an hour. I’ll make sure the tutor knows it was a joint effort,” he’s rubbing the back of his neck and it just adds to his cute, boy next door charm.

“You are an angel Maddox, I would love that thank you. I am beyond bored,” I say with a light chuckle and he doesn’t waste anymore time on getting everything set up and we get stuck in.

Forty minutes later and we have a completed presentation and a fairly decent business plan for running a bakery which is crazy, I may even use some of it for my own if I ever get to that part.

“I couldn’t have done this without you, thank you Luna.”

“Hey of course, team effort all the way. I will gladly work with you any day,” I say and his returning smile is blinding.

“I’ll leave you to it, but I can stop by later to let you know how it went… if you want?” I wish he had more confidence, because this guy could be amazing, but then again who am I to talk.

“I would love that,” I reply sweetly, tucking my hair behind my ears and completely ignoring the fact I just did it for Maddox.

Even though he has to be my favorite Harkwright because he’s different from all of them and I love it. He makes everything bearable and makes them all appear more human and less untouchable. If he and Cole exist then clearly, I have to stop judging them by their name and more by their actions themselves.

He leaves me to it and I sit watching Netflix for the next couple of hours, reruns of shows I used to watch with Poppy before she was hospitalized. The next time my door goes I don’t even think about shouting out, “come in.”

I have to rub my eyes a few times when Liam walks in and I can’t understand what he’s doing here. We already said our goodbyes so it would be easier, so why is he ruining the plan?

“Hey, can you stop glaring at me already? I heard about what happened and I wanted to make sure you were okay. I also wanted to make sure the story of you landing awkwardly was true, because I’m having a hard time believing it,” he says, marching over and hovering over me.

“Ask Daria, she was there.”

“She was in front with her back to you when it happened, not a reliable source now, is she?” He looks annoyed but it’s not my job to make him happy.

“I landed awkwardly and I am clumsy, just because I tripped over someone’s foot does not automatically make them responsible. So, don’t even bother trying to ask me who it was, because it doesn’t matter. There wasn’t a knife involved so I’m fine with it,” okay, I may be getting more annoyed than I thought I would. This shouldn’t bother me, so why does it?

Probably because more and more people seem to have me in their sights and I don’t know how much longer I can go without garnering a more severe injury. Maybe I should spend some more time in the gym, I already know how to punch and make it count but it wouldn’t hurt to build up my strength. I’m just not sure the gym is the right fit for me. Okay, I need to focus before Liam freaks out too much.

“I’m okay and I’ll still be okay when you leave. I’m a big girl and I can look after myself,” I say, running my hand across his face and I don’t miss the way he leans into my touch.

“What about when the Prince returns, are you ready for that? He seems to have a weird obsession with you,” he points out and I wish people would stop talking about fucking Emmet.

“I can handle him okay, more than likely he’ll come back, see the other girls and forget all about me,” I’m not lying but I don’t believe it. Shit, does that mean I am lying? I shake my head to get myself back on track.

“What if he doesn’t, what if he returns and wants you more than ever?” His tone is so serious, and there’s a strange lilt to it that I can’t quite put my finger on. It reminds me of something or someone, I’m not sure.

“I’m not scared of Emmet, he’s just a person and I told you before I’m not going to judge him on rumors or his name alone. I can’t say that I’m going to like him or anything, but I recently decided that not every Harkwright deserves my animosity. He deserves the same treatment and nothing you can say will change my mind.”