Renegade Hearts (Rebels of Sandland 1)

“But one day, I felt her. Sounds crazy I know, but I felt her at the side of me… And her voice… She told me I needed to be strong for my dad and my brothers. I knew it was her, because that’s exactly what she would’ve said if she’d still been alive. So, I put a notice in the garage window to say we were open, but for carwash and valeting only. I was only a kid. I didn’t know how to fix cars then, but I knew how to wash them, and I wanted to do whatever I could to help my dad. Word must’ve gotten around ‘cos a few people showed up and I washed their cars for them. An hour later, I noticed my dad had joined me and was washing right alongside me. My older brother, Liam, he joined us soon after that. The next day, we were open again, business as usual. My dad’s worked twenty-four-seven ever since.”

He came to stand in front of me and stroked my cheek as a silent tear fell down.

“They never leave us, Emily. Ever. Danny will always be with you.”

“I know,” I managed to hiccup. “Thank you.”

Ryan nodded sadly and then motioned down the hallway.

“Is that your room?”

I turned to look at my bedroom door that still had the unicorn plaque with my name on it.

“How did you guess?” I smirked and then my mouth dropped open when he walked past me and headed down the corridor towards my bedroom. “You can’t go in there.”

“Why not? I want to see your room.” The cocky Ryan was back in full force. I couldn’t believe he had the nerve to march over to my door, thinking he could go anywhere he pleased. He had no shame.

He turned the door knob and strode right in, standing in the middle of my room and turning around to take it all in.

Watching him, seeing him standing there, made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. Ryan Hardy was in my room and it felt forbidden but enticing at the same time. How could he do that? Have my heart breaking one minute and flipping over the next. He turned to face me, and I felt like he’d sucked all the air out of the space around me. He wasn’t just standing in my room, he was dominating it. Making everything else fade into the background.

My mum had kept the décor pretty neutral with cream walls and pale pink curtains and bed linen. There was the usual clutter of girlie memorabilia scattered over my shelves. Photos of Liv, Effy and me at high school, alongside those of my family. I felt embarrassed about the number of soft toys I had sitting on my bed and along the window. I was eighteen, but my bedroom made me look like I was twelve. Ryan didn’t seem to mind though. He picked up a beanie baby unicorn from my pillow and squeezed it, then smiled. Not a nasty smile, just a smile. Then he walked over to my dressing table, where my make-up, creams and perfumes were neatly stored. He picked up my perfume bottle, Alien by Thierry Mugler, and he sniffed it, closing his eyes as he did. Was that his way of smelling me? Whatever it was it made my stomach clench.

“You shouldn’t be in here,” I said with zero conviction. In a twisted way, I kind of liked it.

“I think this is exactly where I should be.” He put the perfume bottle down and walked over to where I stood by the door. Then he reached up and brushed a stray hair from my forehead, tucking it behind my ear and making my breath catch in my throat. “I think you’ve been alone for long enough. We both have.”

I was struck dumb. He stepped further into me and I moved backwards. My back was flush against the door jam and my heart was beating so fast I could hear it drumming a steady beat in my ears. He leant down towards me and I froze then melted into him all at the same time. He smelt divine, intoxicating even. Like freshly washed linen on a summer’s day, mixed with a gentle hint of cologne and a scent that was uniquely him. Having him so close did something to me that I’d never felt before in my life. It made me yearn for more. I wanted to be reckless and lose myself in him. In that moment, I wanted everything with him.

He closed the distance between us and his nose grazed the side of mine so delicately it made my heart flutter. Then his lips touched mine in a gentle soft kiss. I didn’t push him away. I couldn’t, even if I tried. I wanted this as much as he did. His lips were warm and tender, and they made me hungry for more. I groaned, and he pressed his body against me, his hands skimming over my jaw as he held me in place and deepened the kiss.

He glided his tongue along my bottom lip and I opened up to him, letting him taste me and explore with his tongue. He tasted just as good as he looked, like sin and sweetness all wrapped in one wickedly ruthless package that I couldn’t help but fall for. This kiss, it was what I’d waited for all these years. He was what I’d waited for.

We stood there at my door, our tongues twisting and stroking, our lips fused together in the most sublime way. I never wanted it to end. Ryan’s bubbles were the ultimate, but this? This was unlike anything I’d ever experienced before. I could feel my body sparking to life, wetness like I’d never known pooling in places that’d usually make me blush, but today, I didn’t want to hold back. I could feel how turned on he was too, as he ground his hips into me and the thickness in his jeans rubbed against me. The kiss turned heavier, faster, more urgent and then…

“What the bloody hell is going on here.”

We jumped apart at the sound of my dad’s booming voice breaking through our joint hypnotic lust-filled haze. I gasped, my eyes darting from Ryan, who was touching his lips like he couldn’t quite believe where they’d been, and then my dad, who looked like he was about to get out the family shotgun, if we actually owned one that is.

“Dad. I thought you were at work,” I said in a breathy voice. The ground opening up to swallow me right about now would’ve been awesome.

“I can see that,” he said, his voice dripping venom. “I came back home because I felt guilty for leaving without saying goodbye to your mother. But that’s beside the point. What the fuck is he doing in your room?” He gl

ared daggers at Ryan and then took a step towards him. “You’re not welcome here. I thought I’d made that clear a long time ago. Stay away from my daughter.”

Ryan smirked and then looked right at me. “Never gonna happen, sir.” He turned to face my dad, looking like he was squaring up for a fight and I knew I had to intervene.

“Ryan’s just leaving. Please, Dad. Don’t make this a big deal.”

Ryan muttered something about it being a big deal, but I grabbed his hand, stalked past my dad and headed for the stairs.

“If I ever see you in my house again I’ll call the police,” Dad bellowed over the bannister.

Ryan just looked back up at him and grinned. “I’d expect nothing less from a man who has half the police force in his back pocket.”

Dad’s face turned a worrying shade of scarlet, but I didn’t want to stay around for the impending fireworks, so I dragged Ryan to the front door and out onto the porch.

“I’m sorry. He’s-”