Deep (Heavy Hearts Book 2) by Sarah Duncan (reading tree txt) 📕

moment of satisfaction at the smacking noise it makes. He’s up and in my face so fast I barely see him move. Instinctively, I throw a punch, landing it on the side of his slimy face before he locks my wrists in his grip and pulls me flush against him.

“Your sassiness is making me hard. If you don’t want to get fucked, you might want to calm the fuck down!” His voice is low and menacing, reminding me of Mike.

“Get your hands off her!” Muz loosens his grip when he hears Ayden’s voice, but he doesn’t let go. He turns his smirk towards Ayden, who is standing in the driveway with the guys and Rhys all flanking him.

“Finally, I’ve been waiting for you, Aydo. Me and your little piece of arse have just been catching up. Oh, wait.” Muz chuckles, “Not your little piece of arse anymore, is she?”

“I’m here, so let her go.” Ayden steps forward, and my pack, including Rhys, follow suit.

“Take a step closer, and I’ll put my gun to her head,” Muz growls.

Ayden’s eyes widen, and he stops moving. So do the others.

“Jesus Christ!” I spin, the action causing the grip Muz has on me to break. “Stop wasting everyone’s time and cut to the chase.” He falters a little when I push him away from me.

“Lexi, be careful,” Jared growls.

“It’s fine Jar. This idiot isn’t going to shoot me.” I turn back to Muz, “Are you?”

He grins. “Nah. Not today, anyway.” Then he shoots me a wink.

Everyone but Ayden looks confused. He grins, too, like he’s in on our secret.

“She’s been giving you a hard time, hey?” Ayden asks Muz.

“Nothing I couldn’t handle. Sure is feisty, isn’t she?”

They both chuckle. What the?

“Are you two done?” I snap, and Ayden turns serious again.

I’m standing against the workbench between Ayden and Muz. I will not cower behind my friends. No. No way. If something goes down, I’m stepping in front of them!

“Why are you here?” Ayden asks.

“You and I need to have a little chat. Turns out your dad somehow influenced Ringo to cut me off. I need you to get your dad to reverse that, or someone is going to pay.”

“Cut you off how? Like out of the family?” Ayden asks, confused. Everyone stands behind him, quiet and curious.

“More like cut me out of the business,” Muz explains, his lips curling as he says the words.

“But Ringo isn’t in your business,” Ayden states, his blue eyes darting to me every now and then, checking to see if I’m okay.

“No, he isn’t, but the motherfucker has connections, and he got them to cut me off.” Muz takes out his smoke packet and pulls out another cigarette, lighting it and inhaling deep.

“How did my dad get Ringo to do that?” Ayden looks calm right now, but the hunched form of his shoulders tells me he’s anything but.

“Fucked if I know. Probably threatened to go to the police again. It doesn’t matter how he did it. I just need you to get him to undo it.”

“My dad won’t do that.” Ayden frowns, speaking the truth.

“Well, then. I’m going to be your little bitch’s shadow until it’s done. The longer you keep me waiting, the closer I’m going to get.” The threat Muz delivers is real.

“The fuck you will!” Ayden hisses, launching himself towards Muz, but skids to a stop when I step between them.

“Move, Lexi!” Ayden growls, his face turning red in anger. So naturally, I don’t, and I cross my arms over my chest, raising my blonde brow in challenge.

“Really? You’re going to protect him? He put a fucking gun to your head.” Ayden hisses, his pretty face turning red.

“He what?” Rhys speaks up for the first time, anger turning her gaze dark.

“Rhys, it’s fine. He’s too much of a pussy to pull the trigger.” I step aside and turn to Muz again. “Isn’t that right?”

Muz chuckles, shaking his head as he slips his gun back into the band of his jeans.

“Tick-Tock Aydo. Time’s ticking!” And with that final word, he walks away.

Everyone else is silent. Stunned.

I, however, slip my gloves back on and start pounding away at the bag.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Apparently, tonight is ‘let’s all gather together and do our homework at Marcus’s house’ night. I’d kind of thought the guys would back off now that I’m safe with my temporary living arrangements. As usual, I’m wrong.

Ayden’s mum and Marcus’s parents aren’t due home until after 6 tonight, so Rhys and Marcus disappear upstairs as soon as we come in from the garage. Ten guesses as to what they are doing. It’s only 4pm, so they have plenty of time to “study”. Meanwhile, the rest of us cram into the living area to do homework no one cares about. Since the teachers have been emailing me work, I have plenty to do as well. It’s been hard to concentrate, though. Every time I look up, my eyes meet Ayden’s. I don’t think he’s getting any work done either.

I’m about to cut my study session short when Ayden stands up from the couch and takes the three steps across the small space to where I’m sitting cross-legged on the floor. My eyes follow his every movement as he shifts my books aside and sits where they were, bringing him extremely close.

He mimics the way I’m sitting and holds out his phone with his earphones attached. One of my blonde brows shoot up, but he doesn’t speak, just nudges them in my hands.

Sitting face to face like this with him is intimate. He is so close, with only centimetres between our knees. I have no option but to look into his piercing blue eyes, making my face instantly heat. He notices it too. I can tell he’s trying to hide the grin that wants to show itself.

I glance over Ayden’s shoulder to see that Jared is the only one paying us any attention. His eyes are squinted a little, not really a glare but