I could picture her poking her tongue at me. “Very funny, Evie.”

“Well, seriously, what kind of toys do you think he meant? Mind you, I think Kick could even make playing with a remote control car sexy.”

She sighed. “I think you’re probably right.”

“We’ll have to play another day, though. He rang about half an hour ago and said he’d be busy for a while so he’d see me tomorrow.”

“Bugger. You’ll have to play with BOB instead.”

She spoke the truth. I’d been horny all day imagining amazing sex with Kick, so I’d have to take care of that myself now. “I should video it and send it to him.”

She started coughing and spluttering. “God, you just made me almost choke on my drink. I think that’d be an awesome idea. Serves him right for cancelling on you.”

I put the lid back on the ice cream and placed the tub back in the freezer. Taking hold of my phone again, I began walking to my bedroom. “I was kidding, Maree. Whatever he’s doing obviously needs his attention and if I sent him that, he’d be so distracted.”

“I guess,” she mused, not sounding convinced, “but I’d still send it.”

“That’s cause you’re a bitch and like your men to pay when they don’t make good on promises.”

Laughing, she agreed, “Yeah, I do.”

A noise outside distracted me and caused my heart rate to spike.

Shit, was that someone out there?

“Maree, I think there’s someone outside my house. Can you stay on the phone while I go and check?”

“Fuck . . . yeah, go,” she said, her voice tinged with concern.

“Thanks,” I said as I switched the outside lights on and slid the back door open. I took a tentative step, not seeing or hearing anyone, but that noise had pretty much convinced me someone had been out here.

My back door opened up onto a cemented outside entertainment area that then led to a brick path that took me down the side of my house to the front. I found one of my pot plants had been knocked over, the dirt spilling onto the cement.

Shit.

My breathing picked up and my heart thumped in my chest.

“Can you see anyone?” Maree whispered into the phone.

“No, but someone’s been here because the pot plant is knocked over,” I whispered back, not really sure why the fuck I was whispering when this was my house.

And then I heard my side gate latch, and my heart fell into my stomach.

I wasn’t sure whether to move towards the sound or away from it, but my instincts took over and my legs began walking towards the gate. I switched my phone’s flashlight on and shone it down the side of the house, expecting to come face to face with the intruder any second.

I saw nothing. The gate was shut and the path was clear. I hurried through the gate to the front yard, just in time to hear a squeal of tires and a car speeding off down the street. The car was so far away I couldn’t even work out the make or model.

I switched off the flashlight and put the phone back to my ear to hear Maree screeching at me.

“Shhh,” I said, “he’s gone, and I’m okay.”

“Oh my god, don’t ever do that to me again, Evie! I was asking you if you were okay and you weren’t answering me! Do you have any idea how many grey hairs you just gave me?”

“Sorry, but I needed the flashlight to see.”

“Fuck, so there was someone there?”

I tried to calm down from the fright and get my breathing under control. “Yes, there was definitely someone here.” I’d made it back inside and locked the door behind me, but I was leaving the outside lights on tonight. It probably wouldn’t stop someone intent on getting in, but I felt better having them on.

“Christ, you need to call Kick and get him over to stay with you tonight.”

“No, I don’t want to bug him. And besides, there have been a few break-ins around here lately so it was probably someone trying to get in, and now I’ve scared him off. I doubt he’ll be back. I’ll call the police in the morning,” I said, feeling too exhausted to wait for them to come out tonight. And besides, what could they do anyway? It wasn’t like the cops had the resources to position someone on our street just waiting for a burglar to come by.

“Do you want me to come and stay?” she asked, being the wonderful friend she was.

“No, I’m okay,” I said, “but thanks, babe.”

“Mmmm . . . I’m not convinced I shouldn’t come over.”

“Maree, I have security on the house. I’m locked up tight and no fucker is getting in tonight. I promise, I’m all good.”

She was silent for a few moments and then conceded. “Okay, but you call me the minute you are worried. And I’ll be calling you in the morning to check on you.”

We ended the call, and I crawled into bed.

It was probably a good thing Kick wasn’t here. He’d go all crazy protective, and while I loved his bossy way in the bedroom, I didn’t need him trying to control my every movement.

Chapter Sixteen

Kick

I pocketed the cash we’d just collected for King, and turned to Nitro as we headed towards our bikes. “I like it when jobs are that easy.”

He nodded. “Yeah, makes it a lot fucking easier when they just pay up with no encouragement needed.”

Just as we reached our bikes, my phone rang. King. “What’s up, brother?” I answered it.