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Ayden's face
turned red with anger. Cora saw the way Ayden clenched his
fists.

“
Great,” she
grinned, speaking quickly to diffuse the situation. “Thanks for
helping.” She pushed Quinn towards the shop door and away from
Ayden.

The door
chimed as she picked up her box. She watched Tommy walk into the
shop.

“
Well, what do
we have here?” Tommy asked as he walked towards them.

She dropped
the box again and looked at Ayden, waiting for him to
blow.

“
Chuffing
Christ! Cora, are we to have all these idiots helping us?” Ayden
snapped.

“
Ayden,” she
hissed, throwing him a warning glare. His comment was plain rude.
Okay, she was pissed with Tommy for their date, and what he’d said
but... hell, but nothing. “Tommy, I'm moving,” she snapped with
little patience.

“
I can see, do
you want a hand?”

“
No!” Ayden
snapped lifting a box and passing it to another Ayden that had
sprung from within him.

“
A think we
huv got it,” Quinn added.

She heard
Ciaran tut behind her.

“
I think we
have it all in hand.” She went to pick up her box again.

“
Cora, I was
wondering, would you like to go out on a date tomorrow
night?”

She stopped
trying to lift the box, again, and looked at Tommy in shock.
Several Ayden’s sighed loudly.

“
No, I think
that... well I will not need a date with you.”

“
Today, sure
no problem, when are you free?”

“
I’m not
free...”

“
You mean
ever?” Tommy stated bluntly, understanding the meaning behind her
words.

“
Yeah, after
the first date, I don’t think a second one will be in order.” She
waited for a reply, but Tommy didn't give one. He rubbed his hand
over his head.

“
Cora, we need
to get going,” Ayden said. His voice was strained as the weight of
the boxes were taking its toll.

“
Yeah.”

“
Well, take
care of yourself, Cora. You have my number if you ever need me.” He
looked at Quinn, nodded to both Ciaran and the several Ayden’s then
left the shop.

How were the
people in the village not going to notice the same person walking
with all the boxes? She hoped Tabitha had cast
something.

Ciaran
followed Tommy out of the door carrying his box. She followed him
as Ayden, the real one, walked alongside her.

“
You picked
the wrong man to ditch,” Ayden grumbled loudly.

“
Sssshhhh,
Ayden . It wasn't your choice to make,” she hissed.

Ayden gave her
a look and walked on ahead of her. She looked at Quinn who smiled
as he carried her box of worldly belongings back to a house her
mother had bought. A house that held too many memories. She wasn’t
entirely sure she could cope with it, but could she manage any
better in the flat with Tabitha and their silence.

30

ROUND
ONE

Jack paced the
living room floor as he listened to Eli and Clay inform him about
Cora and the recent developments.

“
She just
wanted to leave,” Eli explained as he pushed his hand through his
hair and sat heavily onto the sofa.

“
But why? That
came out of nowhere,” Jack said, stuffing his hands into his jeans
pockets.

“
Tabitha just
said that Cora thought it was time to move back in.”

She was moving
on with her life which told him that she wasn’t missing him. Why
would she when she had Quinn running after her?

“
You want to
know what I think?” Ember spoke, breaking the silence.

Jack turned
and looked at Ember. She looked out of place sat in the single
chair with her long hair pulled elegantly into a messy swirl on the
top of her head, like ice cream on top of a cone. She wore white
tight fitting trousers with a teal jumper, highlighting a great
body. I t may be spring, but it was still chilly
outside.

“
I think she
missed you so much that she couldn’t live at the flat anymore.
Things have been bad between Cora and Tabitha, and without you, she
couldn’t cope. It was either miss you, or go home and face the
memories of Laura.”

Jack sighed,
frustrated. He missed her every second of every day, and he
couldn't stand to think of another man being with her. At the
moment that other man was winning.

“
Jack,
perhaps...” Ember began.

“
No. Don't
even think it, let alone say it,” he snapped. Jack knew what the
end of that sentence was, and he refused to think of it. He
couldn't move on. He wouldn't give her up. He would only entertain
that thought if he knew that she didn’t love him.

She loved him.
He knew she did, but he also knew that she was confused by
everything.

“
You know what
you should do, you should go and help her,” Clay
suggested.

“
What?”

“
Yeah, I mean,
Tabitha rang only,” he looked at his watch, “an hour ago. You could
still help her with the move.”

“
But, you
heard what Tabitha said. Both Ciaran and Quinn are helping
her.”

“
Yeah,
and...?” Eli prompted.

“
She won’t
want me there,” Jack answered weakly.

“
How do you
know unless you go and see her?”

Jack continued
pacing the floor. He would love to see her. “This is just messed
up,” he grunted.

“
You're
telling me,” Eli smiled. “Come on, this is the perfect opportunity
to get in her good books and help her.”

“
But Quinn is
there,” he snapped. He bloody hated the man. He was surprised Ayden
had allowed him to help. But Jack knew how stubborn Cora could be.
Ayden probably didn’t have a choice.

“
Push that
thought to one side. Do you want to see her?” Clay
asked.

“
Of course I
do,” he grumbled.

“
Then
go.”

He stopped
pacing and looked at them. Over the past two weeks, they had done
nothing but be there for him, including Ember, and he was touched
by the support.

“
Fine,” he
grumbled.

Eli cheered as
he marched out of the door.

Jack slammed
the gate behind him and stomped down the only road to Cora's house.
He could’ve walked through the training area, but it didn’t feel
right. His heart was pounding as he thought about seeing Cora
again. The ache within him became unbearable. He needed to see her,
feel the softness of her skin as their hands touched. He gnawed his
teeth in frustration.

Jack walked
towards the break in the trees trying to contain the sheer
excitement he was feeling. He could've quite literally flown to
her, knocked the door down and pulled her into his arms forgetting
the last couple of weeks. But how the hell could he get rid of
Quinn? That was the bloody thousand pound question.

He rounded the
corner and walked towards the house. Laura’s battered car was no
longer there, but he assumed Ayden had sold it or scrapped it. The
house still looked the same. The flowers were just starting to
bloom within the window boxes. Ayden had added daffodils that were
peeking out of the top. He stopped in his tracks when he saw Quinn
exit the house.

Jack’s hands
fisted, ready at his sides. Quinn sauntered towards him with a huge
grin on his face. He pushed his anger back, but the urge to punch
him in the face was too hard to control.

“
Whittle, long
time, nae see,” he smirked. “A'm afraid yer are too late tae help.
She is already moved in.”

“
I'm sorry,
what?”

“
A
said-”

“
Still don't
understand what you're saying,” Jack grinned.

“
A said...”
Quinn stopped realising what Jack was doing.

Jack
understood him perfectly, but he just wanted to annoy this little
Scottish shit. It was petty and immature acting like a child, but
Jack had to get his kicks from somewhere.

“
Yer think yer
funny?” Anger flashed in Quinn’s steel blue eyes.

“
A think A am,
wee laddie,” Jack mocked.

Jack saw it
coming, but he didn't move. He wanted to feel it. The fist
connected heavily against his face, he bit his tongue. It felt like
someone had thrown a brick at his face. Jack tasted the metallic
liquid that spilled into his mouth as his head shot to the side.
That was it? He’d received a better blow from Cora.

Jack laughed
and spat the blood on the ground. Quinn growled and reared back,
ready to attack. Jack shifted his footing. Nope, Quinn’d had his
fun. Now it was his turn. With one swift movement, Quinn was in the
air.

“
You think you
can win this game?” he shouted.

“
A huv,” Quinn
smirked.

Jack snarled
and let him go. Quinn flew backwards, hitting the pebbly surface,
hard. He watched as Quinn shook his head and wobbled to his feet.
Quinn brushed his hands down his ripped t-shirt and looked at
Jack.

Quinn charged
at him, but Jack stood his ground. Holding his breath, he waited
for the impact of Quinn’s head to smash into his stomach. He shot
into the air before Quinn hit him. He shifted his position in the
air and landed on Quinn's back. Wrapping his arms around Quinn’s
neck, Jack squeezed.

Quinn wheezed
as Jack used every part of his element to strangle him. The
question was, would he stop? Quinn dropped heavily to his knees.
Before blood vessels exploded in Quinn’s eyes, Jack let him go.
Jack jumped off Quinn’s back and launched his foot into his ribs,
forcing Quinn to roll over. Quinn’s breath was wheezing in and out
as he tried to breathe. Jack booted him again for good
measure.

“
You haven't
won anything. I am onto you, so I suggest that you watch your
back.”Jack turned and flew back to his cottage, making sure he
stuck to the woods as much as possible. He didn’t want anyone to
see him.

He landed on
the porch and marched in through the front door. Eli and Clay
turned their attention from the TV to look at him. Ember had
obviously left them.

“
Shit, what
happened to you?” Eli said as he jumped up off the sofa.

Jack could
only guess the one punch Quinn had got in was a beauty. He didn’t
care. “I had a fight with Quinn.” Jack walked into the kitchen to
get something cold for his throbbing face.

“
Who won?”
Clay asked.

Eli threw Clay
a look that said
now is not the
time
, as Jack placed a bag of frozen peas
on his face.

“
I did. Quinn
won't be breathing right for a while,” Jack said and smiled which
forced him to hiss when his lip split.

“
Did anyone
see?” Eli asked.

“
No,” He
frowned and thought about it. “Actually, thinking about it, surely
someone would have heard us. We weren't exactly quiet about
it.”

“
You know, if
Cora finds out what you've done she will no doubt side with
Quinn.”

“
Yeah, she
probably will. But I won't be telling her, and if Quinn has
anything about him, he won't either.”

Clay smiled
and patted him on the back. “Do you feel better now?”

Jack chuckled,
“I will once we've got rid of him.”

31

THE PHONE
CALL

Ciaran headed
out of Cora's house just as the sun was setting. The shades of pink
created a soft light which was perfect to walk home to. Well, he
wouldn’t call the bed and breakfast home, but it would do whilst he
was here.

Ciaran stuffed
his hands in his pockets and walked towards the main road that
would take him back to the shop. He’d promised Tabitha he would
sort out the stock room, and he didn’t mind doing it after closing
time. Any time was better than the normal working hours and the
tension in the shop.

The sound of
whispering stopped him short as he neared the full spread of trees.
He wasn’t usually a nosey person, but in this instance, he listened
with a keen ear because he knew the voice. The whispering
continued. The person hadn’t heard him approach then. That was
good.

“
Yes, A can
dae that.”

Ciaran edged
closer holding his breath fearing his excited panting would give
him away.

“
A cannae tell
her whit happened.”

A
pause.

Ciaran moved
closer still. How was he meant to understand a conversation when it
was one sided?

“
Alastair,
listen, it is workin’.”

Alastair. He
was on the phone to him? Ciaran’s heart beat accelerated as he
moved closer, putting himself in imminent danger.

“
Jack is
nearly out ov the picture. Trust me-”