Tapping my foot against the sidewalk, I glanced down at my phone. It was almost seven in the evening, and the air had turned from misty to bone-chilling foggy in no time.

A shiver rippled through me as the cool breeze brushed past my bare shoulders and down the length of my arms, leaving a trail of gooseflesh in its wake. I was wearing a navy blue off shoulder body-con dress. My favorite one in all of my closet.

I didn’t have a clean jacket, though. Because there was no way in hell I was taking that old abomination of a jacket with me, to the Cole’s. It would be way too embarrassing.

I glanced over at the road again. Empty.

Did Niall forget he had to pick me up? Or did they just decide to leave me out and not inform me?

I scowled at myself and the direction of my thoughts.

Of what I had heard and managed to piece together of the Coles, I knew weren't that petty. Donating at charities, NGO's, animal shelters and all. I mean even if it was for a flash in the newspaper, they were doing something most rich people looked past.

Not to mention their kids(the two I knew) were so well-raised.

My eyes searched for my phone screen again when yesterday's session at Ian's clinic flashed through my head, unbidden. His kind words, those timely glances my way, the way his jaws jumped whenever I got a little witty, the way his gorgeous eyes slightly narrowed whenever looking at me. Like really looking at me. Reaching inside and fishing through every secret I kept hidden from the world. From him.

I shook my head to get rid of the unlikely reveries. He was my doctor. And doctors were nosy as fuck whenever they wanted to know something. That was probably what Ian was doing too. His sex appeal was just the cherry on top.

I busied myself in my phone, scrolling through social media as a few minutes passed, every now and then peeking up and around me. Watching my surrounding. The streets were deserted, other than one or two cars passing by every now and then. And staying alone in a hotel had made me paranoid. Obviously. That was probably why I hadn’t had a good night sleep in over six months. Which was also why I had to get out of that place as soon as possible.

But how was I supposed to move out without any money? And apparently no place around here wanted a college drop out for an employee. I couldn't figure out the logic of that yet.

Distracting me from the disarming thoughts, a slick black car pulled up beside the sidewalk, sneaking up on my highly alert senses. I traced my eyes over the hood, moving up, my eyebrows shot up for the sky when I recognized it.

Holy shit– An r8.

The window of the Audi rolled down on one side and Niall poked his head out, his mouth instantly splitting into an open-mouthed grin.

“Hey feisty pants, waiting for someone?” He winked.

Of course, its him.

I suppressed a chuckle and glanced down at an imaginary watch around my wrist. “Yes. Someone who is already twenty-seven minutes late.”

He opened the car door and stepped out, crossing his hands over the roof and resting his chin over it. He was wearing a plain black t-shirt, and a pair of blue ripped jeans. His brown hair tumbling over his forehead in a typical high-schooler style. Simply charming.

“How about a lift?” he lifted an eyebrow.

I pretended to think about his offer for a moment, then shrugged. “Sure, I could use a ride. Thank you.” I finally let out a snicker, as he jogged to the other side of the car and opened the door for me.

“Please, bless this little space with your divine presence, Miss Adams.” His grin was infectious as he sent another wink my way.

“Oh, I intend on doing just that, Mr. Cole.” I sent him back the wink and slid in, the uneasiness from earlier, now just a vague memory.

I would figure things out soon. Because I was Maeve fucking Adams and figuring out stuff was my thing.

Looking at Niall's beaming smile, I was somehow pumped with new hope. The thought made me smile.

In the next instant, Niall was on the other side, slipping in ever so gracefully. And for a moment, I was distracted by how much he resembled his brother, but was still so different from him.

Ian hardly ever relaxed around me, as if someone was holding a knife at his throat. Quite depressing if I thought of it. It was like I made him uncomfortable, when that was the last thing I wanted to make him.

Niall on the other hand, was as comfortable with me as if I was his long-known friend. Like highschool buddies. He was so easy to get along with. And for some reasons, I liked that about him.

“Ready?” He asked, putting on the seatbelt, as I did the same. I knew why he asked that.

Boys and their toys. They loved to show off.

I offered him a smile. “Always.”

A rising stirred somewhere at the back of the car and Niall smiled ahead, a very satisfied glint shining in his eyes. The engine fired up like a rumble beneath my feet and then purred behind us.

It was my turn to smile.

Christ, it was worth showing off.

As we pulled away, Niall rolled down the windows on either sides and my neatly curled hair blew all over the place. But it didn’t bother me. The chill air was colder than ever now, and I was shivering under the dress. And still somehow, I didn’t want to roll up the windows. I liked the chill of the night. It made everything so perfectly numb after a while.

“Is this your car?” I briefly glanced over at Niall who was chewing the insides of his cheeks, looking distracted.

“Yep.” He flashed me a quick smile.

“Did you buy it?” I collected my hair into a makeshift ponytail and brought it to the other side of the shoulder.

“It’s…a birthday gift.” He scratched his neck, as if embarrassed.

Oh? “Quite an expensive gift.” I teased, as a chuckle left my lips.

Niall glanced over at me, eyes slightly narrowed. “Hey, it’s not what you think. I’m not the spoiled kid of the family.” He grumbled, and I could hear the frown in his voice without even looking at him.

“Aren’t you?”

“Of course not.” He protested. “I work too. I work very hard. Sometimes overtime.”

I turned to him, with an amused grin. His face did hold a frown. “Do you?”

He shot me a glance and narrowed his eyes to thin slits. Then reached down and grabbed the hem of his shirt, before pulling it up to his chest, to display a slick set of chiseled abs and tight abdomen.

My eyebrows arched as he shifted in his seat, pushing his hips forward to flex his abdominal muscles. “I do. A lot.”

Wow…

We both looked at each other. I shook my head, and we both burst into laughter. He let go of his t-shirt and adjusted back in his seat, without taking his eyes off the road.

“Working in a gym is different from working for a living.” I told him, still pretty much smiling. I didn't remember laughing so hard in a while.

Niall shrugged. “It’s the same for me. Considering I own the damn place.”

I turned to him, the smile slowly fading off my face. “You own a gym.”

Another chuckle rumbled out of his chest, color tinting his cheeks. “A few of them.”

A few of them. So, more than one.

Filthy rich, not-so-spoiled brat.

As we arrived at the Cole’s Residence, Niall hopped out again, and opened my door. But I had to take a moment to compose myself before I could utter a word or even breathe properly.

The Cole's villa was the embodiment of luxury and welcoming combined into one enormous, impressive construction. One look at it told me that it probably belonged to people who said “We are comfortable”. With all the white stone exterior and golden light scattering through every window and door, it looked simple, yet eye-pleasing. And not to mention, huge.

I knew nothing about what the Cole couples–Ian and Niall’s parents–did for a living. But whatever they did, it was one hell of a profitable business.

Niall led us over the front porch, then through the front door, and a few people walked our way as soon as we stepped in. None of whom I recognized.

“Oh, my God. Maeve, is that you?” A girl, who was most probably Chloe–the one who was teasing Niall on the phone when he asked me to be his date to some party–came rushing in through the hallway, all blonde curls and wide blue eyes.

Her eyes reminded me of someone.

“You have no idea how excited I was to meet you.” She engulfed me into a big warm hug, taking me completely by surprise. “Gosh, you’re more beautiful than Niall had manage to describe.” She said and pulled back, as I stole a glance at Niall who was gaping at his sister with an Are you kidding me look.

I chuckled. “Thank you for inviting me. Chloe, isn’t it?”

She smiled, nodding her head. Her smile was the widest I could recall from any of the Cole’s so far. And she was beautiful.

Just like her brothers.

“Maeve, it is so good to have you here.” A middle-aged lady stepped forward. She looked like an older version of Chloe, so I could just assume it was Mrs. Cole. “Christina,” She came in for a hug too. “And this is my husband, Nathaniel.” She stepped back as Mr. Cole slid a hand around her shoulder, giving me a welcoming smile, and held out his other hand.

I took his hand. “Pleasure meeting you.”

“Likewise. Thank you for joining us tonight, Maeve. Niall has never brought a girl home before.” He said, clearly teasing Niall, who in return scowled with flushed cheeks. Poor boy seemed to be everyone’s target of amusement tonight.

“He didn’t. I invited Maeve. He just drove her.” Chloe linked her arms into mine and I couldn’t hold back my grin that hung from my lips.

The atmosphere was so warm inside, completely contradicting what I had assumed it would be. They were obviously a lovely family who enjoyed teasing each other and gathered for weekly dinners. It almost painfully made me realize that not all families were fucked up, like my own. They had something mine didn’t and I was yet to find out what.

Though, there was one person missing.

“Please, come in.” Christina led us inside with Mr. Cole beside her, as Niall, Chloe and I followed tailed the couple.

My eyes silently danced around the whole arena. If I thought it was huge from the outside, it was definitely gigantic from the inside. It was bigger than Michael's mansion. But it was not the fascination of the infrastructure that was distracting me constantly. It was the one absence amidst this whole group of people. Something felt incomplete without—

“So, tell me, Maeve. How did you meet, Niall?” Chloe lowered her voice to my ears, but loud enough for Niall to hear.

“At the bar.” I said, even before I could stop myself and bit my tongue right after.

Control, Maeve. Control.

“Eww, what was he doing at a bar?” Chloe made a disgusted face, and Niall cleared his throat behind us.

“We were at the bar. Not just me. Why don’t you ask Miss Fancy Shoes here, what she was doing in a men’s bar?” He scowled, and I kicked my leg a foot higher, to see my shoes which he referred to as fancy.

Chloe chuckled. “Men’s bar is fine, but did it say no-women?”

Niall gaped at us with a look of betrayal thrown my way and an eye roll for her sister, then stormed past us to the front. Chloe laughed, an infectious full-from-the-stomach laughter, and soon I was joining her.

When was the last time I laughed so much in one night?

“He is the youngest, so I get to bully him. It’s the rule among siblings, you know.” She said, with a wink.

I wouldn't know. I didn't have any. Well, not any that I asked for.

As we gathered in the spacious living room, Christina and Nathaniel left for the kitchen, leaving the rest of us at the couch.

“Do you have a sibling, Maeve?” Chloe asked as we sat down on the grand sofa and Niall busied himself on his cell phone.

I hesitated, dropping my purse in my lap, considering between telling her the truth or just saving her the part. I did the prior.

“I do have a step brother.”

Chloe arched both her brows and scooted closer to me on the couch. “Oh, is he as gorgeous as you?”

I internally cringed but kept the smile on my face. Only if she knew. “I guess…” Not.

“Oh, do tell me more.” Her eyes twinkled as she insisted. That made me chuckle, and Niall shot her a warning look.

“Don’t even think, Chloe.” he grumbled.

She glanced at him over her shoulder. “Didn’t ask you, little brother.”

Niall’s brows drew together at the last two word, eyes first narrowing on Chloe, traveling to me, and then somewhere beyond us. For a moment, he squinted, then slowly, a smile spread across his lips. He stood up.

“Then, you might want to ask our big brother.”

Big brother. Something tightened in my stomach.

We both turned around and Chloe made a sound of approval, jumping to her feet, and sprinting to the other end of the room.

But I was frozen.

I couldn’t feel my knees, least stand up on my feet and greet the figure appearing through the doors.

Ian walked in through the foyer, in a black button up and khaki trousers, looking as tense as ever, but utterly breath-taking. His brows pinched together in one of the sexiest frowns.

Wait, what?

He visibly relaxed when Chloe reached up and threw her arms around him. Niall huffed beside me, and plopped down back on the couch, shifting his focus back to his phone.

It was evident who were the closer siblings.

“You’re always on time.” Chloe chimed, pulling away, and leading Ian inside the living room. But as soon as he saw me, his smile disappeared, and the tension returned, this time, on both our faces.

The image of me kissing his cheek in his office brimmed my mind and I immediately looked away, embarrassed. I still had no idea why I had done that. Maybe because he had been so gentle and kind to me. So careful with his words and yet so easy to talk to. Or maybe because I knew after I tried to show him my scars, which was fucking stupid of me, I would never see him again. It was like a goodbye kiss.

But I was able to forget about it, until now, when he was standing right there, reminding me how rough his stubble felt against my lips.

“Ian, this is Maeve. Niall’s friend. And now, mine too.” Chloe pulled him toward the couch and sat down with him. With her sitting in between both of us.

Ian nodded, but didn’t look at me.

“He knows her.” Niall prompted, and came to sit beside me, so that all of us were sitting on the same grand sofa.

“What? How?” Chloe’s eyes switched between me and Ian. Somewhere at the back of my head, I was aware of the fact that I went overboard with that kiss, and that he didn’t want to look at me because of that. The thought clutched at my throat.

I wasn’t even surprised just how perfectly I could offend people without trying.

Niall told Chloe how he met me at the bar, took me home and then Ian drove me back the next morning.

As they spoke, I stole a glance at Ian, while his eyes were set down, on the ground. My eyes ran over the slightest stubble running along his jawline, and I could recall the feel of it again. So rough, yet hardly uncomfortable. And I would kiss it again. Gladly.

Ian might have felt my gaze on him, because he slowly broke his eyes away from wherever it was, and slightly turned his face, just enough to run his eyes up the length of my leg, making my skin ripple with recognition of that stare.

But he still didn’t look at me.

“So, I was the only one who didn’t meet you.” Chloe rolled her eyes, and elbowed Ian in the ribs. He didn’t react, as if very used to it.

"We've only met once, so we're all on the same page." Niall shrugged.

I hoped Niall wasn't talking about Ian too because if he was, that wasn't completely true. We had met more than once. And I had no idea if they knew Ian was my psychiatrist.

Somewhere outside, a car pulled up and all our attentions were drawn, but only Chloe seemed to know who it was, because she tensed beside me. Surely, Ian felt it too, because he turned to the door and asked, “Niall, did you invite someone?”

Niall shook his head. “Nope. Adams?”

"Huh?" I blinked at the door. "No, I didn't." This isn't even my house.

“I did.” Chloe stood up, and soothed out her already neat dress, looking anxious for the first time since we met. “I’ll go get him.”

Him?

As she left —like a wall falling from in between us— Ian’s and my eyes met in an unexpected stare. My breath caught up in my throat, too strongly for any good, as his proximity warmed and crawled against my skin. There was just one hand... well, one Chloe distance between us. And Chloe was a petite blonde.

Ian looked at me, first with a blank stare, which slowly dissolved into a hardened look. The one he was shot at me in his office when he had asked me to "show him" my problem. But this was something more than that. He was looking at me like he was trying to read me...recall me. Remember me. I tensed involuntarily.

I could not look away or stand his blazing stare, so I decided to break the ice.

“Hi.” I breathed out, voice steadier than I thought I could manage.

His jaws tightened, a sight so beautiful I wanted to play it on loop. If I could.

“Hi.”

That was the least friendly hi I had ever received in my entire life, and still, still it was the hottest word I had ever heard from him. Because there was a hidden edge to his voice, something I couldn’t point out.

Oh, something so exciting about the unknown.

Ian fixed me in place with his gaze, and my muscles complied, gluing me to my spot. It was ridiculous, how he wasn’t ready to look at me a few moments back, and now, was staring me to death. And his eyes– Christ, his eyes...

Footsteps echoed from the foyer and I gathered the remaining pieces of my will, finally switching my eyes away from Ian, toward the door.

But as soon as I did, I wished I hadn’t.

My muscles tensed further, and stomach coiled upside down. Even before I could help it, I was standing up from my place. No, bolting up like a spring.

Walking in through the foyer was a nervous Chloe, fiddling with her finger, but not alone. Beside her, he stalked in, like a predator in disguise, and when his eyes met mine, he froze at the living room door.

Michael.