When we walk into the kitchen, I’m surprised how modern it is with light-wood cabinets and a massive, kitchen island with stools dotted around it. The appliances all look expensive, too, but my attention is drawn to Harley who is sitting on one of the stools. I watch as he loosens his tie a little and shifts in his seat, almost like he knows I’m looking at him. He is concentrating on his paperwork, so he doesn't notice us come in. I sit on a stool opposite him, and Izzy goes to help Blake with cooking.

Harley slowly looks up, my attention fixated on his dazzling, green eyes. There isn't a touch of any other colour in them, just a pure-light green, and it's fascinating. I always thought Izzy’s eyes were a pretty colour. Apparently, she got that from her father’s side.

"I took your bag up to your room," he tells me after an awkward silence.

"Thanks. I'm still paying rent," I tell him firmly.

"No, you’re not," he replies smoothly, almost like he expected me to say that as he puts his paperwork into his briefcase on the table. 

"I am," I mutter louder, and he gives me an amused look.

"You can try, and I will just send it back to you," he smirks leaning back in his chair. Even when he’s clearly challenging me, he is so damn attractive.

Someone clears their throat behind me, and I turn to see Blake handing me a plate. I accept it and see Izzy with a small smile on her face as she brings some sauces over to us.

"Why don't you offer her that part-time, reception job? That way you both win," Blake offers as he walks to his own seat and holds a chair out for Izzy. That’s sweet.

"Thanks, Blake, but I can still pay rent," I say thinking about it. It’s going to be bad enough being around Harley all the time, and I’m likely going to do something stupid like try and kiss him. Or even worse, blurt out how hot he is.

"That could work. I own a local gym, and two days a week I need a receptionist to help out. I would drive you there until you sort a car out,” Harley says. 

"Alright. That could work around my other job," I say before thinking about it at all. It was like a natural reflex to say yes to him. I mentally sigh and take a bite of the scrambled eggs on toast. Damn, Blake can cook, lucky Izzy.

"What do you do?" Harley asks standing up and putting his briefcase on one of the counters by the door. I can’t take my eyes off him, and I know I need to. Being attracted to my best friend’s brother isn’t a good idea, at the moment. Plus, if my ex follows me here, I need to leave. 

"I'm a book editor, it's a work at home job most of the time. I have a few clients that I'm working with currently," I tell him as he gets a bottle of water from the fridge. 

"Impressive for someone your age," he comments, seeming more interested in looking at me, now.

"It's impressive to own a successful business at your age," I compliment him back because it is. He can’t be much older than I am, and he owns his own business as well as looking after his brothers and sister, from what Izzy has told me. 

"I have to get to the office, hope you settle in well," he says before walking past me. I swear I feel his fingers lightly touching my back as he passes me, but I could be imagining things. Or hoping.

"I’ll be back tonight, Iz. Are you staying over?" Harley asks from the doorway. 

"No, I can't because I have class in the morning, and I can't miss it. I’ll be back tomorrow after class for a few days," she says, turning slightly to wink at me. 

"Alright, Luke and I can keep your guest busy, tonight," Harley sighs, sounding like he would rather be doing anything else. 

"Forget it, I’m tired. I’ll just go to bed early," I say a little too harshly, and I know it’s not really much to do with him but more of my hate of being in this situation. Harley picks up on my tone straight away and smiles. 

"See you tonight, Tilly." With that, he walks out of the room, and we hear the front door shut not long after. Did he not just listen to me?

"You'll like Luke, he has a thing for tattoos, like you," Izzy says around eating her eggs. I remember Izzy telling me that Luke is her younger brother and that the twins, Elliot and Sebastian are only a little older than her.

"I don't have a massive thing for tattoos," I protest.

"You have four, and one is all the way from the top of your back to your bum," she points out, and she is right. That’s my biggest tattoo, and it’s a mixture of small vines and flowers of different colours. It took over a month for them to do, as it’s so detailed. My other tattoos are much smaller, like the one in the middle of my wrist which is a fox, like my last name, Fox. All my siblings have one in the same place, and it only fills me with regret that I couldn’t speak to them before I left. That I couldn’t explain why I need to hide from my ex, their best friend. 

"Well, you have one, too," I whisper knowing some of her brothers don’t know Luke did a tattoo on her ribs a while ago. 

“What’s your real name? As I’m guessing Tilly is a nickname?” Blake asks as we all finish eating.

“I don’t tell people my name, it’s horrible, so it’s Tilly,” I tell him.

“What happens when you get married? Everyone will hear it, then,” he replies, picking up the empty plates and taking them over to the side.

“It’s not that bad anyway,” Izzy says and laughs when I glare at her.

“It’s horrible, and I’m not getting married anytime soon . . . so no one will know,” I say, making them both laugh.

"Anyway, let me show your room," she says.

I stand up and take my empty plate to Blake as he turns the water on. "Okay," I reply as I smile at my oldest friend. I didn’t realise how much I missed her because she has always been more like a sister to me than a friend. I love my brothers, all three of them, and I’ve felt the same kind of love for Izzy.

Izzy leads me up the giant, wooden stairs and to a long corridor. There are quite a few doors and little personality as it’s all paintings of flowers and beaches by the looks of it. I can see another staircase at the end of the corridor, and I wonder what’s on the next floor. Izzy leads me straight to the right and opens a door. The bed is the first thing I see as it's huge and takes up most of the room with its big, wooden frame, and there is a large wardrobe in the one corner. There's a matching wooden box at the end of the bed and a chest of drawers under the window.

"This one has its own bathroom, so that’s why he gave it to you and not a spare room." Izzy opens the door to show me a small en-suite shower room with a toilet. 

"I have to pay rent, now, this room is incredible," I say looking around and seeing the cardboard boxes in the corner with a bed store name on them. The bed must be pretty new. 

"Harley is the most stubborn man I've ever met, but what did you think of him?" Izzy asks me, a slightly calculating look running over her face.

“Handsome, smart, and well, kind to invite me here, but he clearly isn't aware of how stubborn I can be," I say as I cross my arms, and Izzy chuckles.

"I guess not," Izzy laughs coming over and going serious for a second. "You sure you’re okay?" she asks as she pulls me into a tight hug.

"I am, now, that's all that matters," I whisper, and I feel her tense pulling back to look at me.

"Right. Well, I have to get back to my apartment to study, so I’ll see you tomorrow?" she asks.

"Tomorrow," I nod. With another hug, she lets me go and shuts the door behind her. Finally, I let the tears fall not because I'm upset but because I know I'm safe, for now.