Shauna grew thoughtful. Jeb was still around, always loitering in the shadows – and if Josh didn’t want her, then Jeb certainly did. She thought of Ciaran and Rowan, and what had happened on that long-ago night; and she could never forget Jeb’s threat to Josh, and Connor and Aysha. He’d repeated it often enough.

And since Jeb was still about . . . well, maybe she’d make use of him again, get him to sort out a little something for her.

She went on about her day, plumping cushions and rearranging the pine cones on the mantelpiece. But Shauna didn’t know that there were other things happening, far away, that would soon tear her world apart.

69

69

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

‘Hey, you! Trailer trash!’ yelled Stefan over the noise of Ricky Martin belting out ‘Livin’ La Vida Loca’.

Suki Vance turned. Bastard always called her that, and it stung. That or white trash. Either way, the name-calling hurt. She watched him now, clicking his fingers at her like she was a trained dog, that big grin on his face because he knew she felt that insult deep in her soul. And he loved it. Fat slimy SOB with his hair pulled back in a trendy ponytail and his greasy face wreathed in false smiles as he greeted the customers.

Swallowing the urge to throw a bottle at his head, Suki gave him a questioning look.

‘Do you think you could move it? Only, diner’s open in an hour, and the speed you go, the customers are going to be in here and we’re not going to be ready to serve them, and if we’re not, then I’m going to peel your arse like a grape.’

It was too hot to move fast. But Suki dipped her head and picked up speed, polishing tables, setting the centre pieces and the napkin dispensers straight. A faint hot breeze blew through from the open front door. The back one was kicked wide open and held in place with a stone, and the through-draught was heaven.

Suki’s workmate Felice moved past, polishing, straightening, sending her a brief Jesus, that fucker look of sympathy. Felice reckoned that Stefan’s cheerful persecution of Suki was his heavy-handed notion of flirtation, and that Suki had just better watch herself out the back in the storeroom or he’d pounce.

‘If he pounces, that boy’s gonna get my boot in his balls,’ Suki told her. She might look all soft and fairy-dust blonde, she might shimmy around the place looking dangerously sexy in her lemon-yellow uniform and frilly white apron, but she was no pushover.

‘Jeez, you think he’s got some?’ Felice laughed. Felice was all that kept her sane working in this shit hole. Felice was black and beautiful, and her default setting was happy.