Page 247 of The Heart You Kept

“What?” he asks.

“Why can’t we live together at my house?”

“Because it won’t work.”

“Why not?”

“Because we need more room and your house isn’t suitable for my men. I need a gym and to be close to work in case of an emergency.”

“Ugh.”

“What?” He snaps.

“Are we really going to live on the boat?” I mutter dryly.

“Yacht,” he corrects me. “And a four-hundred-million-euro yacht isn’t good enough for you?” He bites his food off his fork as if annoyed.

“There’s just….” I shrug.

“There’s just what?”

“There’s no dirt here, Edward. How can I have a vegetable garden if there’s no dirt? You know gardening is my first love.”

“I thought I was your first love,” he mutters dryly.

“Yes, but you know what I mean?”

“Hmm.” He keeps chewing with an eye roll.

“What does hmm mean?” I snap, annoyed.

“Alora.” He exhales. “You’re killing me.”

“What, I’m just being honest. This yacht is nice and all, but as a forever home I’m not so sure. I want a kitchen I can cook for us in and I want a garden I can garden in. I want to touch the earth with bare feet whenever I feel like it.”

“Fine.” He bites the food off his fork as if annoyed. “I’ll buy us a new fucking house in Monaco.”

“Good. You do that.” I bite my food off my fork too as I fake annoyance as well. “Make sure it has good soil.”

The car door opens and Philippe smiles down at me. “Good night, Miss Sorenson.”

“Thank you, Philippe.” I climb out of the car. “Good night.” Edward gets out the other side, it’s just after 9 p.m. Edward picked me up from work and then we went and had dinner and are just arriving back to my place. Edward takes my hand in his and we walk up my driveway and I unlock the front door. Edward turns and waves the boys off and they leave us for the night. I flick the lights on and throw my keys down. “You want a cup of tea, babe?” I ask.

“No. I’m dead tired, I’m going to have a shower.” He kisses me before disappearing up the stairs and I turn the kettle on and flick the television on and notice that a book has fallen out of my bookshelves.

Weird…. How did that fall down?

I pick it up and slide it back into its place, make my tea and flop onto the couch to watch the late news. Ugh…. I’m tired.

EDWARD

Alora climbs into bed and I go to the window and look out over the street below. Shrouded in darkness, silent and calm.

There’s an uneasiness surrounding me.

I can’t put my finger on it but something feels off here in her place tonight, there’s a different energy to how it normally feels. I check the windows are locked and close the heavy drapes, then do the same in every room.

I’ll just recheck downstairs to put my mind at ease. I check the second-level windows and pull the drapes and then walk to the ground floor and flick the lights on.