Between Us

Chapter 3

I pretended to look over the pink azaleas placed against the fence. Whoever had planted these beforehand was a genius! It was the perfect excuse to use. In reality, of course, I was taking glimpses of Jordan from under my lashes. Well, that was what I was doing originally until Jordan turned from his plant-tending and instinct made me duck down like I had been doing something wrong.

My whole body trembled. Why didn't I just pretend to be doing something with the plants like always? Why was I overthinking things all the time?

"Shyla!" A voice called from the inside of my house. My shoulders jerked back and I cowered further so Jordan wouldn't see where I was.

"Y-Yes, mom?"

She was out on the porch, hands on hips. She looked like she was confused as to what I was doing. I would be too, if I saw my daughter on her hands and knees deep in the flower bed. "Make sure you finish doing the dishes."

"I already finished them. I caught up on some extra studying as well before I came out here." My mom glanced around as if there was someone ready to kidnap me right then and there. Certain that there wasn't anyone like that, she let her arms loose by her sides. "Great. I'll see you inside."

My stomach churned. What was it like to be on guard but have to force yourself to loosen up? I couldn't imagine that feeling. After that incident, all I remember is being on guard all the time. There was no time to loosen up. Not until now.

"Hey, when'd you come back from your trip?" I heard Jordan ask in a loud, surprised voice. I turned and poked my head above the fence, peering over it. Please don't let Jordan be looking this way, please, I chanted to myself. I blew out a deep breath when my prayers went answered.

He was talking to my neighbour. As in, the one I thought I was never going to see because no one lived there? Apparently, that was a lie.

My neighbour was only wearing black shorts, leaning against his side of the fence that he shared with Jordan. His olive skin shone like golden sand in the sun, one arm fully covered in tattoos, intricate designs I couldn't properly see from here. I gulped. Even his hand was tatted.

His golden retriever rested by his feet. I couldn't see his face, only that he had curly midnight black hair and a very tone, lean upper back. He was blocking my view of Jordan and what they were saying.

I get that this was a small town, but still, how did everyone in this town know each other?

"Ouch!" I muttered, the leg of my jeans getting caught on what looked like a thorn of the rose bush. "Who even planted these?!"

I gently pulled myself away before peering over again when I gasped, my line of sight being blocked by a chest. A lion, actually. One half of the chest was fully tatooed, the image on his left pectoral being of a roaring lion with lines so specific, it almost looked real. There were Roman numerals and other writing I had no time to make out, but the chest tattoo led to his left arm, heavily inked with all sorts of designs—clockwork and jagged thorns entwined with angels wings further down his forearm.

Even the side of his neck had a tattoo; from where I was, though, I could only make out the outline of an arrow pointing down.

It shocked me into silence, because I trailed the designs to the owner—who happened to be my neighbour currently staring down at me with a dark, dangerous gaze that screamed trouble.

"You want something?" he asked, curved pink lips pulled down into a menacing frown. I screamed and fell back, landing on my butt, sending a pain shooting right through me. Then I caught a good look at the man that had caught me. And if I wasn't already on the floor, I'd have fallen all over again.