Silent Scars (Surviving #4) Read Online Free PDF Page B

to secure. She will be happier in her own space, and it will be fewer disturbances to your daily lives. Don’t let what happened destroy what you have. Don’t give him that power.”
    The doctor’s shoulders slumped as he released a weary breath. “I just don’t want anything to happen to her. I know she’s a grown woman, but to her mum and I, she will always be our little girl.”
    “Dad.” Aloura choked as she walked over to him, throwing her arms around his waist and burying her face against his chest.
    When they pulled apart, Aloura faced me. “I want to live in my own home. Hercules will be happier there too.”
    “Hercules?”
    “My dog. He’s unsettled down here; the cats bully him.”
    I frowned, picturing a giant dog being chased around by cats. What the hell?
    “Well, why don’t you take Ryan and show him around, and Will and I can discuss the contracts?” He turned to head over to Will.
    “Okay. And Dad...”
    “Yeah.”
    “No touchy feely.” She cupped her mouth and whisper shouted so we could still hear. Her dad turned a deep shade of pink and swatted at her backside with the newspaper. Will and I howled with laughter.
    “I’m so sorry,” her dad said, mortified.
    “Not a problem. Besides he’s the suit...I’m the good looking muscle.”
    Graham coughed out a laugh, Will jokingly grumbled an insult, and Aloura stood rooted to the spot, staring wide eyed at me. I had no idea what she was thinking until her eyes slowly tracked down my body, and her cheeks reddened.
    The same thing most women thought, until they knew the real me.
     

 
    We wandered out of the house. The warm summer breeze wasn’t doing a thing to cool down my heated flesh. My cheeks were on fire; what the hell was I thinking staring at him like that? And getting caught. I slapped my hand against my forehead and grumbled.
    “You okay?”
    I spun around to face him.
    “I – er – I forgot Hercules. Two secs and I’ll be back.” Needing time to gather my thoughts I headed back into the house. My pooch was a welcome excuse to get some space, but I needed to get it together. I couldn’t have this guy living with me and me treating him like some piece of meat. I whistled loudly and waited. When I heard nothing, I whistled again. Scampering of claws hitting the wooden floors made me smile. I knew the little rogue had been sleeping on Dad’s bed again. When his happy face came into view, he was running at full pelt towards me. I laughed and crouched, ready to intercept. But he scrambled past me and flew out the door. “What the hell,” Ryan’s voice boomed. He looked down at my Yorkshire terrier jumping up at his leg, his little tongue flopping out of his mouth.
    “Ryan, meet Hercules. Hercules meet Ryan.”
    “That is a dog?” he said incredulously.
    “What do you mean?” I squatted down and called to Hercules, but he refused to leave our guest alone.
    “It’s a rat with hair,” he huffed.
    I glared up at him over the top of my glasses in reply.
    “You little shit,” Ryan shouted and jumped back. I glanced down, and laughter burst from my throat. I covered my mouth when I caught the furious look on Ryan’s face.
    “You offended his manliness.”
    “So he peed on my foot?”
    I bit down on my bottom lip, trying so hard to suppress my smile. I bobbed my head. The effort to restrain my laughter was so difficult I couldn’t hold it any longer, and a huge grin spread across my face. Hercules snorted his disgust and chased a pigeon from the lawn.
    “I'm sorry,” I uttered.
    “Yeah, you look it,” he snapped. His harsh tone killed my amusement. My grin slipped from my face, replaced by a chastised blush. I cleared my throat and pushed my glasses up my nose. I stood and motioned down to the lawn, uttering a quiet apology.
    I hopped down the three stone steps onto the soft lawn; it was a lush green this time of year. The gardener had recently trimmed all the sculptured Hebe bushes so everything looked so