Love in the Dark (LarssonSiblingsSeries#1)

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN - EDWARD

EDWARD

There's such a racket going on at the front of the agency that it pulls me from my pile of paperwork. It feels good to stretch my legs from the same position they've been in for the past four hours. But, I'm not so impressed with what I find when I step out of my office door.

Levi turns to me when he hears my shoes on the marble floors. "Shit, bro, you need to see what Delilah is doing over there."

I speed up my steps, clicking my fingers at the receptionist desk. "Shelly, get back to work."

"Sorry," she replies, dipping her head, rushing back over there.

I hired her as a favour to our full-time receptionist to take the weight of the workload off of her, but the set-up isn't working for me.

"What's going on?" I bite out, pushing my way between my younger brothers to get a look at what's got them so amused.

"It looks like Delilah and Poppy are having a party," says Dexter with a shit eating grin.

Is he ever at work?

I catch sight of Poppy with her arse in the air and move closer to see what they're doing. "Are they for real?"

Noah shakes his head. "They're only messing around."

Clara rests her hands on the back of shoulders to slide them so she's draped over him like a cheap scarf. "They're making a show of themselves. Look at the one in the flowery dress. She's definitely overweight. Her arms are jiggling all over the place."

I see a burning fire pit of red. In fact, I'm barely in charge of my emotions when I scowl down at the vile woman with so much distaste that it's alarming. And just as Noah pushes her arms from his neck, I lunge like a lion who's about to miss out on it's prey.

"You need to keep your big mouth shut. You disgust me," I hiss, not believing the tears that collect at the corner of her eyes.

"Noah!" She fake cries and I'm proud of him for brushing her off a second time, even though it looks painful for him to do.

"Why are you even here, Clara?" I reply, seeing Delilah start to use her closed fist as a microphone.

Clara doesn't take too kindly to my tone. "I'm visiting my boyfriend on my lunch break. Is that okay for you?"

Noah winces in my direction. "Babe, he's my brother."

"And I'm your girlfriend." She crosses her arms over her chest rather childishly for someone with adult responsibilities.

Noah looks tired and it sparks something else inside of me. "Yeah, well, you're being hurtful and I don't like it."

It takes me a moment from watching her face turn sour to watching Delilah spank herself. I'm not sure why I lean forward, but I do, getting a front row seat of her body edging forward and back. It's quite the picture.

"Everyone is staring when they walk past the window," I say, ready to gatecrash their little party.

Dexter starts to bang his fist against the window. "That little pervert is filming them!"

Now that's a step too far.

Clara disappears in the direction of Noah's office to grab a handful of jelly sweets from the jar that sits near his computer. He won't be happy about her touching them and I think she knows it. "They'll be all over the internet if they're not careful."

I stride over to Shelly and demand that she hand over the mail that the postman left with us this morning, eying the kid with the mobile phone aimed at the agency as soon as my feet hit the pavement.

"Hey," I roar at the top of my voice, causing him to almost drop the phone. "Delete that right now."

I'll give him credit for the nonchalance as he conveniently pockets the phone. "I don't know what you're talking about, man."

My mind starts running a mile a minute as the anger pumping into my veins is clouding my sense of awareness. I need to be smart. I can't go punching people.

Instead, I clench my hands by my sides and taunt him a little bit. "I saw you. That's fucking creepy. Delete it now. Or, I will."

"It's not like they care!" he splutters when I walk into his personal space. "They were dancing for us all to see!"

The older man who's waiting close by turns away when the kid gets louder, waving his arms in the air for effect. I could shake Delilah. It's important to protect yourself in this world today.

"I'm giving you five seconds," I say, not playing anymore. "Delete it now."

"Fine," he cries as he reaches into his pocket to pull his phone back out. Then he's showing me the screen. "There you go. I deleted it."

Gone.

"Delete it from your recently deleted."

He lets out a rushed laugh. "Are you for real, dude?"

I stay silent, just watching.

"Fine." Once he's done as I ask, he rushes to the end of the line, behind all the people looking at me like I did something wrong.

Not wasting any more time, I sprint across the road and crash into the agency without either of them realising I just crashed the party. My fingers brush the radio that's plugged into the wall near the door, ripping the cord away to drown them in silence and I have to admit that the sounds of Delilah's laugh pulls a reluctant smile from me.

It's heart-wrenching at times.

"The damn postman left your mail with us again."

Lightning pumps through my veins. Hell, I think I actually enjoy the displeased look on Delilah's face. I hold out the bunch of letters tied together with an elastic band and she snatches them from my fingers. It's not always so tense between us—like when she's tipsy and fangirling over my sister.

"It's nice of you for bringing her mail, dickhead," says Poppy and before I get the chance to get confused over her insult Delilah tells her off.

I frown. "I thought we were cool."

She nods. "I could take or leave you."

"Poppy, please," Delilah growls, smudging paint over her cheek when she pushes her hair back.

"You didn't mind me when I was buying all the rounds at the bar." I'm acting like this hurts me and it doesn't. Not one bit.

The desk drawer slams shut. It's so loud that it silences us. Tension is clearly running high when Delilah slides her elbows along the wood to rest her forehead on her arm, ignoring her friend's apology."

"It's fine." Delilah lifts her head to slice me with her tired eyes. "I don't know why the postman keeps leaving my mail with you. I'll sort it."

"I don't like the responsibility of looking after other people's stuff," I reply.

Our eyes lock. I'm going insane and I'm growing hard and it's a little disturbing. My brothers are right about one thing—I need to get laid. I'm confusing shit. Especially when she wets her lips with the tip of her tongue.

I'm still staring at her. "I gotta go."

Is that a twinkle in her eye? Sweet Christ. I don't like this feeling, especially when her gaze is lowered and not on me.

"In a bit, Edward," says Poppy when I struggle to lift my feet out of the place.

"Yeah, bye."