Love in the Dark (LarssonSiblingsSeries#1)

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT - DELILAH

DELILAH

I wait downstairs in the lobby to Edward's apartment complex, staring at the exotic-looking potted plant in the room's corner, trying to ignore the intimidating stare of the security guard. The guy reeks of power, and I would not be the one to push him. Finn, said security guard, informs me it's against the policy of the complex to allow people upstairs if their name is not on a personal list.

Fair enough. Safety first, and all that. But there really is no need for such rudeness. I explained that Edward asked for me to meet him here. I even reeled off his mobile number as evidence, but it wasn't good enough for him. Finn doesn't seem to like me, which makes it harder for him to believe me.

The doors to the glass lift glide open to reveal a rarely chilled out version of Edward, gym ready in his shorts and loose fitting white tee. I have to force my mouth shut when I find it sliding open to wave stupidly in his direction. "Hey there."

He lifts the gym bag further up his shoulder, two gigantic craters for dimples in either sides of his cheeks when he grins at me. "Good Evening. Betty's taking a long nap, so I thought we could go to the gym to give her some peace."

It was a spur-of-the-moment thing last night when I dropped them off back here. I rarely go to the gym, but Betty spoke so enthusiastically about it that their eagerness rubbed off on me and I accepted the invitation willingly.

I regretted it as soon as my bottom struggled its way into the lycra leggings, thinking my sports bra was so old that it was missing a clasp.

"But Betty said she would come with us," I mumble, thinking this definitely seems less like fun now without her. Edward takes the gym very seriously, and I do not.

I seem to test his patience when he runs a hand through his hair to want to guide me towards the door near the shiny receptionist desk. "The poor girl is in bits. She needs her rest."

Feeling majorly insensitive, I screw my face up in a wince. "Right, sorry. I take it she didn't get much sleep last night?" I ask.

"No." He blows out a deep breath, trauma in his eyes. "She suffers from panic attacks. Last night wasn't good for her or me."

I reach out to grab his hand and almost jump at the contact, pulling my hand away to fiddle with the ends of my ponytail. My words are gentle. "I can tell it hurts you."

We step over to the receptionist's desk, where Edward nods at the moody security guy before pulling the door with the label: Garages. Taking the steps to the bottom floor, we face about five thousand square feet of car spaces. There are some fancy cars in here, but when we come to a stop to the area signposted with Edward's name, my mouth falls open.

Edward likes cars, noted. There's a steel grey Mercedes E class with this red box thing attached to the alloy wheels, and a sporty BMW that looks like it belongs on the racetrack. It's quite exciting as I wait to see which car he opens, my heart kicking when the lights to the Mercedes light up. The front light has a strip light running through it that turns an icy blue colour before changing into a bright white, and the stitching on the car mats read AMG when I climb into the passenger's seat.

I wonder if I offended him earlier when talking about his sister, and I don't think he's going to talk to me about Betty until he tells me it's a shit situation for everyone. I know Edward enough not to push him for more information about it, so I sit here quietly, enjoying the ride. This car is insane. It reminds me of a five-star hotel, but on a smaller scale.

Another few minutes of silence and I'm ready to talk. My stomach is turning over with the unknown, having not stepped foot in a gym for quite some years now. My fitness level doesn't exist. "I'm totally dreading the gym, by the way."