She had to take the subway and change the route a little, ending up in Solihull, where her brother was living. The bell rung only once before the door opened and a pair of muscular long arms wrapped tightly around her.
“Where the heck have you been? I was worried sick when I called you and you didn’t respond. You only sent me a message that said I'm out for a while! What the heck was I supposed to understand from that?!”
That baritone voice was her brother's, Matthew Lincoln. He was a tall man in his late twenties with amazing green eyes and a body figure that many desire. He was also a true mess when it came to clothing which was probably why he had different colored socks with different colored pajamas.
“Sorry, sorry.” She grumbled, patting his back only so he could let her breathe.
He scoffed but did take a few steps back, pulling her after him inside the luxurious apartment.
“Where have you been?” Matt asked again while going to the bar in his open kitchen.
Abby rubbed her neck and chuckled nervously.
“Portobello Beach.”
Matt raised an eyebrow and filled two glasses with scotch before he walked in the living room. He placed one glass in front of her before he sat across his sister.
“Why?” He asked, this time his whole brotherly affection gone. “Well?”
“I witnessed my boss being killed by mafia.” She answered before taking a long sip.
Just like magic, Matt's eyes emptied of any emotion and became stone cold. He narrowed his eyes at his younger sister before finally speaking.
“Why the heck did you run? Stay and fight or at least call the cops." He started coldly, "Look, is that how you want to get into MI6? You need to follow the procedure and-"
“I don’t want to enter MI6 or follow the procedures. I entered the police academy because I wanted to protect people. Guess what? It’s not what I expected! They discriminated me and-“
“You ran! You ran away instead of fighting against them. That’s what you’ve always done, Abby.”
Those words hurt her pride more than she would admit. Even if Matt was right, she didn't want to hear just what a disappointment she was.
Matthew noticed the frown on her face and sighed. He loved her, he did, but she had to take responsibility and act. Seeing her look down at her glass in shame, Matr got up and sat next to her, hugging her tightly with one arm.
“Tell me what happened and where you went.”
That was an order even if it didn’t sound like one. Abby closed her eyes and leaned against him.
"Abby!"
Unlike most people would think after meeting Abigail, her relationship with her siblings was very good. Matt was the big and responsible older brother while Abby was the middle child. then there was another girl, fragile yet joyful and that was-
"Lucy!"
Lucille Lincoln, youngest child in the family, 4 years younger than Matt and 2 years younger than Abigail.
The brunette smiled when she saw her younger sister walking towards her. Lucy hugged her older sister and jumped up and down, her arms still around Abby.
"It's been so long since we last met." The younger woman whined. Indeed, it has been.
While Abby and Matt were pretty busy and secretive, Lucy was a student majoring in fashion design and she had time for fun and friends.
They met in front of a shopping center, much to Lucy's pleasure.
"So, Matt told me you got into trouble again but he wasn't specific. So what happened?" Lucy asked while looking through the rafts.
Her eyes were on the clothes but her attention was fully on Abby.
"I didn't leave that market job in time and witnessed something bad." The brunette responded nonchalantly.
Lucy raised an eyebrow and took a dress out to look at closely.
"And?"
Abby shrugged, confused what her sister wanted to know.
"And what?"
Lucy glanced at her from the corner of her eye and smirked.
"Matt told me you went to Portobello Beach but you don't know how to drive so how did you get there so fast?"
Abby froze. Her sister was asking all the good questions.
"I managed."
Lucy put the dress back and turned to her sister.
"But wasn't that hard? You went there all alone. Where did you stay and what did you eat? Did you even have money on you?"
Abby sighed and gave up.
"Fine. I wasn't alone. I was with a former colleague and he had money. We found a job in a bar and stayed upstairs in a love hotel." Lucy was on the verge of saying something embarrassing when Abby stopped her, "Let's talk about this later."
"You have a lot to tell me, Abby."
Of course she had. Their relationship used to be pretty tight until Abigail officially became an officer.
And surprisingly enough, Abby did tell Lucy everything. They ended up in a fancy restaurant because Lucy was still living with their parents and had enough money to throw around.
"So you and this guy lived and worked in the same place for a week and a half and nothing happened between you two." Lucy started seriously, "Bullocks."
"Nothing happened. Actually, I pretty much behaved like a weirdo for the whole time."
Lucy tilted her head to the side and blinked sheepishly.
"A weirdo? Are you acting suspiciously again? Did you have a gun on you and-"
Abby chuckled and grabbed her glass of wine.
"No. Nothing of that sort." She answered, feeling really good with a glass of wine near.
Lucy scoffed and leaned over the table.
"But he didn't meet the real Abigail."
The older woman raised an eyebrow and leaned back, folding her arms in front of her chest.
"And who is the real Abigail?"
"She is fun and really nice. She keeps her calm in emergencies and never takes abrupt decisions. She's like that."
Abigail shook her head.
"No. She was like that. Once you get thrown around and people see you as nothing but a nuisance, you realize you have to change."
Lucy's eyes fell on her plate.
"Is that why you ran away from home?"
"No. I ran away because dad didn't believe me when I told him how bad the officers were treating me. He believed them and looked down on me."
Lucy sighed and she started to play with her food, her appetite gone. The atmosphere became a little awkward.
"So, was this guy handsome?"
Abby's frown changed into a melancholic expression.
"Yes, he was. He was handsome and smart. It was fun to mess with him." Abby said bemusedly.
It really was interesting how Evan could act like a douche with a single sentence spoken by her. But she had to recognize she did act foolishly just to see his reactions.
Lucy's eyes softened at the sight of Abby's smile.
"You liked him." The younger sister claimed, already sure of her words.
"A little, yes. But he had someone special already and I was nothing but some random and weird girl." Her smile cracked while saying that but she didn't let it show. She did miss those crazy days.
After dinner, Lucy called her boyfriend and she went back home. She asked Abby if she wanted a ride to Matt's apartment but she denied.
Instead, she started to walk back towards her own small apartment. The way seemed shorter and more pitiful for some reason.
She stopped when she got in front of the store, now slightly different than how she remembered it. It was still running but it had a different boss and different workers. Abby sighed and placed her hands in her jacket's pockets, getting a bit cold.
The brunette was there for a short time when she narrowed her eyes at what was unfolding before her eyes. One of the workers looked strangely familiar and two other men entered from the back. All of them had flashy suits and slicked back hairstyles. There was one girl at the counter and another one arranging bottles of juice in the refrigerator. Their eyes landed on the girl working peacefully at the counter. One of the men walked towards her and snatched a box of gum before opening it and taking a piece in his mouth. He munched on it for a few seconds before he hopped on the counter, right in front of the victim. With his broad back blocking her view, Abby thought she might have to enter but someone grasped her shoulder. Out of reflex, the brunette grabbed his arm and turned it upside down making the culprit whine.
When she looked better at his face, she gasped.
"Evan?"
He groaned and fell on his knees.
“I’m sorry.”
They moved in a local pub and asked for something to drink. For the whole time, Abby couldn’t help but snicker.
“Where did that force come from?”
She shrugged. Evan moved closer to her and inspected her thoroughly.
“You look different.” He stated out of nowhere.
Once the alcohol arrived and they started to drink, he had second thoughts. She was drinking the shots like it was water and even drank two bottles on her own. The problem was that she looked completely fine.
“Are you even human?”
The bartender in Portobello asked her the same thing.
“Have you kept in touch with Scott and the others?” She asked now that she thought about it.
“Not really. Did you?”
Unfortunately, she forgot to ask for their numbers or e-mail addresses.
“Well, it was interesting while it lasted but everything was going to end eventually. We knew that.” Evan explained, feeling no regrets for what he had done while working at that suspicious location.
Abigail nodded with a soft smile on her face. She didn’t regret anything either but she started to think that maybe Lucy was right and she should have shown at least a bit of her true personality.
“How are you? Everything’s alright with your family and friends?” Abby asked, just making sure he was safe.
But Evan was surprised she asked that in the first place instead of telling him some crazy story of her own. He raised an eyebrow and leaned his head against his hand.
“Yes. Everything came back to normal. My family is safe and so are my friends. What about yours?”
“They’re fine.” She answered nonchalantly,”Nothing unusual happened. Everything is back to normal.” They nodded to each other and sighed. “How is school?” She added when she remembered he was still not done with it.
“Good. I’m applying for a job right now.”
“Really. Where?”
He rubbed the back of his neck and shifted awkwardly.
“An IT company. I might even get into MI6 if I impress my boss.” He chuckled like it was a really amusing thing but it wasn’t amusing for her.
“Oh.”
That simple conjunction changed the atmosphere completely into awkwardness. Everything about their discussion was lame. Evan didn’t remember Abby as being so uncomfortable. She did some embarrassing things and didn’t care at all about her image but the atmosphere between them wasn’t uncomfortable; not even after they kissed.
“Are you sure you’re alright? I didn’t expect you to be so normal after what happened.”
In his mind, Evan thought that she got a trauma after what happened with the mafia and Portobello. She laughed and brushed it off.
“No. I’m fine. I’m just tired. I went shopping with my younger sister.”
That quirked his interest immediately. It was mostly because he never asked her anything about her private life.
“Yes. I have a younger sister and we’re surprisingly close.” Abby added seeing his surprised expression.
“I have a younger brother too.” Evan started softly, “I’m trying to keep him out of trouble but he seems to find it everywhere.”
“I know how that feels. Probably, that’s how my older brother feels too.”
Evan laughed, finding yet another detail about her personal life.
“You have a younger sister and an older brother. Somehow, that surprises me.”
“Did you think I come from an orphanage or something?”
He nodded bluntly which made her laugh loudly.
“What are they doing?” Evan asked curiously.
She hummed and rubbed her hands together.
“My brother works for the secret services and my sister is majoring in fashion design.”
Evan was quite impressed actually.
“Didn’t expect that, did you?” It was quite ironic actually, “I bet you won’t guess what I majored in.” She taunted him, leaning back and folding her arms in front of her chest.
Evan smirked and accepted her challenge.
After two hours and five bottles of beer, Evan was wasted. She was only dizzy, thanks to her strong resistance.
“Doctor?” He said every possible job except the right one, “Then, management?” Evan asked but the answer was a shrug, “Ok, I give up. You tell me.”
Abby chuckled and leaned over the table, getting so close to his face that she could smell the alcohol.
“I,” She started, pointing at her face, “Went to the Police Academy.”
He remained dumbstruck; his smile dropped suddenly and he stared at her like she was stupid.
“What? Are you serious?” He really couldn’t believe it, not even in his drunken state,. “That’s unexpected.” He admitted.
“Why’s that? Because I have free will and don’t care what people think about me?”
He waved her off, a bit unsteady and surprisingly enjoyable for her before he actually pointed a finger at the brunette.
“You finished the training for a police officer.” The boy repeated, still hard to digest, “You, who danced around a pole and peed behind me. Ha!” He snorted and narrowed his eyes at her.
“Says the specialist in IT who looks nothing like a geek.”
Evan scoffed and almost fell over.
“I’m not a geek. Just because I’m smart doesn’t make me a geek. Besides, geeks are really nice. They created all these technology that you buy and use every day. Geeks control this world from the shadows.”
She watched him talk bemusedly. He was probably right in some way but the way he was spitting it out was funny.
Suddenly, his phone rang. With hard movements, he took it from his back pocket and responded.
“I see you have a reunion. How nice.”
Evan raised an eyebrow, confused who he was talking to since the caller ID was unknown.
“Who’s this?”
Abby leaned closer to be able to hear at least the voice of who was on the other side but she couldn’t.
“Now, now. Evan Graham, did you really forget about me? Should I remind you who I am?” Suddenly, the caller moved around and told something to someone else. “Evan?!”
Evan woke up from his drunken state instantly.
“My brother.”
“I told you we’ll keep in touch. It’s been a while but don’t think I forgot about you. I see Abigail Lincoln is there as well. Perfect.”
Evan got on his feet and looked around the place.
“What?” Abby asked, getting all worried because of him.
“They’re here. Those guys.”
Abby jolted off her seat and followed his example. She noticed two guys outside the place, watching them from a faire distance. It didn’t look necessarily suspicious but she could feel it. She knew it was them mostly because she had seen those two in the market a few hours earlier.
“I have your brother, Evan. Do you want to hear his voice?”
Evan froze and his whole face paled compared to how red and happy was before. Abby glanced warily at the two thugs and caught sight of them smirking. They were enjoying threatening them from afar.
“When? That’s impossible! My brother is safe, at home.”
The boss laughed loudly. He called someone over and Evan’s breath stopped for a moment.
“Evan! It’s me! I don’t know what’s going on. I was going to school and then-”
“That’s enough. Now you believe me?” The boss asked, already imagining Evan nod, “You have nothing to give me but I want you to do something for me.”
“What?”
Evan couldn’t see the man but he could hear him grab something off what was possibly a table and lit up a cigarette.
“I want you to get my son out of prison. Yes, look at Miss Lincoln. She will be more than helpful.” That was everything he said before he hung up.
Evan Graham was in deep trouble and it seemed the only person he could turn to and ask for help was the girl that peed behind him and pole danced in a love hotel.933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ09nu0KQN03
