Free No More Talking: Hearts Are Wild, Book 1 by Rhian Cahill

laughed.
    Zac didn’t get what was funny and a look at Coop didn’t enlighten him. “Why are you laughing?”
    “You call her Red.”
    “Ah, yeah…”
    West laughed harder. “To remind yourself to stay away.”
    Zac jolted. “How the hell do you know that? Did she tell you?”
    West shook his head. “No.” He finally got his humour under control and took a deep breath. “It’s so you.”
    Okay, so West knew him.
    “Which means Kelsey is right.”
    “What?” Zac was lost. “What has Kelsey got to do with it?”
    “You’re in love with my sister.”
    Oh shit. “Ah…” He wasn’t going to deny or confirm. If he was going to acknowledge the emotion he held for Red out loud, it wouldn’t be to her brother before her.
    “You’re a dick, you know that?” West asked.
    Zac didn’t take offense. He figured at this point he was a dick. He was certainly fucked like one.
    “I’m only going to say this once and then you’re on your own.” West walked over to him and clamped a hand on Zac’s shoulder. “Don’t let her get away. Don’t let who her brother is cost you the woman you love.”
    Zac opened his mouth but nothing came out.
    “I know what I’m talking about. Don’t let other people get in the way, Zac.” West squeezed his shoulder before moving past him.
    Coop slapped him on the back. “You should think about who that advice just came from. If anyone knows about letting something go for all the wrong reasons, it’s West.”
    Zac stood frozen in place until the front door banged shut. Jerked out of his thoughts, he spun around to find West and Coop gone.
    He’d known before they arrived that he wasn’t going to walk away from Red. He just hadn’t figured out how he was going to approach her.
    Okay, he hadn’t worked out the best way to grovel.
    He also hadn’t had a clue how to tell West that he was chucking out the friend-code book and going after his little sister. Now he didn’t have to worry about that part of his dilemma.
    The one thing Zac did know was that even if it took every day for the rest of his life, he was going to convince Frederica Mann that she was meant to be his.
    Freddie got off the couch with a sigh and the echo of her doorbell. She’d expected to see West sometime today. His plane had landed a few hours ago, and if she were honest, she was a little surprised he hadn’t shown up before now.
    She unlocked the door without looking through the peephole. Pulling it open as she turned away, she said, “How was your week?”
    “It sucked.”
    Freddie froze.
    Zac.
    She closed her eyes and hoped she could get through the next few minutes without dropping to her knees and begging. Forcing her mouth into a smile, Freddie turned and faced the man who’d walked out with her heart last weekend.
    “Hello, Zac.”
    “Can I come in?”
    Sucking in a deep breath, she nodded. “Suit yourself.” Did her voice wobble a bit? Did it sound like she didn’t care either way?
    “Can we talk?” he asked as he stepped inside and closed the door.
    Freddie laughed. “Talk? I seem to recall you telling me not to on a number of occasions.”
    He flinched.
    Good. At least he felt something.
    “I’ll never tell you to stop talking again.”
    She raised one eyebrow. “I doubt we’ll find ourselves in a position for you to want me to shut up ever again.” Her heart ached. She wanted more than anything for him to tell her to stop talking. Freddie still didn’t have a clue what had happened to make him leave and not call—not come round. She’d never understand his hot-and-cold behaviour.
    “I deserve that.”
    Freddie smiled. He deserved that and more. She just wasn’t sure why he did or why she should give him the cold shoulder.
    Everything inside her wanted to wrap her arms around him and hold him tight.
    No doubt about it. The man had a hold on her but good.
    “Do you want a drink?” she asked as she turned and led the way to the kitchen.
    “No, thanks.”
    So polite. She