Free Hooked By Love by Cate Lockhart Page A

obnoxious manners one more minute.
    ‘What have you done?’ I said to my reflection. ‘Do you realise how royally effed these people are? People who were relying on you?’
    Taking a deep breath, I prepared to face those I’d let down. I had to tell them sooner rather than later, if the call centre hadn’t gossiped already. As I walked into the meeting room, I could cut the atmosphere with a blunt knife. They sat in silent anticipation, their faces full of expectation of something I couldn’t tell them. They were hoping for good news, I think, because when my shoulders slackened, they started shaking their heads ever so slightly.
    ‘Guys, I wish I were jesting, but I’m not. I failed miserably to sway Craig O’Neil and he is more adamant now than ever to sink us,’ I revealed.
    It was as if I’d dropped a bomb on them. Faces sank, so did chins, as they all looked down in defeat.
    ‘But now we have a choice, people,’ I continued. If I thought I felt awful before, it was a hundred times worse now. ‘We can give in and let it go, start looking for other jobs and so on, or we can fight for the centre to get the eviction notice overturned. It’s entirely up to you. Shall we vote?’
    Unanimously, without doubt, they voted to fight it out in the boxing ring.
    ‘We’ll fight,’ Christina said. ‘We believe in you, Amber.’
    I bowed my head in gratitude for their support, but I wasn’t sure if fighting was such a good idea anymore.

Chapter 11
     
    Zack
    I hadn’t seen my uncle so livid since the day of my mum’s funeral, where he’d had words with Uncle Craig. Maybe he’d reached the breaking point like I had.
    I still couldn’t believe the cops had nicked me for drinking a few cans of beer in public. I wasn’t even being a nuisance. Two wannabe ‘filmmakers’ had thought I’d make for an entertaining ‘punch and kick a stranger’ YouTube video, but they’d got more than they’d bargained for when I retaliated. The martial art lessons I used to take with my uncle had paid off. Predictably, I was the one who got collared and accused of being drunk and disorderly for defending myself. What a joke.
    I’d tried to push the experience to the back of my mind by playing my Xbox, but it only worked while I was occupied. Times like now, when I’d had enough of killing zombies, I kept seeing the image of Uncle Josh in my mind when I’d shouted at him about wishing he was dead. I’d regretted it the moment I’d said it, but it’d been too late to take it back. I’d just wanted him to feel my pain, which wasn’t likely. He had no problem funnelling his attention into his work and leaving everything else to the side. It wouldn’t make things right, pretending my mum had never existed. She had and just because he didn’t speak about her, it didn’t mean I’d somehow forget her.
    I laid the Xbox control on the floor beside me and rose to my feet. Maybe it was best if I went away so I wouldn’t be a constant reminder about the unwanted responsibility he’d been left holding.
    Suddenly, a plan came to me. I walked to my door and popped my head into the hallway. Pots and pans clashed from the kitchen below. Good. I could be in and out of my uncle’s office and she’d be none the wiser. I was sure most of the time she only pretended to be busy keeping the house in order so she could spy on me and give my uncle a running commentary of my movements for the day. For the first time in days, I regretted getting suspended for my rudeness toward a teacher.
    I headed down the hallway and pushed the door open to my uncle’s study. The room smelt strongly of his citrus aftershave and for a minute, I thought he might walk in behind me and give me a bollocking for entering his office without asking. Just in case, I glanced behind me and stared into an empty space. Good. Now where has he hidden my passport? I won’t get far without it, if I intend to leave this prison.
    I searched in his desk drawers. Nothing. I