Free Duality by Heather Atkinson Page A

Jackson Driscoll has asked you to marry him?” said Ryan. “ The Jackson Driscoll?”
    “I know, he must be off his head,” she smiled.
    “Well wonders will never cease.”
    “Thanks a lot,” snapped Jules.
    “I didn’t mean it like that.”
    “It’s okay, my hormones are all over the place. If I’m not throwing up I’m bursting into tears. It’s making me soft.”
    “I find that hard to believe,” smiled Rachel. “Come on, I’ll show you to your room.”
    “Woo-hoo,” exclaimed Jules when Rachel took her arm and led her to the stairs. “Rachel Law is taking me upstairs. This is a great day.”
    Ryan sighed and rolled his eyes, wondering how he was going to get through the next few days. Still, he’d much rather have Jules here getting on his nerves than lying dead in a shallow grave somewhere.
    A meow distracted him from his thoughts. He looked down to see a large ginger cat rubbing his head against his leg. They didn’t have a cat.
    “Urgh,” he said, backing up. “Where did you come from?” He frowned at his leg. “You’ve got fur all over my trousers.”
    The cat didn’t care. He parked his bum on the floor and started to meow. Loudly.
    “Come on you. Out,” said Ryan, gesturing to the door.
    In response the cat lifted his leg and began to lick his backside.
    “Oh no, I’m not having any of that in this house. Out you.”
    The cat ignored him, continuing to wash itself.
    “That’s enough. I said out,” said Ryan, pointing to the door.
    “Who are you talking to?” said Rachel, descending the stairs.
    “This cheeky little bastard,” he said, gesturing to the cat, who stopped licking himself and curled into a ball at Ryan’s feet, preparing for sleep.
    “Awww, he’s lovely,” smiled Rachel, scratching the cat under the chin, who closed his eyes with pleasure.
    “The cat gets more action than I do,” muttered Ryan, folding his arms.
    “Here you go,” she smiled, reaching up to scratch Ryan under the chin.
    “Very amusing. It must have come in with Jules. I’ll get rid of it.”
    “Leave him be, he’s having a sleep and it’s started raining.”
    “So what? He doesn’t belong here.”
    “It’s not Jules’s cat, is it? If it was I’m sure she would have mentioned it but she’s full of surprises so I’ll check.” She moved to the stairs to shout up, “Jules, did you bring a cat with you?”
    Jules jogged down the stairs with a frown. “Sorry, it sounded like you asked me if I’d brought a cat?”
    “I did,” replied Rachel, gesturing to the ginger tom, who had fallen asleep on the floor next to Ryan.
    “No, I’m not a pet person.”
    “Just like Ryan,” said Rachel with an amused smile. “He must have snuck in. I’ll ask around, see if anyone’s lost a cat.”
    “Please do it quickly,” said Ryan, lip curled.
    “What’s wrong with your face?” said Jules. “You live in the countryside in a farmhouse.”
    “Yes but all the animals are outside. That I can cope with.”
    “The mighty Ryan Law intimidated by a cat,” laughed Jules.
    “I am not intimidated but cats defecate where they like, they scratch, they leave fur all over the place and they like to sleep on your bed.”
    “They don’t defecate everywhere,” said Rachel. “Actually they’re very clean.”
    “Yeah,” said Jules. “Get over yourself Ryan. Besides, he’s cute,” she said, bending down to pet the animal, whose eyes sleepily opened. “He’s alright for a cat.”
    Ryan shook his head as Rachel and Jules continued to coo over the cat, who was purring like a tank. He was sure it looked at him and gave him a sly smile.
     
    Katia calmly listened as Jared paced the floor of the large farmhouse the Slatterys were hiding out in deep in the Kent countryside, ranting and raving. Ever since he’d had his arse well and truly kicked by the Maguires and Laws he’d slowly started deteriorating. His blond hair was messy and unkempt, his face sporting a few day’s growth of stubble,