My Lost Hero (Angels of War Series #1) REWRITING 2024

Chapter Three

I picked up my scrunched up trousers that were sitting on the chair in the corner of the room. "I could eat something. You?"

I ended up whisking a quick breakfast of eggs on toast for us before Matt dropped me off at my flat on his way to the dentist. And as I hung my keys up near the door and walked across the living space, I heard Joshua call through to me from his bedroom.

His voice stopped me mid-stride as he repeated himself. "Is that you, Tabitha?"

I cleared my throat. "Yeah, it's me."

In the same clothes as yesterday, he appeared through his bedroom door, giving me a quick smile. "I worried about you last night."

It's a frustrated smile, and it doesn't meet his eyes for long. But that smile seems to be all it takes to trap the small amount of air in my throat.

As casually as possible, I smiled back at him and sat down on the couch to pick up the television remote, still struggling to breathe.

"I stayed at Matt's place, because I thought you could use the space. Megan said that she told you where I was," I replied, dumping my handbag next to me.

"She did." His voice was as tight as his body, and when our eyes matched again, there was something dark and powerful in them. "I still worried, though. After the park."

I nodded.

An uneasy expression took over his face. "Is Matt the guy you left with yesterday?"

I nodded once more.

"Is he your boyfriend?"

Was it any of his business?

"No, he's not my boyfriend," I replied, picking up on the relief in his eyes.

He reached up to scratch his head, showing off the huge scar that runs from the top of his bicep to his wrist knuckle. "I see."

It was awkward then, with us both standing around and staring at random objects in the room. The magazines that sat near the couch needed moving, so I got up and used tidying them as an excuse to get away from the restless energy.

Joshua choosing that moment to help by walking over to the armchair to re-fluff the cushions and tidy the knitted throw that was already in the perfect position.

"Do you enjoy working at the library?" he asked in small talk.

I turned towards him. "I've worked there since I was seventeen, so it feels like I could never leave."

"Seven years in the same job? That's some good going," he replied and held his hand out for me to pass the empty biscuit packet I found stuffed down the back of the settee.

That was Megan's favourite trick.

"The owners are more like family to me, and working with Markus is so much fun. I know that it probably sounds lame, but I wouldn't change a thing about my job," I replied.

"It's not lame." He shook his head at me, eyes growing soft. "It's nice to do something you love. It's rare these days. It's heartbreaking when I think of the number of recruits who regret their decision to join when they realise how hard it is to let go of your freedom."

I nodded. "I can only imagine. You said yourself that you struggled to be there."

"Yeah." He motioned at me with his gigantic hands, then dropped them to his sides with urgent action. "It's why I find your love for your job completely refreshing."

He couldn't possibly be comparing the two? "Our situations are completely different. It's ridiculous to compare them."

"Not really. Every job counts. I mean, look at Meg's, she quite literally saves lives, and you? Well, hear me out here, but I served the nation, right? Well, effectively, so do you," he added.