Ada strolled up the dark path to the Braxton house and pushed the door open. She walked through the darkness and put her keys down on the kitchen table.

"What are you doing?" A voice asked from the shadows.

Ada jumped and stepped back.

Kyle sat up on the couch. He readjusted his pillow and rubbed his eyes.

"Sorry." He said. "I didn't mean to scare you."

Ada stiffened. "No, if you'd meant to do that you'd take me out to the desert and try to kill me, right?" She retorted.

Kyle looked away. "I don't expect you to understand." He muttered. He scratched his head with his right hand.

"All or nothing." Ada said, noticing the ink on his forearm.

Kyle nodded. "It was Dad's tattoo."

"Yeah, I remember."

"Look… I'm sorry I didn't know who you were."

Ada moved to lean against the kitchen table. "Don't be. I should be used to Dad disappointing me by now. Him doing it from beyond the grave, it just annoyed me more than I thought it would."

"You all really hate him."

"For good reason."

Kyle digested. "What were you doing?" He asked, nodding towards the door.

"I was just walking, trying to clear my head. It can get a little claustrophobic in here sometimes."

"Yeah, I'm getting that."

"Listen, I know you've got this chip on your shoulder, but you should be glad that Danny was an absentee father. You're the lucky one." She pushed off the table. "But, hey," She added staring him dead in the eye, "If you ever try to hurt one of my brothers again, I'll kill you."

"Oi," Brax emerged from the shadows of the hallway. "You good?"

"Yeah." Ada nodded.

Brax gestured behind him. "Go to bed then, eh?"

Ada shuffled past him.

Brax glared at the back of Kyle's head and then disappeared back down the hallway.


In Angelo's, Ada pulled on her apron as she walked towards the bar.

Marco stood behind it, eyeing the list of reservations.

"Hey." She called.

He glanced up and then turned back to the book. "Yep."

Ada hovered awkwardly.

Brax sauntered into the restaurant with Kyle in tow.

Marco extended his arms in question and moved around the bar. "What the hell is this?"

"You think he's staying on my couch for free?" Brax quipped. "Nah, he's going to work."

"Are you serious?" Ada asked.

"What's it look like?" Brax snapped.

Marco folded his arms. "I'm not working with him."

"You don't have to." Brax nodded towards the doorway. "I've got somewhere else for you to be."

Marco's face remained stern but he moved towards the door, barging past Kyle. "Just stay out of her way." He ordered under his breath.

Kyle stiffened. He clenched his fists, turning his knuckles white. After a moment, he took a breath and relaxed.

Ada scurried towards Brax. "Are you sending him on a job?" She said quietly.

Brax ignored her and busied himself with the place settings.

She persisted. "Do you really think that's a good idea?"

Bra shrugged her off. "It's nothing for you to worry about."

She glared at him. "Surely the coppers are buzzing around us, now Casey's locked up?"

"Ada, just get to work will ya!" Brax yelled. "What am I paying you for?"

She scoffed, turned on her heels and strode away from him.


Ada slammed the tray of glasses down on the bar.

Kyle stood behind it, preparing drinks. "You alright?" He asked.

"Fine." She replied sharply.

Kyle peered around her and eyed a table of leering businessmen in the far corner. "Are they giving you trouble?"

Ada didn't reply.

"You know," he added, "I can take them. It's not a problem."

"Forget it. I've got it."


Ada stretched over the table of leering businessmen, attempting to clear their plates.

She forced a smile. "Was everything okay?"

"It tasted almost as good as you look." The man closest to her said.

Ada ignored his intruding glances. "Any desserts then?"

The man stretched his arm out and grabbed her hand. "That's a cute little outfit you've got on."

She shrugged his hand off and retrieved the rest of the plates.

He ogled her. "A girl like you doesn't belong in a place like this, working minimum wage, you could earn so much more with me."

Ada spun around. "Just the bill then."

The man rose from the table. He reached out and slid a hand onto her behind. "You know you want me to." He whispered.

Ada froze. She pushed his hand away. "Get off me."

"Oi!" Kyle shouted. He rushed over to the table. "You lot need to leave."

"Ah mate." The man cooed. "Relax."

Kyle's skin flushed a hot red. "Get out, before I throw you out."

"I want to talk to your manager."

As if on cue, Brax emerged from the kitchen and sauntered over to the table. "Yeah? You're looking at him."

The man scoffed.

Brax stared him dead in the eye. "You heard him. Get out."

The men hesitated.

"Don't make me ask you again." Brax threatened.

The men gritted their teeth. They threw their napkins down onto the table and strolled out of the restaurant.

As they disappeared from view, Ada walked swiftly into the kitchen. Her eyes glued to the floor.

Brax's gaze landed on Kyle.

"I know." Kyle protested. "I know that they were paying customers and it's not my place-"

"-No, you're right, it's not your place." Brax replied sternly. "But I don't want scum like that in my restaurant."

Kyle gave him a hesitant nod and then shuffled back behind the bar.

Brax took a deep, soulful breath.


Ada and Kyle sat on the bar stools, watching Brax count the night's takings.

"Ad," Brax started, "You can take off, eh? We'll finish up here."

"Honestly, I'm fine." She muttered.

"Yeah, alright. But there's no point three of us staying to close up. Just head home early, eh?"

"Fine." She shrugged and slid of the bar stool.


Ada walked out of the door and pulled on her jacket. She ambled away from the surf club, gazing at the beach covered in darkness.

A hand from the shadows pulled her backwards and pushed her against the brick wall of the surf club.

Ada screamed.

"Sshhh," The business man hushed. "Where are you running of to?"

Ada twisted in his grasp, struggling to get free. "Let go of me."

"You really are beautiful. I think we got off on the wrong foot."

"I swear to god, get the hell off me!" She shouted.

The man smiled. "Fiesty too, eh?"

Ada kneed him between his legs. The man crumpled in on himself, releasing his grip on her. She darted out of the shadows.

"You-!" The man hissed as he lurched towards her.

Ada dodged his grasp.

The door to the surf club swung open. Kyle stepped out with a bin bag swung over his shoulder. He took in the scene in front of him. "Hey!" He bellowed.

The man whipped around.

Kyle charged towards him.

The man shoved Ada towards Kyle, throwing her to the floor, and raced away from the beach.

Kyle reached down and lifted Ada to her feet. "You alright?" He asked.

She nodded, barely able to catch her breath.

Kyle sprinted forwards.

The man clambered into his car. Tyres screeched as he sped away.

Kyle ran his hands through his hair. "Damn it! I can go after him. I'll get Brax."

"No, Kyle!" Ada cried.

He turned back.

"He's gone, alright?" She said. She pulled her jacket around her body and pushed past him. "Look, just leave it."

"Ada." He stared at her.

She took off towards the beach. She threw a glance over her shoulder, "I don't need your help!"


Ada parked her surfboard up against the house.

"Hey?" Brax called from inside the house.

Ada strolled in.

Brax leaned against the table. Kyle sat next to him. Heath lounged on the sofa.

Brax pushed off the table and stood to his feet. "Early morning surf?"

Ada stared at him in confusion. "Yeah? And?"

"Hey, how come you didn't tell me about what happened last night?"

Ada froze for a moment and then glared at Kyle. "Are you kidding me?!" She roared. "What you're a psycho and a snitch, is that it?!"

"I just thought he should know." He replied calmly.

She started towards him. "Maybe you should think about keeping your nose out of other people's business. I swear to God." She hissed.

Heath turned around, watching over the back of the sofa.

Brax moved in her way. "No, hey! Settle down, okay?" He stretched out his hands, blocking her from coming any closer. His eyes checked her over. "Oi, just as long as you're alright?"

She met his stare. "Yeah. I'm fine. It was nothing."

"Righto."

She shook her head, whipped around and stormed out the door to the garden.

The boys took a breath.

"What's her problem?" Kyle asked.

Heath stood up and moved to join him in the kitchen. "Ah, you don't want to get on the wrong side of her mate. She's worse than all of us."

Kyle scoffed. "Yeah, right."

"No, I'm serious. She's always been a loose cannon. Marco's the only one who could ever get through to her." Heath looked to Brax. "Speaking of, where is lover boy?"

Brax shifted. He prodded at his phone. "I don't know."