Ada moved her breakfast around on her plate with her fork.
Brax opened the door and let Casey in ahead of him. "After you, mate. Home sweet home, eh?"
Ada scrambled to her feet. "Case?"
She ran towards him. He embraced her, lifting her up so high her feet came off the floor.
She sighed with relief. "You're back. You're alright?"
"Yeah." He replied. "I'm alright."
Brax slapped him on the back. "It's good to be home, eh?"
Casey smiled.
Marco tapped on the door. "So, the rumours are true."
Casey's smile turned to a grin. "Mate."
Marco stepped inside and hugged him, patting him hard on the back. "Good to see you."
"Hey," Brax said, "Why don't you boys grab a surf? Me and Ada have got stuff to chat about."
"Alright…" Case said suspiciously. He turned to Marco. "You keen?"
"Yeah, sure. Let's go."
The boys grabbed their boards and ran down the path.
Brax gestured to the kitchen table. Ada took a seat and shifted uncomfortably.
Brax perched on the edge of the sofa. "I paid Jaxson." He said.
"Brax." She sighed. "You didn't have to do that. I would have found a way."
"Nah. It's done now. All of it. It's over." He said sternly. "I know that you get angry and you lash out but it can't happen anymore."
She dodged his gaze. "Okay."
He leaned in. "I'm serious. You can't stuff up like that again. It's not always going to end like this."
"I know."
"If something is going on in your head you better figure it out and sort it because from now on you keep your nose clean. You fall in line. Do you understand me?"
She stayed silent and fiddled with her fingers.
"Eh?" He prompted.
Ada looked at him and swallowed. "Yes."
"Good." He stood to his feet and let out a long, painful sigh. "Ad, all this… I can't do this with you. You're not the boys, you're better than it."
She stared at the table and chewed the edge of her thumb.
Brax lifted his hands behind his head. He threw them back down by his sides. "Just don't do this to me again, alright?"
She gave him a nod.
He grabbed his keys and stalked out the door, slamming the door behind him.
Casey and Marco emerged from the water and waded to the shore. They threw their boards down and dried themselves off with their towels.
"How was that?" Marco grinned.
Casey scoffed. "Mate, you have no idea how much I've missed the water."
"Just another perk of being out of lock up, eh?"
Casey beamed. "Yeah. Hey? What was that all about at the house with Brax and Ad?"
"Ah." Marco threw his towel down and scratched his forehead. "Ad got arrested."
Casey gawked at him. "What?"
"Yeah, she trashed a place in Yabby Creek with Jaxson."
"Has she lost it?" He shouted.
"It's alright. They dropped the charges, but it could've been worse. She got involved on a job that turned sour too."
"Are you kidding?"
"She saved us from lock up but Brax isn't happy she got involved."
Casey shook his head in disbelief. "No, I bet he's not. And things aren't sweet between the two of you?"
"Nah. Not really."
"Because of Jaxson?"
Marco shook his head and kicked at the sand. "Nah. I mean the guy gets under my skin but she swears that there's nothing going on there and I believe her. And I was thinking about it and the trashing of the community centre, that's got an Ada outburst written all over it. I reckon he was dragged along for the ride. I kinda feel sorry for the bloke."
"Then what is it?"
"She wants more. A life without the River Boy drama."
"Ah, you two love rehashing that argument don't you?"
Marco nodded. "Tell me about it. She knows this is my family and she's said before that's she's cool with it, which is what I don't understand! She knows I'd do anything for her. I would do anything to protect her."
Casey tilted his head. "I think that's probably her point."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, you and Ad have always been clear about the big stuff. You always come together when somethings going off. She knows you'd take a bullet for her."
"Yeah?" Marco stared at him, confused.
Casey chuckled. "But what about the little things. The normal stuff."
"Normal doesn't sound like me and Ad."
"Exactly. Look as much as I don't wanna talk about you romancing my sister, I think she probably just wants you to be a boyfriend for once."
Marco listened to him with an eager ear. He shrugged and cracked a smile. "Chicks, eh?"
Casey gave him a playful shove. "C'mon, you can shout me a juice."
Marco smirked and picked up his board.
Ada sat on the bench in the back garden clutching her knees.
Marco opened the back gate and walked tentatively towards her.
"Hey." He said.
She smiled at him. "Hey."
He moved to sit down next to her. "I reckon we've got a lot to talk about, eh?"
"You wanna talk now? Apart from arguing, you've barely said two words to me since you came back from Melbourne."
"Yeah, look, I know." He admitted. "I couldn't get over that you wanted to stay with Jaxson."
She glared at him. "I've already told you that I'm not interested in him!"
"Yeah, I know. But when you came back that night, you just looked so different."
Ada let out a chuckle. "Yeah! It was a wedding, Marco. I wasn't going to rock up in a pair of boardies."
He shrugged. "Yeah, I get it."
She swallowed. "You know taking the package from Brax's room, the arrest – those were both my ideas. Jaxson had nothing to do with the community centre."
"I figured."
"I don't want there to be anymore tension between you two. I'm over it."
"I know. I'm letting it go, I promise."
She gave him a smile of appreciation. "I've tried to text him to say sorry but he hasn't got back to me."
"Just give him some time, he'll come around." He studied her face. "Listen, Kyle told me about what happened at the restaurant, with that business bloke. It bothered you more than you let on, right?"
She met his gaze but didn't say anything. He put his hand on her thigh, just under her tattoo, where the scars were from her attack. They were now just grey, silvery lines that trailed her skin.
"I'm sorry." She admitted, tears springing to her eyes.
He pulled her into his side.
She rested her head on his shoulder.
He planted a kiss on her forehead. "You know I love you." He whispered.
She froze, staring ahead. After a moment, she nestled into him.
Marco's phone beeped and he sifted it out of his pocket. "Ah, it's Brax. I've got go."
She sat up and he stood to his feet. "I'll call you later."
Ada nodded.
Marco walked towards the gate.
"Hey?" Ada called after him.
He swivelled around. "Yeah."
"You know you've never said that to me before, don't you?"
"That I'd call you?"
Ada gave him an annoyed look. "Not that." She said with a sigh.
Marco smirked and shrugged. "Sorry, I'm late."
Marco strolled into Angelo's and moved towards the bar.
Brax stood behind it, loading a tray with drinks.
"Do you need a hand?" Marco offered.
"Nah, I'm alright." He uncorked a bottle of wine and put it onto the tray. "Hey, did you sort out your blue from this morning?"
"Yeah, it's all fine." Marco shuffled his feet. "Look, Brax, I'm sorry about what happened with the deal. You know I'd never knowingly get her involved."
Brax looked at him. "It was her choice, mate. Don't worry about it."
Marco nodded.
"Darryl Braxton?" A woman in a pantsuit and high heels strutted towards the bar, eyeing Brax.
He stared at her, accusingly. "Eh? Who wants to know?"
"Are you the guardian of Ada Braxton?"
Marco looked to Brax with panic in his eyes.
"Yeah." He barked. "What's this about?"
She handed him an envelope. "You've been served." She said with a smile and then strutted out of the restaurant, her heels clacking along the floor.
Brax ripped open the envelope.
"What is it?" Marco asked.
Brax studied the page. "It's the prosecution for Case's case." His eyes scanned the letter. He let out an exasperated sigh and threw the letter down onto the counter. "They're calling Ada to testify against him."
