Trusting the Enemy Next Door

By Elle Fielding

An enemies-to-lovers romance...

 

Four months ago, Adam Granger convinced me I needed to leave the country. Now my life is crumbling around me, and I've been fired from my job. With nowhere else to go, I head home, hoping to hide away until the storm of public disapproval blows over. Instead of finding refuge, however, I discover Adam is my new neighbour. Worse still, the hot-shot radio personality wants to interview me. But how can I trust the man who called me painfully unattractive beneath my glossy surface? Does he really intend to help the public understand my side of things, or will he shatter my trust and leave my career and heart in pieces?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Elle Fielding
• Release date: Sep 6, 2022
• ISBN: 9780645585803

Elle Fielding

Elle Fielding is a true-blue Aussie who's as passionate about romance as Melbourne is about its four-seasons-in-one-day weather. Her love affair with romance novels started in her teens, fuelled by a steady diet of Dolly Fiction, Love Stories, Loveswept, and those irresistible Harlequin Mills & Boon tales. With a diary full of her own unrequited crushes, Elle figured it was high time to start creating some love stories of her own. Elle's first crack at writing romance was, let's just say, a learning curve. But she's been honing her skills, swapping out personal misadventures for the sweeping world of fiction. She's now living the dream, writing her own romance novels and loving every minute of it. When she's not busy writing or getting lost in a good book (or audiobook), Elle's living her own fairy tale on the Mornington Peninsula with her very own Mr. Perfect. For Elle, life's all about capturing those happily-ever-afters, both in her stories and beyond the pages.

Book preview

Chapter 1

Jess

Thou shalt not covet thy best friend's boyfriend.

I never had a problem following that rule until I met Logan Jacobs. Now, it's a rule I can't stop breaking.

Take right now, for instance. I'm dancing with Logan in a packed nightclub. It should be an innocent dance, one to make the creep who keeps hitting on me back off. And it is innocent—from Logan's side. But from mine? My heart races every time our eyes meet. I enjoy the feel of his hands on my hips too much. Then there's the heat that stirs low in my belly every time I imagine pressing my body against his.

I'm attracted to Logan, and I've never felt worse about anything in my life.

Logan looks over my shoulder and smiles. I don't need to turn around to know that he's smiling at my best friend. Not only is Logan gorgeous—a blond Adonis in the flesh—but he's also smart. Smart enough to know that my best friend in the entire world is the complete package. At last, Kristy found one of the good guys. And I think that's what I like most about Logan; the way he treats my friend. The way he adores her.

I keep smiling and dancing with Logan, waiting for Kristy to join us, but I stop moving as soon as she walks up to us and I see the expression on her face. She's staring at Logan and me as though we've just ripped out her heart.

Kristy! I take my hands off Logan and step away from him. Logan said you were looking for me. Sorry, I was dancing with some douche who couldn't keep his hands to himself. When I saw Logan, I asked him to dance with me so the guy would leave me alone. I hope you don't mind.

Without any encouragement or provocation on my part, her past two boyfriends both made a pass at me, so perhaps I should have anticipated her reaction. But she should trust me. Even if I have feelings for Logan, and I was just fantasising about him, I would never let anything happen between him and me. He could be the last man on earth, and I'd never touch him. Not when my friendship with Kristy is at stake. I value her friendship above everything else. She's the only person who matters to me, and she should know that.

After a moment, Kristy breathes a sigh and nods. Thank God. She remembers I'm on her side—that she's my rock and I'm hers. At least, I used to be her rock. Now, I suspect that honour is Logan's.

It's fine, she says, putting her hand on my arm to reassure me. But are you okay? I saw Alfie dancing with someone else.

I tear my eyes away from her to look at Alfie. My ex-fiancé as of tonight. Not that Kristy knows his new status in my life just yet. Our breakup happened half an hour after we arrived at the club.

Watching Alfie dancing with a girl in a too-tight skirt and top, his hands roaming over her hips, butt, and thighs, I wish I felt something more than a brief stab of disappointment. Unfortunately, my feelings for Alfie—like every man I've dated before him—are apathetic at best.

Did I want to believe it could be different with Alfie? That I could let myself go and surrender to the madness of falling in love? Yes, but only because, for a short time, I thought we might be having a baby together. Before the plane had even touched down in Melbourne, I knew him leaving Italy to come home with me had been a mistake. I should have told him then that I'd changed my mind about our relationship, but I was weak. And then he kept me company while Kristy spent time with Logan.

I lift a shoulder and smile at Kristy, showing her I'm not hurt. Easy come, easy go. He's free to play.

Her warm blue eyes are full of concern and confusion. But, Jess, you're engaged!

Don't worry about it, K. Alfie and I...  It's over between us, and I'm okay with that. I look between her and Logan and smile. We never had what you guys have.

I don't understand, Jess. He came to Australia with you. I thought you were going to get married. I thought this was the real deal.

Disappointment clouds her gaze as she studies me. I know she's not disappointed in me, just for me. Still, her disappointment chafes. Kristy knows me better than anyone. She knows that companionship and sex are the only things that interest me about the opposite sex. Well, they were before I met Logan. Seeing how Logan acts with Kristy makes me long for a deeper connection than I've experienced before.

It makes me long for him, even though I know he and I will never happen.

I give Kristy the most reassuring smile I can muster. Things with Alfie are complicated, but it was a mistake to think we could make it work. I'll explain it all later. Right now, I just want to dance for a bit. Let loose.

Seeing Kristy's worried expression, I wink at her and walk away. I head straight for the bar, in need of a drink. I've never been one to knock them back. After all, one doesn't receive the high-profile modelling jobs I do with a reputation as a party girl, but tonight I want the lift a sweet, girly cocktail can give me.

I politely turn down the three different men at the bar who offer to buy me a beverage and instead pay for my own. Then, drink in hand, I turn back to watch Logan and Kristy dance together again.

The way he looks at her, touches her, loves her...

The two of them are lost in each other, their heads full of each other. I should look away, but I can't. Their feelings are a magnet, drawing my gaze. What does it feel like to be so wrapped up in someone that nothing else matters but them? Have I done the wrong thing by keeping every man at a distance? If Logan and I had met first, would he have been like that with me?

Kristy needs to watch her back, doesn't she?

Whipping around, I see Logan's best friend standing less than a foot away from me. Adam Granger's navy-blue gaze is filled with disgust as his eyes lock with mine. The same confusion and anxiousness I always feel in his presence make me want to turn tail and run. I'm always in control. Cool, calm, and collected. Nobody gets beneath my skin, but Adam comes close. There's something about the way he looks at me, as though he can see my deepest, darkest secrets and despises me for them, that unnerves me. It's as if he can't stand the sight of me.

The last time I spotted him in the crowded club, he was dancing with a small waisted, big breasted brunette, who had her body plastered to his. I wish he was still dancing with her instead of standing here glaring at me.

Ready to get this confrontation over with, I hold his gaze and pretend I'm entirely unperturbed by his sudden appearance. What are you talking about, Adam?

He shakes his head as though he can't believe I'm asking. You're clearly into Logan. But he's with Kristy, so you need to stop chasing what's not yours and leave the two of them alone.

Adrenaline and fear surge through me as his words crash over me and I realise he knows. He knows I'm attracted to Logan.

I thought I'd hidden my attraction to Logan well enough, and maybe I've succeeded in keeping everyone else in the dark. But Adam sees what others don't. The man is a hot-shot radio personality, with a reputation for his intelligent and keen observations of life and his edgy interviews with celebrities. He gets paid for speaking his mind and revealing people's secrets.

You have no idea what you're talking about, I tell him with exaggerated confidence.

I'm not an idiot, Jess. The way you were looking at him while you were dancing together was a dead giveaway. Plus, you're always staring at him. Even though you've got your pretty boy from Italy here.

Denial is hot on my tongue, but I don't want him to know just how rattled he has me.

And you would know that, how? Have you been staring at me the whole time? I bat my eyelids, employing all the fake charm I can muster. Maybe I can annoy him into walking away. Have you been watching me, Adam?

His expression darkens, the muscle in his jaw ticking. I know he's not into me at all, but it's amusing to see how downright disgusted by the idea he looks. At least, it would be funny if he didn't look capable of wrapping his hands around my neck and squeezing the life out of me.

I'm worried about Kristy. That's the reason I've been watching you.

You don't need to be worried. I'd never do anything like that.

But you want him, don't you?

He takes a step towards me, his eyes flashing dangerously. He's never been this close to me before, and I realise he's taller than I thought. 6'3 at least, maybe 6'4. His long, dark brown hair is a gelled and styled mess instead of hanging all over his forehead. It adds to his height, making me feel dwarfed, an unusual occurrence considering I'm 5'10 and a half—taller in heels. I stare at his angular jaw, full lips, and high cheekbones, startled to discover he has a face better suited to television than radio.

You have no idea what you're talking about, I say breathlessly.

You can't even be honest about it. You disgust me.

Your opinion of me matters very little, Adam.

You've been treated differently to others because you're beautiful and now you believe you're above everyone else.

I swallow hard at the hatred behind the words and wonder which beautiful woman yanked his heart out and turned him into a giant douche. I've met men like Adam before—men who hate the opposite sex because of a bad experience. But they warmed up to me eventually. Everyone warms up to me. Everyone except Adam. His comment is personal. And I'm not sure how to deal with it or why I even care. Maybe it's because he's Logan's best friend, or perhaps it's because he's the first person who has ever truly disliked me.

Whatever the reason, I'm not about to let him know his hatred bothers me.

You have a problem with beautiful women, Adam? I stand on my tiptoes, bringing our faces closer together, trying to raise myself up to his level and pretend he doesn't intimidate me. Did some cheerleader ditch you at prom, and now you have a vendetta against us all?

His eyes harden. "You don't know anything about me, princess. Don't pretend for a moment that you do."

You don't know me, either.

I know your type. You're the kind of woman who uses her looks to cover up her biggest flaw.

And what, pray tell, is my biggest flaw? I don't want to know what he thinks. Truly I don't, and yet the question rolls off my tongue before I can clap a hand over my mouth.

Ugliness. He pauses for a moment to let the word sink right in. I see you for who you are. The exterior is all glossy, but underneath that, you're painfully unattractive.

I choke on his venom-filled words, my breath locking up in my lungs as I stare at him. My heels thud to the floor. No one has ever spoken to me like that before, let alone said something so awful.

Finally, he steps away from me, and I try to inhale a large gulp of air, but the pain in my chest inhibits it as I repeat his words over and over in my head.

Stay away from my friends, princess, Adam says. Leave them alone, or you'll wish you never met me.

His friends? Logan and Kristy are my friends, too. And I'm never letting go of Kristy.

I smile at him sweetly, praying my smile isn't as wobbly as it feels. My hands won't stop shaking, and my body is trembling from the words we've exchanged. I already do, Adam. Don't you worry about that.

I down the rest of my drink and walk back to the bar. My hand is still shaking as I put down the now empty glass and signal to the bartender that I want another one.

I hate that Adam gets to me. He shouldn't have any power over me, yet every time we're in the same room together, I find myself desperately trying to avoid him. I hate that his words bother me so much. I hate that he tears at the carefully constructed self-control I always have in place and that his words hurt.

The only person who matters to me is Kristy. Her opinion is the only one that's important.

The bottom falls out of my stomach as I imagine Adam telling Kristy she has to watch her back around me. What if she believes him?

I don't want to believe she will, but the look on her face when she saw me dancing with Logan? Well, it makes me think she might. I can't bear the thought. I've never seen her as happy as she is now. Hearing that I desire Logan will ruin it for her. She'll doubt Logan's faithfulness, even though the man is one hundred percent devoted to her. She'll be on the lookout all the time, waiting for something to happen between him and me, waiting for him to pick me over her because her last two boyfriends did.

I can't allow that to happen.

Yesterday, my agent called me with a job offer—a role on a new game show in London. I turned it down because I'd only just come back to Australia after being away for several months. I worried about Kristy being on her own again, and I'd missed her so damn much while I was away that I didn't want to leave again. But Kristy isn't alone anymore, and it couldn't hurt to give myself some time to get past this attraction I feel towards Logan.

Or you'll wish you never met me.

Adam might be more inclined to keep his mouth shut if I go to London. I hate the thought of giving in to Adam's threats, but the alternative—Kristy's unhappiness—is not an option. Leaving her to enjoy her new relationship might be the best thing I can do for her.

The lease for the rental place we share will need to be worked out. Maybe she'll move next door with Logan. Perhaps he'll move in with her. Whatever she wants to do is fine. She's thriving with Logan, and she's never needed me less. Who cares if I need her? Who cares if I'll miss her more than anything?

I watch Kristy stare at Logan with eyes I know are full of devotion. Her arms snake around his neck as she smiles up at him. Calling my agent first thing in the morning and asking if I can change my mind is the right decision. It's time for me to leave Australia again. 

Chapter 2

Jess

Four months later. ..

As the taxi pulls up outside the front of my house, I stare at the empty driveway, my heart sinking inside my chest. Kristy and Logan are visiting the Dandenong Ranges, enjoying the romantic getaway they planned a while back, and they won't be home until Sunday. Gone are the days when Kristy would rush to the airport to pick me up, desperate to see me after our months away from each other.

For so long, our closeness filled a void for both of us. But now Kristy has Logan and his friends. And lately, this fear has been building inside of me—a fear that I'm losing her and that she's drifting away from me. When she finds out what happened in London, will she hate me as much as I hate myself right now?

I need to tell Kristy what happened in London before Adam gets wind of it and spills the news first. Because if that happens, Kristy might realise she doesn't need me or want my friendship at all.

The thought makes me sick to my stomach. Kristy is all I've needed for so long. I can't lose her.

I pay the cab driver his fare, plus a tip, then join him in taking my luggage out of the boot.

I smile at him once all my cases are sitting on the ground between us. Thank you...?

Howie.

Have a nice day, Howie.

He grunts and nods, reminding me of just how far off my game I am. Usually, I would have spent the thirty-minute trip asking him about himself and making conversation—charming him, as Kristy would say. I would have looked around the cab for his name and used it within the first minute. But today I haven't been able to do more than muster a few polite words. And those were a strain.

Howie gets back in the taxi and drives away, and I grab the handle of my case and roll it towards the door, taking in the new and colourful garden on either side of the pathway. Clearly, Kristy, Logan, and their friends have been hard at work, weeding the garden and planting flowers. The thought of them here together, without me, sends a streak of jealousy through me. Kristy has a man, a job she loves, and friends. And I have... I don't even know what I have anymore.

While I was in London, loneliness got the better of me, and I made a terrible mistake. I hurt people. It turns out Adam Granger was right about me after all—about the ugliness he said was inside of me. Do you know how often that thought has worked its way into my head over the past few days? The man who took an instant dislike to me from the moment we met knew me better than I knew myself. I screwed up everything with one mistake, and even if I deserve to lose everything because of it, I don't know how to cope with my life crumbling around me.

Reaching for the wall next to our front door, I pull out the red brick we keep our spare key hidden behind. Panic sets in as I realise the space behind the brick is empty.

Shit. Where did you put the key, K?

I'm about to go around the back of the house and see if Kristy has left the back door or windows unlocked when I'm distracted by an obnoxiously loud muscle car pulling into Logan's driveway next door.

Adam Granger.

His souped-up eight-cylinder Holden rattles the foundations of every house in the street, but the sight of him rattles me even more. He is the last person I want to see right now. In fact, I'd be happy if I never saw him again after the last conversation we had.

The disgust Adam felt for me four months ago is still there in his eyes as he climbs out of the car and rakes his gaze over me. His dark hair is hidden underneath the baseball cap pulled down snugly over his head. He's wearing blue jeans, a black leather jacket, boots, and a white t-shirt. The slight amount of stubble on his jaw gives him a slightly dishevelled look. But he's got nothing on me. Right now, I'm the queen of dishevelled. The face that has landed me make up campaigns and perfume ads galore is hardly at its best, leaving me feeling vulnerable and exposed.

I should have taken the time to make myself up in the airport bathroom like I usually do, but I was too desperate to go home—too desperate to escape the rest of the world and take refuge from the media storm I know is headed my way.

Be quiet, Cricket! Adam yells at Logan's fence, bringing my attention to the dog I haven't heard until now.

It must be Kristy's dog I can hear whining. Adam is probably here to feed him while she's away. Though, I'm not sure why the dog is staying at the empty property next door instead of at home.

Jess, Adam says, walking towards me.

You're the one looking after Cricket while they're away?

I pulled the short straw.

If it's inconvenient for you, I can take care of him until they get back tomorrow. It will save you from coming over again.

Cricket belonged to my aunt and uncle before they gave him to Kristy seven months ago. He knows me, and I won't have any trouble taking care of him. More importantly, it means I won't have to see Adam again this weekend.

A smirk tugs at the corner of his mouth. Kristy didn't tell you, did she?

Tell me what?

He shakes his head, but there's a warm smile on his face. That smile is for Kristy, not me. He's always had a soft spot for her. Logan told me so once, not that I needed him to when it's so obvious.

My lease ended a month ago, and Logan suggested I rent his place instead of looking for somewhere else. It made sense. He and Kristy are happy shacking up together; it's wasteful for a perfectly decent house to sit unused.

You're my new neighbour?

My voice comes out sounding strangled, which is hardly surprising considering the amount of blood rushing through me. My ears are buzzing, and I feel like I might faint any tick of the clock. Logan and Kristy are settled in the house that I am still—on paper—leasing with Kristy. That I was prepared for. That I was okay with. But I am not okay with Adam living next door.

And I'm not okay with the fact Kristy never mentioned it before, either. I know me coming home was sudden and unexpected, but she still should have said something.

Okay, so every time Kristy brought up Adam while I was away, I stayed silent or tuned out. She still should have told me, though.

Adam's dark blue gaze reveals how amusing he finds my discomfort. Aren't you going to welcome me to the neighbourhood by inviting me in for tea and scones?

Not a chance. I don't even know how I'm supposed to get inside yet. The spare key isn't where I thought Kristy was going to leave it.

That's because she gave it to me.

He opens his palm and shows me what he's holding. Finally, the mystery of the missing key is solved.

I raise my eyes to meet his. I told her I'd let myself in.

Kristy wanted to be here to welcome you home, but she couldn't because of their getaway.

So what? She sent you in her place? I scoff.

Ridiculous, isn't it? I mean, we can't stand each other, yet she thinks I'm a good substitute for a welcoming committee.

Before he accused me of chasing my best friend's boyfriend, I would never have said I couldn't stand him. I avoided him, yes. I felt uncomfortable around him and wary of his presence. Now, however, I dislike him as much as he dislikes me.

So why did you agree? I ask, taking the key from him.

A fission of electricity shoots up my arm and down my spine as my fingers skate across his palm. Huh. Who would have thought hate could cause such a shocking physical reaction?

I ignore the irregular beat of my heart and promptly turn around to unlock the front door.

Kristy has this bizarre idea that if she forces us to interact, we'll end up being friends.

I can hear the warmth in his voice as he talks about her. And after opening the front door, I turn back to confirm he is wearing the same smile from earlier—the one full of affection for my best friend.

She's deluded, I say.

I couldn't agree more.

I could never be friends with such a complete arsehat.

And I could never be friends with someone who would jump her friend's boyfriend at the first opportunity.

I'm jetlagged, my entire world has been turned upside down this week, and I've just found out the man who despises me is my neighbour. All I want to do is walk inside my house and slam the door in his face. After I tell him to go screw himself. But I can't afford to. Not now. There's too much at stake. I need Adam to back off for a bit. I need time with Kristy—time to tell her about everything that happened in London before she hears it from someone else.

Resisting the urge to lash out at him, I take a deep breath and step into the house, only then turning around to face him again.

He crosses his arms, making him appear completely unreceptive. I need to make him understand how much my friendship with Kristy means to me.

Did you know that when I was sixteen, my mother and father died in a car accident? I ask, swallowing past the lump in my throat and blinking away the tears stinging my eyes.

I'm sorry, he says reluctantly, his features softening slightly.

Thank God. He's not a robot.

The year that followed was the worst of my life, I continue. My aunt offered to take me, but she didn't really want me. She'd just given birth to my cousin at the time, and he was sick. She didn't have the energy to look after a sixteen-year-old girl.

I can see the questions growing in his eyes.

When Kristy told her parents about what was happening, she begged them to let me live with them while I finished high school.

And they agreed? he guessed.

They'd always had a soft spot for me, but it was a big ask. It wasn't as if I would just be staying with them for a week, or even a month. Still, they said yes and took me in. And for the last eighteen months of high school, and even longer, Kristy shared her home and parents with me. Do you understand what I'm trying to say, Adam?

That now you expect her to share her boyfriend with you, too?

I've just shared the most devastating event of my life with this man, and he's deliberately choosing to misunderstand me. His hatred for me is a mountain too steep to climb. Especially when I'm so tired and I've run out of energy.

I start shutting the door. Goodbye, Adam.

He puts his foot in the doorway, preventing me from closing it all the way. I'm sorry, he says reluctantly. I wasn't expecting all that, and I was... unsympathetic.

You think? I snap. I'm never short with people, ever. But Adam gets under my skin in a way no one else does. Kristy is more than just my best friend. She's my sister and my family in every way that matters. I'd rather kill myself than hurt her.

You're saying you'd never act on your feelings for Logan?

That's exactly what I'm saying.

He smiles, and it takes me a moment to realise why he's so smug. He's caught me. Trapped me in his web. Thanks to my fatigue and my desperation to make him see I pose no threat, I just admitted to having feelings for Logan. As far as I know, Adam never told Kristy about his concerns surrounding Logan and me, but what are the chances he'll stay silent now?

If I lie and try to cover my tracks, he'll never believe me. The truth is out, and I'm exposed and at his mercy. I can only hope that if I give Adam the truth—if he sees me being honest and I explain I'm over it—it will buy me enough time to talk to Kristy first and tell her everything, including my reason for leaving Melbourne in the first place.

I force myself to meet Adam's gaze and silently ask for courage. I never chased him. I would never have made a move on him. Ever. It doesn't matter how much I liked him. And yes, I'll admit I liked him. I was attracted to him before I left the country, but I'm over it now.

While I was gone, I realised it wasn't Logan I desired so much as the closeness and intimacy he shared with Kristy. But I'm over it. There's a reason I've always kept my distance from the opposite sex. I don't want intimacy. Even if the thought of a relationship appealed to me for a brief moment, that is no longer the case. Especially not after everything that happened with Grant in London.

Really? Adam raises both eyebrows. Just like that? Your feelings are a thing of the past?

Yes. And now that I've bared my soul to you, despite the fact you've never given me one good reason to, or said one nice word—

Do you need kind words from me, princess? I figured you had quite enough of those from everyone else.

Forget nice words, then. Maybe you could just make an effort to be civil.

I think I've been very civil this morning, don't you?

If questioning my loyalty to my friends counts as civil, then yes, I guess you have been.

See? He shrugs. Totally civil.

Adam, can you just... I put my hand on the doorframe, struggling to find the best words. Please, can you give me the benefit of the doubt? Can we at least try to get along? For Kristy's sake?

Adam studies me intensely before giving me a slight, cursory nod. For Kristy's sake, he agrees. But if I see anything that makes me question your feelings for Logan...

I get it, I say coolly. You'll be watching me.

He grins—a wide grin, the likes of which he's never aimed at me in the time we've known each other. Lucky me. I have the perfect vantage point to keep an eye on things.

And with that, he strides back to Logan's house—which I suppose I should now start calling Adam's house—throwing me a final knowing look over his shoulder before unlocking the door and walking inside.

I shut my front door and lean against it. Adam Granger is my next-door neighbour.

Honestly, I'd rather live next door to the devil.

Chapter 3

Jess

Sunday morning comes around quickly, the morning sun filling my room with light too bright to ignore.

I don't want to get up. I'm exhausted, my life is a train-wreck, and Adam's car woke me up at three this morning.

I might have been able to get back to sleep more quickly if he hadn't had a friend with him. A friend who giggled and made loud moaning sounds as he kissed her outside my window. Okay, it probably wasn't right outside my window, but it sounded like it at the time.

Adam's insightfulness makes me want to avoid him at any cost, but his good looks, intelligence, sense of humour, and celebrity status appealed to many who weren't me. I'd never seen him lack for attention any time we went out with Kristy and Logan. Meaning, last night is unlikely to be