The colour drained out of her face. If she hadn’t hurt someone I cared about; I would almost feel bad for her.
‘I feel like I need to say something, like a catchphrase.’ Rosie pocketed her phone, her lips pursing in thought.
‘We’re not in one of your mafia books,’ I sighed.
‘Of course not. Where's the super hot protective alpha male who comes in to save us?’ She scanned the hallway, her lower lip falling into a pout. ‘Things are so much better in books.’
I rolled my eyes at Rosie before turning to Ashley who was staring at a spot on the floor, her expression blank.
‘You’re scared. I get that. But I’m not going to let you hurt anyone else because of your selfishness.’
I grabbed Rosie’s hand and yanked her back down the hallway, my heart hammering in my chest.
‘Now that was agreatparting line.’ Rosie hissed.
49
OLIVER
‘You have the emotional maturity of a cat on bonfire night.’
I paused halfway through pouring my third drink of the night to stare incredulously at my brother who sat on the sofa opposite me, shaking his head.
‘What the fuck does that mean?’ I slammed the bottle of whiskey on the table so hard I’m surprised the glass underneath didn’t shatter.
George ran a hand through his dishevelled hair, letting out a long-suffering sigh. I had been happily wallowing in my misery, replaying Fallon’s tear-stained face over and over again in my mind, when my brother pounded on my front door. Apparently, Tony had called him when I stopped replying to his texts. George came straight from work, so mud stains and the faint scent of mulch lingered around him. He was definitely getting dirt on my white sofa. Not that I really gave a shit. Come to think of it, I really hated this fucking couch. Who in their right mind buys white furnishings? You’re asking for trouble.
Maybe I needed to slow down on the whiskey if I was having strong opinions on soft furnishings.
‘You see the pretty flames. Youlikethe pretty flames, but the moment the fireworks start, you dive under the nearest sofa, fearing for your life.’ George leaned forward, resting his elbows on his thighs, hands clasped in front of him.
I frowned, struggling to understand what the fuck he was on about. ‘I’m the cat in this scenario?’
‘Yup.’
‘And Fallon is the firework?’
‘No, Fallon is the flame. The pretty flame thatyouwant.’ He jutted his finger towards me.
‘So what’s the fireworks?’ This analogy was confusing as hell.
George sighed once more, like I was being deliberately obtuse. ‘Your deep love for the woman that scares the shit out of you.’
My spine stiffened, hand clenching around my glass. ‘I’m not in love with her.’Not anymore.
George scratched his thick beard, exhaling a humourless laugh. ‘Okay, you’re gonna make this difficult aren’t you.’ He rubbed his hands together like someone gearing up to catch a ball. ‘What’s her favourite movie?’
‘What the fuck?’ My head was pounding, no doubt due to the alcohol swirling inside my veins that I’d been steadily pouring into my body for the past two days. I couldn’t erase the look of devastation on her face.The pain. I took another swig, letting it burn its way down my throat.
‘Indulge me.’
I rolled my eyes but answered. ‘Grown Ups.’
‘Really? The one with Adam Sandler?’
‘Uh huh.’
George’s eyes widened in surprise. ‘Wow, okay. How does she take her coffee?’
