Oliver smirked and kissed me before turning to his plate. “This smells delicious,” he praised Rebel and licked his lips. Oliver was going to enjoy it immensely because I’d been denied it. How petty.
“Are you on a diet too?” Oceane asked, and Oliver stiffened with insult.
“Pardon?”
Rebel smiled sweetly and removed his starter. “Oliver, you’ve put on more than a few pounds—at least thirty. In fact, you’ve developed a paunch. You’ve quite a dad bod going, guess a couple who get fat together, diet together.” With that, Rebel waltzed away. Oliver reached down and pinched my thigh hard, making me inwardly wince.
Aaron and the others exchanged amused glances as they settled in to eat. When Rebel brought in the main course and placed a salad in front of me, she did the same to Oliver. His mood darkened as he ate it while everyone else had roast lamb.
Oliver
That total bitch. If Rebel didn’t have Jude’s support, she’d be nothing. Rebel Knox was an ugly, talentless hack. She got where she was because of Jude’s influence. How dare she try to shame me in front of everyone? I’d pay the insult back, and Alicia would help.
It was time to start extracting Alicia from their circle. Alicia had actually dared to answer back tonight.
I wouldn’t stand for the disruption. Rebel thought she was being clever; all she’d done was show her true self. Small-minded. Well, that wouldn’t wash with me. Next time Rebel attended our home, Alicia would serve her the tiniest salad ever. That bitch would learn a lesson.
The Observer
Kensington was spiralling. Remarkably so. I’d heard about the dinner party, and while amused at Rebel’s antics, I was quite aware of the impact on Alicia. Kensington would punish her. And I doubted it would wake her up.
I punched in a now-familiar number.
“Aaron Sinclair.”
“I heard.”
“I’m not surprised. The women think it was hysterical,” Sinclair answered.
“Quite sure they do. However, Alicia will be severely punished.”
“Look. I don’t understand your fascination with Alicia. She’s a nice woman and if she showed some spunk, she’d be a catch. But Kensington has broken her, whatever you’re looking for doesn’t exist,” Sinclair said.
“I disagree. Just ensure Kensington doesn’t go too far with her. Ask that wife of yours to keep a sharp eye out. We both know what I’m capable of, and I take action if I think I need to. If I do, that won’t be pleasant,” I warned.
Sinclair heard the threat; I hadn’t exactly couched it. “I’ll get Winona to check on her.”
“Do so,” I ordered and cut the line.
Alicia
I entered Chambers ready to defend Oliver. No doubt the girls were riled up. But Oliver hadn’t spoken a word to me at all. In fact, Oliver stormed out of the car and left me sitting there in the dark. Worse, he’d also slept in a spare bedroom. We’d never been apart since moving in together. Hurt, I’d cried myself to sleep.
Rebel needed to understand that the petty game she’d played had harmed me. They were waiting and waved as I made my way through the restaurant. “Hi,” I greeted as I took a seat.
“Are you okay? Last night was a shitstorm,” Oceane opened immediately.
“No, I’m not. Oliver was embarrassed, and I was hurt. We’ve never slept apart until last night, and I cried myself to sleep.”
Winona bit her lip and seemed to be holding something back.
“You guys don’t like Oliver. Honestly, Ryder frightens me when he starts ranting and being foul-mouthed. Jude terrifies me when he threatens to destroy people. But I would never treat them like you did Oliver, Rebel. I love you, you’re wonderful friends, but when you start messing with my happiness, I have to wonder why,” I said bravely.
Oceane and Zinnia exchanged a glance. “Oliver deliberately”—she held up a hand—“no, Alicia, you had your say, this is ours,” Oceane snapped. “Oliver set out to hurt and embarrass you in front of friends. We all know it. You admitted you hadn’t put weight on, then sat there and let Oliver gaslight you into saying you had. Alicia, we never harmed you; Oliver did. If you can’t admit that, that’s your problem, not ours. Like it or not, Rebel was defending a friend.”
“Oliver has piled weight on. He’s no longer the good-looking man from our first meeting. He has to have put on at least forty pounds, and he’s criticising you for one or two? Screw that, Alicia, wake up and smell the roses,” Zinnia stated coldly.
“Darling, nobody here wants to be cruel; we’ve got your back. What Oliver did last night was childish, nasty, and spiteful. It was also damn controlling and mortifying to be around. To be honest, Oliver shamed himself and not you. It certainly had Aaron questioning him,” Winona said.
