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“You’re freezing,” Theo murmurs.

He shrugs out of his coat before I can stop him and drapes it over my shoulders.

“I’m fine,” I say, trying to push it back.

His hands close on the lapels, holding it in place. “Let’s not add hypothermia onto today’s problems,” he murmurs. He looks at Caleb. “Can you give us a moment?”

“No.” My voice rings out loudly through the night. “I want him to stay.”

Theo’s expression flickers. He lets out a breath. “Okay.”

Caleb gives him a grim smile as Theo holds his gaze.

“Fine,” Theo says quietly. “Then we talk like this.”

I wipe at my face with the heel of my hand. “There’s nothing to talk about,” I tell him. “You have a lot going on inside. You should go back there.”

Caleb steps back like he’s trying to give us space, without disappearing from my sight.

Theo studies me for a moment, like he’s trying to figure out the perfect words to say to me. “I’m sorry,” he says softly. “For all that.”

I blink. “Which part?” I ask him. “The part where your brother and his girlfriend went through my suitcase? Or when he accused me of being the mole and you barely said anything to defend me.” My voice cracks and I see Theo wince.

“Georgia,” he murmurs, reaching for my arm. I pull it away.

“I thought this was different,” I tell him. “That you were different. But I see it clearer now. All of this, everything you said. I’m sure you meant it at the time, but I’m not one of you, am I? I never will be. And when push comes to shove you all band together. The Hunts against the world.”

My voice cracks. God, I want that. I want to be part of something. I want to be in the center, not on the edge, pushed out and abandoned.

“I’m the stupid one,” I whisper. “I should have listened to you. Everything you did told me you weren’t interested in a relationship. You can barely talk about what happens when I leave. You started saying stuff about coming to New York and I read it all wrong.”

Tears scald my cheeks.

Theo drags his hand over his face. “That’s not true. I meant it, Georgia.” He clears his throat. “I mean it. But there’s a lot going on. There’s a fucking shitstorm brewing. I have no idea what to do to make any of it better. Please let me sort this, and then we can talk.”

His phone starts to ring in his pocket. I wait for him to ignore it. To concentrate on me.

But he doesn’t. Instead he pulls it out, wincing as he glances at the screen.

“I need to take this.”

“Then do it.”

“Will you come inside with me at least?” Theo asks me. “It’s freezing out here.”

I let out a broken breath. “I will,” I whisper. “I think I should pack.” I pause. “I should go.”

“Go where?” Theo asks, confused. The phone is still ringing in his hand.

“Back to London. Take the call,” I tell him. “Your family needs you.” I shrug off his jacket and shove it into his hands, then brush past him and walk up the stairs. It takes every bit of strength I have to keep my head high. I open the front door and walk inside the hall, just as I hear Caleb let out a low oath.

“You’re an idiot, you know that?” Caleb says quietly. “You’re about to lose the best thing that’s happened to you in a long time. Is that what you want? Because you have a twisted sense of loyalty to people who’ve never felt the same for you.”

“What do you want me to do? Just walk out of here? My name’s on the fucking cheques and bank transfers,” Theo hisses. “I need to find out what the hell’s going on.” He takes a breath. “Please can you look after her for me? I’ll sort this out and then I can explain everything to her.”

His phone starts ringing again. And for a moment that’s the only sound in the air.

Until he clears his throat and murmurs softly into the handpiece.