8 | momentary lover
Ellie was guiding the way to a vacant desk when warm brown eyes met mine across the room. The owner was walking straight toward us, seemingly on his way to William’s office, but he came to an abrupt halt just before he passed. Visibly confused, his attention flickered between Ellie and me.
Could this day get any worse? If he learned that ‘Sandra’ and I were the same person, it was only a matter of time before rumours about my previous encounter with William would flood the office. As their latest trainee, that was the last thing I wanted.
Ellie paused to regard him. Meanwhile, Andrew kept studying me with a bewildered expression on his face. Exerting every ounce of the self-discipline I had harnessed over the years, I managed to remain composed. While feigning obliviousness, I returned his gaze with eyes that claimed innocence.
‘Sandra?’ he asked, sounding surprised. ‘What are you doing here?’
Ellie came to my rescue. ‘Sandra? This is Cara Jane Darby, our new trainee.’
Perplexed, Andrew’s eyes did a sweep of my body. Faint pink coloured his cheeks and he frowned. Clearing his throat, he lifted his gaze to mine. I gave him a small smile, sympathising with his confusion.
‘Sorry, I must have confused you with someone else,’ he said embarrassedly. ‘I could have sworn you were her.’
Ellie giggled.
‘No worries,’ I said.
He offered his hand. ‘I’m Andrew Thompson, but everyone calls me Andy.’
Nodding, I clasped his hand and gave him another small smile. ‘Cara.’
‘Are you showing her around, Ellie?’
‘Sort of.’
His attention shifted onto me again. ‘Why not William? I thought he was supposed to be her supervisor.’
He was slick! I was certain he had only asked to observe my reaction. Thankfully, my face didn’t even twitch.
I said, ‘He had work to do. He seems delightful, though.’
Andy tittered. ‘He seems delightful? First time I’ve heard that. “Delightful”.’ He glanced at something behind me. ‘Just remember that where other people might end a sentence with a question mark, Will usually finishes with a full stop. It’s just who he is and always has been, but as long as you’re aware of that, I’m sure you’ll be fine.’
I was almost tempted to say, ‘No shit, Andy. I’ve already gathered as much,’ but I refrained.
Ellie chuckled. ‘I haven’t briefed her on what to expect of Will’s general behaviour yet, so thank you for taking care of that.’
Andy gave me a wink. ‘I’ve got your back, sweetheart.’ Looking at Ellie, he asked, ‘So he’s busy right now? I’ve got something I’d like to run by him, preferably before his meeting with the lawyers from Lightning Charge this afternoon.’
‘He’s always busy, but he hasn’t got anything other than paperwork until then. I’m sure he could spare you five minutes if it’s urgent and you ask nicely.’
‘Great, thanks.’ Steering his eyes back to mine, Andy grinned. ‘Pleasure meeting you, Cara .’
‘You too.’
As he walked away, he shook his head, and I had a suspicion as to why. I feared he would ask William about me in only a few moments. If he did, I prayed William would either tell him a lie or ensure his silence some other way.
‘Seems you’ve got a replica out there,’ Ellie said and started walking again. ‘But I’m sure her freckles aren’t as adorable as yours. ’
Her compliment made me flash her a grin. I had always been grateful for my freckles, and they were in fact Aaron’s favourite part of my face.
My smile faded as I thought of him. Now that I was bound to encounter William time and again, I was certain it would wreak havoc on the dynamic between Aaron and me. It had taken me a week to recover from my session with William, and Aaron had spent it growing worried about our arrangement. How was I supposed to manage this time around?
By not flirting with William, I thought. I was motivated to manage that for several reasons: for the sake of my placement, for the sake of my friendship with Jason, for the sake of my arrangement with Aaron, and last, but certainly not least, for the sake of my sanity, my education and finally my career.
‘Here we are.’ Ellie brought me out of my thoughts and motioned to a vacant desk.
‘Thanks,’ I said, perhaps too eagerly, but I was in dire need of privacy.
I would have to call Olivia as soon as I left. She was the sole person I could confide in about this, and I was desperate to talk to someone. I would use her as a soundboard to air my thoughts. Perhaps then, I would be able to make sense of this dreadful mess.
As I went over my contract, I found nothing I would like to discuss. Unsurprisingly, it was faultless. I hadn’t expected any less of a law firm. However, I couldn’t help but read the contract with William’s voice in my head, because I could imagine that he had penned it. Authoritative and impatient, his otherwise sensual voice barked every single word at me. It caused a constant grimace to cover my face as I read through.
Bloody hell, he was everywhere – even in my head. I felt like I was suffocating.
‘Cara,’ he called. That wasn’t where I was in my contract? My head snapped up when I realised he was actually speaking to me. Turning, I discovered him behind me, slightly bent over my shoulder.
I immediately recoiled toward my desk. ‘Shit, you scared me.’
‘Not my fault you’re so oblivious to your surroundings.’
‘I was concentrating.’ My gaze flitted to his brown leather shoes. ‘I hadn’t expected Bigfoot to move so quietly.’
Amusement danced in his eyes before he briefly closed them to refocus.
‘I’ve got ten minutes to spare, should you want to go over your contract now.’
‘I was just finishing.’
‘Then let’s continue in my office. ’
A normal person would have said, ‘Right. Shall we continue in my office?’ But of course, he was everything except that.
Ascending from my seat, I collected my contract to heed his command. As I started walking, his hand landed on my back. I immediately stiffened. Did he think I required a compass to find his office?
‘I can walk on my own,’ I muttered.
Devoid of emotion, he quietly said, ‘I’d prefer not to walk behind you. My eyes keep landing on your beautiful bum, and I’d hate to sexualise you like that.’
My cheeks grew hot and red. I charged into his office and watched him shut the door.
‘You can’t speak to me like that,’ I said. ‘I was actually considering signing, but you just reminded me why I shouldn’t.’
‘Calm down.’
I gaped. How could he, as an able lawyer, possibly find his comment justifiable?
‘Calm down? Are you actually telling me to “calm down” when what you just said clearly constitutes sexual harassment under the Equality Act of 2010?’
His eyes widened with shock, and the sound of his sharp inhalation satisfied me deeply.
‘Do you tell Ellie that you prefer not to walk behind her since you’ll sexualise her if you do? As if that’s acceptable behaviour?’
He blew his cheeks out and gripped his hips. ‘No.’ He had the grace to look ashamed of himself. ‘You’re right. It’s completely unacceptable, I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.’
‘It better not.’ I folded my arms.
We stared at each other in silence. Finally, he let out a loud sigh.
‘Honestly, Cara, I truly am sorry. I didn’t mean for it to come across that way. It’s just ... Well, there’s really no excuse, but I’ve got my roles a tad confused today. Give me some time to adapt and I promise I’ll do better. Seeing you again wasn’t something I expected, and certainly not here. It’s messed with my head, especially because it’s you. I just need to readjust, to start regarding you as a colleague, rather than as my...’
I could tell he was searching for the appropriate label by his fleeting gaze.
‘One-night stand?’ I filled in.
His eyes shot to mine, and the sudden certainty they contained made it clear that my suggestion hadn’t resonated with him .
‘I was going to say momentary lover.’
My cheeks prickled at his phrasing. He obviously thought our night together had been more meaningful than the label ‘one-night stand’ typically implied, and I found consolation in that, because I felt the same way.
‘Yeah, well, you’re not alone in that,’ I said. ‘How do you think I’ve experienced all this? Not only have I managed to fuck my best friend’s brother, but he also just happens to be my new boss. And yet I still manage not to sexualise you – outwardly, anyhow.’
I wished I hadn’t added the last part, but my mouth had spoken before my mind caught up.
William’s eyes glimmered, his stare growing so intense that I whimpered. Why had I said that?
A smug smile crept across his lips as he propped his back against the door. Folding his arms, he studied me until I felt ready to expire.
‘Outwardly, you say?’
‘Mr Night.’ Impatience filled my tone. I was not a woman to be trifled with right now.
Smirking, he said, ‘I admire your resolve, Cara, but why do you insist on calling me Mr Night?’
‘It’s all part of the resolve you so admire.’
‘What?’
‘I’m creating psychological distance between us, and it’s working, so I’ve no intention of stopping.’
He burst out laughing then, and I found it awfully mocking.
‘Fuck this,’ I grumbled and dropped the contract on his desk. I wasn’t going to sign it. This would never work. The man wasn’t taking me seriously at all, and I found it extremely offensive. I was serious about this placement. That meant that I was determined to put our sensual past behind us, but he kept insisting on reminding me of it. He wasn’t treating me like every other employee at all, and that wasn’t something I found acceptable. I wanted to be treated like anyone else in this firm, like we had never shared a bed. I couldn’t fathom why he would assume it was all right to do anything else.
My action murdered his laughter. With the eyes of a hawk, he watched me approach him as he stood in front of the only sensible exit, but if he didn’t move, perhaps the windows of his office would become sensible options too.
‘Cara. ’
I hated when he used that tone, because it exuded power not even I dared question.
‘Sign the contract.’
I reached for the handle, but his hand intercepted. Grabbing my wrist, he dragged my hand away, and then he completely shocked me. Entwining our fingers, he fixed his gaze on them and held my hand most affectionately.
Overwhelmed by the intimacy, I followed his stare. My heart bashed on my ribcage until I wondered if it would explode within me. It felt like my whole body was vibrating.
What the hell was going on with me? Was this truly just lust or was I infatuated with this man? No, I couldn’t be. I hardly knew him.
‘Sign the contract, Cara.’
Speechless, I kept staring at our hands. I was trying to make sense of my feelings, but it was impossible. I just couldn’t seem to grasp the extent of his influence. All I knew was that I had never felt this way before, as if I was about to burst with sheer delight, and he was only holding my hand.
‘I promise I’ll be good to you,’ he said and, much to my regret, let go.
Paralysed, I watched him get my contract from his desk. As he came back, he withdrew a pen from his pocket and gave me a grave look.
‘I won’t let you waste an opportunity like this, and I’m not saying that because I want to get in your knickers. I’m saying it as one solicitor to an aspiring one. We’ll work it out. We’ll just have to communicate. This is a strange situation, but we’re both adults. We’ll work our way round it. Please don’t squander your potential just because you happen to have shared a bed with me.’
I swallowed, hypnotised by his power. Still paralysed, I merely stared at him, undecided. I just couldn’t decide!
Sighing, he grabbed my shoulder and made me face the door. Next, he shoved the pen into my hand, retreated a step, and held the contract against the door.
‘Three months, Cara. You’ll survive, and you’ll be thanking yourself, and me, for the rest of your life.’
He resembled the Devil, urging me to sell him my soul in exchange for perpetual success. Was I really going to take that deal?
I looked at him for some time, contemplating, until I finally decided that he was right. This placement would most definitely assist my career, and I wasn’t about to waste it over an issue like this. Like he had said, we were adults. We would work our way round it. If his behaviour escalated into being truly intolerable, I reminded myself that I could always notify the HR department, though I hoped it wouldn’t come to that. Seeing as he was Jason’s brother and John’s son, I would rather avoid going to such measures, but if he didn’t stop sexualising me, I would have to. And so, since my career was in fact at stake, I finally decided to sign the contract.
My hand was shaking when I put the pen to the dotted line, but it stilled with revived confidence as I began to write my signature. As soon as I finished, he snatched the document away. Air stormed out of my mouth as I embraced my new reality.
I had signed. I was trapped with him now, for three long months.
‘There,’ he said, audibly pleased.
My body was rigid while my eyes followed his. He walked around his desk, where he stored my contract in the top drawer.
‘Now, then.’ He exhaled and slumped down in his chair. Grinning at me, he spread his arms in a jovial manner. ‘Will you have dinner with me today?’
Grinding my teeth, I glared back. ‘Are you taking the piss?’
‘Not at all.’ He chuckled. ‘Seeing as you’ll be stuck with me for the better part of three months, I reckon we should get to know each other better. Dressed, this time.’
There he went again. I would never admit it out loud, but the man had wit. All the same, I didn’t appreciate the reminder it contained this time around. Despairing, I looked away and shook my head.
‘You’re unbelievable. Unless there’s anything else, I’d like to leave now.’
‘It’s a harmless dinner, Cara.’
Nothing involving that man was harmless.
‘See you later,’ I said and opened the door.
‘Tell Jason I miss him, will you? Ask him if I can come over this week.’
‘Ask him yourself,’ I replied without thinking, then I froze.
Jason. I had almost forgotten about him. Thank goodness William had reminded me.
Shutting the door, I turned back around and crossed my arms.
‘Speaking of Jason, I’d rather he didn’t find out about us.’
William’s smile grew cunning. ‘Is that so?’
‘Can you promise you won’t tell him?’
Bringing his pen to his mouth, he chewed at the end of it and studied me for some time. ‘Depends. ’
‘William, seriously.’ I was reaching the end of my tether. ‘How do you think he’d react if he found out? He’d be awkward around the both of us to say the least, and I’d like to avoid that. God knows, he might even get angry with me.’
‘Have dinner with me, then. If you do, I won’t tell him.’
I gripped my hips. ‘Are you listening to yourself? You’re abusing your power. This is blackmailing.’
A smug chuckle slipped out of his mouth, irritating me.
‘You know, you really are a right arsehole,’ I said.
He raised a brow. ‘Says the woman who deceives like it’s second nature to her.’
That hurt, especially because it was deserved. I had lied to him when we met, and now I was asking him not to tell Jason about us.
I opened the door, my chest aching. ‘Do what you want, then, but if you have any regard for my feelings, you won’t tell him.’
‘Wait, wait.’ He sighed. ‘I won’t tell him, Cara. I promise.’
I scanned him, unsure if I could trust him. ‘Really?’
‘Really.’ He nodded gravely. ‘I was only taking the piss, I’m sorry.’
I pressed my lips together and turned to walk out.
‘Hold on, I’ll walk you down,’ he said. ‘I’m about to have lunch.’
I didn’t wait. I headed straight toward the lifts. Andy and Ellie were waiting just in front of them. To my regret, William managed to catch up with me by the time the doors opened to let us in, and his pace grabbed the attention of both Andy and Ellie.
‘Christ, Will, you must be starving,’ Ellie said.
‘Tight schedule.’
During the brief journey, Andy traded regular glances with William over my head. They sent each other lopsided smiles, but Ellie paid them no attention, which made me think that the two men behaved like this on a regular basis. It wasn’t surprising when taking into account that they were best friends, but it annoyed me nevertheless, because I was certain I was the cause of their current amusement.
Stealing a glance at William in the mirror, I wondered if he had intentionally misled me earlier – when he had implied that he didn’t want to sleep with me again. In the end, his statement had been rather equivocal. ‘Who says I’d want to?’ didn’t erase all room for doubt. He hadn’t actually denied anything. Had he deliberately phrased it that way to misguide me? To buy himself more time to analyse how to proceed? In fact, he might only have said it to retaliate for a bruised ego .
The possibility intrigued me. Had he truly abandoned the idea of me, or was he only weighing up which route to take in order to win me over?
The impression I had of him was that he was not inclined to cease his pursuit when he had his sights set on a prize. He was far too stubborn. Last time we met, he had ardently tried to persuade me to give him a chance. The question remaining was: was I still the prize?
‘Oh my God, I just recalled – do you know what Andy did earlier?’ Ellie whirled around and faced William. Laughing, she said, ‘He thought Cara was somebody else, so he called her Sandra. You should’ve seen him. I’ve never seen him quite so confused.’
‘Did he?’ William replied, and it was clear from his tone that he was highly amused.
Too curious to stop myself, I stole another glance at him. He met it with a gleam dancing in his eyes, and I immediately grasped that they had talked about it behind closed doors.
Fuck.
When we reached the ground floor, Ellie and Andy exited before William and I did. William grabbed my arm, stalling me, while the others kept on walking.
I faced him.
‘Andy knows,’ he said.
‘You told him?’ I snapped, both irked and defensive.
He glared back. ‘He’s a fucking lawyer, Cara –he’s not dim. Of course he recognised you.’
‘Shit,’ I whined and stamped my foot.
Blinking, he dropped his gaze to it. ‘Did you really just stamp your foot?’
‘William! If Andy spills, it’s only a matter of time before everyone knows!’
His grip tightened on my arm. ‘He won’t tell anyone. He’s my best friend, and he’s got my back. Always.’
‘Tell anyone what?’ an exceptionally gorgeous woman asked as she entered the lift. With thick raven hair that cascaded down to the middle of her back, she took my breath away. Her upturned, dark brown eyes met mine, and her plump, pinkish-beige lips tucked into a vague smile beneath her small nose. She turned her attention to William. Once she saw him, her smile stretched into a grin.
‘Mind your own business, Vi,’ William said and dragged me out with him. Casting a glance at her over my shoulder, I saw her fold her arms over the ample chest of her slender and curvaceous figure.
Intrigued, I asked, ‘Who’s that?’
‘Violet Rodriguez. She’s my partner for a transaction I’m currently working on.’
‘She’s gorgeous,’ I said. When I looked back at William, he was staring at me with an unreadable expression on his face.
Returning to our conversation, I asked, ‘Do you swear Andy won’t tell?’
His jaw flexed. ‘Yes. But don’t be surprised if he gives you any funny looks. He laughed until he cried earlier, in my office.’
Well, at least someone was enjoying the chaos of our circumstance. Sulking, I looked at the exit of the building.
‘I suppose I’ll be seeing you around, then,’ I said.
‘I guess, yeah.’
A day ago, I would have kissed him goodbye. Strange to think of that.
‘Later, then. Enjoy your lunch,’ I said and looked up. My chest tightened at the expression on his face. He was watching me with a strange sort of longing in his eyes.
He merely gave me a nod, and I felt his gaze on my back as I walked out.
§ § §
‘He’s your boss!’ Olivia shouted down the phone, totally shocked.
Trying to remain calm, I asked, ‘What am I supposed to do, Livy?’
‘Christ, Cara! Is Jason aware?’
‘Of course not,’ I said. ‘Had it been serious between Will and me, then I probably would have told him, but forgive me if I don’t feel like telling my best friend and flatmate that I completely sexually exploited his elder brother.’
‘Yeah, don’t tell Jason. I wouldn’t want to know if I were him. But how did Will react when he saw you?’
Once I had given her the scoop on my day, she huffed out a long, loud breath. ‘Shit. You’re in it now, aren’t you?’
‘Livy,’ I whined. ‘That’s not helping. And the bastard even tried to blackmail me into having dinner with him today – after I’d signed, and he’d promised to behave. Said he’d tell Jason about us if I didn’t accept.’
‘That’s outrageous! Please, don’t tell me you agreed.’
‘Of course not.’
‘I can’t believe he tried that. ’
‘Me neither. I’m livid.’
‘He must be really taken with you.’
‘I don’t care. It’s completely out of the question. You’d think he’d realise that when he’s the professional between us.’
‘Yeah, he was out of order. I’m so sorry, Cara. I honestly don’t know what to say. I hope for your sake that he won’t tell Jason.’
‘He promised me he wouldn’t.’
‘Well, then I hope he’ll keep it. But, aside from the shock of meeting him again in the role of your boss, have you considered what this means now that you’re living with Jason?’
‘Yes,’ I whined again.
‘We both know Jason’s very close with his brother. To be honest, it’s a wonder we hadn’t met him sooner.’
‘I know.’
‘And now that you’ve just moved in with Jason, you’re bound to see Will a lot more, even before you start work.’
‘I’m well aware of this, Livy.’
‘Sorry. I wish I could be of more help, but I’ve honestly got no idea what to say. It’s a huge mess for sure, of epic proportions.’
I sighed. ‘Well, I appreciate the moral support.’
‘It’s the least I can do. I feel like you’ve been my acting psychologist for the past three years. About time I return the favour. Anyway, are you on your way here?’
I closed my eyes and stopped walking. ‘Fuck.’ I had completely forgotten that I was supposed to revise with her and Aaron today.
‘Yeah, Aaron’s here. Do you think you’ll be able to act normal?’
I briefly considered whether to go home instead, but I decided against it since Jason was likely to be there. His shift at the A&E department at the hospital didn’t start till two o’clock.
‘Well, it’s not like heading home would be any better. Honestly, between the two of them, Jason’s the one I’ll have the hardest time facing.’
‘Yeah, I get that. I wish there were something I could do.’
I sighed. ‘Thanks. I appreciate the sentiment. Anyway, I’m sure I’m just overreacting. It’s not like anything’s changed. Will and I aren’t going to have sex again. The only thing that’s different now is that I will inevitably be seeing him again, and that’s what’s messing with my head. I’ve never been in this situation before. I’ve never had to face Aaron while knowing I’m in touch with one of my previous bed partners, and I’ve definitely never had to face Jason while knowing I’ve fucked his brother. ’
‘Yeah, that’s enough to mess with anyone’s head.’
‘Right? And you know, the worst part is that I feel like I’m keeping them in the dark about something when, really, it’s actually none of their business.’ I rubbed my forehead. ‘Gosh, listen to me. William has promised not to say anything, so there’s really no reason I should treat this as a problem.’
‘Again, Cara, your rationality astounds me. I wish I were half as level-headed as you.’
I released a mirthless laugh. ‘Honestly, I’m all talk and no trousers right now. Truth is I’m still all over the place.’
‘But the fact that you’re aware of that obviously means you’re slowly coming to terms with things. As you said, you’ve had quite a shock. Let it settle first. Once it subsides, I’m sure you’ll be able to go about your business as usual.’
Her words fuelled my motivation to get over this sooner rather than later. ‘You’re right. Of course I will.’
‘That’s the Cara I know and love.’
‘I don’t know what I’d do without you, Livy. Thanks for listening to my rant, and for existing.’
She laughed. ‘Right back at you, darling. I’ll see you in a bit, then.’
‘Yes.’
§ § §
I thought I deserved an Oscar for how well I handled facing Aaron. There was both a positive and a negative side to that, because while it enabled me to maintain harmony, it also meant I was a skilled liar. The latter wasn’t something I took pride in – I despised dishonesty – but I reminded myself that there was a difference between being honest and being open, and there was no need for me to be transparent, which meant being both. If I was confronted by either Aaron or Jason, I would tell the truth without hesitation, but to tell them unsolicited? I couldn’t see what good it would do other than relieving my conscience.
It was nearing nine o’clock when the three of us decided to leave the library. Olivia had stayed behind for longer than usual, and I suspected it was because she had wanted to help me carry the burden of entertaining Aaron after today’s events. She would never know how much I appreciated that.
By the time we parted ways, Aaron was still in a delightful mood. It was clear that he didn’t suspect a thing. I hoped I would handle facing Jason equally well, but part of me doubted it. There was something about my friendship with Jason that was completely unique, because I genuinely regarded him as a sibling. Total transparency was something I had practised in his company ever since we met. To look him in the eye, while knowing how his actual sibling performed in bed – as well as against the wall, or on the dining table – wasn’t something I looked forward to because of that. But I would have to, and I hated it. This was the first time ever that I was keeping something from him, and I prayed it would also be the last.
Slight panic grabbed hold of me when I unlocked the front door and discovered him right behind it. From his outfit, I could tell he had just come home from work.
He turned toward me, looking surprised. ‘You’re home late.’
‘Yeah. I was at the library with Aaron and Livy.’
He knelt to untie his shoes. ‘I see. Have you had dinner?’
I walked in. ‘Yeah. How was your shift at the hospital?’ I closed the door behind me.
‘Hectic, as usual.’
‘I can only imagine.’
Apprehensive, I scanned his body language for any sign of veiled anger or disappointment, but came up empty. He didn’t look like he had the slightest clue. Had William kept his promise?
All of a sudden, a knowing smile claimed his mouth. With a mischievous twinkle in his blue eyes – eyes that were insufferably similar to his brother’s – he met mine and stretched back up.
Maybe William had told him after all.
‘I heard you met my brother,’ he said and slowly took off his shoes.
Had William told him that?
To hide from his gaze – and potential wrath – I faced the wall as I untied my coat.
‘I did. Impressive man.’
A short laugh escaped him. ‘Really? You’d call him impressive? Perhaps I should have warned you, but he can be a bit of a dick sometimes. You get used to it, though, and if anyone can hold their own, it’s you.’
‘Good to know.’
‘Anyway, I wasn’t aware you’d been hired for the job as his legal assistant. Dad told me just today.’
So it was John he had spoken to. I found relief in that.
‘Neither was I. Safe to say I was surprised. ’
‘Well, you’ll have plenty of time to get to know him before you start. We tend to hang out at the weekends to watch football together. He was actually meant to come over last Friday, but I had to cancel because I was asked to take a shift at the hospital.’
Since I could only imagine the shock that situation would have made for, I counted my blessings. Jason would certainly have learned the truth had it turned out that way, so I thanked the heavens for small mercies, because thus far, he seemed unaware.
‘Right. Looking forward to it.’
‘I actually think you’ll get on really well.’ Far better than he knew. ‘You’re sort of similar in a lot of ways.’
‘Yes, I got the same impression when I met him.’ After hanging up my coat, I grabbed my bag and headed for my bedroom. ‘Anyway, I’m knackered, so I think I’ll go to bed.’
‘Mind if I have a shower first?’
‘Go ahead,’ I said and shut the door between us. I walked straight to my bed and collapsed on top of it. What a day. It was tempting to never leave my room again. At least here, I was safe.
Or was I? With Jason as my best friend, would I ever truly be rid of William?