Page 37 of Love and Loathing

She smiled at the sight of him. “A man who was made to wear a tux. I swear they created them with you in mind—all suits, really. You were designed in a fashion designer’s sketchbook. Every proportion perfect.”

He made no reply. She only ever got like this when she wanted something.

“Where’s the lovely Evie?” Liv asked, coming to stand right in front of him, head tipped to one side as she looked up, the devil in her eyes. “I imagined you descending the steps together, prom king and queen. Seems about right, given she’s basically a schoolgirl.”

“Twenty-four,” he corrected calmly.

“Still a bit young for you, though, don’t you think? And the boss’s daughter, too.” She laughed lightly. “Not choices I imagined Aubrey Ford ever making. But I was surprised to find you were dating at all. I heard rumours that you didn’t.”

“I imagine that delighted you.”

Her smile grew. “Yes. Made me feel rather irreplaceable. What women wouldn’t want that?”

“One who cared for my happiness, perhaps.”

She laughed again. “Yours wasn’t the only heart touched. Surely you know that? You’ve always had a claim on mine.”

“Along with everyone else.”

Her smile fell into a soft frown. “No. None of them ever reached my heart, Aubrey. You’re the only one.”

His own foolish heart gave a skip at that—it had waited long enough to hear it. But maybe too long. It was only a reflex action and faded as quickly as it came.

“You’re still there, you know?” Liv said quietly, reaching out and touching his chest. She ran her fingers along the black edge of his jacket where it lay over his heart, following the smooth curve of it to the low button. “I still love you.” She toyed with the button, thumb rubbing over it, fingers curling under the silky black jacket lining. “I still want you.”

Aubrey looked at her, mind curiously quiet. He could see that she was lovely—lovely to look at, at least. The thick auburn hair and the peach-cream skin, the curves and the way he knew they filled his hands. But it was all echoes. It only made him feel a little sick and sad. He had no desire to touch her. Wished, in fact, that she would remove her hand.

“Domnall listens to me,” Liv said, a coaxing murmur in her voice as she lifted her eyes to his. “He more or less does what I tell him. You and George have spent this entire weekend keeping him sweet, but perhaps I’m the one you should be focusing on.”

He met her smile with a blank look. “Fuck you and you’ll secure Domnall for us? Am I getting the gist of it?”

She scowled, pulling her hand away. “You used to be more civilised, Aubrey.”

“I’m only what you’ve made me.”

As soon as he said it, he regretted it, hearing the truth of it for the first time—the power it gave her.She’s still controlling your life. She’s…she’s amputated it. Cut it short.

Evie was right. It still controlled him, this damned heartbreak, this fear of it ever happening again. But as he watched the smug glimmer of triumph creep into Liv’s smile, he realised it wasunlikely to be her that broke him for the third time. She might have made him this way, but she’d have no say over his future.

“As disturbing as the offer is, Liv, I think I’ll have to decline.”

She studied him, smugness fading, knowing him too well not to see the resolution hidden under his light tone. “Do you actually like her? I’m starting to think you do. You must, to choose her over me.”

“It’s more a case ofnotchoosing you, Liv.”

But she wasn’t deterred, was still watching him sharply, wheels turning in that lawyer mind of hers which, regrettably, missed nothing.

“I thought you were playing a game at first,” she said. “Starting a relationship withherof all people—the boss’s weirdo tree-hugging daughter—just to provoke me. But is it true?” She laughed. “You actually like her? What do you even talk about? Does she drag you along to protests, braid daisies in your hair?”

“You probably won’t believe me, but I’ve never once wished you ill, Liv. But if you keep talking, I might change my mind.”

She laughed outright, eyes wide with glee. “Oh my God, you do! Look at you, getting all furious and flying to her defence! I never thought I’d see the day. You actually really like her.”

Then her mirth faded and she shook her head, taking it in. “Do youloveher, Aubrey? Is it as bad as that?”

“Of course I don’t,” he snapped, only just stopping himself from adding:I can barely stand her half the time.But Liv was awful when she felt she’d got hold of a secret, especially one that she thought might annoy him, no matter how unfounded. She was like a rottweiler with a bone, and he was suddenly suffocating at the thought of having to defend himself from her barbs all night, ridiculous as they were. Tomorrow could not come soon enough.

A movement caught the corner of his eye and he looked up, finding Evie paused halfway down the stairs. She had one handon the banister rail, ivory pale against the scarlet of the dress and the black of her hair. The floor-length skirts of her red dress were split up the left leg almost to her hip. The thin straps and the plunging neckline left the thin shoulders, the line of collarbone, the curve of neck all bare, fabric skimming the small breasts to the long, lean stomach. Aubrey met her eyes, and couldn’t think of a single damned thing to say.

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