Page 84 of Love and Loathing

“Who?” asked Zig.

“Aubrey’s ex,” Fi said, watching Evie think. “Liv. The one who’s now with Domnall.”

Zig shook his head. “I can’t keep up.”

“It was all in the FTP briefing!”

“Well, I skipped the boring bit.”

Fi rolled her eyes. “Men.” She touched Evie’s arm. “He loves you now, right? That might be enough of a reason.”

Evie frowned at her, not wanting to believe in the scorned woman stereotype. Even Liv wasn’t that bad. Surely.

“Jealousy?” she asked.

“Or the simple joy of breaking what she can’t have.”

“No one really does that.”

“No one nice,” Fi said. “Or sane. Is she either?”

Evie’s frown froze. Sane, maybe. But nice? Even she couldn’t be quite that charitable. She turned, ran slipping on the mud for the gate. It took forever to get back across town, and when she arrived at Aubrey’s, wet and breathless, she rang the buzzer, and rang it, and rang it, but no one was there, and his phone went unanswered.

THIRTY-FIVE

“Liv,” said Aubrey, eyeingthe smiling woman at his door with extreme reluctance.

“I got lucky. Arrived at the same time as a delivery for another floor. Thought I’d save you the sound of the buzzer.”

He said nothing, silently noting the raindrops on her auburn hair, wondering if he could get away with closing the door in her face.

“Come on,” she said, smile softening. “I know you’ve been having a terrible morning. I came as soon as I heard. Don’t forget I’m a lawyer. I might be an invaluable friend right now.”

“I know plenty of lawyers.”

She grinned. “But none as good as me.”

“None as vicious,” he muttered.

“And that’s exactly what you need,” she said, patting him on the chest and stepping past him into the flat before he could protest.

He closed the door in irritation and followed her into the living room where she sat on the sofa, arranging herself, perfectlyat ease, rain-mac unbuttoned to reveal the deep, somewhat unprofessional V neck of her black dress.

“Do you still get that amazing Colombian single source coffee?”

“Yes,” he admitted.

She got up. “I’ll make it. You look like you could use one.”

She brushed past him on the way to the kitchen, leaving a trail of perfume strong enough to trigger his headache all over again. Or maybe it was her presence. That was very much not helping his mood, nor was the sound of cupboard doors and cutlery as she rooted happily through his kitchen.

“Liv… Look… Can you go? Please.”

Pausing her hunt for cups, she turned. For a moment she looked at him, and the smile on her face faded into regret. Sorrow. A deep, heavy sympathy that sent unease curling coldly up his spine.

“Aubrey… I didn’t just come to help you, although I will, don’t doubt it for a moment. I came because I know the truth. And I thought it would be best hearing it from an old friend, not a stranger.”

Aubrey frowned, mentally batting away the ‘old friend’ comment to deal with later. “Know what?”

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