Page 131 of After All This Time

Finally, I snap. I storm into my room and gather my mom's things in one fell swoop, hauling them downstairs.

Victor, the building's security guy, doesn't even blink when I dump her bags at his feet. He just raises one eyebrow and offers a smile. I know that look. It's the kind reserved for watching the rich and entitled self-destruct. It says he's seen worse.

AMELIA

Your bags are with Victor. He's the building securityguy, and I told him you'd be collecting them at some point. He won't let you upstairs no matter what you pay him. I'll talk to you when you stop acting like the world's biggest asshole.

My fingers are already dialing Allison before my brain catches up.

"Milly." Her voice wraps around me like a warm blanket, familiar as my own heartbeat. For the first time since this morning, my shoulders relax a little. "I was just thinking about you."

"You're always thinking about me," I tease, even though my voice cracks.

"It's true.Are you okay? You sound stressed."

"No, I'm not okay," I admit, the words spilling out before I can stop them. "I'm so fucking far from okay."

Chapter 50

Tobias

"Ifucked everything up." I groan as soon as Harry opens the annoyingly bright-red front door. I take one last desperate drag of my cigarette before stubbing it out against the brick wall, watching the ember die like my last shred of dignity.

I collapse onto the couch next to Jen, throwing my head back and sighing like the weight of the world is pressing on my chest.

"What did you do now?" Jen asks.

"Oh, you know," I say, grinding my palms into my eye sockets until stars form behind my eyelids. "I started sleeping with Amelia, realized last night that I was in love with her, and went and told her mom about it this morning."

The room goes quiet. Too quiet. I glance over to find Jen staring at me, her mouth hanging open, her eyes wide.

"See?" I say, jabbing a finger her way. "Fucked itup."

"I mean, it doesn't surprise me that you're sleeping with her because, well, it's you, and you sleep with everyone." Jen shrugs, but the comment digs in enough that I side-eye her.

"Not helping."

Harry leans against the doorframe with his arms crossed over his chest, shaking his head. "I warned you, man. Told you shit would get complicated."

"Wait—" Jen's head whips toward him. "You knew about this?"

"Uh…" Harry freezes like he's just stepped on a land mine. "No. I mean… yes."

"Seriously? What happened to not having secrets?"

"Okay, tell me what Tessa said to you this morning. I heard the words 'suction' and 'face down.'" Harry smirks, but Jen instantly clamps her mouth shut.

"Never mind," she mutters.

"Hey!" I wave my arms, desperate to bring the focus back to me. "Real problem here. I need help."

"No, you need a time machine."

"Harry, please. Deal with your woman." I groan, running both hands over my face.

Jen sighs, her tone softening. "Fine. I'll try to wrap my head around the fact that you have feelings that extend beyond your dick."

"Why the hell did you tell her mom?"Harry asks, unable to hide his disbelief.

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