Page 111 of Tangled Up In You

Conor got up and started dressing. He knew Colette had a weird thing with Sophie, both admiring what she had accomplished in the modeling industry and yet feeling competitive with her, but this was something else.

“You don’t understand what you saw with Gavin, ’cause if you did, you’d know you have no fucking right to pull some jealousy trip right now.”

“What I understand is that Sophie is the unavailable woman you’re in love with and?—”

“Stop this. You sound like a child trying to speak of adult things you have no understanding of,” he said sternly. But his entire body was tense over the idea that he was that transparent. “And fuck your agent getting me a flight, too,” he said and strode out.

He was at the front door when she grabbed his arm.

“Don’t go like this. I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be jealous. I don’t. Please.”

“I don’t have time for your games,” he said, pulling away from her.

“Please, Conor,” she said, and the naked pleading in her voice made him stop and look at her.

“Please what?”

“I don’t want this—us—to end.”

He met her eyes for a moment. “I’ll ring you later, honey. Okay?”

She nodded eagerly. “Just do me a favor,” she said, wrapping her arm around his neck and pressing her breasts against him.

“What?”

“Don’t call any other girl honey. Let me be your honey,” she purred.

“You,honey, are a total mind-fuck,” he told her, and she smiled as if it were a compliment.

66

CONOR

At half past one in the morning, Conor quietly let himself inside Gavin’s house. There were no lights on, though he saw a glow coming from the back garden. He put his bag down and walked toward the open door that led to the well-manicured yard.

Gavin was lying in a chaise lounge with his head in Sophie’s lap. The hanging lanterns and outdoor fire pit provided soft, romantic lighting.

“My whole family,” Gavin said with a pronounced slur. “I don’t understand why my whole family has betrayed me.”

“Shh,” Sophie said softly before leaning down and pressing her lips to his forehead for a long moment. “Just hold on to me.”

Conor watched the scene for longer than he knew he should. It was a view into an intensely private and intimate part of their marriage.

“Well, I’ve made it,” he finally announced, forcing a smile. “Shall we start the real drinking, then?” He held up the bottle of whiskey he had brought.

Gavin sat up and struggled to his feet. Sophie stood with him and put her arm around his waist to steady him.

“Aye, Con,” Gavin said slowly. He went to him and wrapped his arms around Conor in a sloppy hug. “You are my brother, right? You, I can trust with my fucking life.”

“That’s right, Gav. That’s right,” Conor said.

“Fuck ’em,” Gavin said and released Conor. He turned his eyes heavenward and shouted, “Fuck you all! I don’t need yous anyway!”

Conor winced and then looked at Sophie. Her eyes were filled with tears. She looked helpless.

“I mean,” Gavin continued, this time mumbling to himself, “I never had me ma in all these years. So what have I lost? Nothing. And Ian—we may be related, but that means nothing. He’s been waiting for this day, waiting to tell the world what he really thinks of me.”

“You ready for another drink?” Conor asked. “I know I could use one.”

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