Page 98 of The Reality of Us
Twelve steps. That’s all he needed.
“Probably already moved on to some other guy.”
Owen’s hands wrapped around the metal rail. He let his crutches fall to the ground. Inhaling deeply, Owen raised his bad leg onto the first step. Braced himself for the wave of pain.
“Rumour has it, she’s never coming back.”
Owen faltered, the toe of his sneaker slipping, but his forearms locked and he stayed upright.
“Not gonna say anything, huh?”
He gritted his teeth. Breathed through the next two steps. Ignored the footsteps behind him.
“Thought you’d try to defend her.”
Teddy’s shadow crossed the kitchen window, the fridge door blocking out the light as it opened. The dull ache in Owen’s leg was eclipsed by the burning in his heart.
“Guess she didn’t mean anything to you.”
Owen spun around. His voice was firm and clear, ringing out through the night. He didn’t give a shit who heard him. Hoped everyone would.
Hoped Alice would.
“Alice Aspinall is the best person I’ve ever met. And she’s more than capable of defending herself. There’s nothing she can’t do.”
He twisted around and gingerly climbed the last steps, ignoring the pain in his knee and heart.
“What’s going on …” Teddy said, mouth half full of rice and curry when Owen opened the door.
“There’s a reporter downstairs who won’t leave. I don’t have my phone. Can you call Raff?”
“I can do one better.” Teddy picked up his mobile and swiped through his contacts. “Hey Wyatt. Some idiot’s harassing Owen at my place. Is the team dinner still going? Send them round, would you?”
Owen sank onto a kitchen chair, raising his knee onto the opposite one. He accepted the bag of frozen peas Teddy passed.
“They’ll be gone soon. The whole footy team’s coming.”
Calmness settled over Owen. “I appreciate it.”
Teddy shrugged, passing him a bowl of rice and red curry. “It’s no big deal. You’re still one of us, even if you’re out for the rest of the season.”
The address Phoenix had texted Alice was for a trendy townhouse a few minutes from the centre of the city.
“Sure you don’t want me to come in?” Rico leant forward, his arms resting on the steering wheel. “I could snap Fuckface in half for everything he’s done to you.”
His protectiveness was a warm balm to Alice’s frayed nerves. “I’ll be okay.” She smoothed a hand down her front, picking at a piece of lint clinging to the oversized dark green jumper she’d borrowed.
“Then I’ll be waiting right here. Take your time.”
Alice clipped Murphy’s lead to his collar and opened the door, ducking her head automatically in case there were any hidden cameras.
A shadowy figure, half hidden by the elm tree in the corner of the tiny front yard, was waiting.
“I was surprised to hear from you,” Phoenix said before releasing a cloud of smoke from the corner of his mouth. He looked terrible, his hair a mess and deep circles under his eyes. Two suitcases and a guitar case were next to him, his battered leather satchel on the table. He backed further into the corner when he saw Murphy.
Good.
“Are you going to …?” She didn’t finish her sentence, remembering how the word ‘rehab’ used to send him into fits of rage. Murphy laid down next to her feet, tail still, ears up.
