Page 35 of Constantine: Britain's Story: Part 2
“Where?” He sets down the almonds, dusting his hands off.
“At Sandy’s cafe in Spearhead. I think he’s like back, back.” I scrunch my nose at the discomfort I feel even just thinking about him.
“I’m gonna fucking kill him.” Alex walks briskly out of the pantry, through the kitchen, and is almost to the front door when I stop him.
“Wait! Wait! Wait! You are not going to kill him. I’m not forgiving him or anything, but I don’t think he deserves death.”
“Fine, I’ll let him live.” Alex turns to head back out the door.
“Alex, stop!”
“No, Brit! He wants to show back up here, he can fucking answer to me.” Alex is nearly trembling with rage. He needs to do this.
“Okay, but nothing that could get you arrested. No assault, vandalism, burglary…”
He gets a truly devilish grin on his face and says, “No problem,” then dips out the door as quickly as he came. I turn around wide-eyed to see Jess with a shit-eating grin on her face.
“Do you think I should call Liam and warn him?”
Jess shakes her head while laughing, “Absolutely not.”
Liam
Here we go.I pull out her suitcases from the guest room and push them towards my room. I brush the stupid fucking tears I’m crying off my face before laying the suitcases open to fill up. I could leave all this for Jess to do tomorrow, but I’m selfishly motivated right now. There’s one thing I can’t let her take.
I start inhercloset, grabbing all the hangers at once and tossing them on the bed. Next I do the drawers in hopes I find it there…and I do. I pull the pink silk nightgown out of the top drawer and it slides over my bandaged hand, slipping to the floor.Over my dead body is Britain going to wear this thing for him.I bend over, picking it up, then take it to my closet. Folding it as neatly as I can with one hand, I put it in my bottom drawer beneath my sweats.
As I walk out of the closet,hersweatshirt catches my eye. I think about her slipping it on over her naked body after she moved in. I think about cuddling in front of the fire with nothingon underneath. If the pink nightgown is mine, this sweatshirt is hers. I grab it, placing it at the bottom of the suitcase.
Fuck, all it took was putting something in that suitcase and the bottle of bourbon sitting on my nightstand from last night starts calling my name.Yeah, I’m too fucking sober to complete this task.I pop the cork off the top and take a long swig, grateful for the low burn shooting down my throat. It’s nice to feel something other than heartbreaking pain, and after a few more swigs, hopefully I won’t feel anything at all.Can’t fucking wait.
I go for another long swallow when a pounding fist on my front door stops me.What the fuck?I trudge downstairs as the pounding increases in frequency and intensity. Whoever’s out there needs to chill the fuck out. I throw open the door and immediately regret it.
“So, you’re back.” Alexander Palomino stands in my doorway, looking like he’s out for blood.Fucking perfect.
“Yeah–” Alex’s fist interrupts my reply, landing a perfect punch to my left eye.
“Goddamnit, Alex!” I growl out, then bowl over as pain radiates in my skull.
“You’re lucky you’re already fucking hurt.” He basically spits at me, “Do I need to invite myself in, or…?”
I stand up, putting my non-injured hand to my temple. “Excuse me, where the fuck are my manners? Make yourself at home.” I turn and head straight for the kitchen, not waiting around or giving a fuck what Alex does. I grab a bag of frozen broccoli out of the freezer, putting it straight on my throbbing head. Peas would have been better, but I fucking hate peas.
Alex heads straight for the wet bar in the butler’s pantry, pouring himself a glass of Pappy’s that he downs in one large swallow.
“Fuck, man. That bottle’s worth more than 5 grand, at least savor it,” I yell over to him.
“I know how much it’s worth. Why the fuck do you think I’m drinking it?” Alex replies harshly.To inflict maximum pain, I fucking get it. I slide into a chair at the breakfast nook and hang my head into the makeshift ice pack as Alex plops down his second very full glass of Pappy’s before taking a seat at the other end of the table.
“I don’t see you for 35 years, and when I do I find out you got my little sister pregnant. Then you break her fucking heart in front of everyone she knows and leave her hanging out to dry. Whothe fuckdo you think you are to ghosther?” He shakes his head in disgust. “She’s too fucking good for you.”Yeah, I know.
“I thought I was doing the right thing. I thought she was still in love with Matt. I’ve fucked up her life a couple of times now. You think I don’t know I’m not good enough for her? Trust me, I fucking know.”
“Glad we can agree on that. What the fuck are you doing here then?”
“Are you serious?” I lift my face up off the broccoli to shoot him a dirty look. “The second I found out Britain was pregnant, I came back. I’m not going to abandon her or our child.” He just stares back at me, bracing both elbows on the table.
“If you ever hurt her or her children, they willneverfind your body. Do you understand?” I don’t know Alex’s kill count, but I’m going with high, and I’ve got no desire to be on that list.
