Page 1 of The Making of Jonty Bloom
Chapter One
IF DEVAN HADN’T KNOWN THEreason why his throat felt as if he’d had a ball of barbed wire stuck in it for the past twenty-four hours, he might have been tempted to see a doctor. But he did know, and no doctor could help him. Not even a shrink. All the rage he’d felt five months ago had come hurtling back as if it had never left.Thought you were okay, sucker? No, you weren’t.
The last thing he’d wanted to do this morning was come to work, but if he hadn’t, it would be showing how hurt he was and he’d been determined that wasn’t going to happen. Sadly, he’d already revealed the mood he was in. Not having his coffee on his desk at precisely the moment he’d expected it, had caused him to snap at Nate, his assistant, in front of the whole office. When Nate returned with his drink, he’d put it down and left without saying a word.
Devan should have apologised. There was probably a perfectly good reason why Nate hadn’t had his coffee on his desk when he’d wanted it, except how hard could it fucking be? While he was still simmering, it was better to keep quiet, stay in his office and bury himself in work. But he was distracted, the screen blurring as he stared at it, and the turmoil boiling in his head made pain flare between his eyes.
Five months ago, he’d concealed his emotions under a mask of indifference, not caring if people saw through it or not. Or so he’d told himself. Ravi would no longer be in his life. Devan had to accept it. Get over it. And hefuckinghad! Five months was plenty long enough to get over the cheating, bastard arsehole of a… But the news Devan had been given yesterday had shaken him, wrecked what he now realised was a fragile equilibrium. The sense of betrayal had caused a physical pain in his chest, as if he’d been struck in the heart by an arrow.
His mobile vibrated. When he saw who was calling, he put it down again. He had no wish to speak to his mother. He didn’t want sympathy. He didn’t want her logic. He just wanted not tofeelanymore. He was awash with emotions, none of them good. How long was this unswallowable lump of anger going to last? Until the wedding? The end of the year? The rest of his fucking life? Rage festered in his gut, ate into his heart, and was doing a sterling job of poisoning his soul.
His mother called again and he walked away from his phone. He needed to take a leak.
“Sorry, Nate,” he muttered as he stalked past.
As he headed through the open plan office where most employees worked, including his brother, conversations stalled. Was it his imagination that people were avoiding looking at him? Devan tried not to glance at where his brother usually sat, but he couldn’t stop his head turning that way. No Griff, and Devan was both infuriated and relieved.
But on his way back to his desk, he saw Griff step out of Alan’s office and heard Alan say, “Congratulations.”
As if that word wasn’t bad enough, Devan had managed to convince himself that Griff wouldn’t be in today and now the sight of his brother caused him to falter.
“Devan, can I talk to you?” Griff asked.
“No.” Devan strode past him, then past Nate, mouthingNoto his assistant.
He closed the door of his office and leaned back against it. This was not the way to behave. Appearing as if he didn’t care was the way to behave. It was what he’d done for the last five months. Admittedly, there’d been a few cracks that he’d quickly covered over, because sometimes he’d catch a random comment, or see an image on the TV, or take a call from a friend and find himself listening to words he didn’t want to hear, any of which were enough to send fury roaring back at hurricane-force. His anger had always faded, though he was aware it had never fully disappeared.
“He’s busy,” Nate said from behind the door.
“He’ll see me.” Griff’s voice.
You really think I want to see you, you fucking dickhead?
“He asked not to be disturbed. Please don’t.”
Devan had seconds to pull himself together. Griff would walk in over Nate’s prone body. Knowing his brother, he’d probably step on him and Nate would be the one who’d apologise. Devan dropped down at his desk and stared at his computer. He didn’t even lift his head when the door opened.
“What do you want? Nate told you I’m busy.”
“I’m so sorry.” Nate rushed to his desk and tried to block Griff.
Nate stood no chance, especially not against a guy with a forearm crutch and the world on his side.
“It’s okay, Nate. Thanks for trying, but my brother always does what he wants.”Takes what he likes. Doesn’t give a fuck. Sucks up all the sympathy.
Nate managed a small smile and Devan hoped his assistant had forgiven him for coffee-gate. Then the door was closed and Devan faced his brother.
Griff dropped awkwardly into a chair. “I wanted to see if you were okay.”
Don’t react.“Why wouldn’t I be okay?”Don’t say more than that.
“I know it must be hard.”
Devan said nothing.
“I wanted to tell you, but I thought it would be better coming from Mum and Dad.”
“I assume you were too chickenshit to tell me yourself?”
