Page 32 of Silver Tears

“Oh, I don’t work here. Well, I do, but not yet. I start next week.”

They all look at me, stopping their conversation.

“She’s not your waitress, George,” Seb says. He holds out his hand and I walk around to his seat, slipping my hand in his. “This is my girl, Milly. She’s just had an interview with Francis.”

“Girlfriend, huh?” George says, studying me from my head to my toes. I blush under the scrutiny of the guys around this table. “She’s cute, Collings.”

Seb winks at me as he stands up. “She sure is, and she’s all mine. So, you can stop looking at her like that,” he says with a casual warning.

George smirks. “Just admiring the goods, my friend. I’ll look forward to seeing you again, Milly.”

“Same,” I reply with a tight smile. It’s a lie. I don’t like the way the conceited sleazebag is looking at me like I’m easy pickings.

I breathe a sigh of relief when we get outside to his car. I instantly pull my hand from his, reminding myself that we don’t need to act out here. “Thank you,” I say. “For setting me up with the job. I appreciate it.”

Seb looks at me over the top of the car as he opens his door. “Well, I do kind of owe you after I lost you your last job.”

We climb inside the car, and he starts the engine. “Do me a favour. If you’re on shift and George is around, just be careful, okay?”

I look over at him, frowning. “What do you mean?”

He shrugs, keeping his eyes on the road. “George has wandering hands and thinks he can take what he wants.”

“And you think he wants me?” I say, surprised. Don’t get me wrong, I saw the way he was looking at me, but he probably looks at all girls like that.

“Of course he wants you, Mills. Who wouldn’t?”

“Do you?” I flush red as the words spill out of my mouth. Why the hell have I asked him this!

He clears his throat, clearly as surprised as I am by my question. I can feel his eyes on me, but I can’t look at him. What a fucking idiot I am. “Do you want me to want you, Mills?”

I shake my head firmly and look out the window. I flush red even more when I hear his lazy, deep chuckle. I frown when I notice where we are. This isn’t the way to my house. “Where are you taking me?”

“Archer’s place. If you’re my girlfriend, Mills, then you need to get used to hanging out with me in the evenings.”

I blow out a big breath. “I thought this whole charade was just something we’d do at school.”

Seb pulls up at a security gate and greets the guard. I sit up with interest. I’d heard about the four Aces mansions, all together behind a gated wall. Seb drives past one road that leads down to a large stately house that looks to be in darkness. We continue until we eventually turn off and pull up outside a large grey stone mansion. It’s huge!

“How does someone live here and not get lost?” I say in awe, staring at the imposing house.

Seb doesn’t answer, he just laughs and climbs out of the car, leaving me to sit and gawp. I jump out after him and I frown when he holds out his hand for me to take. “Doting girlfriend, remember?”

How could I forget? With a deep sigh, I slip my hand into his. He squeezes it lightly as he opens the door and walks in. Clearly, he doesn’t feel the need to knock. The house is as grand on the inside as it is on the outside and my head turns in all directions, taking in all the interior. I thought I lived in a big house, but it’s nothing compared to this. He guides us through the place, tugging me along as I gawp like a curious child.

“I’m not racing against you again,” a voice says grumpily as we enter a cosy and casual modern room. There’s a huge tv on one wall and a very large black leather sofa in front of it. Archer sits with Eliza in between his legs, nuzzling her neck as she gloats to Rafe about beating him yet again. Rafe sits with Vee’s feet up in his lap, while she sits filing her nails. They all look so relaxed and comfortable around each other.

“Hey, Milly.” Eliza grins as we enter. “Come sit.” She pats the empty space between Archer and Rafe. Seb throws himself down and reaching for my waist he pulls me onto his lap. I try not to look surprised by his action. “What have you two been up to?”

“Mills had an interview up at the club tonight,” Seb explains. Rafe hands him the remote and Seb gently urges me back against his chest, circling his arms around me so he can hold the remote to game.

“Here, you can race Seb. He cheats,” Eliza says to Archer, handing him the remote. Archer tilts her head back and kisses her. “I’d heard they’d had a few leave after the incident with Georgie’s mum.”

It had been the talk of the Bay when Georgie’s mum had turned up at the club and held a gun to Eliza’s head. The whole tale of Archer’s dad and Georgie’s mum being secret lovers and plotting to take out Eliza so that Archer would marry Georgie, had been all anyone could talk about for the last month. Now, however, the school gossips had a new story. A Silver and an Ace dating was big enough news to eclipse the stalker drama.

I try to relax in Sebs lap and not look like I am super freaked out and uncomfortable. I flinch slightly when Seb’s breath tickles my ear. Ryan had been my first proper boyfriend, and we’d never sat together like this.

“So, did Luca give you a hard time when you got home?” Vee asks me, glancing up from her self-manicure to ask me the question.

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