Page 134 of Brighter Together

“Try to remember your keys.”

He gives me a look. “I remembered them yesterday.”

“Congratulations.”

Then he disappears.

I turn back towards the wardrobe and reach for a pair of black trousers.

Definitely trousers today.

If I wear a skirt, there is a reasonable chance Tommy will spend half the morning staring at my legs and the other half pretending he isn’t.

But today I need him focused.

He wants us to tell the staff today.

We talked about it properly last night.

I’m nervous, but mostly I’m relieved.

I have enough of pretending nothing is happening between us.

Tired of saying goodnight at the hotel and then heading home separately before he appears at my flat an hour later.

Tired of wondering who has noticed.

I want to be able to stand beside him without thinking about whether somebody might read too much into it.

The doorbell rings.

I sigh.

Keys.

I did tell him.

I grab my cardigan from the bed and walk into the hall.

“Honestly, Tommy, I told you—”

The moment I open the door, a hand closes around my throat.

The world slams sideways.

My head hits the wall.

Pain flashes through my skull.

The door crashes shut.

For a second, I can’t breathe.

Then I see him.

Lee.

His fingers press harder around my neck.