Page 68 of Unapologetic Love Story

Tom’s clothes felt uncomfortable. Too tight on him. Only when Raina had walked away from her ex and returned to him did he relax a little, his hands gripping her hips in a way that was quickly familiar and the beginning of an escalation. The events in the kitchen had both quietened and ignited something in him. He would have sworn before meeting her that he wasn’t a possessive person. In fact, he’d always considered work to be the only real lover in his life.

Now he was thinking about setting off the fire alarm to evacuate everyone from the house. He also didn’t mind the idea of shoving Matt Fletcher out into the gutter.

It was so unlike him. Or perhaps, it had never been awoken in him before.

‘Just tell me how to get rid of them all,’ he murmured, pressing his nose against her hair.

He felt her sigh and he pulled her closer.

‘Pep’s upstairs,’ she finally whispered against his neck. ‘She shouldn’t be alone.’

Tom would have found it hard to care under normal circumstances, let alone these. ‘She just hurt you.’

‘Yes.’

‘So, screw her.’

‘Hurt people hurt people.’

Tom knew Raina didn’t see it as a case of choosing between the two of them. Mostly because he was aware of how devoted to her toxic best friend she truly was. She seemingly did nothing by halves, including friendship.

Nevertheless. ‘Stay with me, Raina. Please.’

He’d never begged in his life.

She moved into the kitchen, brushing his fingers as she did. He followed, subserviently. Once they were alone, he opened his mouth to try to dissuade her from leaving the party for Pepper, but the words were delayed. She pulled him into her and they were right back to where they’d been before. Queen was playing in the front room and a drunken chorus of ‘Somebody to Love’ ghosted through the house, but Tom was consumed by her.

She slipped her hands under his shirt, her nails against his back.

‘I like you a lot more like this,’ she said teasingly, earning a smirk from the slightly desperate writer.

‘I like you a lot,’ he retaliated.

He watched openness and guardedness fight across her beautiful face. The latter won, especially when a loud sound could be heard from the room above them. A clear reminder of the slightly unhinged person Raina wanted to check on.

‘She can have you tonight,’ Tom allowed. ‘But I’m coming back here tomorrow evening. I’m making you dinner. I’m going to be good to you because you deserve the fucking world.’

He kissed her. Once, fiercely, and then he was gone.

Raina cut herself a large slice of blue birthday cake.

She could hear Solana saying goodbye to the last of the guests and giving them directions, while she scraped the pastel-coloured sponge onto a plate. When her sister returned, Raina told her she was welcome to stay in the spare bedroom. They bumped cheeks and then Raina began her somewhat heavy ascent to her bedroom.

She swung the door open and peered inside the dimly lit room. The bed was brightened in the darkness by a few fairy lights. Pepper was laid out like a starfish on the large mattress, staring up at the ceiling with mascara smudges on her pink cheeks.

‘Hey,’ Raina said softly, holding out the plate of cake with its two dainty gold forks. ‘Eat this.’

Pepper sat up, a little jerkily. She stared at her friend with eyes full of horror and contrition. ‘I don’t deserve to eat.’

‘Don’t be stupid. Everybody deserves to eat, even when they’ve done something evil. Eat.’

Raina sat on the foot of the bed and placed the plate between both of them. She broke off a large piece and ate it in one smooth bite, eyeing her friend the whole time. Eventually, Pepper relented and took her own morsel, making sure not to enjoy it too visibly.

‘So, what happened?’ Raina asked softly.

Pepper sniffed. ‘Raina. There’s no one I love more than you.’

‘Tell me why you’re upset,’ Raina persisted, taking another mouthful of cake. She nudged her friend with her foot. ‘I’m not neurotypical, I can’t read your mind. Just tell me straight.’