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Turning, I walk over to the bed and fall down onto it, curling myself around one of the pillows.
Then I close my eyes and pray sleep finds me.
2
ELLIOT
“She was meant to be here today,” Olivia says as I join our table for lunch.
Concern knots up my stomach, but I refuse to let it show.My grip on the tray in my hand tightens momentarily before I throw it down on the table and drag my chair out, making it screech loudly against the ancient parquet flooring beneath our feet.
“Christ, who pissed in your Rice Krispies this morning?” Oak asks, studying me closely.
“I don’t eat fucking Rice Krispies,” I mutter, reaching for my fork and stabbing a tomato as if it personally offended me.
“You know, if you did, it might help you lighten up a little,” Reese suggests, slinging his arm around his girl and tugging her into his side.
Turning his attention from me, he whispers something into Olivia’s ear which makes her cheeks turn almost as red as the tomato I just stuffed into my mouth.
Shaking my head at them, I take in the other two couples surrounding me. Theo and Raine, Oak and Tally. And then my eyes land on the empty chair.
My stomach twists up tighter as her absence eats at me.
It’s been the same way since the night she discovered her father died.
She’s seen the girls and they have trickled down the basics of how she’s coping, but it’s not enough.
I’m sure the guys probably know more. But it’s not like I can ask without raising suspicions.
They already give me enough shit about my interest in the quietest member of our little group. I don’t need them digging any deeper into it. They already have a few too many ideas about what might exist between us.
And so does she if what happened at Raine’s birthday party is anything to go by.
My lips burn just thinking about it.
I’ve seen a few different sides to shy, meek Abigail Bancroft over the past few months, but fuck me if she didn’t knock me sideways with her forwardness that night.
I didn’t think she had it in her.
Despite everyone around me thinking that I’m oblivious to Abigail’s interest, I’m not.I’m aware of everything that happens around us. They should know me better than that by now.
But as much as her obvious interest might make my heart beat a little faster, I can’t do anything about it.
I might be an arsehole. But I’m not that big of an arsehole. I would never willingly bring a girl like Abigail into my life.
She’s too good for it.
Hell, I wouldn’t even bring a bad girl into it.
No one deserves to be a part of the life I’m forced to live.
The guys know more than anyone else. Well, anyone who hasn’t lived inside the torturous four walls of the Eaton mansion. But even their knowledge is limited to what I’ve allowed them to know.
The last thing I need is anyone—namely, Abigail—attempting to peel back my hardened layers and attempting to discover what’s hiding beneath.
It’s not pretty, and certainly not something I want to share with her.
She deserves a boy next door type. A nice lad who will take care of her. Someone who belongs to a happy, loving family, not a twisted, corrupt one who doesn’t care about anything but money and power.
