Page 20 of Tempting Him (Illicit Desires)

“Don’t get me wrong, Rich, if you do anything to hurt him or fuck up his life, you will disappear. Don’t doubt me on that. I will make it happen. But I can see how much you care about Liam, and I can see how much he cares about you. I can either support him or alienate him, and given that I think you’ve both got enough trouble ahead with how Annie will handle all this, I choose to support him.”

I sighed. She was right. I knew it. She knew it. Liam knew it. Annie wasn’t going to be happy about the fact her dad was shagging her best mate, and there was nothing I could think of that was going to get around that fact.

Gillian clearly knew what I was thinking. Her hand squeezed my shoulder. “I’m here for you all. You know that.” She smiled at me warmly. “Now, are we going to order a takeaway to soak up some of this rum or what?”

I laughed, pulling my phone from my pocket and opening the Deliveroo app.

ChapterTwenty-One

Liam

Annieand I were lighting up the town when Rich texted me to tell me he and Mum had come to an understanding. I smirked, wondering how many times Mum had threatened to kill Rich if he hurt me. Annie thrust a shot glass at me.

“Jesus Christ, can you not?” she huffed before knocking back her shot.

I knocked mine back just after. “Not what?”

“That!” She pointed at my phone. “Seriously, you’re out with me, not your fucking boy toy. Can you put your phone away?”

This wasn’t like her. Annie wasn’t usually the jealous kind. “What is up with you?”

“I think my dad is having an affair.”

Oh, fuck.

“What do you mean, anaffair?”

“As in fucking someone,” she shouted over the music. A couple of people looked at her and I pulled her to the smoking area outside the back of the club.

“What makes you think he’s seeing someone?” I asked, panicking inside that she knew it was me and I was trying outwardly to seem like I knew nothing.

“He’s getting on like a fucking teenager. He’s always texting someone, and he’s always got this stupidly happy look on his face.”

“You’re not happy for him?”

Annie glared. “It’s not like that, Liam. I mean, if this is someone important to him, why isn’t he sharing it with me? We don’t do secrets. We haven’t since Phillipa fucked off. So, they’re either married, or it’s someone I wouldn’t approve of.”

I tried to think of some other reason for Rich being secretive. “Maybe he just doesn’t want to give you any reason to worry when you’re making a life for yourself. We both know what happened to your dad when your mum did her boss. Maybe he doesn’t want you to feel like you have to be there in case things fall apart again.” My stomach vaulted at the thought of something not working out between Rich and me. That was the last thing I wanted to happen.

“You think so?” She pondered what I had said.

I felt like shit. I didn’t want to lie to my friend. I also didn’t know what the hell else to do. I needed to change the subject.

“I do. Now, come on, bitch. I need to get seriously wasted. Time for double shots!” I grinned, hoping she wouldn’t notice how fake my smile was and would follow me back into the club and allow us the chance to get lost in dancing and booze. Fortunately, my best mate did exactly that. She grabbed my hand, and back to the bar we went.

* * *

One pizzaafter the club closing later, and Annie and I were in the taxi on the way back to her house. “You’re staying over, right?”

I nodded. I was more than a little tipsy and a lot horny. With the amount Annie had knocked back over the evening, she would get in and probably pass out until morning, and risky as it was, I thought about how much I wanted to find myself in Rich’s bed, in his arms, naked.

“Thanks for not texting your boy after our little chat.” She smiled at me, putting her head on my shoulder and hugging my arm.

“It’s all good. We’re best friends. I’m never going to ignore you over a man.”

“Ohh, he’s a man, is he?”

Shit.

---