Page 169 of When The Night Falls

He hesitated. ‘No, he isn’t, but have you tried calling him?’

‘I’ve tried texting him, but he hasn’t replied.’

‘Maybe there’s a reason for that.’

I took a sharp breath at his insinuation. ‘Is he angry?’

‘Cara, please leave me out of this.’

I took that as confirmation, and it made me grimace with misery.

‘Right, sorry. Could you let me in, though? I’ll just wait for him to come home.’

Silence.

‘Tyler, please. I’ll either wait here outside or you can let me in. One way or another, I’m not leaving until I’ve talked to him.’

I heard him groan before the door buzzed.

I dragged it open. ‘Thank you.’

When I reached the top of the stairs, Tyler stood in the doorway, leaning against the doorpost. His short, curly hair was damp, and his brown skin glistened. It looked like he had just come out of the shower. Despite this, he was fully dressed, wearing grey joggers and a plain black T-shirt. Perhaps he had just come home from the gym?

‘Don’t ask me anything,’ he said. ‘This is between you and him. I don’t want to get involved.’

I nodded faintly. ‘I’m sorry if I messed things up for you on Friday. I know Valentina had planned something for you.’

He shook his head. ‘Aaron didn’t come home that night. He went to Mary-Anne’s.’

‘Oh.’ My heart clenched at the thought of that. If he had told her what had happened between us, I hoped he hadn’t blackened my character too much, because I adored that woman. I didn’t want her to think badly of me.

‘Anyway, I was just about to order a pizza,’ Tyler said. ‘Have you had dinner?’

‘No, I’ve come straight from work.’

He stepped aside to let me in. ‘Right, should I order for you too, then?’

‘Yeah, why not?’ I walked in and took off my shoes.

‘Fancy a beer while you wait?’ he asked and sauntered into the kitchen.

‘No, I’m all right, thanks.’

Leaving my bag on the floor, I went into the living room and sat down on the grey, second-hand sofa that Aaron and I had spent so many hours talking and kissing on. As I gazed around, my eyes landed on the bonsai tree I had gifted him two years ago, which was thriving on the small, black table next to the television.

‘What pizza would you like?’ Tyler asked as he walked in, scratching his black stubble.

‘Have they got diavola?’

‘Yeah.’

‘That one.’

Nodding, he focused on the screen of his phone.

Suddenly I heard a key being inserted into the front door. My whole body tensed. I stopped breathing.

Tyler cast me a worried glance. Turning, he looked into the hall and jerked his head. ‘Cara’s here.’

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