Page 140 of Mark

“We aren’t done,” Esther growls when I turn around.

I glance at Danny. “I’d hold her back if I were you, because if I get my hands on her, I won’t be able to stop myself from strangling the fucking life out of her,” I spit out, then turn to Esther. “Don’t ever come near me again. We aren’t sisters. We’ve never been friends. You’re dead to me. But I do hope the divorce is long and miserable for you.”

Nanna opens the taxi door open and I slide inside. I glance out the window, staring straight ahead.

Nanna takes my shaking hand in hers. “Are you okay?”

I glance out the window, not letting her see how badly I’m hurting. They are the last tears I will shed over that woman. “I hate her, Nanna. I never want to see her again.”

“I know, sweetie. I know.”

*** *** ***

One of the three lights in the hallway flickers on and off, a low buzzing sound echoing from above as I walk towards my front door. I send a brief glance towards Mark’s door, refusing to let myself get emotional as I quietly let myself into my flat.

Aside from the lamp on the little table next to the door, the rest of the flat is encased in darkness. Which means Summer is out.

Meow!

I glance down at Mellow, a genuine smile reaching my lips as I bend down to pick him up. “I missed you,” I coo, shoving my face into his fur. I smell the raspberry shampoo on him, which has my smile growing wider. “Did you give Summer shit for bathing you?”

Another meow.

“Let’s lay down.”

I keep him clutched in one hand under my arm whilst dragging the case behind me, heading to my room. It’s exactly as I left it aside from Summer going around with a vacuum and putting my clothes away.

I close the door behind me and make my way to bed. I lie down, keeping Mellow beside me. “Did you miss me too?”

He begins to purr, kneading the blanket beneath him. “Yeah, baby, I’m happy to be home too.”

My mind runs over Nanna’s words about Mark. I wanted so badly to ask what she meant when she said Esther orchestrated the entire thing. The hurt and anger boiling in my stomach stopped me from asking those questions. Even before she got out of the taxi, she asked me again if I wanted to hear what happened. I told her no, terrified it won’t be what I desperately want to hear. Now I’m alone, in a place I feel safe, I want to know what she did.

I’ve been lied to so many times, but this feels different. It feels like someone has punched through my chest and has my heart in a vice.

I need the pain to stop.

I need the tears to stop flowing.

I want to breathe without it catching in my chest.

But most of all, I want to turn back time, so I didn’t see them together in his room.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Mark

The night caught up to me at six this morning. I had stayed up all night, hoping and waiting for Freya to turn up at the door. Liam, who got in at two this morning, went to tease me about waiting up for a girl, but one look at my expression made him pause and think twice. If Freya had been anyone else, I would have thought fuck it, move on. But I can’t move on. And it’s driving me insane. What if seeing what she did was too much for her? What if she can never look at me again without seeing me between her sister’s legs? What if I can’t get her to believe what really happened? Because if I were in her shoes, and given her past, I wouldn’t believe me either.

I rub sleep from my eyes before checking the time on my phone. “Fuck!”

“Bro, too early,” Liam groans, shoving the pillow over his face.

“It’s fucking ten,” I growl, throwing the thin blanket off me.

I pull on yesterday’s shorts and grab the closest T-shirt before racing out of the door. I can worry about the hygiene crap when I sort this out with Freya. I check her room first, knocking softly, and when I get no answer, I head upstairs.

The ship is massive and not very many people remain as I walk through the most popular places, so I head back up on deck, feeling defeated.

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