Page 284 of The Grand Duel

I push inside my building, stalking through the reception area and down the corridor. I catch her on the threshold and grab her arm, walking her into her office and closing the door.

“Charles!”

I twist her around and force her against the door.

“Walk away and don’t look back. Hate me. Because I did do it for you. You don’t get to show me who you are at your best in here.” I point to her chest. “Then expect me to let you be anything but. And never at my fucking hands.” My eyes search hers. “I love you more than I love us, Lis. Your happiness is my only priority. So walk away and never look back, but know that I’m always going to be there, right on your tail, running to catch up. I’m going wherever you’re going, so lead the fucking way.”

Her eyes search my face, full of tears. Full of anger.

I reach up and brush my thumb over her bottom lip, my hand shaking sightly, but she lets me.

Fuck, she lets me.

Her chest rises and falls, her eyes fluttering closed a moment later. “Leave,” she rasps, my thumb frozen against her skin.

My jaw tightens. I take one more second, one more minute in her orbit, and then I step away. “More than us, Lis,” I remind her. “Then, now, tomorrow, and forever.”

Lissie

“I’m going wherever you’re going so lead the way!” Nina repeats, leaning back in the sofa as if she’s melting into it. “You’re a stronger woman than me, Lissie, I’d have folded like a deck chair.”

“Strong or stubborn?” Jovie says, nudging my arm.

“Neither,” I defend. “He couldn’t even text me back the night before and then he gets in my space, looks at me…” I pull in a deep breath as I try to forget. The way he felt so close. The way his eyes found the hole in my chest and started filling it.

“How did he look at you?” Lucy asks.

I flick my gaze between each woman, all of them waiting on me. “Like he was sorry. Like he would’ve got down on his knees and done anything I asked him to.”

“I taught him that one,” Megan says, placing down her cocktail. “The art of grovelling.”

I shake my head at her and smile, grateful that I have them all to twist my mood into something else after today.

It’s the night before the memorial ball, and Scarlet and Nina have invited us to the estate to stay for the evening.

I was adamant that I wouldn’t attend the ball with Charlie in attendance, but then Willow met Scarlet, who told her she could dress up as a real princess for the night, and so now we’re going.

Truthfully, deep down, I wanted to come. Scarlet has put so much into this weekend, I’d hate to let her down because I can’t get my emotions in check.

“I think he regrets it, if it’s any consolation,” Nina tells me. “He’s not himself at all.”

“He isn’t,” Lucy agrees.

“He looked drained.” I dip my head. “I hate seeing him so sad, and I didn’t really have it in me to make it better. Which is awful isn’t it?” I say, remembering how desperate I was to reach out and run my hand through his hair.

“It’s not awful, Lissie,” Scarlet says. “Maybe you guys will have a chance to talk this weekend.”

I nod, swallowing around the lump in my throat. “I probably sound like a broken record at this point with the way we’re both going on.”

“Please, we seem to love the drama and angst with the amount we all put ourselves through it,” Megan tells me, smiling into her glass.

“I wouldn’t say we love it.” Lucy chuckles. “But we’re good at it.”

“Well then, to drama, angst, and mending broken hearts,” Nina says, holding up her cup of coffee and waiting for the rest of us to raise our drinks.

She gives me a soft wink.

I clink glasses with them all and then look down at my sister, her smile knowing.

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