Page 92 of Destined To Fall

I get up and head for the fridge, somehow having managed to polish off most of the first bottle myself. I blame the company and getting stuck in the most awkward dinner I’ve ever sat at. And I’m sure that’s saying something. I had some pretty shitty ones when I lived at home.

The boys just shake their heads. More for me, I guess…

“Well, this was fun,” Marcus says with a wry smile, getting to his feet,“but I should get going. Walk me out, Vee? It was good meeting you, Jeremy.”

Jeremy shakes his hand with a wan smile, and I follow Marcus as he heads for my door.

“It looks good on you, Vivi,” Marcus says quietly, coming to a standstill in the doorway.

“Uh, my clothes?”

“No.” He chuckles, shaking his head.“Feelings.”

“Come again?”

Marcus looks at me pointedly, and I scoff, rolling my eyes.

“You’re going to tell me there’s nothing going on between you two? That he normally acts like someone is pissing on his turf?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. We’re just friends.”

Marcus smirks, and I shake my head.

“Nope. Not even that.”

He’s taken aback for a second but recovers quickly.“Don’t cock this one up, yeah? There’s hope for the rest of us.” And with that, he kisses me tenderly on the forehead and walks out my door, possibly for the last time.

I’m stuck standing there for who knows how long until Jeremy brushes past me and out of my apartment.

“Jeremy?”

“I have to go. I’ll text you later,” he throws over his shoulder, not even sparing me a glance.

“Jeremy. Wait!”

Fuck. I rush back to the kitchen, snatching up my keys, and race after him.

“Jeremy, don’t you dare!” I yell, sprinting for the elevator, and shove my arm between the doors at the last possible second before they close.

Jeremy doesn’t look at me as I step in until I pull on his arm, forcing him to spin around and face me. He schools his features, but not before I see the kaleidoscope of emotion contorting them.

“What’s your problem? Why wouldn’t you stop?”

“I don’t have a problem,” Jeremy snaps out. He sighs, running a hand through his hair, disheveling it, and the urge to do the same makes my finger flex.“What do you want from me, Vivienne?”

“What do I want from you? How about the truth, Jer? I don’t lie to you.” I raise my hand when he opens his mouth, no doubt to protest.“Some things are not mine to tell, but I never lied. I just didn’t specifyexactlywhat I did, and maybe slightly obscured the truth a tiny bit once in a while.”

The corner of my mouth curls up in a lopsided smile, and Jeremy’s does the same, breaking the tension between us, but only for a second before his expression falters, becoming a hard, unreadable mask.

“I’m jealous. Happy?”

“What…?” I stammer, refusing to acknowledge the twinge of satisfaction that passes through me.“You know what I do, what I am. It’s never been an issue before.”

“I’ve never had it shoved in my face before.”

I open my mouth to protest, but he cuts me off.

“He’s not exactly a client, is he? The intimacy the two of you have…it’s unmistakable.”

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