Page 107 of Cross the Line
She scoffs and circles her wrist. ‘I see everything.’
Yeah, no shit.
‘I’m happy for you,’ she says gently, touching my cheek. ‘I’ve always liked her. And she’s always liked you. Glad you finally noticed.’
I exhale a laugh, still embarrassed by how oblivious I was.
‘How are you going to handle that relationship?’ she continues. ‘Is Willow going back to New York? I know her contract with you is up.’
My heart lifts a little at her question. Because Willow won’t be leaving. I get to keep her near me, and she gets to keep following her dreams.
I take a deep breath. ‘About that . . .’
CHAPTER 33
Willow
After six hours of unemployment, I have a job again.
The contracts with Reid and Scuderia D’Ambrosi are all officially signed, and I’m sure Chantal and Grace are already tired of hearing me squeal over the new opportunity and my relationship with Dev. But they’re happy for me. Chantal especially, since she won the bet she and Grace made concerning how long it would take Dev and me to get together. I’m so thrilled about how everything’s going that I can’t even begin to be upset with them about it.
‘Do you think you’ll come back to New York at all?’ Grace asks, her face at the top of my phone screen. ‘Or should we pack up all your stuff and ship it off to Europe?’
I laugh. ‘I’ll be back in December to figure things out. I agreed to finish the rest of the season with Reid, but who knows what will happen after that.’
I’m excited to find out, though. Sticking around in the world of F1, even if it’s only for a few more months, has me giddy. It’s exactly where I want to be. Dev being there too certainly doesn’t hurt.
‘We won’t sublet your room then,’ Chantal teases from the bottom of my screen. ‘Or throw out all your crap.’
‘Oh gee, thanks, you’re so ki—’
I’m cut short by a knock on my door.
But it’s not just any knock. It’s Oakley’s knock.Ourknock.
‘Shit, I have to go,’ I hiss to the girls, panic shooting through me. ‘Oak’s here.’
Grace and Chantal quickly say their goodbyes – and good lucks – before we hang up. I toss my phone onto my pillow and scramble from the bed, but I pause in front of the door and take a deep breath, wringing my hands. I’m notafraidto face my brother, but I don’t want the guilt and the remorse to hit me hard again, especially on a day when all I want to do is celebrate.
But I owe him a conversation. Keeping things from him was wrong, and the way he found out only made the situation more painful. He deserves a big apology, but having to face the consequences of my own actions? Not my idea of a good time.
After drawing in another deep breath, I haul open the door and offer my brother what I hope is a bright smile. Sadly, it feels more like a grimace. ‘Hey, sorry, I was in the bathroom,’ I tell him.
Oakley rolls his eyes. ‘I literally heard you talking to your friends. You don’t need to lie. Again.’
Damn, shots fired. ‘Okay, fine,’ I admit, my face going hot. ‘I was scared to open the door.’
‘You’re ridiculous.’ He brushes past me and collapses on the bed, fingers lacing over his stomach as he stares up at the ceiling.
I stay rooted to the spot, waiting for the other shoe to drop. He’s acting like all’s well, though he’s a little more subdued than I expected. There’s a scrape on his forehead that definitely wasn’t there last night, so maybe that has something to do with why he’s so calm. Oh god, did he fight Dev? Is he here to tell me he killed my boyfriend and threw his body into the ocean?
‘I talked to Dev,’ he says.
I’m not sure whether to be encouraged or worried by that statement. Scanning his body, I surreptitiously check him for bloodstains, but it looks like he’s showered recently. Any chance of finding evidence is gone.
I swallow hard. ‘How did that go?’
He runs his hands over his close-cropped hair, then settles them behind his neck. Okay, maybe there wasn’t a murder; I can’t imagine he’d be this chill after he just killed a man.
