Page 125 of Where We Bloom

“How much of that did you hear?” My voice is starting to shake from the adrenaline, and I hate it.

I can’t catch my fucking breath. My hands are in fists. I’m going to lose my shit, so I need to get somewhere private.

“From the minute she asked you what you do for a living. Angel, I?—”

All of it.

He heard all of it.

“That’s some friend you have there.” I storm away, my heels clicking on the floor.

“Billie—”

“I need the ladies’ room,” I reply, without looking back at him and push through the door, walk to the sinks, and lean on the granite, staring at my reflection.

My cheeks are pink with anger. My eyes are flashing. My jaw is tight.

I look like I want to burn the world to the ground.

Because I do.

How dare she?

“She doesn’t know you,” I remind myself. “And she sure as fuck doesn’t know him.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

CONNOR

Iwant to run after Billie and make sure she’s all right.

Aye, her backbone is something to behold.

I’ve never seen her so angry, and as much as it’s a turn-on, I’m also worried that Fiona has pushed her beyond what she can bear.

Or is willing to tolerate.

And that would be unforgivable.

I cannot lose this woman. My heart. How many unwanted situations will Billie have to contend with by being in my life? I want to reassure her that nothing Fiona said was true. Not for us.

But before I can do any of that, I have to talk to my ex-wife.

Calmly, I stride into my office and close the door behind me. Fiona’s standing before my desk, breathing hard, but when she sees me, she pastes on a smile.

“You just missed Billie,” she says.

“I saw her,” I reply and stop ten feet from her, shove my hands in my pockets, and rock back on my heels, watching her. She stares me dead in the eyes. “She didn’t look happy.”

“Oh, you know how young people are,” she replies, waving me off as she strides toward the door. “So emotional.”

“Especially when their man’s ex-wife tries to warn them off the relationship.”

That has her coming up short, and she turns to stare at me with a frown. “Pardon?”

“You heard me, Fiona. I heard every bloody word you said to her.”

“It’s not like you to eavesdrop.”

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