Page 70 of Outlier
“ButOlliewas never a dick to you, right?”
I shook my head. “Ollie is naturally very protective. He feels obligated to me, and he’s not the type of man to shirk his obligations.”
“You think you’re just an obligation to Ollie?”
I nodded. “Of course. And Margot felt sorry for me, so eventually, I became an obligation to her, too.”
“They love you, Vicky,” he said softly, and my chest tightened as I gave him another non-committal hum. “Your fucking family have a lot to answer for.”
I sighed. “I don’t think I’ve explained it right. You’ve got to understand how?—”
“If you say anything else about being a difficult child or annoying, I’m gonna lose it.”
I did not think this was an ideal environment for Mike tolose it, so I pressed my lips together to stop myself from saying anything more.
It wasn’t long until the drinks reception was over, and we were seated at our table, a safe distance from my family. I was next to my uncle, who also spoke to me like I was mentally deficient, but it was better than open hostility.
Unfortunately, Mike had Fiona on his other side, who kept pawing at him. Fiona was very obviously drunk by the time the main course was served and seemed oblivious to Mike’s growing annoyance.
“How much did she pay you?” I heard her slur in his ear. She probably thought she was whispering, but she may as well have shouted her question across the whole table.
Mike, who’d been valiantly trying to eat his meal up until that point, lowered his fork slowly down to his plate.
“What the fuck are you talking about?” he asked.
Fiona giggled. “Vicky. How much is she paying you to be here? Come on, you’re like something out of a catalogue. Did she mail order you?”
“I’m Vicky’s boyfriend, and no, she did notmail orderme.”
Fiona snorted. “That freak has a boyfriend like you? You must be joking. Is this some sort of community outreach programme or something?”
“Oh, is that it?” asked my aunt in a curious voice from across the table, clearly having caught the tail end of the conversation. “Are you Vicky’s carer?”
I felt my face flame, and I simply couldn’t take anymore. “I’ll be back in a minute,” I whispered into Mike’s ear before darting off in the direction of the toilets. At least, I’d hoped it was the direction of the toilets.
The reception was in a stately home, and I seemed to have taken a wrong turn down a portrait-lined corridor. But when I spun around to retrace my steps, my heart sank.
Darrell was blocking the corridor and my exit, and he was smiling that shark’s smile, which showed all his teeth.
“Where are you off to, little sis?” he asked, taking a step towards me.
I took a corresponding one back as my heart began to pound.
Chapter 24
Last time?
Vicky
“S-s-stay away from me.”I’d meant my voice to come out strong, but it was so small, it was only above a whisper.
His eyes flashed as if relishing the challenge.
“Tell me,” he said in a conversational tone as if we were having a normal chat, and he wasn’t stalking me with intent. “Are you still a little virgin like your sister told me you were? Or has the Incredible Hulk in there managed to fuck the ice princess out of you?”
“You shouldn’t s-s-speak to me like that,” I said. “I’ll tell my?—”
Darrell let out a bark of laughter. “Who will you tell? How did that work out for you last time?”
