Page 74 of Promise Me Ever After
“This has nothing to do with you,” snapped Russ.
“When you’re insulting my girlfriend, it haseverythingto do with me,” I hissed.
He let out a low laugh. “Seems she’s downgraded her tastes. I guess that’s what moving away from the city does for you.”
I ran a hand through my hair, pushing the longer blond strands away from my face. “Probably more of a real man than a city banker.”
“Management consultant,” he chipped in.
“Whatever.” I couldn’t have shown more contempt if I’d tried.
“I am sorry you know.” Eliza spoke for the first time, her tone thin. “We didn’t mean for you to find out like you did.”
Georgie pushed herself away from me and stood almost nose to nose with Eliza. “What? You’d prefer I found out when you were shagging inourbed instead?” She scowled at the woman, eyes spitting fire. “How the fuck was I meant to find out?”
Russ snorted. “With all the time you spent at that damn restaurant, you were never in our bed.”
“Nor you. Business meetings? Overnight stays for client dinners? How many of those were true, huh?” She moved her rage towards her ex. I’d never seen this side of Georgie before. I hoped never to be on the receiving end of her anger. “I bet most of those times you were withher.” She pointed at Eliza, who shrunk backwards.
Russ put himself between the two women. “Yes, probably.”
He spoke so matter-of-factly about it, I wanted to punch him. My hands clenched into fists at my sides. I didn’t want to make a scene at Darcy’s wedding, but if he carried on much longer, I wasn’t sure I would be able to stop myself.
“You bastard,” snarled Georgie. If looks could kill, Russ would be splattered all over the floor.
“Everything okay here?” Curtis came over to check on us.
“Yeah, it’s okay, mate,” I said. “This is Georgie’s ex.”
“Oh, right.” Curtis nodded.
“Yes, everything’s fine.” Russ looked Curtis up and down, dismissing him in much the same way he had me. “Just catching up with old friends.”
Georgie started towards him, but I held her back as she hissed at him. “Friends? Fuck off, Russ.”
“With pleasure. You weren’t worth it. Not even any good in bed.”
Russ’s last few comments were enough to tip me right over the edge. He didn’t deserve to be bad mouthing Georgie after all the shit he’d done to her. I shoved her out of my way and flew at Russ, fists swinging. We crashed to the floor, exchanging blows and getting strikes in where we could. In the background, I could hear screams and raised voices, people telling us to stop, but the red mist had descended, and I couldn’t. I had Russ pinned on his back, my fist drawn back ready to get in the final punch.
“Alex! Stop!” Georgie cried.
I turned to see her, hand clutched to her mouth, tears streaking down her face, mascara staining her cheeks. It was enough to give Russ a shot at me and his upper cut to my jaw caught me off balance and I fell sideways. Guess he was a half-decent rugby player after all. Hands caught my upper arms and pulled me up.
“Cool it, buddy. I don’t want to have to throw you out.” Curtis’s voice poured calm onto my anger.
“Probably best if I leave anyway.” Squaring my shoulders, I shook out my right hand. Staring Georgie right in the eye, I had one last thing to say before I went. “I’m not going to fight over you, but I will fight for you.”
Without seeing her reaction, I turned my back on them and stalked out of the reception room, my head held high.
34
Georgie
Deja vu.
Deja-fucking-vu.
I’d asked the taxi driver to stop off at the garage so I could buy a pack of cigarettes. Without realising, it had been ages since I’d last had a cigarette. Thanks, in part, to Alex being the ultimate distraction.
