Page 100 of The Sweetest Cruelty: Hudson
But after my performance at the party. Had I blown it for good?
MOLLY
What a bizarre world I had stumbled into. I can honestly say I had never seen that degree of aggression up close before. It should have been terrifying, but it wasn’t.
After I had processed the shock, I found the drama exciting. Hudson looked magnificent, so full of rage and retribution. His behaviour was fascinating, and I wondered how it felt to have an outlet to channel your angst in a proper, no-holes-barred approach. How many times had I wanted tolashout when I found out my mother had been taken from me?
I wasn’t quite sure of Hudson’s reasoning behind the attack. Had I made him jealous, or was it more about Micah? I had heard Xander call me Hudson’s girl, and he hadn’t corrected him.
The thought made my insides dance.
The word drug baron filtered into my thoughts. Was that the case? Xander had confessed to selling the occasional doobie, as he called it. I knew a couple of boys atmy school in England who sold marijuana for extra cash. I wouldn’t have called them hardened criminals, though. They were stupid but harmless enough. Lisa had tried it a few times, but I had never been bothered.
I let myself into the house. The lights were on, and I knew my father had waited for me. It was just before eleven, so I was back way before curfew. Luckily, I had spent most of the time when I’d been talking to Xander drinking water, and the effects of the small amount of booze I had ingested had worn off.
Drug baron swam around my head again, but I shelved it.
“You’re back early. Did you have a good time?” Dad said as he came into the hall from the kitchen. “Goodness, you smell smoky.”
“I was standing close to the barbecue for part of the night.”
I took off my shoes and spent a few minutes lying, saying it was all fine.
I got to my room, turned on the light and dropped my bag. I took out my phone and half expected to see a message from Harper, but there was one from Hudson.
I’m sorry.
Shockvibratedthrough my muscles. I had assumed there was more chance of being struck by lightning than getting an apology from Hudson after that level of outburst. It appeared I was wrong.
Balancing a hip on my dressing table, I replied. It’s fine, don’t worry. But it’s late. Maybe we can talk about it tomorrow?Turning to switch the lamp on, I eyed my bed, relief pumping through my veins that Hudson had made the first move.
Tomorrow?
Yes. Our tutoring agreement. You bailed last Sunday. I’m free tomorrow.
There was a huge pause before he replied, and I placed my phone on my bed and padded over to the bathroom. Fuck I was tired.
After changing into my shortie PJs, I returned to my room and lifted my phone.
You still want to tutor me, even though you’ve now met my monster?
Walking past my window, I turned down the comforter on my bed (my father’s word for duvet), toying with my answer.
He wasn’t so bad. I’ve seen worse.I hadn’t, but I wanted to play tonight's outburst down. If I made a big deal about it, Hudson would feel like the psycho he believed himself to be. And I knew there was more to him than that.
I found his reply interesting.Me too.
As I was about to question him, I held back and asked.So, do you want to work on your maths tomorrow?
You mean math?Hudson added a LOL emoji.Wow. I did not see Hudson as an emoji user.
Whatever.I added an eyerolling one, attempting to meet him halfway.
Do you mind if we leave it for a few weeks? I have shit to deal with before I can safely let you into my room.
My nose scrunched at the word safely. Surely things had changed between us now?
Before I could reply, another message fell below that one.Nice pyjamas.
