Page 42 of He's the One

“No thanks. I’m going out for a meal.”

“On your own?”

“No.”

Her eyes lit up, then she frowned. “Not with Robert, I hope.”

“No way.”

“Good. See you later.” She stood on tiptoe for a kiss.

After she’d left, Col walked in the opposite direction to the exiting crowd who were all heading for the car park. Partly because he wanted to avoid any chance of bumping into Robert, and partly because he needed a moment to think.

When he came to a bench overlooking the lake, he sat down. Theo was a…lord. One day, he’d be in charge of all of this. Col had assumed he was an employee and, in a way, he was. He’d had the opportunity to tell Col and not taken it. When had Theo planned to tell him?

He put himself in Theo’s shoes. Not as difficult as it sounded because Col remembered all too well that period in his life when he’d not wanted anyone to know his identity. He still didn’t. Maybe most people wouldn’t remember the events of fifteen years ago, but it was something easily googled. Col might have a different first name, but… people were clever about finding stuff out. So Col got it, he really did, despite Theo’s reason for hiding his identity being different to his. Being the son of a marquess wasn’t something to be ashamed about. Having parents who were monsters was.

But he’d give Theo a chance to tell him tonight. Maybe Theo thought he knew by now anyway.

Chapter Nine

By the time Col reached his car, there were only three indistinct vehicles left in the field, none parked near each other. There was enough illumination to see where he was going, but the lights in the marquee went off as he reached his car. It wasn’t worth using his phone to light the way. Col clicked the car open and went round to the driver’s side only for Robert to rise to his feet in front of him.

Once Col had got over his shock, he didn’t even try to hold back his irritation. “What the fuck are you doing here? Go away.”

“Don’t you dare tell me to go away,” Robert snapped. “What the hell happened in there? Did you tell the auctioneer not to let me win? You humiliated me.”

“I said nothing to the auctioneer. How could I?”

“You wanted your little twink to win.”

Yes but…“The auctioneer was quick to bring down his gavel, but you could have just as easily won.”

“You expect me to believe that wasn’t rigged?”

“It wasn’t. Go home and leave me alone.”

Robert knocked the keys out of Col’s hand and blocked the driver’s door. “No. You’re going to talk to me.”

Col wished there was someone else around. He felt anxious now. “I have nothing to say to you.”

“How can you be done with us so quickly? Eight months thrown away just like that?” Robert snapped his fingers. “And you move on as if I meant nothing to you. Did I mean nothing?”

Col clenched his jaw. He knew when Robert was in one of his moods and he was definitely in one now. “You did mean something to me, but you were never mine.”

“I was always yours.” Robert grabbed hold of him, pinned him against the car and pressed his lips to Col’s.

Col turned his head and managed to shove Robert away. “Leave me alone. You think you’re always right and you’re not. You’re not listening. You never do.”

Robert wasn’t going to listen now, but Col felt better having said that. Though there was something in the way Robert was looking at him that sent flickers of unease ghosting up his spine. He kept an eye on Robert as he bent to pick up his keys, but as he straightened, a hard kick to his ribs sent him flying and he landed heavily.

“What the…hell?” Col was winded, but pushed to his feet, rubbing his chest as he hurriedly backed away.

“You think you’re all that,” Robert snarled as he grabbed Col’s arm and hauled him up. “You’re not. You don’t get to say when we end. I do.”

This was beyond one of Robert’s moods. Col was actually frightened. As he was wondering whether he ought to run, Robert swung him towards the car and let him go. As Col fell, he caught his head on the wing mirror.Fuck, that hurt.He pushed himself up. He had to stay on his feet.

“For Christ’s sake!” Col put his hand to his head and it came away wet.Oh shit. Blood. Don’t think about that.

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