Page 52 of Fallen God

“Anything.”

“Ring Dion, and tell him–” My voice broke. I didn't even know why I wanted Louis to make the call. To demand he come back and talk this though like adults? No, I had to admit that wasn't the reason I wanted my brother to ring Dion.

I just wanted to know that he was ok and hadn't started drinking again. Even with my heart shattering in my chest, my first thoughts were of him.

“Please, Louis, just check he's ok for me.”

“Fine. Stop looking at me like that. Look.” Digging his phone out of his pocket, he made a show of placing it to his ear.

“Hey, I–” He froze. His eyes glued to my face, he schooled his face into a smile. And my stomach flipped over. Louis was hiding something. I had known him my entire life, and I knew the look he was giving me.

I held out my hand for the phone, not daring to breathe. “Give me the phone.”

He shook his head. “No, let me sort this out.”

“Give me the damn phone.” I lunged at him, knocking the newest apple device out of his hand so it fell onto the sofa between us. Quickly, I grabbed it up.

I knew who would be on the other end. I had known the moment Louis' face had changed, but I wanted to hear it for myself.

I needed to hear it.

“Hello?” Isla said. “Louis, are you still there? Louis?”

I ended the call.

LOLA

The story hit the papers the next day. Not that I read them, but you didn't need to be a genius to work out why the press was stationed outside my home. Or why they stayed there through the following days and nights, effectively trapping me inside.

I liked my own company, and I needed space, but by the time the morning I was meant to start my new job dawned, I was fed up with it. Tired of the same four walls and no one to talk to face to face. It just wasn't the same on the phone. I could pretend I was ok on the phone and no one could argue with me that I wasn't.

Of course, being alone was my fault. When Elodie and Jax had dropped me home with my brother in tow, I had told them that I would be fine. That I just needed a little time and space. They had respected my wishes, but now I'd had all the space that I could cope with.

The fact that I hadn't heard from Dion at all since the night I had called his phone and his ex–girlfriend had answered had quickly become the only thing I thought of. I was driving myself insane with it.

I was secretly glad that I was about to start work again. The noise and hubbub of screaming children around me would work to take my mind off it. If, of course, I still had a job. There was a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach every time I thought about getting there and being fired on the spot.

They would assume I had lied about being in a relationship. Not that my relationship status should matter. The fact I was pregnant might though, and the press following me around definitely would.

So far, there had been no termination of employment email. That was one thing I had been checking. And that meant I had to brave the paps outside and go to work.

Twitching back the curtains an inch, I surveyed the scene on the pavement in front of me. They were all still there, smoking and drinking coffee out of take out cups. To the unobservant it would look as if they were paying little attention to my front door, but that would all change the moment it opened. And I would need to open it if I was going to get to work on time.

Being late wasn't an option since I'd already made a shitty impression.

Letting the curtain fall, I took a deep, steadying breath.

“You can do this, Lola. You can. Shoulders back, head high,” I mumbled to myself. “You have done nothing wrong. And you are a strong bitch who can handle anything.”

“First sign of craziness is talking to yourself, Lola, so a crazy bitch maybe.”

With a startled cry, I spun around and my ankle twisted over. Chance caught my elbow and steadied me.

“What are you doing here? How did you get in?” A million questions flashed through my mind, but my mouth kept talking, not giving him any chance to answer. “I mean, what the actual hell, Chance?”

“Breathe, woman, before you pass out. Elodie gave me your key, and I came through the back. Surprisingly, the vultures haven't thought about the back lane. I didn't mean to scare you, though. I thought Elodie would have warned you that I was coming to get you.” He added ruefully. “There's a car out back.”

“Car?” Hope blossomed in my chest. And then evaporated. Dion wouldn't have sent Chance and a car. He would have made contact himself. I knew that about him. There was only one person who would do something like this that Elodie would help. “Tell Erik thanks, but I have work this morning and–”

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