Burn (Virtues & Lies 1)

“I won’t be long,” Leo says, kissing the tip of my nose. And before he can take a step back, I press a hard kiss to his ear and whisper, “I want you to take me home so we can make another date out of tonight.”

Walking towards the other guys, he looks back at me a couple of times with a smile on his face, and all the while I can’t think of anything else other than how fucking tight his arse looks in those tux trousers. His saunter is sexy as hell, even the way he’s got his hands tucked into his pockets…

Fuck me, I can’t believe that he’s all mine.

* * *

Wayne and Rosalind are already waiting for us when we get to the limo. Christopher has Arabella bundled in his tux jacket, her high heels in his hand as she wears her flip-flops. Beside him on flats, she looks tiny, barely reaching his shoulder.

“Everyone ready to call it a night?” Wayne’s already opening the car door and Rosalind slips inside.

“It’s quiet and we have Murphy with us,” Christopher nods to Arabella’s state bodyguard before asking her, “Do you still fancy a walk?”

“Yes, please.” Beaming up at him, she pulls his jacket tighter around her as she leans into his side. “Do you guys want to join us?”

I wait for Leo to decide what to do.

Please, say home.

“You decide, beautiful.”

“Take me home.”

“Done.” Smiling down at me broadly, he wrestles with my dress as he helps me into the car.

“Don’t forget pancakes at Charlie’s tomorrow,” I tell Arabella before Leo gets in.

“As if I’d forget about food. Have you seen the size of me?” She’s full on belly laughing as Christopher wraps his arm around her and they walk in the direction we eventually drive in.

There’s an odd tightening in my chest as we drive past them. Murphy is following behind them at a safe distance, and they look so happy. Exactly as newlyweds should look.

But still, the street is so dark, like the lights are dimmed or something, when I look out of the back window, they’re still laughing.

“You okay, baby?” Leo asks, tucking me into his side.

“Yeah.”

“Are you sure?”

“I think so…” I’m smiling, but I don’t feel like I should be and it’s really disconcerting because I have everything to smile about right now.

“Mum’s coming up tomorrow. Why don’t you both come for dinner?”

“What are you going to tell her about Kit?” Leo asks, his voice the hardest I’ve heard all day. I didn’t realise that he was upset with his mum.

“I don’t know, Leo. What do you suggest I tell her?”

“The truth.”

“And how do I do that? How do I tell her that your brother is dying?” The wobble of her voice has Wayne pulling her closer, and although she’s the one on the verge of tears, it’s Leo’s hand I wrap with mine. I squeeze it tight, hoping that it offers him some comfort or strength, whatever he needs.

“Don’t say that.”

“He’s my son, Wayne, I can feel it. Sometimes you just know.”

Sometimes you just know.

My heart hammers in my chest at her words, and just as I’m about to ask Leo for my phone, Wayne’s goes off. When he answers his eyes find me and I know.