Mr Spencer (Mr. 2)

I wish she wasn’t one of them, and just a normal girl from Nottingham instead.

“You can’t take your fucking eyes off her for a moment, can you?” Seb sighs.

I sip my beer. “Nope.”

“How is this going to go?” Masters frowns. “She isn’t allowed to be seen even talking to you. What exactly do you think is going to happen here, Spence?”

I roll my eyes and exhale heavily, choosing not to answer that particular question.

The music grows louder, and people flock to the dance floor now that the formalities are officially over.

I haven’t spoken one word to Charlotte since Alexander dragged her away from me.

My phone vibrates in my pocket, and I take it out to read the message. It’s from her.

Hi

I smile and text back.

Hi.

She replies.

Meet me at the bar?

“She’s texting me as we speak.” I smirk to my friends, and then, without thinking, I stand and make my way to the bar as she requested.

She appears beside me a moment later, and my heart flutters in my chest.

“Hello.” She smiles up at me, her face full of hope.

“I don’t like you here with him,” I tell her honestly.

“We’re just friends, I promise.” She glances over at Alexander who is talking to a group of people, while we are shielded from the crowd. “You and Alex don’t get along?” She makes it sound like a statement and a question.

“Not at all. It started with work a few years back. Since then, we’ve had a few run-ins with each other over the years. He doesn’t get on with Masters or Seb, either.”

“Masters?”

“Julian. His last name is Masters. He had a run in with Alex at work, too.”

“What does Julian do?”

“He’s a judge.”

“Oh.” She frowns.

“He will warn you away from me, no doubt,” I mutter into my drink. “Apparently I’m the devil.” I raise my eyebrow in a silent dare.

Defend him to me. See what happens.

She stares at me for a moment, and I have no idea what she’s thinking.

Have I misjudged this whole thing with us?

“We haven’t spoken about you at all,” she tells me.

My eyes hold hers and I know that she’s lying. He did warn her away from me, and God, I would like to rearrange his face for his efforts. Unfortunately, I’m a lover not a fighter.