Page 41 of Dirty Deadly & Mine
“For goodness’ sake, Lily. It’s Alexander.”
I wave him off. “Same thing.”
He huffs, clearly having enough of my bullshit, which is a win for me. I put up with his crap for so long, just so I could raise my sons in a happy home.
Alex was happy. I wasn’t, but I guess he was happy because he got to have his cake and eat it too. All I got was the leftovers.
“Can we get back to why I asked you here, please?” he snaps, taking a frustrated sip of his wine.
“Sure. Where were we?” I ask, tapping my finger on my lower lip. “Oh, that’s right. You were asking me to do your dirty work for you because you’re a coward, and I said no.”
“Jesus, Lily. Do you have to be so difficult? Tamara is adamant that Melanie meet her brothers, and displeasing her isn’t something I want to do.Again.” He sighs. “You know how she gets.”
“Yeah, fucking unhinged,” I deadpan, wondering if perhaps Tamara and I have more in common than I thought. “Again, it sounds like ayouproblem.”
“Think of poor Melanie. Doesn’t she deserve to have a family? Brothers? Are you really going to deprive her of that all because you don’t want to help me?”
He’s such an arsehole. He knows I have a soft spot for kids. It’s just like him to use that against me.
Prick.
“Why the fuck should I help you? You dug this grave, Alex. The twins are at college now, exploring what they want from life, and now, after years of opportunities to tell them that they have a little sister, you wantmeto spring it on them?”
The waiter arrives with my second drink, and I take it from his grasp before he can even place it down, shooting it back in one gulp this time. He looks amused, and I gesture my hand for him to go and fetch me another one, which he acknowledges with a nod.
“Yes.” Alex ignores the exchange between me and the waiter. “That’s exactly what I want, because it needs to happen now.”
“Because Miss High and Mighty demanded it?” I hiss and he shrugs. “Melanie and your skanky new wife have nothing to do with me, Alex. Why should I be the one to tell the boys?”
“Because it has to be you, Lily. They like you. They listen to you.”
“What fucking universe have you been living in? The twins may like me, but they don’t always listen to me.”
“Please, Lilian,” Alex begs using my full name, even though he knows I hate it. Then he nearly knocks his wine over as he reaches across the table to grab my hand.
I quickly pull away, slipping my hand under the table, out of his reach, thoroughly satisfied at the disappointment that flashes across his face.
“Please do this for me,” he whines. “For the boys. The blow won’t be as hard coming from you.”
“No,” I snap, standing abruptly. “I don’t want anything to do with this.”
I storm away from the table, my eyes landing on the waiter who is carrying my third whisky, so I approach him. His brows shoot up as I take the glass, down the contents, and hand it back to him.
“The prick I was sitting with will pay.”
The waiter chuckles as I hear Alexander call my name, so I hightail it, not wanting to hear his grating voice.
Flying out the doors of The West End, I’m consumed by rage,the Crimson Angel so close to the surface and ready to go back inside and show my ex-husband who I really am.
“Lilian!” Alexander’s voice comes from behind me as he calls out, making a fucking spectacle of himself in front of the staff and patrons watching from inside the restaurant.
Not thinking clearly and feeling the effects of the whisky I consumed too quickly on an empty stomach, I dash towards the curb, trying to flag down a taxi.
“Lilian! Would you stop?!” Alex hisses from behind me, his large hand wrapping around my wrist.
“Let me go!” I yell, hissing back at him and trying to tug my wrist free.
The roar of a motorbike suddenly cuts through the air, skidding to a stop right next to me on the road, and Alex drops his hold on me in surprise.
