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I tensed in reed on her
"Now, I’ that my son clearly has some misplaced affection toward you, but pretty soon his life will be changing dra with lots of confident, sexy wo over themselves for a chance to be with him Even if he has the cast iron willpower to turn ahat they’re offering, how long do you think it will be before you start feeling insecure? You know you can’t cohts or hound Con into s over your fears until he realises that he needs to choose either you or his career If he chooses his career, you will have spentin love with him, only to have your heart broken If he chooses you? You’ll have ripped him away from a dream that he’s had his entire life Now tell ht, can you live with either ending? Can you make him happy?"
She’d done it In less than five ive up the only person that I’d ever loved, and I did love him Despite my fears, despite my protestations that I wasn’t ready for a relationship, despite my anxiety that Frank would one day findaway froly as I did, would save hiive hi me behind I would do this for O’Connell but inside
"I doubt that we’ll see each other again, and I can see by the look on your face that you intend to do the right thing For your sake, I’d suggest that it would be unwise to rethink your decision Goodbye, E under her ar room on four-inch heels You’d never tell that she’d just used them to walk all overIt didn’t look as though anyone had even noticed Sylvia If I was going to do this, then it had to be tonight This was the start of the rest of O’Connell’s life, and I could make this sacrifice for him, but I had to do it now If I had to tell hi that I could do would be to put a bit of distance between us and let hiht of celebration Tomorroould set him free, and I was sure that after a while, he’d move on and write me off as a bad investment The pain in , but I was sure that I’d never be enough for O’Connell in the long run anyway My flat would be the first place that he’d go, so it looked like I’d be begging another favour from Nikki A few minutes later, she returned from the bar
"Nik, I know that everyone’s really excited about the fight, but I’ under the weather Would you ht? It’s just that when the guys get drunk, they have a tendency to show up at !" she exclaimed
"My head really hurts I just need a couple of painkillers and a good night’s sleep, but if I don’t leave now this headache will be a "
"Sure, no problem," she replied, obviously worried
"My roommate is away for the weekend so you can crash in her bed Do you want ot ood friend she’d becoive up the party for me
"Don’t be silly, I’ll be fine," I assured her
"Will you tell O’Connell that I’ve gone, but doat yours This headache will never go if he starts banging down "
"No proble ho you up My friend Sarah lives so close to town that I’ll probably end up crashing at hers It will savea taxi hoht porter if you leave toet hoave me her key
"Bitch, you owewith our next assigned her and oodbye to anyone, with a bit of luck, they wouldn’t realise that I had left The arena was still packed, and I didn’t see O’Connell I kept my head down and didn’t look up until I could taste fresh air I couldn’t afford to hang around waiting for a taxi, so I walked and walked untilsitting down and ca taxi andthat I’d imposed on Nikki’s kindness so far that she wouldn’t mind a little further, I borrowed one of her t-shirts Washed and changed, I cliates open I cried hard and ugly as I grieved for what had been so briefly and what could never be There was no way that I could go back to the gy Danny, Kieran, and the rest of ain I’d have to go back to working every shift I could get at the diner with that bitch Katrina, who’d have aainst me for life now that she’d seen me puke all over O’Connell
I knew that I was free and that was all I’d ever wanted, but was it so wrong now to actually wanthad left me bone wearily tired and when the tears finally dried, I was so exhausted and broken that I drifted to sleep, not really caring whether I would ever wake up
As the dawn arrived, I still felt like crap, only now I looked like it, too In contrast tothat actually worked in thewar ot where I was and what had happened And then I re to hide in that lovely warm room where no one could findslept, I was still tired But I needed to get out of there and sort myself out before I faced him He was probably passed out cold anyway if he’d been partying with Kieran after the fight After a brief wash, I dressed and headed ho down and paying for another taxi that I couldn’t afford, I walked with dread up to ainst the bitter chill That the apartment was lovely and warood reason to be distracted I jumped a mile then when O’Connell spoke to me