Turning to Stone (Heart of Stone: Book 2)

Chapter 8: Anger

Chapter 8: Anger

Ed and I were not friends. He'd insisted on that over the past few months, and I'd gone along with it. While it had mainly seemed like a temporary barrier for the sake of my job, I knew he was also trying to protect our feelings by forcing distance between us. I understood that. I sympathised with it. I agreed to it.

But it still really pissed me off when he didn't reach out for the rest of the day. No apology or acknowledgement of what had happened. Nothing. Maybe he wanted to show me what it felt like to have the respect stripped away.

On Saturday evening, Mac and I took advantage of the milder weather and watched a film at an open-air cinema. My mind kept drifting off, though, replaying the earlier argument. This was why we weren't friends. Because if friends fought after giving each other orgasms, it would only end in hurt. And wasn't that what we were trying to prevent?

I wasn't even hurt about the physical side of our relationship. In fact, that remained the only part that seemed simple. We had strong chemistry. A strong working relationship. But a fucking great hole where a friendship used to be.

Sometimes it was easy to forget that. The banter between us came so fluidly that it almost felt like we were back in Europe together.

If only.

"Everything okay?" Mac asked during the Uber ride home.

"Shitty week at work." I sighed and rubbed at the bridge of my nose.

"Anything I can help with?"

Even though we'd grown closer, Mac was still a lawyer, and he'd struggle to take off his legal hat if I were to confide in him. Not to mention I didn't want to put him in a difficult position, thanks to his rules.

"Not really," I said. "Just caught between two different colleagues. And the one I want to be loyal towards isn't the one I should be loyal towards."

"Usually, the best thing to do in that situation is get them both in a room together and talk it through as a group. Find common ground and make them see each other's points of view instead of expecting you to choose."

Unfortunately I couldn't do that given that this whole situation relied on Helen not finding out.

"They have vastly different viewpoints," I said. "I don't think there is common ground."

"There's always common ground. They just don't know it yet because it means a solution that neither of them has thought of."

The car pulled up to the curb at the end of my street, and I unclipped my belt, leaning across to hug Mac.

"Thanks for tonight. Sorry I was bad company."

"You're never bad company, Palmer. Get some rest. Shit's always better in the morning."

As the car drove away, I set off down the pavement, pausing when I reached the alley that led to the side door. At nearly midnight, I could probably slip in unnoticed again to avoid the walk around the block. I'd got away with it recently and didn't want to push my luck, but I also didn't fancy walking an extra half a mile by myself this late at night when I could cut the corner and get back sooner.

I turned into the alley and picked up my pace, pulling up the hood of my hoodie in case that helped conceal me. Now that the thought of danger had crossed my mind, every shadow made me cower and every sound startled me. Next time I'd ask Mac to walk me to the door.

Two headlights illuminated the alley behind me, but when I looked over my shoulder, the beams disappeared. I could still hear the low growl of the car's engine, though, and immediately began to fish through my bag for my entry card.