Diving Deep (UK Crush #2)

Chapter 53

After a while, I drifted into a fitful sleep, and stayed that way for the rest of the drive. We pulled up to Geth's house in the early morning, and I texted him, telling him we'd arrived. The gate swung open, and the car pulled up to the front door, where Gethin waited in sweats.

    I thanked the driver, P.J., and waved as I walked up to the door. I jumped into Gethin's arms, unable to keep from crying. He realized that this was going to be what would be called a "good, long, cry," and he just sat down on the sofa still holding me, and let me cry it out.

    Quite simply, it had been a long time since I'd had human contact of any kind, and to be in the arms of someone who loved me had opened the floodgates. He stroked my hair, making comforting noises.

    "It's been a hard few months for both of you, hasn't it?" He asked gently. "My poor little poppet. Just from listening to Theo, I can't even imagine what it's been like in that house in London. Ah, there now, just let it out, things are going to get better now, you'll see." He kissed my head.

    "Oh Gethin, it's been so terrible, thinking he didn't love me anymore," I whispered. "I was in that huge house by myself--"

    "Why in the world didn't you ring me?" He asked me. "I would've come for you in a heartbeat, you must know that by now. Or Ronan or Matthew, for that matter."

    I lifted my head to look at him. "I felt like it would be a betrayal of him. You're his friends first. You belong to him. It wouldn't have been right to take you away." I took a deep breath.

    "And honestly? I was a little afraid of what might happen between us if I called you." I looked into his green eyes and saw an acknowledgement of what I'd said.

    He nodded. "Yeah. Okay. Fair enough." He released me, and I climbed off his lap.

    "Where is he?" I asked.

    "Sleeping it off in your old room," he answered, swiveling his head toward the stairs. "I went in there and sent the texts from that asshole to myself so you could see the kind of shit he's been putting in poor Theo's head."

    "Weren't you afraid he'd wake up?" I asked.

    "Are you kidding? He's had enough drink to sleep until New Year. I could've walked a marching band through there and not disturbed him." Gethin smiled at me.

    "But first, little one, I want to get some food in you." He looked at me somberly. "I didn't want to say anything right off, because obviously you needed to get those tears out, but you're skin and bones. How much have you lost? I just saw you a few months ago; you look and feel at least fifteen pounds lighter, lass, and you didn't have it to lose in the first place."

    I followed him into the kitchen, where he made me a bacon and egg sandwich, only half of which I was able to eat. We took tea into the living room, where we sat down with his laptop to look at the texts which the vile Dr. Richard Allen had used to poison Teddy's heart and mind.

    They started out blandly enough, but they quickly turned ugly. Somehow, Richard had seen the insecurity in Teddy, knowing exactly what to say to make him think he needed to back away from me.

    'I'm a musician too, I understand what you're talking about.'

    'No, you're not. I know you think you are, but someone like you couldn't possibly understand musicality the way a true, pure musician does. Not like she does.'

    'Are you crazy? You let her prepare food? She showed up here with Elastoplast on her finger, from a cut she said she got making dinner for the two of you. She's preparing for an audition that could change her life, and you're letting her chop vegetables? Are you out of your mind? This is just another example that shows exactly how little understanding you have of her life, her world.'