Love Rush (LarssonSiblingSeries#4)

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Tilly

I admire the expensive looking decor that creates the guest room, guessing how much it cost to make it this classy. The bed frame is white French antique with a matching chest of drawers and standing wardrobe. The walls a dusty pink, which a few dark brown leopard print cushions that sit on the bed complement.

I spend my time relaxing up here as Selma told me to do, enjoying the lotions and potions in the shower room. My hair smells like a bouquet of flowers when I run a brush through it and smooth some hair oil through the ends.

Once I'm feeling less tense, I go into Levi's room and search in his drawers for a pair of socks, shutting the door quietly behind me. I take the stairs one at a time, watching my hand glide down the hand-painted swirled wire bannister.

There's another level before you reach the first floor and Levi tells me it's where he and his brothers chill out sometimes in their man cave. My feet stop at the door when I hear voices coming from said room. It's Edward talking and before I have time to carry on my journey I hear my name.

"You need to think about this very seriously, Levi," he says, and I can't help but move closer.

Levi raises his voice. "I need to think about what?"

"Whether she's worth it. You don't need to put all your eggs in one basket. There's plenty more fish in the sea."

The familiar discomfort in the pit of my stomach is back.

"I don't know what you have against, Tilly, Ed, but it needs to stop. Right now," Levi hisses.

"Bro," that's Noah, "we're only worried about you."

"I get it, but I'm big and ugly enough to make my own decisions. Whether that be for better or worse. They're my mistakes to make, all right?"

"I don't want a drug user near my son."

I don't think I could feel more shame than I do right now.

Is this the impression I'm giving to his family?

Levi growls and then says, "I swear on everything holy that I'm gonna' knock you out, Edward. This isn't about you. It's about me and what I want. Tilly isn't a druggie. Far from it. And, if you'd take your head out of your arse and be bothered to get to know the girl, then you'd realise how fucking sweet she is."

"I'm not sure about her, Lee," Dexter says, sounding like he's trying to contain his anger.

"Why?" Levi and I whisper at the same time.

Dexter lets out a long breath. "We have a client that's related to her."

"Rosemary," Levi says.

"Yeah, Rose. Did you know Tilly almost bankrupted her? Leaving the poor old lady without a penny to her name?"

"No, I know they don't talk anymore."

"Yes, and ask yourself why. Tilly got nasty with her when she didn't get her way. Rosemary is scared stiff of her."

That's not true!

I loved my grandma more than anything. I'd rather hurt myself than see her suffer.

"How do you know this?" Levi says, sounding like he believes them and it's devastating.

"Rosemary herself got in touch. Apparently, she'd found out about your relationship with her granddaughter and felt the need to warn you."

Nothing good ever comes from eavesdropping. I'm beginning to wish I just left them to it and went to join the rest of the family downstairs.

What you don't know can't hurt you.

"I feel like you lot, especially Edward have had it in for Tilly from the start-."

Levi is cut off by Dexter. "Can you blame us, bro? The first time Noah met her she was strung out on something. You seem to be treading on eggshells around her, and her ex is telling you about her rocky past. It's a lot of baggage. I worry that you're going to get dragged into her mess and regret it."

"Lee," Edward lowers his voice, sounding firm. "I don't think she's like us."

I almost let out the cry bubbling in my throat when he says the words I've been thinking all along. I don't fit in. How could I? I'm not sophisticated like them or used to the finer things in life.

I don't think she's like us.

I need to go.

Stepping away from the door, my feet lead me to the second staircase. There's a lot of laughter coming from the sitting room, so I go unnoticed when I slip out of the door. I have no clue where I'm going, but I follow the route Levi took me on to get to the dirt bike tracks, knowing there's a gate leading to the main road.

My feet sink into the mud, Levi's socks ruined as I traipse through the slush to get to the rocky pathway. I'm too caught up in my head to notice the pain shooting up my legs. All I wanted was for his family to like me. I wanted to belong.

There's a small gap in the fence that I manage to climb through and see the long winding roads ahead. Luckily, I'm in the mood for walking as I see Tilterby is five miles away.

Only a few cars pass by me on my trek to the village where I know my demons live. Not wanting to be run over, I keep to the edge of the grass banks, ignoring how wet and cold I feel, as the rain pelts down on my back and naked arms.

I don't feel the cold.

Or notice my surroundings when I reach the town I need to be.

"Oh, look what the cat dragged in," says the voice of the man who has been a messed up constant in my life.

I try to be careful where I tread when I get closer to Jonas and his friends. "You got room for one more?"

Levi

I'm not a violent man. I don't do confrontation or violence. But, this time it's different. I feel volcanic.

A loud buzzing noise echoes in my ears as I lunge forward with my fist connecting with Edward's face.

SMACK!

And then he's on the floor.

...

Thank you for reading, loves! ❤️