Chapter 70 Fallen God 25

Chapter 70 Fallen God 25
Lola

“Well, that was a fucking disaster, wasn't it?” My brother's voice was gruff as he slowed into London traffic. Even on Christmas day, you could expect traffic. I didn't answer him. With my eyes closed, I let the cool glass of the window soothe my sweaty skin.

“Not that I'm surprised. She was never going to welcome me with open arms, was she and then–?”

I cranked open an eye. He had been on a rant for the last few hours. An almost non stop tirade about how unwelcome he felt in his childhood home. It wasn't like I was even really surprised and he shouldn't have been either. 

“I'm sorry I got sick.” I closed my eyes again, my stomach rolling with every turn of the tyres. All I wanted was to lie down and sleep, to block out everything that had happened and start again tomorrow. 

“I'm not on about you getting Lola sick.” Louis sounded exasperated. “I'm on about her.” 

I knew he was talking about our mother .

“And that asshole she married. Telling you should leave before you got everyone else sick more than likely they gave you food poisoning.”

I made an agreeable sound in the back of my throat, not daring myself to speak. We’d already had to stop twice. 

“She probably did it on purpose, trying to poison me and got you instead.” I could feel his eyes on me. But I didn't open mine. Truth was, I'd felt ill yesterday, just a little, and had put it down to Dion's cold goodbye.

Things hadn't been bad between us since I’d mentioned not spending the big day with him but they hadn't been great either. He didn't light up when he saw me anymore. His kisses were still amazing, and he made love to me like his life depended on it, but things had changed. Neither one of us mentioned the fact I had said I loved him and he had totally ignored me. 

It might as well have not happened. 

“I’ll be glad when we get back to Dion's. I need a fucking drink.” Silence wrapped around us. “Are you looking forward to getting home, huh?”

“Yeah sure.” My stomach rolled. “I just…” I couldn't finish.

“Is everything ok between you and Dion?” Louis' voice was level. “I mean tell me to mind my own business, but I kind of expected more of a show when you said goodbye and then he didn't show up.” Out of the corner of his eye, he eyed me. “I thought you were going to invite him?”

“I did.”

“Oh.”

Yeah, oh indeed. I had thought he would show up as well. Like they always did in the romantic movies I had binged on. But he hadn't. And I had to be ok with that.

“Is everything ok between you two Lola?” He asked again.

“Yeah, everything is fine, I think.” I couldn't admit to him that something felt off already. Dion was lead singer of Louis band but he was my big brother and in a pinch he would take my side. Smiling, I turned to him. “Yeah, everything is great,” I lied. I would not put my relationship troubles on my brother's shoulders. Hell, I wasn't even sure I had relationship problems or whether it was all in my mind. We had moved in together so quickly that the bloom was bound to wear off quickly. 

“As long as it is, Lola.” Louis sounded like he didn't believe me.

“Yeah it is. Everything is perfect.”



Perfect.

That's what I had said. And boy, what a lie that had been. 

Dion's Christmas get together was in full swing when we stepped out of the elevator. The place was full of people I knew and some I didn't, all talking and laughing amongst themselves. Everyone was dolled up in their finest with glasses of champagne in their hands. 

When Dion had told me he was hosting Christmas for his friends, I had thought he had meant the band and the team that surrounded them. Not every single person he knew.

The spacious apartment was packed. 

“Louis.” Tate appeared in front of us like a giant blond bear. “And the good–looking one of the family, hey, Lola.” He enveloped me in a hug that cracked my ribs and threatened to send me running to the bathroom again. “Where have you been? We’ve missed you. Dion especially has been…” Tate moved in front of me again, and I frowned. “Well he’s been Dion but he's going to be glad you are here finally.”

“Son of a bitch.” Louis at my side stiffened and I followed his line of sight. 

Dion was right there. My heart leapt at how handsome he looked, and the wide smile on his face. Until I saw who he was smiling at. 

Isla was there. Her willowy form appeared completely unaffected by her recent pregnancy and birth. She was just as model gorgeous, just as awe–inspiring as she had always been. They were both looking down at the blue wrapped baby in Dion's hands. 

And he looked ecstatic. Over the moon to be holding his ex–girlfriend's baby in his arms, like it was his kid and not someone else's. 

They looked so comfortable with each other. 

How was I meant to compete with that? Glancing down at myself, I frowned. My wool dress and boots felt frumpy and not cute. My body wasn't slim and perfect. I had rolls and cellulite. My face wasn't covered in makeup and my hair wasn't perfectly styled.

How could I ever compare to her?

She was everything I wasn't. And never would be. 

“She's a friend, Lola,” Tate murmured softly. “One of his oldest friends. You can't read anything into it. You can’t.”

But I would and I could. I couldn't help it. Isla was one of his oldest friends and that was half of the problem. I could never compete with their history. With their easy familiarity. 

“I know,” I whispered. 

Across the packed room, Isla raised her head. Her eyes locked with mine and for a second she looked shocked to see me. Her painted lips moved as she said something to Dion that I couldn't hear over the laughter and pouding music.

His head snapped upright. The smile slipped as he said something and passed the baby back to her. 

“You made it back in time. I didn't think you would.” Stopping in front of me, he pressed a kiss to my cheek. 

“Yeah, that’s pretty fucking clear,” my brother snarled. I shot him a look, begging him with my eyes not to make a scene. 

Dion's eyes narrowed. “You have something to say to me, Louis?”

“Plenty.”

I clutched at my brother's arm. “No, he doesn't.”

Dion ignored me totally. “You have a problem with who I invite into my home?”

“Isn't it my sister's home as well?” Louis didn't back down. He was never the kind to back down. Not ever. He’d been that way since a child. Always happy to fight those bigger than he was. 

“Of course it's Lola’s home.” Dion swivelled his eyes to me. “You don't mind that Isla is here do you? She’s not staying long, she has the baby and–”

“I don't mind, of course not. It's your party.” 

Dion grinned. “I knew you would understand, babes.” His arm encircled my shoulders, and that's when I smelt it. The faint whiff of champagne on his breath. Frowning, I turned my face up to him. 

“Have you been drinking?”

“I've had like half a glass.” 

He’d had more than half a glass. His eyes were too glazed for half a glass. 

"Where's Elodie?”

“Not here yet?” Dion's eyebrows pinched together. “She’s not my mother you know, you don't have to tattle to her because I had one lousy drink and–”

“Enough.” Surprisingly, it was Tate that stepped in. His usually placid face was awash with anger. “Enough, Dion, before you say or do something fucking stupid.”

“What like invite his ex–girlfriend into the house he shares with my sister when he thinks she won't be back?” My brother snapped. 

“Stop it all of you.” I hated confrontation. I always had. And I'd had enough fighting today to last me a lifetime. All I wanted to do was sleep. “Just stop it.” My stomach rolled. 

“Lola, are you ok?” Tate was the only one who noticed the colour draining from my face. He steadied me with one giant hand. 

“I just don't feel well.” 

“Pretty sure our mother tried to poison us,” Louis added unhelpfully. 

“You're sick?” Dion was suddenly there, his hands on my elbows as he straightened me up. “Why didn't you say you felt ill?”

“I'm fine. I just need to sleep it off somewhere quiet.” My eyes travelled around the room. It was full of festive cheer, the clink of glasses and laughter. The kind of Christmas party you read about, but I felt nothing. 

I sure as hell didn't feel like I was part of it. 

Unlike Isla, who just weeks after giving birth looked like she was having the time of her life. The queen back amongst her people. Dion thought so as well. I could tell.

“Why don't you head to bed then, babes. I'll come in and check on you in a little while.” Kissing my cheek again, Dion moved back through the crowd. Stopping to laugh and talk with people as he went. 

He walked away like he had the night I'd told him I loved him. Without looking back. And my heart went with him.

“I think I need to go home.”

Tate groaned. “This is your home, Lola. Dion is just being an ass. Go to bed and I'll talk to him. I promise you he will feel like a dick in the morning.”

I nodded thoughtfully. “Ok, thanks Tate, please don't let him drink anymore.” Kissing both his and Louis’ cheeks, I excused myself. I headed towards the bedroom I had shared with Dion for the last few weeks. But I wasn't going to sleep there. 

I might not like confrontation, but that didn't mean I was going to let Dion walk all over me. I just needed to grab some things. Like my contraceptive pill and…

“You need a ride home, Lola?” Celia, Erik’s assistant, appeared in front of me. Her young face knowing. 

“Yeah, I mean I could ask my brother, but he would ask questions.”

“Questions?”

I nodded, unable to say anything else. 

“Oh God.” A sob ripped its way out of my throat.

Her arms came around me instantly, and she hugged me like we were best friends. “Men are all assholes, Lola, don't waste your tears on him.”

“It's not that, it’s–” I couldn't get the words out. Without thinking, I touched my stomach. 

Celia's eyes widened. “Are you late?”

Blearily, I lifted my eyes to her. “I don't know. I’m never regular and I’m on the pill and–”

“Let's get you out of here and home, Lola. Via a pharmacy if we can find one open.”