Page 90 of Settling the Score

Sienna closed her eyes against the surging rush of feelings. Feelings she absolutely didn’t want to experience right now, on her best friend’s wedding day. Feelings that were threatening to make her scream and rant and cry and hurl things around the room.

Anger.

Impossible, enervating anger.

Rage.

Disbelief.

Incredulity.

Fierce, all-consuming rejection.

How she hated him for this! How she hated him for being such a dense-witted fantasist!

‘He doesn’t love me,’ she said, carefully, surprised she sounded so calm when her ears were ringing and her blood was pounding. ‘And I sure as hell don’t love him.’

Another look between the three, only this time, even Astrid succumbed, worry lining her pretty face. This was getting way out of hand.

‘Anyway, this isyourwedding day, and I absolutely refuse to have another word spoken about my one-time boyfriend. Okay?’

‘But he’s my future brother-in-law,’ Astrid pointed out gently. ‘And I promised I’d do this.’

Sienna’s jaw dropped. ‘Heaskedyou to talk to me?’

‘He—’

‘So, let me get this straight.’ The tenuous control she’d held on her temper was starting to slip. ‘Not only does this asshole think he’s in love with me, he’s too screwed up to tell me that himself? What the actual hell?’

‘He’s not an asshole,’ Paige said softly. ‘We all agree about that.’

‘Oh, well, I’m so gladyouall agree,’ Sienna said, slamming her coffee cup down then wincing with regret. This was Astrid’s wedding day and she loved these women so damned much – she knew that to be mutual. This was coming from a good place. They just didn’t understand.

‘I’m sorry,’ she said, as tears filled her eyes. ‘I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to shout. I’m just – you have to understand. This is so completely a no-go zone for me.’

‘But the other morning, you said you’re having fun with him,’ Bella pointed out gently, her expression softened with sympathy, as Astrid came up to Sienna and put an arm around her waist.

‘I was having fun with him. That was the point. We both agreed it was just casual sex.’

‘What?’ Paige spat her coffee out, narrowly missing spraying the liquid across Astrid’s stunning cream silk pyjamas. ‘You’re having sex with Aiden?’

There was no taking it back now. ‘Yes. Just sex.’

Astrid, Sienna realised, already knew.

‘He told you?’ she demanded.

‘Last night,’ Astrid confirmed. ‘Not in so many words, but it was obvious that… things have happened between the two of you.’

Sienna ignored the deep throbbing sense of betrayal. Her throat hurt with the force of unshed tears.

‘Things we both agreed would mean nothing. He was very, very clear about that. We both were. He’s got his life in New York, I’m in Ashbury Falls. Neither of us can – or wants – to move.’

‘That’s just geography.’

‘No, it’s a choice,’ she insisted. ‘And the whole sleeping together thing, it wasn’t about starting everything up again. At least, it wasn’t for me.’

‘So what was it? And don’t keep trying to tell us it was casual sex. Weknowyou. That’s not who you are,’ Astrid said firmly.