“No, Killian. A friend told me I need to be strong and not give in to you. It’s all too easy to do that with your good looks and charismatic ways. I can’t let myself get involved again.”
“I’m not asking you to.” But we both knew it was his feelings he had for me that had caused our friendship to end. I wasn’t blaming him. I’d turned him down and shunned his advances.
“Just take the clothes. They should fit, and I don’t want them back. Keep them.”
“Thank you. It really means a lot.”
He walked away, and I wondered if I’d see him again. “Good luck, Kill. You do deserve it, despite being a bastard.”
I was a bastard. He was right.
I closed the door and pulled everything out of the bag. There were enough clothes to last me a week, let alone a few days. Brand new underwear still in its packaging, socks, a couple of pairs of jeans, and several shirts. Some of it I’d never seen before, but most was Seth’s, I knew that.
If I wanted to make the train, I’d need to move it. I put on a pair of jeans, one of the shirts, and my trusty boots. The rest I packed neatly in the bag.
I slipped on my coat and took one last look about me. This place had seen some things. Many of them I wasn’t proud of, but I’d called it home for the last couple of years. Would I be able toget a new place? I’d never fucking know if I didn’t shift my arse and catch the train.
I shut the door behind me and legged it down the stairs. If I ran, I’d make it just in time.
I breathed a sigh of relief as the train I sat on pulled out of the station, my bag safely stowed in the overhead compartment. I smiled to myself. Something I hadn’t done in a long time, the events of the past two days finally catching up to me.
No, that wasn’t true. The events of the past week gave me cause to smile. Meeting Harvey had turned the shitty life I had around. Since meeting him, all kinds of things had been happening.
I mentally counted them off my fingers.
Stopped drinking – check.
Took better care of myself – check
Found a friend I really liked – check
Might have an agent – big fucking check.
The journey would take three hours at least, so I put in my earbuds and lined up a playlist of favourite songs. I pressed play and settled in for the ride.
“Sir?”
I woke with a start. How long had I been asleep?
“Sir? The train ends here. You’ll need to get off.”
I blinked rapidly and rubbed my eyes. “Are we in London?”
“Last time I checked. Do you need help?”
“No, I’m fine. I fell asleep and, well, I must have needed it.” I stood on shaky legs and got my bag down.
“As long as you’re okay, sir.”
“I’m good, thanks.” I smiled and moved along the carriage to the door. I stepped onto the platform and took a deep breath.
Fuck, the smell of London. It’d been years since I’d been there, and the smells never changed.
The Big Smoke.
It hadn’t been called that for nothing, but thankfully, the air was clearer than it used to be.
I checked my phone for messages, but there were none. I hoped Harvey might have called or texted, but there was nothing. He had to be pissed with me. We should have been sitting down enjoying a meal together, but instead, I was standing in the middle of the city with him miles away.