Page 40 of This Woman Forever

I laugh under my breath, feeling Ava stir in my arms. I watch her relax on a sigh. “Do you think I’ve?—”

Fucked this up?

I blink, jolt, scowl at nothing before me. “Watch your damn mouth.” I look around the room, coming into myself a little. I swear, I hear her laughing. Is this my thing now? Talking to dead people? I still, quiet, waiting for her to come back at me. Wishing she would. “Jesus Christ,” I breathe, shaking my head to myself. I’m certifiably fucking loopy.

I ease Ava off me and gently break away, settling her on the sheets, getting up and going to the bathroom. I go straight to the mirror. Stare at myself. Question myself.

Worry for myself.

But I’ll be okay. We’ll be okay.

I hope.

“Fucking hell.” I cup my face with my palms and scrub them down my cheeks. Crazy.

I use the toilet, wash my hands, and pad back to the bed, stalling halfway across the room when someone knocks on the door gently. Given I’m naked, I look around the room for my boxers. I find them on the floor by the bed and quickly get into them, checking Ava. She’s out for the count.

I pull the door open a fraction.

Recoil when I see who’s calling.

I look over my shoulder to Ava before slipping out and pulling the door shut behind me. “What can I do for you?” I ask, my tone unfriendly. He can’t expect anything else.

He sways a bit, and I fear the worst. A flying fist, a yell, a threat. So when he says, “I haven’t given you a chance to prove yourself.” I find myself taking a wary step back.

I want to laugh, but instead I cough, disguising it. “Prove myself? What, to you?”

“Yeah.”

“There’s only one person in this world I need to prove myself to, and it isn’t you, Dan.”

He shrugs, pouting, rolling back on his heels. “And you’ve proved yourself, have you?”

I frown. “Did you come here to pick another fight, because it’s been a really fucking long day, and I haven’t the energy.” But come back in the morning when I’m dressed, fresh, and all our guests have left The Manor. I’ll happily fuck you up then.

“I just want her to be happy.”

“Does she seem unhappy?”

“Yes, actually.”

As much as it pains me, this arrogant prick is my wife’s brother and—ouch—he’s known her a hell of a lot longer than I have. But as deeply? I don’t think so. I think Dan’s too wrapped up in his own world to know exactly what’s going on in anyone else’s, including his sister’s. He’s just acting out. Letting his ego out to play. “Let me assure you of a thing or two,” I say, my hand clenching the doorknob. It’s that or Dan’s throat. Can’t do that. “My wife is perfectly happy.” A man does not need another man—brother or not—asking him if he can make his wife happy.

I’m surprised when Dan nods, albeit mildly. “Okay.”

The fuck?

“I think it’s time for me to crash.” He backs up, slowly but surely, glancing around the gallery landing. “This really is a nice place you have here.”

“Thanks.”

“Must be worth a few quid.”

“A few.”

He smiles. “Good talking, Jesse.”

Was it? He turns and wanders off. “Safe travels back to Australia,” I call quietly.