Alejandro's Revenge by Anne Mather Read Free Book Online

parents?’
    Abby blew out an exasperated breath. ‘No,’ she said shortly. ‘Neither of them are at the—apartment.’ She deliberately used the alternative term. ‘They’re staying here.’
    â€˜They are?’ For the first time her fiancé sounded less sure of himself. Then, almost as an afterthought, ‘So, how is Edward? Have you found out what happened?’
    â€˜I know what happened,’ said Abby, trying not to be impatient. ‘A drunk driver slammed into his car. He was lucky he was hit on the nearside and that he wasn’t carrying any passengers. He could have been killed.’
    â€˜Well, he evidently wasn’t very badly hurt if they’ve discharged him from hospital already,’ said Ross practically. ‘I thought as much. So when are you coming home?’
    Until that moment Abby had been thinking about going home. She’d all but abandoned any thought of taking what Edward had said seriously, and, although she was worried about the problems he and Lauren were having, she’d had no intention of interfering in their lives.
    But Ross’s casual assumption that if Edward wasn’t in any danger she’d be catching the next flight back to London caught her on the raw. He might show some concern for the man he was planning to make his brother-in-law. His annoying habit of always having to be right infuriated her.
    â€˜I don’t know,’ she said now, deciding it served him right for being so unfeeling. ‘I may stay on for a few days.’
    â€˜But why?’ Ross seemed insensible to the fact that he was treading on dangerous ground. ‘Surely he doesn’t need you to hold his hand. He’s got a wife, Abby. I doubt if she appreciates you turning up out of the blue.’
    â€˜I didn’t come here because of Lauren,’ retorted his fiancéetersely. ‘You don’t seem to realise the emotional stress an accident can cause.’
    But as she said the words Abby wondered who she was kidding. For heaven’s sake, if Edward was stressed it wasn’t because of the accident. She knew that.
    â€˜Oh, right.’ Ross sounded irritated now. ‘I’d forgotten what a sensitive flower Edward is.’ He made a sound of derision. ‘Get real, Abby. Edward doesn’t need you. He’s just using this to get back at me. I bet it really ticked him off when you told him we were engaged.’
    â€˜Is that what you really think?’ Abby was appalled at his hostility. ‘For heaven’s sake, Ross, I didn’t ring you to get a lecture about my brother’s character. He’s had a bad shock, okay? Is it any wonder if he needs some moral support?’
    â€˜Moral support!’ Ross snorted. ‘Sometimes I wonder about you, I really do. You’re so easily duped. No wonder Edward can run rings around you. Well, after we’re married things are going to change. I’m going to let him know he can’t come running to you every time he needs a shoulder to cry on.’
    Abby caught her breath. ‘We may not be getting married at this rate,’ she said, wishing she’d never made this call. ‘I’ve got to go, Ross. I’ll speak to you later.’
    â€˜Well, where—?’
    But Abby didn’t wait to hear any more. With a feeling of revulsion she put down the phone, staring at it blindly for a few seconds before getting up and moving away. She was glad he couldn’t call her back, she thought tensely. Although he knew Edward’s number, he didn’t know this one. He could be so unpleasant at times. He hadn’t even asked her about her journey. He didn’t seem to care about anything except when she was going back.
    Surely he should sense how she was feeling. Why couldn’t he have been sympathetic, understanding? If he had been, she’d probably have been packing her bags right now. As it was, she’d committed herself