Broken Silence (Silence, #2)(37)

“Okay, I promise.”

“Thank you,” I whispered, slipping my arms around his neck and holding him as close to me as I could.





Chapter Twelve


Cole




Kerry and Oakley chatted in the back of the car, giggling about something I hadn’t caught. Every so often they would whisper something in each other’s ear and laugh about it. The fact that I didn’t know what it was drove me crazy. It was fucking incredible to hear Oakley laugh so much, though.

“Shh,” Oakley suddenly hissed loudly. I turned my head slightly so I could see them better. What the hell were they gossiping about? As they saw me they both smiled innocently. Okay, this is about me.

“You two discussing how amazing I am?” I asked, shooting a glance over my shoulder.

Oakley grinned. “Yeah, Kerry thinks you’re awesome.”

I nodded, slowly. “You’re lying. You want to jump my bones, and you know it.”

She laughed, blushing a little. “You think way too much of yourself!”

“It’s hard not to when you’re constantly looking at me with those x-ray eyes.”

She shook her head and laughed. “So delusional, Cole.”

“Paintballing tomorrow?” I asked Ben. I needed to kick his arse after shooting me in the face last time we went.

Ben’s face lit up like a child that had just been handed a bag of sweets.

“Hell yeah. Boys only though. Those two can do something else, like have a pillow fight or whatever girls do,” he said, nodding towards Oakley and Kerry.

“Why did you say no girls? We never go with the girls.”

“Since Oakley’s been back, you’ve been attached heart the hip,” he moaned.

“No we haven’t.” Have we? We’d spent a lot of time together, but it had been four years! Surely I was allowed to catch up properly? Wait, he wasn’t being an arse about it. I was the one being too defensive.

“So why aren’t we invited?” Kerry asked, poking her head between the front seats.

“Me and Cole are having a boys’ day. You two aren’t boys.”

“Oh, boys’ day,” Oakley teased, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

“Hey, hey, hey,” Ben shouted. “Don’t even be saying things like that, girl. I’m a ladies’ man!”

I winced as Kerry slapped his head. I felt the thud. “Ladies?”

“Lady! Baby, you know there’s only you,” he said, and rubbed his head where she’d hit.

“Good. Love you, sweetie.” Kerry sat back in her seat and continued chatting to Oakley as if they had never stopped. Their relationship had changed slightly since Oakley’s reappearance in our lives: four years ago Kerry had to learn to read Oakley’s reactions and expressions, but now Oakley was talking more easily, neither of them shut up.

We parked in the club’s car park and made our way inside. Oakley slipped her hand in mine as we walked towards the bar.

“What do you want to drink then, little pisshead?” I whispered in her ear and wrapped my arms around her waist from behind. She giggled and scanned the bar. I knew she wasn’t really a big drinker, so I think she was trying to read what all the bottles were.

“A shot of that blue stuff and a vodka and lemonade, please.”

“Are you getting drunk again?”

Oakley nodded and leant back against my chest.

Kerry pulled her away to find a table. “Shots all round, Cole,” Kerry shouted, waving her hand over her head.

“Cheers,” Ben said, raising his glass.

I downed mine and almost spat it back up. “Shit, that’s disgusting!”

Kerry shrugged. “I like it. I’ll get more.”

“I’m not going to be able to stand by the end of the night, am I?” Oakley said, sipping her vodka and lemonade.

“Not if Kerry has anything to do with it.”

I was right. After two shots and her vodka, Oakley was drunk. Kerry was tipsy but nowhere near as bad. Not drinking often definitely made her a lightweight.

“Hi guys. Sorry I’m late,” Chelsea said and sat down. She had some other guy with her who I vaguely remember seeing around Uni. “Brad, these are my friends, Cole, Oakley, Ben and Kerry. And guys, this is Brad.”

I reached across the table and shook his hand. “Hey, man.”

“Hey.” Brad looked at all the empty shot glasses on the table and grinned. “We’ve got some catching up to do.”

“Yes, you do. It’s my round.” Ben got up, grabbing the tray that we kept and made his way to the bar.

Oakley groaned. “I don’t wanna fall on my face.”

Chelsea laughed. “Not a big drinker?”

She shook her head. “Not at all. Tomorrow is going to be hell.”

Another two shots and Oakley was plain wasted. She leant heavily on the table and laughed hysterically at everything.

“He’s so old now,” Kerry slurred. Her perfectly styled curly hair was messed up after dancing and stumbling around. “But still unbelievably gorgeous.”

They’d been discussing who was or wasn’t hot for the last half an hour. The thing that made my whole night was when Chelsea asked them who the hottest man alive was and Oakley’s eyes flicked to me for a second and I almost thought she’d sat me but that jokish glint in her eye gave her away. She said, before saying Ian Somerhalder. Chelsea said George Clooney and Kerry said Philip Glenister, which was just wrong.