‘Are you fucking kidding me?’ she cried. ‘Doing that shit in myhome? Do you have any respect for anyone but yourself? What the fuck, Finn?’
Finn stood up and saw the little pocket rocket in the mirror. She was absolutely primed to explode. Her cheeks were red, her hands bunched into fists on her hips, her nipples poking through her light cotton T-shirt. Finn had always known Kelly was hot. Of course he had. But when she stood there like that, so worked up and passionate and alive – well, fuck – she was the most desirable woman on earth.
‘You are so fucking hot,’ he said to her reflection. And then he burst into laughter, because it was all so funny. And he felt invincible and commanding and – well, fuck – he felt incredibly bloody horny now as well.
Kelly’s look of utter disgust only served to make Finn laugh even more. She was adorable. Like a puppy full of rage but unable to do anything about it while still being unbearably cute.
‘Get the fuck out of my apartment and do not come back until you’re clean and sober.’
Finn turned to face her. ‘Oh, come on, Kel. Don’t be like that. We’re the warriors, remember?’
Kelly shook her head. ‘I’m a warrior, Finn. You’re nothing but a fucking coward.’
But her words deflected right off him. He was untouchable. She was growing boring now.
Finn walked past her, careful to deliberately brush her arm with his own just in case it might stir her into action. She shuddered and that made him laugh. Because why the fuck not? Why the fuck not laugh? It’s better than fucking killing yourself.
Finn stopped at the door. He slowly and deliberately unwound Kelly’s apartment key from his key ring. He held it up to her in a mock solemn salute. ‘The key to your door and to my heart,’ he said grandly, before tossing it across the room to her. She didn’t move a muscle, just let the key land softly on the carpet. All the while, she stared at Finn with unfiltered rage and contempt.
Fuck, she looked funny like that. Finn giggled as he left, shaking his head at his feisty little friend. He was sorry he had to leave. But maybe Ashley would be up for a reconciliation.
He forgot about Kelly almost immediately and began to imagine the way Ashley would welcome him back when he knocked on her door. It put an extra spring in his already buoyant step.
Chapter Thirty-nine
Sunday 28 May
Toula screwed up her nose. ‘When was the last time you left this apartment?’
‘Nice to see you too, Touls,’ Kelly said.
‘Seriously, can we get a window open or something? It smells like a football team’s boots came here to die.’
‘It’s freezing outside.’
‘Turn the heating on.’
‘With the windows open?’
‘Yep.’
‘No wonder you don’t vote Greens.’
‘I don’t vote Greens because they’re a bunch of city-dwelling morons with no idea what it means to co-exist with the environment. Last time I was at a polling booth, I took the how to vote card from the unwashed volunteer, tore it up in her face and told her to recycle that.’
‘How you haven’t ended up in prison is beyond me. Surely, compulsory therapy at the least.’
‘Strength of conviction, Kel. That’s what gets me through life. I take no notice of all the bullshit you and your lefty mates serve up.’
‘I’m apolitical.’
‘Nobody’s apolitical. If you’re not against the mob, you’re with the mob.’
Kelly shook her head. ‘I genuinely don’t even know what you’re talking about anymore.’
Toula looked sympathetic. She touched her finger to the side of her nose. ‘That’s because you’re part of the mob, darling. They’ve got you and you don’t even know it.’
‘Right, well, given my deep political failings, I’m honoured that you’d still help me out.’
