GETAWAY CAR

53. This Thing Is Breaking Down

I didn't wanna bring the girls, I didn't wanna subject them to the photographers and the chaos of New York, but I couldn't leave them behind; hence Cara joining me.

"What if she hates me, Car? She wouldn't even answer my phone call." I sigh, running my hand up and down Tilly back, more to calm myself than anything else. "Karlie doesn't hate you, she never could. Karlie loves you and sure, she might be a little hurt and angry, but she won't hate you." Again, I know she's right, but I'm still terrified of the possibility.

"You can lie her down on the bed in the back if you want." I signal to Maisie who could stay asleep like that for the next few hours at least. "No, I'm good. I've missed the cuddles I used to get when you guys lived in London. So, I'll take what I can get." She laughs as she looks down at Maisie. Bad things always happen when we leave London, maybe it's time to make a permanent change and hope we're doing what's best for our family.

Tilly lets out a few shrill cries and I'm startled as the sound pierces the silence of the plane. "Hey, it's okay." I coo at her as I move the tiny baby to lie against my shoulder, she's the fussy one when it comes to flying, Maisie just sleeps which I'm ever so grateful for. I start humming the tune to treacherous since it's the first song that came to mind, and I pat the crying baby's back, hoping she'll calm down before she wakes her sister.

Tilly has been different since we lost Theo, she wasn't aware her brother was even there most of the time but they had a connection that twins just always seem to have. She's been even more difficult since Karlie left too, she's such a momma's girl and I just haven't been able to settle her the way Karlie can and she's been so clingy, I've barely had a second to myself in a week.

I move her back and lift my shirt, not sure if she's hungry or just wants to nurse for comfort, but if it stops her crying then I don't care. I help her latch on and lift my feet up to sit them on the empty seat opposite me. I yawn as I lean my head against the wall, staring out the window as I watch everything passing by underneath us.

Lately it's like my world has frozen in time and to realise that everything is still going on and the rest of the world is still moving, nobody else is living in this bubble of sadness and anger, it's intimidating.

"It's going to be okay, Taylor." Cara gives me a sad smile and I nod, I really hope she's right.

•••
Karlie's POV

After a few drinks, I've pretty much forgotten about everything else and if I haven't then I've simply lost the ability to care. We're dancing on the dance floor and I've lost track of everyone other than Gigi who's dancing around in front of me. "You're glad you came now, aren't you?" She laughs as she shouts over the music and I giggle, my inhibitions majorly affected as I agree.

I feel hands on my hips and a body moving with mine, and immediately I assume it's one of the other girls and keep moving my hips in time with the music. "Miss me, Kar?" The voice is close to my ear, a low seductive hum that would be inaudible to anyone else.

I turn myself around and when I'm met with sky blue eyes, I feel a knot in my stomach. "Toni, we can't do this." I shake my head as she basically starts grinding on me, wrapping an arm around my neck and tangling her hand in my hair as she presses her body against mine, neither of us stopping our movements even despite my attempt at a protest.

She moves away and grabs my hand, leading me away in a clouded haze as I try and figure out what's going on. She pulls me into the empty bathroom and as the door closes behind us she slams me back against it as she connects our lips. It's almost as if it's my natural instinct when I kiss her back, our lips moving furiously together as she pulls my body as close to hers as she can.