Love's Game (LarssonSiblingSeries#5)

CHAPTER TWELVE

OLIVE

I don't sleep for long. It's too hard when the light sounds of laughter and music float into my bedroom every time I close my eyes. It's impossible not to recognise Dexter's chuckle and next to the others it sounds quite dirty. You can't help but smile every time he lets go too. It's extremely addictive.

Making my way out of my room and down the box corridor I jump out of my skin when the girl sitting next to Dexter on the sofa jumps up and gives me a far friendlier wave than seems normal for a stranger.

"You must be Olive," she says, beaming at me and I can't help but notice how perfect her smile is - teeth and all. "I'm Sabrina. My sister is married to Dex's brother. It's so good to meet you!"

I stare for a while before answering her. "It's good to meet you too."

Giving me another smile she bends down to pick up a glass from the table in front. "Do you like Pessoa?"

"Pessoa? Never heard of it," I reply.

"Oh you have to try," she tells me, wandering over to the cabinet holding bottles of alcohol in the corner. "It's the kind of drink you can swig all night and not know it's alcoholic."

I make my way towards her, seeing the purple syrup pouring into the tumbler. "The dangerous kind then?"

"You bet."

Taking the drink from her, I sample it. "Oh, it tastes like Vimto."

"Right?" Sabrina laughs, nodding her head towards the free sofa. "Let's chat. Dexter tells me that you enjoy reading. I do too. What's your all time favourite read, like ever."

Sitting down on the sofa, I cast a glance at Dexter who's too busy talking to the guy next to him to notice me which is ironic because he's obviously been watching me to know I like to read.

"I love anything by Steven King and Dan Child."

"Oh, so you're into your horror and suspense? I'm more of a romance girl. I do like an autobiography every now and then too," she responds, smiling as she goes to take a sip of her drink.

I can feel my nose wrinkling up before I can stop it. "I don't do romance books. I don't get it."

"Shut up right now," Sabrina says, a look of pure shock on her face.

I shrug. "It's true. I'm sorry."

"But, romance stories are the best," she blinks a few times. "Don't you even like the classics?"

"I tried to read Pride and Prejudice but got lost between all of the old fashioned words," I reply on a laugh.

Sabrina puffs out a long breath, nodding her head. "Yeah, they take some getting used to I'll admit. But the story behind them is just magical. I wanted to marry Mr Darcy when I was younger. It made me like the brooding mysterious types."

Starting to settle down, I start to smile. "We always like the ones who don't treat us quite right. It's sad really."

"Oh, for sure," she takes another sip from her glass. "Why do we do that to ourselves?"