My phone rings again and I reject the call…again.
Sam steams into the lounge, looking as nervous as he did at The Manor. We both look up at him as he does a little tennis spectator impression, flicking his eyes from me to Kate and back again a few times.
Stalking over to Kate, he all but hauls her out of the lounge by her elbow. ‘We need to talk.’ he says urgently. I crane my neck around, watching as he practically throws her into her bedroom, slamming the door behind him.
I lie on the sofa, my tea resting on my stomach, and close my eyes. They don’t stay shut for long. Mental images of Jesse are imprinted on my brain, and with my eyes closed, there’s no other visual distraction, so they are all the more clearer. I’m never going to be able to sleep again. My phone starts again. Reaching down, I stab the reject button, staring up at the swirly artex ceiling of the lounge.
I’ve never felt pain like this before. It’s excruciating and way beyond fixable. He owns a fucking sex club? Why? Why couldn’t he be a banker or a financial advisor? Or…a hotel owner… I knew there was something wrong, something dangerous. Why didn’t I take a few moments to try and gather my senses? I know exactly why – because I wasn’t allowed to, I wasn’t given a chance to.
I sit up when I hear Kate’s high shrill travel across the landing, followed by Sam’s placating tones trying to calm her down. She flies out of her room with Sam in tow. He’s struggling to pull her back.
‘Get your fucking hands off me, Samuel. She needs to know.’
‘Wait a minute…Kate…arhhhhhh! What the fuck did you do that for?’ Kate retrieves her knee from Sam’s groin, leaving him in a folded, groaning mess on the landing, before barging into the lounge and punching me with her blue stare.
‘What?’ I ask, apprehensively. What do I need to know now?
She throws Sam a filthy look when he appears at the lounge door grasping his groin. I’m left wondering why Sam’s looking so apologetic when it’s Kate that’s just kneed him in the balls. She points at the chair aggressively, silently demanding him to sit. He limps over, lowering himself on a painful hiss.
‘Ava, he’s on his way over.’ she tells me calmly. I don’t know why she chooses this tone. It’s not going to calm me – not at all.
I gasp, looking at Sam sat in the chair, refusing to meet my eyes. He wasn’t going to tell me? I was stupid to think Jesse would make this easy. ‘I need to leave,’ I wail as my damn phone starts again. ‘Fuck off!’ I shout at the stupid thing.
‘Take her.’ Kate swings around to Sam. ‘She’s in no state to drive.’
‘Oh no, not me,’ He holds his hands up, shaking his head. ‘It’s more than my life’s worth. Anyway, I need to talk to you.’ He jerks his head towards Kate.
We all jump at the sound of an almighty crash at the door, my heart promptly leaping into my throat as I look at Kate. Sam groans, and it’s not because of the pain Kate’s inflicted on him.
‘You dirty little turncoat.’ she mutters angrily, piercing Sam with her sharp, blue eyes.
‘Hey, I didn’t say a fucking word!’ He’s on the major defensive. ‘It wouldn’t take a fucking rocket scientist to work out where she is.’
‘Don’t answer it, Kate.’ I plead.
A combination of more bangs play out on the front door. God, I don’t want to see him. My defences are not strong enough right now. I jump at a succession of more bangs, followed by a chorus of car horns that sound off all around.
‘For fucks sake,’ Kate yells, running across the room to look out of the window. ‘Shit.’ She pulls the blind up, getting up close and personal with the glass.