“It is my business. Is he back? He shouldn’t be around Allegra. Not after what he did last time.” My breath comes faster, the adrenaline kicking in. “I can’t believe you let him come back.”
“He’s not back, now fuck off and don’t come back.” She pushes me and I stumble, grabbing onto the doorjamb for support. “I don’t want you near Allegra, you interfering little bitch. Keep away from us both.”
She’s so angry, the room vibrates with her fury. I make a grab for the door handle and yank at it. The door swings open, crashing against the wall.
“That’s right, piss off. And don’t come back,” Daisy shouts after me. “If I hear you’ve been anywhere near her I’ll deck you.”
A loud bang tells me she’s shut the door, but my heart is still racing when I reach Niall. Breathing fast, I run straight into his arms, needing his comfort more than ever. My mind is buzzing with thoughts of Darren and Allegra, and what I should do to try and sort this whole mess out.
When we walk toward the stairwell he slides his hand on top of mine and holds me tightly, not once letting go.
It’s only when we’re halfway down the stairs that I feel as though I can breathe again.
25
Neither of us speak as Niall navigates the potholed roads of the estate. The car bounces every time he hits a dip too wide to avoid. It doesn’t feel like an oppressive silence, though. I’m too busy thinking, and I suppose he is, too. We barely notice our surroundings as we make our way north east. The blur of chicken takeaways and kebab shops are only a blip on my radar.
When we’re a few roads away from my flat I finally find my voice. “How do you know where I live?”
Niall makes a neat little manoeuvre, sliding the Fiesta into the tightest of spaces. Either he’s an excellent parker or he doesn’t give a damn if he dings his car. “Alex told me.”
Alex has a lot to answer for. Most of it good.
Niall climbs out of the car, squeezing himself between the bumper and the car in front. When we reach my building I find myself hesitating.
I’ve not invited anybody up before, unless you count Alex and Lara when they helped move my stuff. It’s strange, I realise, because I’ve never had my own place until now, never had the freedom to invite somebody in without checking. For the first time, I’m in charge. The thought doesn’t scare me as I thought it would.
I show Niall the kitchen when we pass it. We climb the stairs to my room, squeezing in between the easy chair and the bed, until he’s standing in the middle of the carpet. I watch his face as he scans his surroundings, noting the furrow between his eyes, the way the corner of his lip pulls down.
“So this is it. Chez moi. Small and bijou but all mine.” I sound like my mum, lapsing into franglais. It’s only when he stares at my poorly made bed that I realise where we are.
Niall Joseph is in my bedroom.
The last time we were in a bedroom together I was nineteen years old, h
eady with infatuation, dizzy that he’d noticed me. Now... I don’t know. I feel like a seasoned gambler at a high-stakes table. Calm on the surface, but underneath there’s so much going on. I’m not sure where to start.
“Cup of tea?”
He shakes his head and sits down on the easy chair. A second later he fidgets and puts his hand under the cushion, pulling out a hairbrush. I try not to laugh when he raises his eyebrows.
“I still haven’t unpacked properly. Anyway, you can hardly talk; have you seen the inside of your car?”
He has the good grace to laugh. “I wasn’t commenting on your storage options, it just surprised me when I felt the spikes on my arse.”
Of course my eyes automatically go there. They can’t help it. When I look up I notice he’s smirking, and there’s something about it that makes me overheat. “I apologise for your discomfort.” I don’t mean it, not a word. I hope he feels as uncomfortable as I do.
“I’ve had worse.”
My phone vibrates then and I lift it up, seeing my mum’s name flash up on the screen. Pressing a button to send it to voicemail, I find myself grimacing. Much to Niall’s amusement.
“My mum,” I tell him, as if that explains everything. “I’ve only just told her about the split.”
He licks his lips slowly and inclines his head. “You two don’t get on?”
“I let her down.” There’s no need to say why. His eyes soften with understanding.
“Alex told me what you went through at home. I’m sorry.”