Pressing Send, she shoved the phone into her pocket and pushed the trolley on up the aisle, angrily tossing items off the list into it. Julie might have fooled Bex into thinking she’d been joking when she’d made those comments about Holly’s clothes, but Bex obviously hadn’t heard all the other snide things Julie had said, or seen the dirty looks she threw at Holly behind her back. The bitch thought she was special because her parents owned their own house while Holly and her single mum lived in a shitty council flat; and she was always bragging about her expensive clothes and fancy foreign holidays, knowing full well that Holly’s mum couldn’t afford any of that shit. Bex had claimed that she didn’t care that Holly was poor. But she’d also claimed that she didn’t really like Julie and only tolerated her because their dads were in the same golf club, yet now she was having sleepovers at the bitch’s house and sacking Holly off to go to the pictures with her, so that showed what a two-faced cow she was!
Still smarting about the betrayal, but also angry with herself for letting Julie Gordon wind her up and drive a wedge between her and Bex, Holly picked up the last few items and headed for the checkout. She would call Bex later, she decided, when she was sure that Bex was home and able to talk without Julie listening in. The bitch was probably made up that she’d caused them to fall out, but she could piss off if she thought she was stealing Bex away from her for good.
3
Dressed now, the bruises on her face concealed behind a thick layer of foundation, Suzie went out to her front gate and looked both ways along the road. The locksmith was supposed to have been here ten minutes ago, but there was still no sign of him. Agitated when she tried to call him and his phone went to voicemail, she lit a cigarette and took a deep drag to calm her nerves. Almost immediately, a taxi turned the corner and her heart sank when she saw Rob in the passenger seat. Flicking the cigarette away, she turned to go inside as the car pulled up at the kerb.
‘Hang about,’ Rob said, leaping out and running to her.
‘Don’t touch me,’ she spat, glaring up at him when he grabbed her arm. ‘I thought I told you to stay away?’
‘Don’t start,’ he moaned, rubbing the back of his neck. ‘My head’s banging.’
‘Oh, I’m sorry,’ she replied sarcastically. ‘Feel as bad as this, does it?’ She gestured to her bruised cheek.
Rob narrowed his eyes and peered at her, then shrugged. ‘I can’t see anything.’
‘Well, you wouldn’t, would you, seeing as I’ve got about ten layers of foundation on.’
‘Nice job,’ Rob said approvingly. ‘You should switch careers. You’d be a great make-up artist.’
‘’S’cuse me,’ the taxi driver called out through the car’s open window. ‘I’ve got to go, and you haven’t paid yet.’
Jerking his head at Suzie, Rob said, ‘Hurry up and sort him out, babe. I’ll go in and put the kettle on.’
‘No you won’t.’ Suzie stepped in front of him when he made to head up the path. ‘Go to your mum’s. She can pay.’
‘My mum’s still in Spain.’
‘I don’t care. You’re not my problem any more.’
‘Someone had better hurry up and pay,’ the driver said as the pair stared at each other, horns locked. ‘I’ve got another job to get to, and I can’t be sitting here all day watching you two have a lovers’ tiff.’
‘You what?’ Rob snapped his head round and glowered at the man. ‘Wanna get out and say that again, mate?’
‘You’re on camera, mate,’ the driver replied spikily, staying put.
‘Do I look like I give a fuck?’
‘That’s right, get yourself arrested again and save me the trouble of doing it,’ Suzie said.
‘Shut your mouth,’ Rob snapped.
Suzie shook her head in disgust and turned to walk away, but Rob grabbed her shoulder and yanked her roughly back.
‘What the hell?’ she squawked, spinning round to face him. ‘You nearly broke my flaming neck!’
‘Sorry.’ He held up his hands. ‘I wasn’t gonna hurt you, I swear.’
‘That’s it, I’m calling the cops,’ the cabby said.
‘Babe, please.’ Rob gave Suzie a pained look. ‘I know you’re mad at me, but if he rings the pigs I’m fucked. And people are watching.’
He jerked his head in the direction of the flats across the road, and Suzie narrowed her eyes when she glanced over and saw a rough-looking bottle blonde with jet-black roots blatantly staring at them from an open window on the second floor. She felt like yelling at the nosy cow to mind her own business, but the woman looked the type to come out fighting, and, thanks to Rob, she wasn’t in any fit state to defend herself. So, reluctantly, she marched into the house and took a twenty-pound note out of her purse before walking to the cab and shoving it through the window.
‘Thanks, babe.’ Rob gave her a grateful smile. ‘I’ll pay you back as soon as my money comes in.’
‘I’m only doing this to get rid of you,’ Suzie said sharply. ‘You’re still not coming in.’
‘Can I least have a brew and some painkillers before you kick me out?’ he wheedled as the driver handed over her change. ‘My head’s killing me.’
‘No!’ Suzie dropped the coins into her pocket as the cab pulled away. ‘Your stuff’s on top of the bin. Take it and go.’
‘Come on, babe, it wasn’t all me,’ Rob said, following as she walked to the gate. ‘You’ve got to take some of the blame.’
‘Excuse me?’ She drew her head back and gave him an incredulous look. ‘How was any
