‘Save it for your therapist,’ Rob said coldly. ‘I’ve tried to be polite, but you’ve gone too far this time, and if you don’t leave me the fuck alone I’m going to apply for a restraining order.’
‘Rob, please don’t leave me, I’m begging you,’ Angie cried, grabbing his arm and trying to drag him back out when he made to go inside the house. ‘I’m sorry for following you here, but I had to see you. Please . . . I’ll do anything—’
‘Go home,’ Rob hissed, shaking her off. ‘You’re making a show of yourself.’
‘Do you think we should call someone to come and get her?’ Suzie asked when Angie threw herself onto the floor at his feet.
‘No, leave her,’ Rob said, pulling Suzie inside and slamming the door in Angie’s wailing face. ‘Seriously, babe, she’s been driving me mental. I just hope she’ll see sense now she knows I’m with you and quit stalking me.’
Suzie followed when he walked into the living room and watched as he drew the blinds before closing the curtains.
‘Were you telling the truth out there?’ she asked. ‘Was it really only once? You haven’t been living with her?’
‘Babe, I swear on my life,’ Rob said, making the sign of the cross on his chest. ‘You saw her face when I caught her out about going to my mum’s. She’s a fantasist.’
‘I know she lied about that, but—’
‘Listen,’ Rob said, peering down into her eyes. ‘I didn’t have to tell you I’d been with her, ’cos we weren’t even together when it happened, but I wanted to be honest with you. If I’d known she was going to go this far, I’d have had her arrested at the start of it, but I honestly thought she’d quit if I ignored her for long enough.’
‘Why, what’s she done?’ Suzie asked, sitting down.
‘Texts, phone calls, following me,’ Rob said, sighing as he sat beside her. ‘I tried to let her down gently, but she must have taken that as a sign that I liked her and was playing hard to get, or something. I’ve been avoiding her, but today . . .’
‘What happened today?’ Suzie prompted when he paused.
‘OK, I said I’d be honest, so I will,’ Rob said, reaching for her hand and stroking her fingers with his thumb. ‘I’ve been keeping my phone on silent since she started harassing me, ’cos she goes on one when she’s drinking – as you just saw. Anyhow, I checked it after I left here this morning and she’d sent another load of messages. As I was deleting them, I saw the one from my mum, and I thought I’d best go round to check she was OK and apologize for getting her caught up in it. She wasn’t in, so I walked into town and mooched about for a bit before going to the pub. I was in there a while, but Angie must have followed me, ’cos she was waiting when I came out. She was pissed and she started yelling at me, and people were watching. I felt like a right cunt, so I tried to walk away, but she went mental and attacked me.’
‘Is that where those scratches on your neck came from?’
‘Yeah.’ Rob nodded and dipped his gaze. ‘I didn’t want to tell you ’cos I was ashamed, and I didn’t think you’d believe me.’
‘Answer one thing – honestly,’ Suzie said, peering into his eyes. ‘Did you punch her?’
‘No, I didn’t,’ Rob insisted. ‘I don’t blame you for thinking it after what happened with us, but I meant it when I said I’ve changed. Losing you broke me and I hated myself for what I’d done. That’s why I took that anger management course. I didn’t think it was going to work, but it did, and now, if someone pisses me off, I walk away instead of flying off the handle – like I did earlier when I went into that strop over Holly. Knowing Angie – and I wish to God I didn’t – I wouldn’t put it past her to have done it herself after she saw me coming in here. She probably thought it’d put you off me. But I hope it hasn’t worked, ’cos I couldn’t bear to lose you again so soon after getting you back.’
Suzie stared down at their hands entwined on her lap and thought everything over. The woman had sounded really convincing and she would probably have believed her if Rob hadn’t proved her to be lying about going round to his mum’s place. Her instincts were telling her that Rob had slept with the woman more than the one time he’d admitted to, but if it had happened while they were apart it was none of her business.
‘No, it didn’t work,’ she said after a while, aware that Rob was holding his breath beside her. ‘But if anything like this ever happens again, you need to tell me so I’m prepared, because that was horrible.’
‘Believe me, if I’d known she was going to turn up like that I would have told you,’ Rob said. ‘And I swear I’ll tell you if anything else happens. But hopefully she’ll give up now she’s had her card marked.’
‘She better had, or it’ll be me who punches her next time,’ Suzie said, only half joking.
‘My little warrior queen,’ Rob chuckled, leaning towards her and planting a soft kiss on her lips. ‘I don’t know about you, but I could really do with a drink. Don’t suppose there’s any of that wine left?’
‘One and a bit bottles,’ Suzie said, getting up when he did.
‘You mean you necked the rest by yourself?’ Rob gave her a mock-disapproving look.
‘It’s your fault for walking out and leaving it with me,’ Suzie said, walking over to the window and peeking out through the blinds. ‘She’s gone.’
‘Good,’ Rob grunted, following
