Perfectly Obsessed

by Ellie R. Hunter

  “I give you my word, I won’t end up back inside again.”

  With that promise, I stand and reclaim Cammie’s hand.

  I don’t need to stand around for long looking down at her headstone, if she is watching over from somewhere in the beyond she knows how much love I have for her and how much I miss her.

  “Let’s go.”

  It feels so fucking good to be able to go home and come and go as I please. That last stint was truly the hardest I have endured and to imagine doing another sentence makes me recoil from anything that could put me there again. I have been considering making the diamond job with Tommy my last. The amount of cash we stand to make could carry us through life very comfortably.

  “What are you thinking about? You look very serious.”

  I look down to Cam and smile, hiding everything I don’t want to tell her yet.

  “The future,” I tell her.

  “And? What does that look like for us?” she asks.

  “It looks fucking bright,” I promise.

  Opening the living room window, I light a cigarette and blow the smoke into the fresh air. A gang of boys whizz by on their bikes on the road below and stick their middle fingers up at a car trying to pass them. The car revs his engine and bunny hops close behind the two lads at the back of the group causing them to swerve. The car eventually parks up in an open space and I laugh hard when I see Stan get out. I am surprised he didn’t run the little cunts over.

  I stub my cigarette out on the window ledge and grab his payment off the sofa, tucking it into my pocket.

  “I’ll be back soon,” I call out to Cam in the shower.

  I hear her call back but I can’t hear what she says.

  By the time I make it to his level in the building he is coming up the stairs.

  “Welcome home,” he grins, embracing me in a hard manly hug.

  “It’s fucking good to see you, mate.”

  He nods and unlocks his door, I follow him through to the sitting room and pull out his cash, throwing it on the small table in front of him.

  “As good as it is to see you, this is welcome sight,” he grins, picking up the cash.

  “I wanted to say thank you too, for looking out for her. You made it easier for me to be away from her. Although, I should beat you for keeping the fire from me.”

  “If I thought she was in any danger I would have, she was adamant she would do this herself, for you. That’s all she was thinking about,” he tells me, slumping into one of the arm chairs.

  “I know,” I sigh through a smile, “Tell me what happened.”

  I take the second arm chair and wait for him to speak.

  “A few months after you went down, you had new neighbours move in above you. They fought all the fucking time, I wasn’t aware how much she was missing sleep because they would argue all night. When you finally told me, I had a word with them. They quietened down for a while but Cam told me that leading up to the fire they got worse. Anyway, the guy had too much to drink and set fire to the flat so his missus didn’t take the furniture in the break up.”

  I nod as I listen and take a moment to thank whoever I need to that it wasn’t anything to do with me.

  “He’s lucky I was banged up. I would have made their lives unbearable if they kept me up all hours. It would never have got to the point it did.”

  “She stayed at Marg’s for a while, but I think living with loves young dream was getting her down so when the flat upstairs became available, I thought it was fucking perfect. She would be close to me at all times till you got out.”

  I smile appreciatively.

  “Tell me about Sammy, he been around her again?”

  Now I’m out we can talk frankly and without fear of being listened to on our phone calls.

  “The last I saw him he was trying to get Cammie to go for a drink with him. He fell in step with her as she was walking home from a visit with you. I jogged him on and kept tabs on him.”

  Has he now?

  “I think it’s time we let him know I’m home.”

  I can’t stop the mischievous smile spreading across my face. Built up violence I kept suppressed in prison is waiting to be unleashed and Sammy is giving me all I need to vent it.

  “And everyone else who thought they could take a pop at her,” I add, letting him know I have every intention of solidifying my return.

  “I’m ready when you are,” he smirks.

  The drive over to Sly Sammy’s flat isn’t long and my luck must be in when we park up and get out of the car. Sammy himself comes strolling out of his house unaware who awaits him and we follow him up the road on foot until he turns the corner into an alley. Stan and I quicken our pace and catch him up halfway down. Bringing my hand down on his shoulder, I force him to turn around and watch his face when he sees us standing in front of him.

  “When did you get out?” he asks, confusion clearly written all over his face.

  “Doesn’t matter, I’m here now. I heard you took a liking to following my girl while I was away?”

  He glares at Stan and backs away from us. I throw the first punch and Stan throws the second. Sammy falls to the ground, holding his jaw.

  “You shouldn’t have worried, Stan was always there watching her,” he spits, “Maybe you should be asking him how close he got to her?”

  I don’t give him the satisfaction of allowing his provocation to get to me, I know Stan and I trust him.

  Swinging my boot into his gut, I kick him over and over until he is wheezing for breath. “Don’t go near Cammie again, if you do, next time I will kill you,” I warn him, backing away.

  I nod to Stan and he follows. Leaving Sammy bent over holding his stomach, we quickly flee the alley and backtrack to Stan’s car.

  “You done well to leave him able to walk away,” Stan smirks.

  “Hopefully it’s enough for him to get the message.”

  Stan did do well looking out for Cammie, but I’m home now and I will take care of my girl. I will take out any threat to her.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Cammie

  “I have to get ready, Drake.”

  I gave up trying to get out of his grip, the more I squirmed the more he enjoyed himself. I could feel his enjoyment pushing into my stomach as he holds me down on the bed. His strength alone can hold me down anytime he pleases, but it’s his determination that is keeping me down this morning.

  I haven’t broached the subject of my job since he got out, I haven’t wanted to hear what I know he is going to say. Today, I have no choice. Les was kind enough to give me four days off but I am due in work in an hour.

  “I haven’t had enough of you yet,” he groans.

  “Hopefully you never will,” I retort, “But I’ve got to go to work.” I add, using all my strength to stop myself falling into his trap.

  “No you fucking don’t. Why are you still working now I’m home? You have me to pass the time, you don’t need to go. I’ll call Les and tell him you quit,” he offers.

  “No you won’t, I like to work,” I argue.

  He half moans and half growls and rolls off me.

  “I can take care of you, you know that.”

  “It’s not about the money, Drake.”

  I sit up and reach for my robe off the floor.

  “Look, I like working. You don’t understand and I get that,” I know he hates me working there because of all the years he watched his mother work there and struggle to get by but I’m not her and we are not in her situation.

  “I like being here for you and keeping the place clean and tidy but I can’t be that all the time. I won’t turn into my mother.”

  I shudder at the thought, I have lost myself in Drake as much as I possibly could in a guy, but what he wants will completely tip me over the edge. I need some time for me, to keep a little part of myself.

  “How about a compromise?” I ask, when he doesn’t look at me or say anything.

  “Go on,” he finally says
, intrigued by what I have to offer.

  “You don’t want me to work and I don’t want to give it up. So, how about I cut my hours by half? Les has been expecting me to quit, I’m sure he’ll be fine with this arrangement.”

  I really hope he will be because no matter how much I love Drake. I love working too.

  “Drake, I’m sure you have things you want to do that could be done without me around all the time?” I add when I can’t take his silence anymore.

  I don’t know how else to make him see this is better than me sticking my heels in or him sticking to his guns and ending up coming to an impasse.

  “I suppose that could work. Tell him today, three days a week and not a minute more,” he demands.

  “Deal,” I smile.

  After dealing with the morning rush at the café I finally get my break in time for when Lorna walks through the door weighed down with bags. Since she got together with Stan, she hasn’t stopped smiling, today though, she is scowling and my pulse doubles in case something has happened.

  “What’s up?” I ask, dreading her reply.

  “Your boyfriend turned up this morning and mine told me to basically do one. I’ve shopped until I got bored and now I need a coffee.”

  They have been together for nearly a year now and I still can’t work out how their relationship works. From what she has told me, there has been no declarations of love or talk of making plans for the future. Their attraction is basically lust for one another. Most of the time she hates him and the other half of time, he is being a prick to her.

  I learned a long time ago to stay out of her relationships, Lorna will do what Lorna wants and no matter how she is treated, there is no talking to her about it.

  “What are they up to?” I ask.

  “Didn’t you hear the part where I got told to do one?” she snaps, “Sorry, he just pisses me off, who does he think he is telling me to disappear?” she sighs.

  “Maybe it’s best you don’t know. They’re not your average boy scouts, are they?”

  “True.”

  A portion of my hopes expected Drake to straighten up and find some work that doesn’t end in handcuffs and sending more visiting orders.

  He has never hidden his lifestyle from me and I have never asked him to change. How can I after all this time? My imagination doesn’t get time to wonder into extremes as the very men in our lives walk through the door looking very happy with themselves.

  Drake’s eyes find me and his grin changes from cocky to soft. He mouths he wants two coffees and takes a seat with Stan at Lorna’s table.

  I listen to Stan ask how much Lorna has spent while I pour three coffees. She doesn’t answer and he asks again, this time more sternly and demanding.

  “It’s not your money so you don’t need to know,” Lorna replies, acidly.

  “We’re together so it is my business if you’re wasting money on girlie shit.”

  “Oh so we’re together like that, are we? So, you can tell me what you’ve been doing this morning?” she argues.

  He glares at her and accepts the coffee I hand him. “You don’t need to know about that,” he tells her.

  “Well, you don’t need to know what I spend my money on,” she argues back.

  Drake pulls me down on his lap and slides his hands into his sleeves. I didn’t miss the grazed knuckles he is trying to hide.

  I raise my eyebrows at him silently asking what the hell is going on but he shakes his head and mouths he’ll tell me later.

  “How did Les take the changes?” he asks me, ignoring Stan and Lorna’s continuing arguing.

  “He’s happy I’m not leaving completely.”

  His lips trail across my neck and I lean into him further.

  “This job just got a hell of a lot better,” I giggle, as he nips my ear lobe between his teeth.

  “I say we celebrate tonight. You two have had enough fucking time reconnecting or whatever you call it. Our boy here needs to show his face,” Stan pipes up, disrupting us.

  “I think that’s a great idea,” Drake agrees, smiling.

  My heart sinks into my stomach at the mention of the pub. The last time we were there together, it ruined everything and I lost him for over two years.

  “What time do you finish?” Drake asks.

  “Four-thirty.”

  “I’ll come pick you up, we’ll go for dinner at Marg’s then we’ll head to the pub.”

  I smile tentatively. Between the two of them, they have the whole day planned. I brush a light kiss on Drake’s cheek and get back to work. Hopefully if I keep busy, the gnawing in my stomach will go away.

  Drake wolfed down his dinner at Marg’s earlier while I picked at mine. My appetite vanished the second tonight was decided. The pub is busier than usual and I haven’t had a minute alone with Drake since we walked through the door. Stan said he needed to show his face and so far, anyone who is anyone has seen it and knows he is back. Like a fucking king, people stop by our table and welcome him home.

  Calvin James came in a while ago and Drake went over to speak with him. From what I could tell, Drake smiled and shook his hand then his face changed into something intimidating and Calvin shrank away from him. He re-joined us at the table and carried on joining in our conversation.

  “You look gorgeous,” he murmurs, running his finger down my bare arm.

  I originally chose this black mini dress to entice him back to bed before we left so we didn’t end up here but it didn’t work. Well, it did but then he told me to get cleaned up and we still came out regardless of my best efforts.

  “It’s your fault we’re here, we could’ve stayed home and I wouldn’t be wearing anything,” I whisper in his ear.

  “I think I’ve showed my face long enough.”

  He pulls me out of my chair and leads me towards the door without missing a beat.

  We are nearly out of the door and home free when the guy who comes walking towards us has Drake stopping and turning us around to go back to our table.

  He quickly kisses me and pushes me into the chair next Stan and Lorna.

  “Stan, look lively.”

  Whoever the guy is, he has got the attention of Drake and now Stan as he catches who Drake nodded at. Stan disentangles himself from Lorna and walks side by side with Drake until they come face to face with the guy in their sights.

  A few words are exchanged between the three of them and then Drake and Stan walk side by side with the guy until they are outside.

  “What’s going on, Cam?” Lorna asks, tugging on my arm to get my attention.

  “I don’t know.”

  We could follow them out but flashbacks of the last time I did that come back to haunt me and I remain in my seat.

  “I find that hard to believe, Drake is so much more open with you than Stan is with me.”

  I feel like screaming at her, Drake being open with me isn’t necessarily a good thing, all of the time. I found out when he walked me home from work that the grazes on his knuckles were from teaching someone a lesson for getting too close to me when Drake was in prison. Any hope I may have had for him to go straight vanished.

  “Have you ever thought there might not be anything to know?” I say.

  “They are just talking, lovey. Nothing sinister going on out there.”

  I didn’t see Marg and William come into the pub, they look like they have just arrived so they must have seen what was going on out there.

  “See, nothing to worry about,” I smile at Lorna.

  “I’m not worried. It bugs the shit out of me that he thinks he can keep things from me.”

  William brings over a tray of drinks and I know that the night isn’t over, it’s only just beginning. I am proved right when Drake and Stan come back in shortly followed by the guy they forced out. While our men look satisfied, the guy looks aggravated and keeps throwing daggers into their backs.

  I down the rest of my drink and stand ready to leave.

  “You ready now?” I
ask.

  “Change of plan, babe.”

  He forces me back into the chair that seconds ago I was trying to get away from and he kisses my forehead.

  For three hours, drinks are generously given and Drake makes it clear he is back and isn’t going anywhere.

  Marg and William left a while ago leaving Lorna and I to deal with Drake and Stan. I have never seen Drake drunk before, usually he handles his drink well. I’ve seen him sink shot after shot, chaser after chaser and enough beer to drown a man and he is barely standing. He stumbles back from the bathroom and I expect him to fall into the seat next to me. Instead, he bows like he is in some old fashioned movie and extends his hand out to me.

  “Dance with me.”

  Not exactly an offer, more of an order, exactly how I love my man to be but not tonight.

  “Drake,” I moan, “This isn’t the type of place you dance in. Everyone will stare.”

  He stands up straight after a little wobble and shrugs his shoulders in a way that makes him look younger than his twenty-seven years.

  “Who gives a fuck? Let ‘em look, all they’ll see is a guy dancing with his girl.”

  When he puts it like that, how can I refuse?

  We don’t go far, in fact we stay by our table and as I wrap my arms around his neck, he slips his arms around my waist and pulls me tight against him.

  You wouldn’t call it dancing, more of a slight sway with me trying to keep him on his feet. Coming to the end of the night, thick cigarette smoke hangs tight in the air and a mix of alcoholic drinks cling to my sense of smell.