by Jane Lark
‘Oh.’ Who?
‘I told him you were away. I hope that was okay. He said he’d call again. He said he was a friend.’
I nodded. I didn’t know what to say. My stalker? Had he called here? It gave me the shivers.
There was only one man I knew, though, who might call here and say he was a friend. When I left the house I called Rick. ‘Hi—’
‘Hi, I got your reply about Thursday. Same time, same place, yeah?’
‘Yes. But…’
‘What?’
‘Did you call at my place over the weekend?’
‘No. Why?’
‘I was away and someone was asking for me.’
‘Not me. I was at Steve’s most of the weekend watching rugby. You sound upset about it, are you okay? It wasn’t a problem?’
‘No. No. Not really, I just wondered. It’s just weird, I don’t know anyone else who’d call on me.’
‘Neither do I. But if you’re feeling nervous, if this man comes back, if it’s a problem, you can call me?’
‘Thanks, Rick, but I’ll be alright.’
‘I’ll see you on Thursday.’
‘Yes. Bye.’
‘Bye.’
I thought of the man Jack had seen on the corner. Someone had definitely checked my post and now someone, who didn’t want to leave a name, had been looking for me here. Maybe my stalker joke was not a joke?
On the escalator down to the platform at the tube station I thought I saw the guy again; the one I kept seeing, a few meters behind me, but I didn’t see him on the platform, it was too busy, and I didn’t see him on the tube either. When I got off, I looked over my shoulder about ten times on the walk to work.
When I reached the building and navigated the revolving doors into the ground-floor reception, my heart set up a bass-beat rhythm. What would Jack do?
The room was full. I was one of the last to arrive.
Jack was in his office.
I took a breath and tried to breathe as though this was nothing. Like any other Monday. Only this Monday I’d walked into the office having spent the weekend having sex with the boss.
When I sat down, I glanced into Jack’s office. He was on the phone. He didn’t see me look.
I took another breath to calm my nerves and switched my laptop on.
An email popped up a minute after my inbox had opened. ‘Good morning, beautiful.’
My heart did a little victory leap.
I checked no one had read it over my shoulder, then sent back a smiley face. I was so happy I went into the Monday-morning meeting grinning like Alice in Wonderland’s, Cheshire Cat.
Chapter 17
I smiled broadly at Ivy when she came into the room for the meeting. She threw me a big smile back and it never left her face. She grinned at me while I tried to talk without looking at her constantly. She’d really feared I’d ignore her. I shouldn’t have done it before; it had been an error of judgement, but it couldn’t have happened even if I’d wanted to now. She was in my blood, like a drug. I’d had an injection over the weekend. I was now a sworn addict. I wasn’t going to let there be any distance between us again. She did things to my stomach, made it all wobbly, made my head feel like it did when I circled on a roundabout with Daisy, and my chest a mashed up mess of feelings.
When I’d thought I’d been in love with Sharon, my feelings had been lust for the different sort of sex and greed for the rush of rule-breaking. I’d been a naïve-idiot and self-absorbed. Thank God Daisy had come along and given me the push I’d needed to walk away from that life.
I glanced at Ivy and caught her gaze, then smiled again. She gave me a nod when she stood up to walk out of the room. I looked down. She’d worn the chequered trousers that made her bottom look exquisite.
Wow.
When I got back to my office I sent her another email. ‘Will you come into my office?’
She got up and walked around the desks, her bottom swaying. She looked really good today.
She pushed the door open, a pad and pen in one hand, then closed it, looking back to check it had shut before looking at me with a quirky smile. ‘Yes, boss. How can I help?’
‘Well, you could help by taking those trousers off, that you know I love, and come over here, unbutton my trousers and sit on my lap. But that may wind us both up arrested for indecent exposure. So I guess, aside from that, I want us to tell Em what’s going on, together, if you’re up for it?’
‘Oh, okay.’ She sat down as though she deflated into the seat.
‘It’s better she knows.’
‘I know. I just… It’ll be weird. But I agree.’
I leant forward, resting my elbows on my desk. ‘There’s something else I need to tell you first, though.’
She nodded.
It was strange to have her on the other side of the desk when I wasn’t talking work. I wanted to be closer to her, especially as what I had to say wasn’t nice. ‘Ruth on reception downstairs told me a man came in and asked where I was on Saturday. I’ve called my lawyer; John is on to it. But… If Sharon works out I’m involved with you and she tries to contact you, don’t get caught up in any discussion with her. She can be nasty. Not life-threating, or dangerous, but she’ll chew you up and spit you out with words. Don’t bother getting into a verbal battle with her, just put the phone down.’
Ivy sat forward in the chair. ‘Jack…’ The words seemed to dry up on her tongue and her eyes shone, with the concern showing on her face. Her eyes had changed colour too; the lavender became greyer.
‘What?’
‘Someone was looking for me too. They asked at the flats. Do you think that was Sharon’s investigator?’
‘Was it a man?’
‘Yes.’
‘Was he big?’
‘I didn’t ask what he looked like.’
‘The guy I saw at the end of your street was tall and big built, and the guy that came here was too. It was probably the PI. I’ll call John again and get him to have another go at Sharon’s solicitor. But, Ivy, leave early and tell the police about it too, just in case it’s not what we think and it’s some random man, and if you’re worried, call me. I don’t care if it’s late, whatever, call.’
She smiled, telling me I’d said the right thing.
But it wasn’t only for her benefit that I’d said it. Captain Control wanted to be all over this. I needed her to be safe – needed not wanted – any idea of her not being safe made a sharp pain stab into my chest. I breathed in. But she lived over half an hour away from me. ‘And if you’re really concerned, call the police and then me. Yeah?’
‘I will.’ Her hand lifted shakily and tucked her hair behind her ear. She was scared. If it was Sharon, she needn’t be. Sharon was annoying and embarrassing, but she wasn’t physically violent. For the first time in my life I hoped Sharon was up to something.
‘Are you okay if we call Em in? We can put it off for a day or two, if you’d rather wait, but I want her to know, and I think it’s better it comes from both of us.’
She bit her lip before smiling slightly. It was not the wide grin she’d had on her face all through the meeting, it was self-conscious, as if she didn’t have that much faith in how long us was going to last. ‘I can’t sit down, though. I feel weird sitting down on the other side of the desk from you.’
I gave her a smile. ‘It feels weird for me too.’ I wanted us to last, I really did. Other good things that I had in my life had lasted. This could too.
She stood up and walked over to look out of the window. I picked up the phone, but I didn’t dial, my head became full of memories from New Year’s Eve. But that had been weeks ago. I was a different man, even from then.
‘Do you want to go out with me Wednesday night? We could take the bike and ride out of London somewhere for a meal in a pub?’ She glanced back. ‘Do you still have the leathers and the helmet I bought you?’
‘Yes.’
‘Then Wednesday, I’ll pick you up at six-thirty an
d we’ll ride out of London.’ I looked back at the phone and dialled Em’s extension.
‘Hi, could you come in here for a minute?’
‘Sure. See you in five seconds.’
She obviously hadn’t noticed Ivy was in here because when she walked through the door she stopped. ‘Oh, sorry, Ivy. I didn’t realise you two were talking.’
Ivy smiled awkwardly. ‘It’s okay.’
Em hesitated, as though she expected Ivy to leave, but when Ivy didn’t move, Em shut the door. She looked at me.
‘I want to talk to you, Em. Well, I wanted us to talk to you.’ I stood up, because they were both standing. ‘Ivy and I are seeing each other outside work. We don’t want everyone to know yet, but we wanted to tell you.’ I looked at Ivy. By choice I’d have lifted my arm and let her come to me so I could hold her, but there was a glass wall in front of us which everyone else could look through. She bit her lip.
I looked back at Em. It was important to me that Em got this – as my business partner and my friend.
She looked shocked. She looked like she’d murder me, but I wanted her to understand – this wasn’t a fling.
‘It’s your choice.’ She said to me. Trying not to hurt Ivy’s feelings, I guess. ‘You’re happy, Ivy?’
Ivy nodded.
I suppose, as we were her employers, this must be painfully uncomfortable for Ivy.
‘Well then, I’m happy for you. I hope it works out. Was that all, Jack?’
‘Yes.’
A sharp nod tilted Em’s head, but when she turned she gave me a slight shake of her head.
As soon as she’d left, Ivy said, ‘I’d better get back to work too. I’ll see you Wednesday.’
‘Yes, but I’ll call you after work tonight.’
‘Okay.’
When I sat down, the arrival of an email chimed on my desktop – from Em. ‘I hope you know what you’re doing. If you offend or hurt one of our best people, I’m going to string you up, Jack, and not by the neck.’
I laughed and sent her a reply email with a smiley face. Then I rang John on his personal number.
‘Hello, Jack, what is it?’
‘We have to get that decree nisi in. I want things over and done with.’
‘You know we’ve found some holdings in Sharon’s name. You need to give us time to investigate.’
‘Two weeks. That’s all. I cannot give you any more. She’s been harassing Ivy already.’
‘You’ll risk losing a lot more than you should if you push for two weeks.’
‘I don’t care.’
‘Okay, I’ll see what I can do.’
‘Then, after that I just have to wait six weeks, right? And then I can have the absolute and that’s it, all done?’
‘Yes.’
Then all my ties with Sharon would be broken. ‘But, John, you need to tell her lawyer that she’s been spying on me again, and she needs to stop. My new girlfriend and I have had people asking after us.’
He sighed. ‘Okay. I’ll tell him.’
When I finished the call, I rang Tina. ‘Would you bring in the files I need for the meeting?’
‘Sure, Jack.’
‘Thanks.’
Chapter 18
The intercom buzzed. I breathed in. I was wearing the leather all-in-one Jack had bought me. I pressed the talk button. ‘Hi, Jack.’
‘Hi. You ready?’
‘Yes, I’ll come down.’
‘No, wait. I’ll come up to you. I want to tell you something first.’
I let him in the door downstairs and I could hear him running upstairs when he got near. I opened the door before he reached it. He was in his leather all-in-one too, carrying his helmet. He looked sexy like that, edgy.
‘What is it?’
‘Go into your room and sit down a minute.’
‘Why?’
‘If you go in and sit down, I’ll tell you.’
I backed up and let him in, standing in the small kitchen area.
‘Sit, Ivy.’
I did, but. ‘Why?’
‘I had a conversation with my lawyer before I left work. Sharon claims she hasn’t had anyone tailing either of us.’ He leaned a shoulder against the wall. ‘I think she’s lying. I still think it’s her. But there’s always the outside chance it really is some random guy stalking you. I just… I wanted to tell you to be careful.’
‘You said that the other day.’
‘I know. But I’m worried about you.’
So was I; I didn’t need him spooking me more. I stood up. ‘Okay. Can we go now?’
He smiled as his arm came up, then his fingers gently held the back of my neck and gave it a comforting squeeze. ‘Yes.’ His hand was still on my neck as I walked downstairs, with him walking two steps behind me.
When we got down to the hall, Greg was there. He looked at me as I came down the last flight of stairs, then looked behind me at Jack. But he must have seen Jack arrive and known I’d let him in. I swear Greg spent hours looking out of the window watching everyone come and go. ‘Nice bike,’ he said to Jack.
‘Thanks,’ Jack answered, his hand letting go of my neck as we both walked into the hall.
Annoyingly, Greg stood directly in front of us, preventing us from walking out.
He looked at me. ‘You riding pillion, Ivy?’
‘That’s the plan,’ Jack gave another short snappy answer, that really said, fuck off and get out of the way.
‘Have you had any more ideas about who that man was?’ Greg asked me.
He’d been asking every night when I got in if I’d heard anything from my friend who’d come round. ‘No.’
‘And we’re just on our way out,’ Jack pushed.
Greg looked at him. ‘Okay, mate.’ There was, a no need to get annoyed pitch in his words. ‘Have a good time,’ he said, looking at me. Then he stepped out of the way.
Jack clasped my arm and led me past Greg.
When the door shut behind us, he said, ‘Your landlord creeps me out.’
‘I think he is harmless, just annoying.’
I looked along the street both ways about six times as Jack got on the bike and lifted it off the stand. I didn’t see anyone odd. I put my helmet on.
I was suddenly very glad I lived in an attic flat – at least I needn’t worry about anyone looking through my windows.
I climbed onto the back of his bike. It was the first time I’d been on a proper, big, bike with him. I wrapped my arms around his waist, holding on.
‘Hold me nice and tight,’ he said through his helmet.
‘Uh huh.’
‘I won’t go fast until you’re used to it. Okay?’
‘Yeah.’
I wasn’t ready at all. I was terrified. I turned my head sideways so my helmet pressed against his shoulder. He started the engine and revved it. My stomach lurched when he pulled away. But as he rode out of the street, my mind was on trying to spot my stalker as much as thinking about the bike. I didn’t see any big guy standing around looking out of place. But maybe he didn’t stalk me every day…
And maybe it wasn’t him who had called at the flats – maybe that was a different man. Maybe that had been the person investigating Jack. I’d had that sense of being followed for weeks – when I was having nothing to do with Jack and no one had called at the flats then – but they had got in and taken my post.
Jack drove out to Windsor and we ate venison in a pub there. He had a thin long-sleeved top on under his leathers and he stripped his suit off to his waist while we ate. Half the women in the pub stared at him all the time we were in there because, with the tight top hugging his chest and his midriff, and his leathers gripping his legs, he looked like the fittest man alive. If we were going to keep seeing each other I’d have to get used to other women staring at him.
But I hadn’t worn anything under my leather onesie thing except a bra. So while all the women ogled him, I sat there eating in my biker gear, despite Jack continually telling me to unzip
the front at least, ‘It won’t matter, it’s just like a bikini.’
‘In March…’
He had changed since Christmas – he was more relaxed. But he still had a dirty, dark humour; after every other mouthful, I was given a look and then there was a comment. ‘Go on pull the zip down just a little bit, for me…’ ‘What colour bra do you have on under there, anyway.’ ‘I bet the guys in here would pay you just to pull the zip down seven inches.’
I silenced him in the end with a smack on the arm. ‘Shut up.’
He laughed.
What I didn’t tell him was that his persistent teasing was making me horny, although it was partly to do with the fact I’d been ogling him as much as the rest of the women in the pub. All I wanted to do was get him home and strip the leathers off his bottom half.
We went for a walk along the riverside after we’d eaten. The Thames wasn’t as wide as it was in London or so built up. We walked through a park, gripping our helmets in one hand and holding each other’s with the other.
The whole evening was good. But we had work tomorrow, so we didn’t drag it out.
When we got back to mine Jack walked inside with me and followed me upstairs.
I glanced back at him. ‘I’m not going to get attacked on the stairs.’ As soon as we’d ridden back into London my mind had been on whoever was watching me again.
‘I’m not thinking about any of that right now – my mind is on other things.’ His eyes told me what other things.
I slid the key in the lock and opened the door, my heart skipping at the idea that he’d stop over.
When we got in there he pushed the door shut behind us, then dropped his helmet and took mine and dropped that down too. ‘Now I get to see.’
He gripped the end of the zip and yanked it right down, so the leather parted, revealing my fluorescent-green lacy bra and nothing else but skin.
‘Wow. You do have a beautiful body. I hope you know that and I hope you know what it does to me…’
‘I think I worked that out.’
He kissed my collarbone as his hand snuck inside the leather running about my waist, just feeling my skin. ‘Silk.’ He breathed against my neck, then he started sucking and biting my skin there gently.