‘Oh, right. Of course.’ He cut me off before I could speak. ‘And you aren’t going anywhere near any of them again. So don’t even try and persuade me otherwise.’
‘I guess that’s that, then,’ I said, my head falling back on to the pillow. ‘Leave them. Let them get on with it. Fresh woods and pastures new. Not that there are many pastures in London. Are you really going to London?’
‘I’m taking a month to consider my options,’ he said. ‘I’m going to apply for whatever’s going and if nothing comes up I’ll head to the Smoke and freelance there.’
I turned my face away, reading the illuminated numbers on Tom’s alarm clock.
‘We never did find Mia,’ I said.
‘No. But she’s probably that woman you saw with Keane.’
‘Maybe. Weird thing, though – Keane genuinely doesn’t seem to know anything about this Academy place. And he wouldn’t bite at all when I tried to draw him out on the subject of Mia and blogs and stuff. I wonder if he’s killed her or something.’
Tom snorted. ‘He’s a bastard and a wanker, but is he a killer? I’m not so sure.’
‘There’s something very off about him. He didn’t ask me anything about myself while we were together. Didn’t want to know about my life, my work, my family, where I lived – anything. He knew what he needed to know – which was that he could dominate me if he wanted. Nothing else was relevant at all. You’d think a man on a first date with a potential partner would have a few questions to ask, instead of constantly bigging him
self up, wouldn’t you?’
‘So he doesn’t know anything about you?’
‘Nothing worth knowing.’
‘So he couldn’t come after you?’
Genuine concern lit his eyes.
‘I don’t think so. He didn’t even take my phone number.’ I groaned, wanting nothing more than to shut my grainy eyelids and drift into sleep, but I knew I should get home. ‘Tom, can you call me a cab? I’ve got work in a couple of hours and I can’t exactly turn up in what I was wearing earlier.’
He pouted. ‘Aren’t you going to stay with me and make sure I’m not concussed? Head injuries can be dangerous, you know.’
‘I don’t think you’re concussed.’ I kissed him. ‘But I feel as if I am.’
‘Then you should call in sick,’ he said. ‘Go on. Stay here with me.’
Rarely had I faced such temptation. But I couldn’t do it. I had never faked a sick day and I wasn’t about to start.
‘I’ll come over after work, if you like,’ I said, switching on the bedside light and looking around the room for my scattered clothes.
‘Hmph, is that your best offer?’
‘It’s my final offer,’ I said.
He sat up in bed, creaking and moaning with each movement of muscle.
‘I’m giving you fair warning, Foxy,’ he said, watching me struggle into my clothes. ‘As soon as I’m back to full fitness again, you’re in for the whipping of your life. You needn’t think you’ve got away with this one.’
I let the shudder of pleasurable dread subside before turning back to him with my cheeks on fire.
‘No need to rush,’ I said. ‘You need to take it easy.’
‘It’s not a threat, babe, it’s a promise,’ he said. ‘And I always keep my promises.’
‘Another dirty stop-out.’
Jess was standing by my workstation with a carton of coffee, giving Tilda the lowdown on the weekend.
‘Where were you?’ They both turned to face me. Miles, at the neighbouring booth, was clearly listening in.