His voice is soft. Low. “I remember.”
We step out onto the familiar walkway that leads to Daisy’s flat. Nothing has changed in the months since I was here. There’s still broken glass on the floor. Flat 403 still has boarded windows. There’s a twitch in the yellowed net curtains as I pass 408, and I assume a nosy neighbour is keeping an eye out.
“Do you mind waiting here?” I ask Niall before we turn the corner to Daisy’s row of flats. “I don’t want to turn up unannounced with a stranger. I won’t be long, I promise.”
He grabs my hand before I can leave. “If there’s anything wrong in there you scream, okay? I’ll be in there like a shot.” He drops his forehead until it’s resting on mine. “Take care of yourself. That’s an order.”
I nod and it moves both our heads. “You’re lovely.”
“I know.” He grins and it makes me want to hug him. Linking my arms around his neck, I pull him in tight. A second later he tugs me closer, his hands resting on my lower back, palms warm through my t-shirt. That’s where I want to stay. Safe in his arms, warm and cosy and perfectly content.
But I can’t, not until I’ve seen for myself that Darren Tebbit hasn’t made a sudden reappearance.
As soon as I pull away, Niall wanders back to lean against a wall, and I walk over to knock at Daisy’s door. Trying not to think about the last time I did this.
It takes her less than a minute to answer. She yanks the door open, lifting a cigarette to her dry lips. Brow furrowing as she realises who it is.
“What are you doing here?”
“I was just wondering how you were doing. I haven’t had a chance to catch up with you.”
Daisy stands aside and I walk in, relief enveloping me when I realise she’s in here alone.
“I do have a phone you know,” she grumbles. “I’m in the middle of making tea.”
“I won’t stay long then. Is everything okay? Allegra settling in all right?”
“She’s fine.” Daisy’s eyes narrow. “Haven’t you just seen her? She’s been at class, right?”
Shit. Fuck.
“Um, yeah, we didn’t get a chance to talk.”
The microwave pings and we both ignore it.
“Why are you really here?”
There are times when I wish Daisy was stupid, that I wasn’t so dumb. She knows I live nowhere near this estate. There’s no reason for me being here. It must be obvious I’m checking up on her. “I heard Darren was back.”
She stubs her cigarette out in a pale green ashtray then swings to face me. “So you thought you’d run in here and be Miss Nosy Bitch, did you? Come checking up on the poor people? Want to sneer down your nose at us?”
“I wanted to make sure he hasn’t been bothering you. Not after everything you’ve been through.” I’m lying and she knows it. I can tell by the way she frowns. She folds her arms tightly across her chest.
“Well, he’s not here, is he?”
“I can see that.” I try to say it lightly, but I come across as a fool. “Everything’s okay, then?”
I’m eyeing the door, already wishing myself out of here. Why on earth did I ever come up? It seemed so simple: pop in, say hello, then walk right out, knowing Darren wasn’t anywhere near either Daisy or Allegra. Now all I’ve done is put Daisy’s back up again, and I know it’s going to backfire somehow.
“I’m about to call Allegra in for tea, so you need to go.” Daisy grabs her phone.
That’s when I see it. Hanging casually on the back of a chair. A black leather jacket—too big to be Daisy’s. Too roomy to belong to anybody but a man. I step toward it, reaching out to touch, then I’m yanked back, my spine jarring at the sudden change in direction.
“Get out of here.” Daisy’s voice is low. A warning. She releases my shoulder and I step back.
“Is that Darren’s?”
“None of your fucking business. Now get out of here.” Her face is twisted and angry. She steps toward me and I can feel the menace.