Beneath This Man (This Man 2)

I scoff. ‘Yes, so I’m told.’ If anyone else says he’s easygoing, I might just trample them.

‘Well, it’s nice to have a lady in the house.’ she says, collecting some cleaner from under the sink. ‘My boy needs a girl.’ she muses to herself.

I smile at Cathy’s affectionate referral to Jesse. I wonder how long she has worked for him? Jesse had said that she was the only woman he couldn’t live without, although I suspect that has changed now.

She sprays the worktop down with anti-bacterial spray and starts wiping. ‘I’ll wait for Jesse then, if you would prefer.’

‘Yes, thank you. I’m just going to make a few calls.’ I notice my phone charging on the side but no bag. ‘Have you seen my bag?’

‘I popped it in the cloakroom, darling. Oh, and I’ve had Clive sort out the elevator door.’

I cringe. ‘Oh, thank you.’ I grab my phone and make my way out of the kitchen to retrieve my bag. She probably thinks I’m a slob as well as a rude cow, a vandal and a flasher.

I find my bag and glance down at my phone, noting two missed calls from my Mum and a text from Matt. My shoulders sag. I should delete it, but curiosity gets the better of me.

I don’t know what got into me. I’m sorry x.

I bristle from head to toe and delete the message. The last thing I need is Jesse finding it. He was sorry before and it’s still bothering me how he knows about Jesse. I should ring my Mum first, but I have a friend with some explaining to do. She takes a while, but she eventually answers. I know she’ll be looking down at her screen, wondering what to say.

‘You’re a member!’ I blurt accusingly when she finally picks up.

‘And?’ She’s aiming for nonchalance, but I’m detecting irritation.

‘Why didn’t you tell me?’

‘It’s none of your business.’ she retorts.

‘Thanks!’ I’m completely offended. We tell each other everything.

‘It’s just a bit of fun, Ava.’ she huffs impatiently.

I’ve heard this before, but I know there’s more to it. I know she likes Sam and I can’t see how joining him in all things kinky and going along with his lifestyle is going to get her what she wants. This is a disaster waiting to happen. ‘You keep saying that.’ I grate down the phone. ‘Why won’t you admit there is more to it?’

‘Like what?’ she asks, her tone indicating surprise – surprise that I’ve come out and asked the million dollar question.

‘Like you really like him.’ I say, completely exasperated.

She scoffs. ‘I do not!’

‘Oh, you’re hopeless.’ I snap. Why can’t she just swallow her pride and admit it? What harm would it do, especially to me?

‘Talking of hopeless; how’s Jesse? Fuck me, Ava. That man can screw!’

I laugh. ‘Yes, he can. Matt tried to jump my bones before Jesse ambushed the flat. He proceeded to tell Jesse that we had a little snog. I think Matt might be nursing a black eye this morning.’

‘Ha, good!’ She laughs, and I can’t help the small smile of satisfaction developing on my face. He deserved it.

‘He knows about Jesse’s little drink issue.’ I add. I’m not laughing now.

‘How?’ Her shock matches mine.

‘I have no idea. Anyway, I’ve got to ring my mother. I guess I’ll see you later.’

‘Oh yes!’ she chirps excitedly. I can’t match her excitement for the anniversary dinner tonight. ‘See you there!’

‘Bye.’ I hang up and dial my mother before she sends out the search party.

‘Ava?’ Her shrill voice assaults my eardrums.

‘Mum, not so loud!’

‘Sorry. Matt’s called again.’

What?

I take myself across to the main open area and sit myself down. Any hopes of being cheered up by my mother have been well and truly dashed with that little statement.

‘Ava, he said you’ve moved in with a raving alcoholic who has a terrible temper. He beat Matt up!’

I fall back in a chair and look up to the ceiling in total mental exasperation. Why can’t the prick just crawl into the dark hole he came from and die? ‘Mum, please don’t speak to him anymore.’ I plead. What a lowlife he really is, dumping this shit on my parents. It just reinforces my conclusions about the deceitful, nasty snake.

‘Is it true?’ she asks tentatively. I can see her in my mind’s eye flicking a worried glare at my Dad.

‘Not exactly,’ I can’t completely lie to her. She’ll have to find out where I am eventually. ‘It’s nothing like Matt says, Mum.’

‘Well, what is it then?’

Oh, I can’t do this over the phone. There is far too much to explain and I don’t want her passing judgment on Jesse. I could kill Matt. ‘Mum, listen. I’ve got to get to work.’ A little white lie won’t hurt.

‘Ava, I’m so worried about you.’

I can sense her despair. I hate Matt for doing this, but he said he was sorry. Was that before or after he called my parents to give them an update on my love life? I should send Jesse around to trample all over him. ‘Please, don’t be. Matt wanted me back. He pounced on me when I went to collect the last of my things and turned nasty when I rebuffed him. Jesse was just protecting me.’ I try to cut a long story short and purposely leave out any parts that could tarnish Jesse. There are a few.

‘Jesse? Was that the man you were with when I called last weekend?’