Poison

I need to see you, I typed before the meeting got off to its full start. Fuck this hell, I need to fucking see you.

I’d done my overview of the month’s project and Ralph was onto his presentation by the time my phone buzzed again.

I need to see you, too, she told me. Seriously, Lucas, I couldn’t stay away if I tried.

I forced myself to concentrate through the rest of the management session but my mind was focused on a whole other tune when I arrived back at my desk. I pulled up Maya’s number and mustered up a whole new round of strength as I typed out another new message.

I needed this hell to move forward.

I needed to sort out my damn schedule.

If you don’t tell me when I can see my daughter, I’ll have to find another way to gain access. I mean it. I’m done with this utter bullshit.

I wasn’t expecting a reply so quickly. Not after so much radio silence.

I’m done with this utter bullshit too, Lucas. How about you ask Anna Blackwell what time she can fit Millie in? Oh, except you can fuck off. Millie is busy with me this weekend. We’re going away.

I tossed my phone across the desk.

Thank you, Hannah fucking Ames.

Just what this situation fucking needed.

I caught my breath and thought out my options before I opted for another message.

I’d play hardball. I was out of choices with no pot to piss in. Not anymore.

I fucking mean it, Maya. I’ll find another way to gain access. I’m not staying away from Millie.

Whatever I expected in response was nothing as simple or as bold as the text that pinged back through.

It said it all, and I was scared as I read it. Really fucking scared of what lay ahead.

You can try, Lucas. Stay away from Anna Blackwell, or I’ll see you in court.

Jesus fucking Christ.

The stormy sky just got a hell of a whole load darker overhead.

But still, I couldn’t stay away from Anna Blackwell. No matter how hard Maya lashed out at me.

Anna’s was the number I next called up, and my words were as just as needy as my thoughts.

I’ll be wherever you want me to be, sweetheart. Just tell me when. And make it damn quick.Chapter Twenty-FiveAnnaIt had been a long week. Seriously long.

I’d been playing smiles and trying to avoid tough conversations with just about everyone who would tell me that Lucas was the world’s biggest prick over and over. I’d been trying to keep myself in line, and sleep, and eat, and do well at work without going crazy, and I’d managed it. Just one little blip of a seizure while I was waiting to go into a meeting on Thursday. I could cope with that.

But over the top of it all, I’d been trying to survive on nothing but a stream of text messages from Lucas as the days wore on.

I was totally sick of it and needed more.

But it wouldn’t be that night, not while Nicola was hosting her girls’ night at hers and I’d promised I was going. I dressed up in one of my decent red dresses and styled my hair in curls. Vicky and I stood side by side in front of the mirror as we both applied our makeup, and she was waffling on about just how much fun it was going to be.

I made sure my cigarettes were buried deep in my handbag while she was grabbing her two bottles of wine, and then we set off, piling into the taxi and heading across town to Nicola’s.

I expected quite a gathering in her living room, because that’s how Nicola works. She loves crowds, and laughter and stupid party games after too many wines.

But not me, especially not that night.

I was anything but excited as I stepped on through her front door, knowing full well how she would likely get preachy after a couple of glasses and I’d be sitting sober at the sidelines taking it all.

That’s what I figured was coming, and I was fine with that. I could handle that.

What I wasn’t expecting was for Nicola to have stocked up on Maya Brooks-now-Pierce’s best friend club. There they were, sitting around the coffee table along with the regular crew. Dawn Richards, and Yasmin Boyle and Hannah Ames.

Great.

Just fucking great.

My level of cringe just reached a new high. Awkward didn’t even begin to cut it.

Hannah shot me an evil stare as soon as I stepped on through, and Dawn sneered as I took a seat opposite. Thanks, Nicola. Great show.

Not only had Dawn and Hannah clearly organised the evening around their kids and work shifts and everything else just to be there, but I hadn’t seen Yasmin Boyle in years, so Nicola must have gone to some seriously exceptional lengths to bring her into the crowd. She’d moved up to Newcastle years ago, and rarely came back around these parts. Not that I’d ever heard of.