He opened his mouth to speak again, but she clenched her fist and drove it into his face, surprisingly hard, much harder than she’d ever thought she could. Her ring caught the side of his eye, drawing blood.
“Fucking hell!” he shouted, clutching his wound. “You bitch.”
The door across the hallway opened and the elderly man who lived there alone peered out.
“I’m calling the police,” he said. “Two nights in a row you’ve been making a racket out there. I’ve had enough of it.”
Dafydd whirled round in a fury, but the man had already closed his door.
“You heard the man,” said Vanessa. “Now go.”
Dafydd lashed out, getting hold of her elbow.
“I’m waiting for the police to arrive,” he said. “I’m going to make a complaint against you. This is assault.” He pointed to his eye.
Vanessa pointed to her neck. “So is this.”
“You can’t prove a fucking thing. They’ll think you wanted it.”
“Why would they think that? Look at you. You’re vile,” snarled Vanessa.
“You used to want it all right. Remember when you couldn’t get enough. Remember when you were on your back morning, noon and night, wide open for me. What about our honeymoon, Nessie? What about Jersey? You got it every which way every day until you couldn’t make it down to the hotel restaurant. And you still wanted more.”
“Shut up.”
“You were sick with lust for me, Nessie. You used to beg me to fuck you.”
“No, I didn’t,” yelled Vanessa.
“You did. Always in your short skirts and stockings.”
“You made me wear them. You gave all my trousers to the charity shop, you controlling freak.”
“You were such a dirty little whore back then. You’d do anything. You’d take it up the arse.”
“You raped me,” she whispered.
He rolled his eyes. “I think your memory is definitely on the blink. Perhaps you should see your GP.”
“Perhaps I should see the police.”
“I think you’re in luck,” said Dafydd as the next-door flat was buzzed.
“Jesus, that was quick,” said Vanessa, stepping back inside the flat and trying to shut the door. Dafydd kept it wedged open with a boot in the gap.
“It’s your word against mine now, babe,” he whispered. “Give it up. Come back to me and all will be forgiven.”
“You’re insane.”
“It could be so good, Nessie. You and me, the golden couple. I’ll take you away from this crappy flat, and your wimpy boyfriend. You’ll have everything you ever wanted, love. I’ll see to that.”
“I’m too old for kids now,” she said sourly. “Move on to a younger model, if that’s what you want.”
“You aren’t too old! You aren’t. Even if you can’t conceive naturally, there’s IVF…”
“Oh Christ, you’re raving mad,” shouted Vanessa, just as a pair of police officers appeared on the upper staircase.
“We’ve had reports of a disturbance,” said one of them, rather unnecessarily. “Is everything all right here, madam?”