“What do you expect?” she shrieked. “Welcome back, rapist! I’ve missed your mind games so much. Do you think I’m fucking insane?”
“You’re so strong,” he whispered, gazing at her with frightening intensity. “I’ve treated you so badly. I don’t deserve you. But I can’t stop wanting you. I can’t stop it, Ness. You’re so beautiful…just so beautiful…”
She couldn’t speak, staring at him, thinking only of recommendations for divorce lawyers. She would make an appointment. Tomorrow. But she wouldn’t tell him that now. In his unpredictable, emotionally turbulent state he could be capable of anything. She would concentrate on getting him out of the flat.
“I’ll call you a cab,” she whispered. “I’m too tired for this, Dafydd. Way too tired. Talk tomorrow, okay?”
“Dinner?” he said hopefully. “I’ll book the restaurant we used to go to. That little Mexican place in Clapham. If it’s still open. You used to love their margaritas, remember?”
“No, not dinner,” said Vanessa, her eyes shut, trying to blank out the memories. Dafydd, always the centre of attention, speaking crap Spanish to the waiters in his booming barrel-chested voice.
“Lunch, then? Some nice places near the WSO HQ. Or just somewhere casual if you prefer, Pizza Express or whatever.”
“I don’t want anything date-y, Dafydd. No intimate tables for two. You can meet me in the park, by the bridge.”
“St James?”
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“Yeah.”
“What if it’s raining?”
“Bring an umbrella.”
“Okay. Right. Before rehearsal?”
“Yes, say nine o’clock. But you have to get home to bed or you won’t wake up in time. Let me get my phone and call that cab.”
A moment passed which Vanessa sensed was make or break. He’d calm down or he’d get even worse.
As his grip loosened on the backs of her knees, she tried to mask her sigh of relief.
He knelt back on his heels and watched her get up and retrieve her phone.
“You will be there, won’t you?” he said. “You aren’t fobbing me off. I won’t let you fob me off.”
“You know me. If I say I’ll do a thing, I do it.”
She began dialling the local taxi firm and gave them her address in a low, slightly shaky voice.
“They’ll be five minutes. You’d better get your coat on.”
Dafydd picked up his coat at the same time as Vanessa picked up the sex tape. He snatched it from her and put it back in his pocket.
“My personal property,” he said, with a leering smile.
“You said you’d give it to me.”
“I said that to get in here. All’s fair in love and war, no? I don’t want to lose my best bargaining chip, do I? Besides, I was going to watch that when I got home.”
“Fuck you. Get out of here.”
She marched to the front door and yanked it open.
Dafydd followed unhurriedly, pulling on his coat and yawning. When he came level with Vanessa, he took hold of the door handle over her hand and shoved it shut again, cutting through her resistance as if it were nothing.
“I’ll get out of here when I’m ready,” he said, looming over her again. “When I’ve had my goodnight hug. Come on. Old time’s sake, Ness.”