Beneath This Man (This Man 2)

It’s Monday and I have a lot of work to sort out. I feel powerful and I need to power dress to enhance my confident attitude. Thank God Kate took the initiative to pack some work clothes and… my black, sleeveless pencil dress.

I shower and make the best job I can with my hair before slipping my dress on and grabbing my red heels on the way downstairs, but I come to an abrupt halt at the door.

Shit!

I haven’t got my car and some of the files I need are in there. I exit the penthouse hastily and race downstairs to find Clive taking a delivery outside the foyer. I run out into the sunshine towards him while putting my shades on. ‘Clive, I need a cab!’

‘Ava, how are you this morning?’ He beams at me. ‘Your transport is here.’

‘My transport?’

He points towards a black Range Rover, and I see John leaning against the hood on his phone. He has his customary shades on and his black suit. He nods at me, as per his usual greeting.

I start walking towards him, but remember something. I swing back to face Clive. ‘Did Jesse speak to you about the visitor he had yesterday?’

‘No, Ava.’ Clive makes his way back to his desk.

Hmmm. I thought not. I carry on my way and as I approach John, I catch the tail end of his conversation.

‘She’s here, Jesse, I’ll be there soon.’ His rumbling voice always makes him sound like he’s in a bad mood. He hangs up and nods at the car, his indication that he wants me to get in.

I take myself around the front and climb in. If I wasn’t in such a rush, I would probably complain. ‘Why are you here?’ I ask as I settle in the passenger seat.

‘Jesse asked me to take you to work.’ He doesn’t sound impressed.

I don’t want to put him out. Jesse must have realised before me that my car wasn’t here, but I could have just got a cab. There’s no need to arrange lifts for me and anyway, why didn’t he just hang around and take me himself?

‘I need to get my car. Do you mind? It’s at Kate’s, she lives in Notting Hill.’

He nods his acceptance, lets his window down and leans his arm on the frame. He looks like one mean mother f**ker. I wonder how he and Jesse know each other. Yes, he works for Jesse, but he seems to be in the know about the drink problem too, or lack of problem –whichever. A million questions dance on my lips, but I resist asking him. If there is one thing I do know about Big John, it’s that he’s not a big talker, but then one question just shoots right out.

‘Did you get the gates sorted?’

His face turns slowly towards me and I see his forehead slightly wrinkled, an indication that he’s frowning. I hold his stare, but he still doesn’t answer.

‘The gates of The Manor.’ I prompt. ‘They malfunctioned last Sunday.’

He starts nodding and turns his face back to the road. ‘All sorted, girl.’

I bet they are. Does John know what I’m thinking?

We travel in silence, except for John’s humming, and he drops me at Kate’s. ‘Thanks, John.’ I call, jumping out of his car.

‘S’all good.’ he rumbles, and he’s gone.

It’s eight. I have time, so I run up the path to Kate’s house.

I head straight through to find her whisking a gigantic bowl of sugar and butter. ‘Hey.’ I dunk my finger in her bowl.

She swats it with her spoon. ‘Out! I’ve got so much to do! I got absolutely nothing done yesterday.’ She’s really flustered which is a million miles away from her usual calm and collective façade. What’s got her in this state?

‘Oh yeah?’ I smirk.

‘Fun!’ she snaps, tipping flour onto the measuring scales. I take the sensible decision to leave it right there. ‘How’s your brother?’ she asks.

Oh, we’ve gone from Dan to brother? ‘He’s good.’ I won’t go into too many details.

‘Jesse?’ she asks, her tongue hanging out as she bends down to gage the scales.

‘Yeah,’ I flop down into one of the tub chairs.

She straightens up and looks at me questioningly. I haven’t got time at the moment to go into too many details, there is far too much to get her opinion on.

‘Ava?’

I sigh. ‘He wants me to move in. I said yes, but that’s only because he f**ked some so called sense into me after I said no. He followed it up with a reminder f**k this morning.’ I shrug.

Kate gapes at me. ‘Wow!’

I laugh, ‘Yes.’

‘Isn’t it a bit soon?’ she asks.

The question shocks me, but I’m glad she’s of the same mindset as me. ‘I think so. He wants me day and night and a little bit in between. He’s bad enough already, with his demands, control and worrying. I can’t lose my identity.’

‘Well said. Have you told him this?’ She tosses the flour into the bowl and starts mixing again.

‘No. Hey what went down at The Manor on Saturday night and why didn’t you answer any of my calls?’ I fire the questions accusingly.

She shoots her bright blues to mine. ‘Nothing!’ she barks defensively. ‘I forgot to call you back.’

I’m immediately suspicious. ‘I was referring to the police turning up.’ I say with a raised brow. She was a bit quick to shoot that answer at me. What has she been up to?

‘Oh!’ She gets all flustered and flappy as she returns to mixing her cake mixture a little too frantically. ‘I don’t know. Jesse turned up and the police left shortly after.’

‘Hey, chick!’