Jack’s dad had been mostly quiet, but he was like a pillar of stone, silent but solid. His presence had helped make me feel more confident and helped me to forget that Rick was in the police station somewhere in the cells – Rick the traitorous, lying, not-nice guy.
If I saw him, I’d claw my fingers and charge at him, and I thought of him in the pub the last time I’d seen him, chatting as though he was so innocent.
But I was sure he’d said he’d been doing stuff when things happened. That he’d been with Jessica or Steve. The police told me to leave the investigating to them and to focus on their questions. How long had I known him? Had I seen anything that concerned me? Did I know his whereabouts at the times of the incidents? Could I think of any reason he might have to do this? ‘Only that he was upset when I’d left.’ Just that.
In the taxi on the way back to the hospital, my mind was spinning with confusion, anger and hurt.
When I walked back into Jack’s hospital room with George, Jack looked pale.
‘You look how I feel, sweetheart.’
Was I pale too? I did feel exhausted, and sick.
I nodded and went to use the toilet in his shower room. When I saw myself in the mirror, he was right. I looked awful. There were dark rims under my eyes.
When I went back out a nurse came in. ‘Sweet tea for the pair of you. And will you lie down, Jack! You might feel bionic with all the metal you have in you, but your body is still trying to heal.’
‘He’s always a fidget,’ I said when I took my tea. I was trying to feel normal. I wanted to feel normal. But…
Oh my God. The thought of Rick driving at Jack grasped at my throat and he’d been the one in my room…
‘Your father and I are going, Jack. I’ll come back up to town in a couple of days, but if you want me to return sooner call me, please?’
‘I’ll be alright, Mum.’
I moved out of the way while she hugged him.
‘I’ll be in the US but it’s only a phone call away.’
‘I know, Dad.’
George patted Jack’s arm.
I was numb. Cold. Empty. How could Rick do something like that?
In my head I was looking at Jack as he’d been the first moment I’d seen him in here, smashed up and attached to numerous machines. That image would haunt me.
Almost immediately after we’d got together again, I remembered Jack saying he’d been followed one night. Why? Because Rick had seen us together when he’d been following me.
‘Goodbye, Ivy. It has been nice to meet you and get to know you a little, and when we meet again let’s hope it will be in much better circumstances.’ George held his hand out.
I shook it. ‘It was nice meeting you and thank you for coming to the police station.’
‘You are very welcome.’
His mum hugged me. ‘Take care of him, Ivy. I think you’ll be very good at that, but take care of yourself too, because he’s not so good at thinking of others.’
‘He’s just fine at it.’ I gave her a smile and glanced at him. ‘But he is not so good at being a patient; so, yes, I will look after him.’
‘Thank you, dear.’
‘You’re welcome.’
She lifted her hand with a smile. ‘I shall look forward to meeting you again.’
When they walked out Jack added quietly, ‘In some swanky restaurant somewhere. They do not slum it, Ivy, be prepared for fuss.’
‘I wish you’d told me your parents were a Lord and Lady. Where do they live?’
‘Not in a Palladian mansion, if that’s what you’re thinking. They live in a big house, but it’s an average big house. The estate that went with my grandfather’s title was sold off with its leaky roof years ago, and thank God, because I wouldn’t have wanted to inherit the thing. It’s a country hotel and golf club now. We can go and stay, if you want, and I’ll show you the pictures of my ancestors in the halls.’
‘Do you have a title?’
‘No and I won’t have one. Dad’s a lesser son; his title goes with him. But he still sees me as having to protect the family name and honour. It’s all very medieval.’
I shook my head at him. He hadn’t lain down, and neither of us had drunk our tea.
He took a hold of my hand. ‘I wish you’d told me your ex was nuts.’
I laughed, but it came out choked. ‘Shit, Jack, a week ago things were perfect. I was looking forward to a week with you in heaven, and instead this is hell.’ Tears leaked out.
‘Oh. Come here.’ He held me.
I pushed him away. ‘You’re meant to be lying down.’
‘Then you’d better lie down with me. I’ll find a film on the TV and we’ll forget him.’
I went over and shut the door, then settled down next to him. My phone vibrated in my bag across the room.
I got up to get it. There was a missed call and a message from the police number.
‘What is it?’ Jack asked when I called the messaging service.
I put it on speaker. ‘Hello, Miss Cooper. This is Molly from the police service. I wanted to let you know, Rick Baker has been charged and released on bail. He’s admitted to breaking into your apartment and interfering with your post as well as attempted murder. He’s been warned not to have any contact with you or Mr Rendell. If you have any concerns please call us, or if you feel it’s an emergency call 999. Thank you.’
I looked at Jack as shivers ran up my spine.
‘You must feel betrayed. Come on, come and lie down with me. I don’t know about you but I feel like a bomb’s hit me.’
I nodded, then I started crying again.
My phone vibrated again. Jack took it out of my hand.
‘Look.’
Oh my God. Rick had texted. ‘I’m sorry. I wanted to give you a reason to turn to me. I thought you’d come back, but he got in the way.’
‘You could get him thrown into jail right now for that, Ivy.’
I thought of all the texts Rick had sent after Christmas – until I’d agreed to see him again as a friend. The texts had been constant. He’d shown signs of craziness then. But I’d known him since we were kids. How could I have guessed he’d do this?
‘Are you okay if I text him back for you?’
Jack had answered my phone on New Year’s Eve. Had Rick known it was him?
Jack typed one-handed, slowly because he was shaky and weak. Then he showed me the text.
‘She can report you to the police for contacting her. You’re lucky she hasn’t. Piss off and leave us alone. Him.’
‘You’ll have him driving into you again.’
‘I don’t give a shit. I’m not letting him harass you. I wasn’t happy when you started seeing him again after he’d been hassling you at Christmas, but I wasn’t really in a place to complain was I? I wish I had done now. But he’d even won my trust after the break-in.’
‘Sorry.’
‘I told you, don’t say sorry for the freak.’ He put my phone down on the bedside locker, then we lay on the bed together and he kissed me.
It felt like a first kiss. Because we’d seen things about each other that most people didn’t ever see. He’d seen me at my worst, broken down by the break-in and the stalking and he’d stood beside me holding on to my safety rope and now his life was going to be changed forever, maybe, because of being involved with me, and he still wanted me and loved me. We’d been through things together and survived, and we’d survive this. I was a new person and I saw him as a new person. This was my Jack. I’d worried about him getting bored of me, because of his reputation and the way he’d been with Sharon; but my Jack, this new man I was with, was not that man. My Jack was a solid block of unmoving love and adoration. He’d been my fortress for weeks; now I’d be his too. Because now I’d seen how vulnerable he could be.
My tongue danced around his and he rolled a little over me, his erection pressing against my hip.
I broke the kiss. ‘I’m not going all the way with you in here.’
‘Coward.’
‘A nurse might walk in.’
‘So. The risk makes it exciting.’
‘Yes, but you’re not well enough to go on top, and I’m not going on top and being the one flashing my backside if they come in.’
He laughed. ‘We’ll get under the sheets.’
I slapped his good arm. ‘Stop it. I’m not going to be persuaded this time. So don’t try any sales pitches.’
His eyebrows lifted. ‘This time…’
‘I take it you’re feeling a little better. But stop it, otherwise you’ll be feeling ill again.’
He kissed my cheek and then my neck.
‘Jack,’ I said quietly. This was his sales pitch without words. ‘Jack,’ I said again as he sucked my neck. ‘Stop it.’
‘I bet you want it,’ he whispered into my ear, like a caress. It gave me the shivers, for good reasons. ‘Your heart is racing.’
‘You always make my heart race. My heart beats like crazy every time you suggest something naughty.’ I answered into the air.
‘It’s the rush. It’s telling you to do it. Adrenaline is the best drug. It’s taking away my pain already. It’ll stop the shock spreading. You should get more of it.’
‘And you’re addicted to it. Stop pitching.’
He laughed and rolled on to his back, while the good arm he had around me tightened and pulled me closer. ‘Probably. Certainly do not expect me to stay off the bike when I’m better.’
‘I didn’t, and I know you’ll be trying to climb, and I’ll be helping you to do it.’
‘I love you,’ he breathed the words into the air.
I leant over and kissed him on the lips, then said, ‘I love you too.’
‘You know, I’m going to be okay – to spite that bastard.’
I ran my fingers along the side of his cheek, which was coated with a shadow of four days’ stubble. ‘You’ll be okay and I promise, I’ll treat you with regular doses of sexual adrenaline as soon as you’re well enough.’
He laughed. ‘I’m well enough now.’
But this little romp had not been about him wanting sex, it had been about him trying to gain control of the world again. He would be okay. I was going to make sure of it. The control would be ours again – to fight over.