Tyler Morris was sitting on his father’s sofa watching television. His younger brother Curtis was playing on the carpet behind him, barking instructions to a row of toy robots and dinosaurs he had lined up against the wall at the back of the living room. It was the first time Curtis had been over to their dad’s new house, and the first time Gavin had spent any time with his younger son since the Christmas before last. Within an hour of the boys getting there, it was obvious Gavin didn’t know what to do with Curtis. He was loud and uncontrollable and, unlike Tyler, he couldn’t be bribed with pizza and cash handouts.

Gavin had called for a takeaway, which had recently arrived. He was at the back of the house in the kitchen spooning chicken curry from a plastic carton when his mobile started ringing. He didn’t recognise the number, but he had applied for a lot of jobs over the past fortnight and he wasn’t prepared to run the risk of losing out on an opportunity for the sake of a Chinese. Balancing the phone between his shoulder and his chin, he lifted a handful of chips from their bag, dumped them on a plate and carried it through to the living room. He nudged Curtis with his right foot, pointed to the sofa and handed his son the plate.

‘Gavin Jones?’

‘Yep.’

‘I’m calling from the Royal Glamorgan Hospital. It’s regarding your partner.’

For a moment, Gavin thought the woman had called the wrong number.

‘Partner?’

‘Sian Foster. I’m afraid there’s been an incident. We asked for a next of kin … she asked me to call you.’

Gavin went into the living room and took his jacket from the bottom of the staircase, searching the pockets for his keys. ‘What’s happened?’ he asked. ‘Is she okay?’

‘It’s probably best you come to the hospital and we talk here. The police are currently with Sian.’

‘Police?’

‘I’m afraid Sian has been attacked.’

Pulling his keys from his pocket, Gavin ended the call, cutting the woman off. ‘Tyler, you’ll have to plate up your own food.’

Tyler watched his father put on his jacket. ‘Where are you going? We only just got here.’

‘I’m sorry. I’d take you with me but I’ve only got the bike. Just keep an eye on Curtis, all right? I won’t be long. And if your nan calls, do me a favour and just tell her I’m upstairs. You know what she’s like.’

---

He had known what to expect when he arrived at the hospital, but when he saw Sian, Gavin realised he hadn’t been entirely prepared for what would greet him there. Her room was quiet – the police must have already made themselves scarce. Gavin wasn’t surprised. In his experience, they were good at showing up too late and disappearing again too soon.

Sian was lying on her back with her face turned to the window, staring at an expanse of dark night sky. There was movement beneath the hospital sheet at the sound of his arrival, but she didn’t turn to see who was there. When he went around the bed and saw her face, Gavin realised why. She didn’t want anyone to see her, not in the state she was in.

‘I’m going to fucking kill him.’

He grabbed a chair from against the wall and dragged it across to the bed before sitting down and reaching for her hand. Her left eye was circled with a vivid purple bruise, the white of the eye bloodshot and bleary. She had a swollen top lip, wet with tears, and the grey T-shirt she was wearing was stained with dried blood.

‘Not now, Gav.’

‘You’ve reported him to the police this time, right?’

Sian winced as she moved beneath the sheet. ‘There’s nothing to report.’

Pulling his hand away from hers, Gavin pushed back the chair and stood. ‘Well if you won’t do it, I will.’

‘Gavin, please.’ She pushed herself up on the pillows, but the effort of moving left her moaning in pain and clutching her ribcage. ‘You’ll make things worse.’

‘Look at the state of you. How can things get worse?’

He stood at the end of the bed, not knowing where to look as she cried. Mascara streaked her cheeks, smearing across the purple bruising that stained her pale skin. ‘Just listen. Please. It’s over, all right? Please, for me. Just leave it. I don’t want you to do anything, I just want you to be here.’

Reluctantly Gavin went back to her. He sat down and allowed her to grip his hand in hers, not knowing whether he really wanted to be there or not. He’d had enough of his own problems over the years, and being dragged into hers was probably the last thing he needed.

He watched her as she closed her eyes and tightened her grip on his hand.

Why wouldn’t she report Christian? Why was she still protecting him?