16 | curiosity killed the cat
William and Ellie weren’t here yet, which I was glad to see. To make a good impression, I had meant to arrive before them. It was Wednesday now, and my first two days at Day he wasn’t mine. This pain was entirely self-inflicted.
‘Everything all right?’ William asked, and the sound of his alluring voice only intensified the sting of my loss.
‘Yes.’ I kept my eyes on my screen, feigning nonchalance. ‘Francesca is here to see you. She’s in the lobby.’
‘Is she?’ He sounded surprised, but I wasn’t sure it was genuine.
I could feel his gaze on me, inspecting, and it bothered me. To be put under his microscope was the last thing I needed right now, because I was experiencing feelings I hadn’t seen coming. I wished he would look away, and I also wished he would order me to call Debbie back and say to her that Francesca wasn’t welcome.
After hesitating for some time, he asked gently, ‘Would you mind collecting her for me?’ By his tone, it was obvious that he was trying to show me consideration, as he knew full well that I was aware of who she was.
Exerting every ounce of my self-discipline, I nodded my head and refrained from exhaling the ton of air that I badly wanted to.
‘Of course.’ I stood up.
‘You might want to bring your laptop with you,’ he said, and I thought I detected a hidden message. Had he tried to say, ‘I intend to fuck her, so you might want to step out for that bit’?
I frowned at the thought. He wouldn’t go that far, would he? Surely he was above that sort of behaviour. No, I refused to believe he would do such a thing. He couldn’t be that unprofessional.
‘Right.’ I grabbed my laptop and walked out without looking at him. It felt like I was in a trance as I approached the available desk beside Ellie. After leaving my laptop on it, I gave her a vague nod of acknowledgement and went to the lifts. As I waited for one to arrive, I tapped my foot, my arms crossed as if to protect myself from harm.
Francesca. Francesca Strafford, William Night’s what? His girlfriend? His plaything? What was she to him? Were things getting serious between them?
I knew they had been seeing each other for months by now. While I was curious to meet her, I also dreaded it. Did she know that we had shared him once? That I had also seen him naked? Like her, I knew what his vulgar mouth could do. Like her, I knew how delicious it felt to have him buried within. But was she aware of that?
I couldn’t imagine he would have mentioned me to her. Sure, he had clearly told Violet, but I suspected their friendship was to blame for that. William’s conduct with Francesca didn’t strike me as friendly in nature. Then again, what did I know?
My thoughts continued their unpleasant journey as I travelled down to the lobby. When the doors slid apart, my heart missed a beat. Beyond the security gates stood a tall woman with a slender frame and caramel coloured, wavy hair that was drawn back into a high ponytail. Her skin was light-brown with a golden shimmer to it, and she was immaculately dressed in a bright yellow and elegant summer dress of expensive fabric. It was undoubtedly a designer dress, but I had never cared for brands .
She turned toward me and my breath caught. She was nothing short of stunning.
At the centre of her face was a small, round nose, and her hazel eyes – set slightly wide apart – gazed curiously in my direction. Somehow, the distance between her eyes made her look even more attractive. She was an intriguing beauty – not the type you saw in make-up commercials, but rather that of Vogue.
Was she a model? She could be, I thought, if she wanted. She had the beauty, height and build for it.
‘Hello,’ I called and forced a smile as I went through the security gates. ‘I’m Cara, a new trainee. Mr Night’s assistant, of sorts.’ I offered my hand to her. ‘I’m here to collect you on his behalf.’
Not a trace of a smile was present on her face when her limp hand reluctantly reached for mine. ‘I see. How’s his mood?’ she asked, startling me, and let go of my hand after a lazy shake.
Did he tend to be in a bad mood around her?
‘He’s...William?’ I gave her a lopsided smile, but she was not amused.
‘Shit.’ She sighed and folded her arms.
‘Something the matter?’ I tilted my head.
‘Well, he’s not expecting me, so I’d hoped to find him in a good mood. I guess luck’s not on my side today. It’s just...’ She waved a hand in the air. ‘I’m headed for a job in Spain, so I wanted to say goodbye.’
It was tempting to ask if she was his girlfriend, but I refrained. It wasn’t my place, regardless of how badly I wanted to know.
‘Right. Well, he sounded happy when he asked me to collect you,’ I said.
Hope ignited in her eyes. The same moment I saw it, I knew she was in love with him. Was he in love with her, too?
‘Really?’ she asked, and finally, a small smile flirted with her lips.
I nodded. ‘If you’ll come with me?’ I ushered her toward the security gates. Her mesmerising legs moved with such elegance that I was further convinced she must be a model.
‘Spain’s lovely,’ I said to create small talk while I scanned my card to let her past the gates.
‘It really is, but it’s sweltering during summer. Third time I’m there this year.’
My eyebrows climbed higher. ‘Travel a lot, do you? I’m jealous.’
A smug smile decorated her mouth. ‘Yeah. Occupational hazard, you might call it. ’
‘What’s your occupation?’
She shrugged. ‘I’m a model.’
And I was right.
‘To be honest, I suspected,’ I said amusedly. ‘You’re absolutely gorgeous.’
Her smile became a grin. ‘Thanks, but you should take a look in the mirror.’
I chuckled. ‘Oh, I do that every morning. Don’t you?’
She laughed. ‘You know what I meant.’
I grinned. ‘I do. Anyway, so you get to travel for work. I’d have loved that, I think.’
She cocked her head from side to side while we headed for the lifts. ‘It gets a bit tiresome. I sleep in hotels more often than I sleep in my own bed.’
‘Really?’
She nodded. ‘Makes it hard to maintain relationships – and friendships,’ she said, and I found myself wondering if she was alluding to some sort of difficulty with establishing a relationship with William.
Once we were in the lift, she did a visual sweep of my body.
‘So how long have you been on the job, Cara?’
‘Two days.’ I turned to smile at her. ‘This is my third.’
‘How do you like it?’
‘I love it. It’s hectic and demanding, but definitely riveting.’
‘I bet. How’s having Will as a boss?’
‘It’s amazing. I’m very lucky to be shadowing him.’
‘I can imagine. He fits the role, doesn’t he?’
I chuckled. ‘He does.’
We continued to chat about William, and it was an odd experience because whenever I tried to change the subject, she kept making him the centre of our conversation. I got the impression she was a bit obsessed with him, but I could hardly blame her; he was certainly a captivating man.
Though, I did wonder if she persisted in talking about him because she felt possessive of him and perceived me as a threat. If she did, I pitied her. I had no plans to pursue him, so it saddened me to think that she might be worried about it. All the same, I thought she was a sweet girl, so I could understand the appeal. We were quite different, however, but maybe that was why William had chosen to stick with her.
‘I suppose you know the way?’ I said as we exited the lift .
She glanced in the direction of William’s office, looking a bit nervous. ‘I do.’
‘Well, then. It was lovely meeting you, Francesca.’ I offered my hand, and when she took it this time, her grip was firmer. ‘I hope you’ll have a wonderful time in Spain and that you won’t melt in the hot weather.’
Her wide smile revealed her bright white teeth. ‘Thanks, Cara. Best of luck to you.’
‘Thanks. I’ll need it.’
When I had found my seat, Ellie said amusedly, ‘She stops by every Wednesday she’s in town. She won’t be leaving for at least half an hour.’
My brows knitted and I faced her. Quietly, I said, ‘You sound like you think they’ll have sex.’
She tittered and looked rather charmed, which bewildered me. ‘Oh, you are so new to this.’
‘New to what?’
‘An actual workplace.’
‘What do you mean?’
Her smile was patient. ‘Well, I hate to burst your bubble, but do you really think people don’t do questionable things while at work? People cheat on their spouses left, right and centre. Not everybody, of course, but definitely some. Sometimes, people have sex here too. I’m not saying it’s acceptable, but it’s absolutely to be expected.’ She shrugged. ‘Humans are stupid.’
I shook my head. ‘It’s not that I don’t expect it. I just don’t expect it from Will. It’s not my impression of him.’
The curve of her brow disclosed her disagreement. ‘Well, what do you think they’ll do? Talk? They don’t need to meet up in person for that, especially not during work hours. Besides, had you seen what I have – the state of her when she’s left his office in the past – you’d suspect the same. It’s clear as day they’ve had sex.’
Hearing that, I found myself quite appalled at his lack of work ethics. What sort of professional would have sex in their office? And furthermore in the middle of the day when they had work to do?
‘Just seems a bit unprofessional. I hadn’t thought Will was like that.’
‘Hey,’ she frowned, ‘don’t be so sanctimonious. Cut the man some slack. Honestly, he deserves it. He practically lives in his office – I’m sure that’s the only reason. I’ve often wondered why he won’t just invest in a bed. That way, he’d never have to leave. Though, on second thoughts, that’s probably why he hasn’t. If he did, he’d actually never leave. This way, he’s got to.’
I didn’t want to talk about this anymore, so I got back to work. Gossip was definitely not my thing, but it was clearly Ellie’s. Still, she hadn’t lied. Francesca walked out twenty minutes later, and the whole time she had been in there, I had struggled to remain focused. I had so many questions.
My eyes dashed to her figure. Her long, wavy hair cascaded down to her shoulders now. He had obviously made a mess of her ponytail.
Ellie struggled to stifle a giggle and shook her head, clearly humoured by William’s lascivious behaviour. I didn’t share her amusement. I was disappointed in him, and I was also slightly gutted that he had evidently moved on.
When he suddenly rang, my heart bolted to my mouth. After a moment’s hesitation, I accepted the call. ‘Yes?’
‘You can come back now.’ He sounded a bit strange, but I wasn’t sure why I thought that. He didn’t seem stressed, but he didn’t seem calm either.
I swallowed. ‘All right.’
He hung up.
I couldn’t think of anything less tempting than returning to his office right then. I was certain I would imagine the two of them naked. The scene was already awakening in my mind. Had he fucked her on his desk, for instance? Where I was supposed to work? Despite how nauseated I felt, I closed my laptop to go back.
Since he was expecting me, I didn’t bother to knock. Opening the door, I found him near one of the windows, facing away from me. It was open, probably to ventilate the room so I wouldn’t smell the sex that had been in the air.
He turned toward me, eyes fleeting. His lips were slightly swollen and redder than usual, no doubt due to the things he had been using them for. The more I studied him, the surer I was that Ellie had been right. They must have had sex.
Unsure of what to make of the situation, I shut the door and approached his desk without a word. I was appalled he would fuck someone while at work, essentially right in front of me, and then order me to work in here straight afterwards. It was incredibly inconsiderate of him, not to mention insensitive.
First and foremost, I was upset at his lack of work ethics, but I felt too intimidated to speak up since it was only my third day here. I also didn’t want him to think that I was only complaining because I was jealous. While it was true that a part of me was hurt, I wasn’t jealous. I was upset only because it had been that easy for him to move on. By contrast, I wasn’t over him at all. When he focused on me, I heard only him. When he walked into the room, I saw only him. And yet, despite this, I thought that if he was actually happy with Francesca, he deserved to be. Indeed, he deserved to be happy, and he deserved to have his feelings reciprocated by someone worthy of him – someone who wasn’t me – because he was a wonderful man.
‘Sorry about that,’ he said.
I stared out of the windows behind him. The traffic of London droned in the background, and above the pulsating metropolis, I saw the smog, tainting the blue sky and reminding me why I had never really preferred cities. The summer breeze played with the white curtains, and I closed my eyes to savour its dance across my cheeks.
For the first time since I had started here, a moment of sadness gripped me. On the face of it, losing William seemed trivial, but I couldn’t ignore the way my heart ached.
‘No worries,’ I eventually said and, somewhat reluctantly, put my laptop back on his desk. ‘Do I need to clean this surface?’
He blinked at my bold question. ‘No, that’s not necessary.’
At least they hadn’t fucked on his desk.
Giving him a vague nod, I found my seat again. As he returned to his own, I felt him peering at me.
One question kept bothering me while I tried to concentrate on my screen. To get rid of it, I might as well ask, I thought. Besides, it wasn’t unusual for colleagues to discuss this sort of thing, was it? In the end, it was rather obvious what he had done. Even Ellie suspected, so would I be speaking out of turn if I asked?
I decided to bite the bullet. ‘So, are you two seeing each other now or...?’
When I looked up, he was regarding me with an arched brow.
‘With all due respect, Cara, I’m not inclined to discuss my love life with you.’
Since he immediately focused on his screen again, it was apparent that trying to dig further would get me nowhere.
‘I’m sorry I asked,’ I said embarrassedly. While I felt robbed of the satisfaction of knowing the answer, I returned my attention to my laptop to respect his boundaries .
‘Why do you care?’ he suddenly asked.
It was an excellent question. Why did I care? I had no right to. However, the fact remained, which was that I did care. Was it because of my supermassive ego? Was I so narcissistic that I couldn’t accept his moving on? Did I want him to yearn for me eternally, despite my endless rejections?
No, it was really quite simple. I cared because he remained the only man who had ever captured my interest this way. He was the only man I had ever experienced butterflies in the presence of, the only man I had ever felt so connected with, and he was the only man it had ever felt right to kiss. So, it hurt me to know that it wasn’t mutual.
While I had myself to thank for his moving on, it wounded me that it had been so easy for him, as I was nowhere near the same point. I still fancied him.
But that didn’t change anything. My feelings were simply not justified.
‘I was just curious,’ I said.
He scoffed. ‘Haven’t you heard? Curiosity killed the cat.’
I looked away. ‘No, I’ve heard. It’s just...’
‘Just what?’
I sighed. ‘It’s not my place, but I think she might be in love with you.’ I said it because I wanted him to refute it. Nothing would have satisfied me more than to hear him ridicule me for even thinking such a thing.
‘You’re right. It’s not your place,’ he said and got back to work.
‘Sorry.’ I felt ashamed for prying into his love life – I had no right to be doing it –so I said nothing else until it was finally time for lunch.
When the clock struck half eleven, I stood up. ‘Lunch?’
‘In a minute. I need to look over a few more things before my meeting with Vi.’
‘I’ll join Ellie, then.’
He merely waved a hand in the air to indicate that I was free to go.
§ § §
Over lunch, Ellie and I exchanged some small talk, and I was grateful for the distraction. We talked about where we had grown up, what sort of party-scenes we were into, what interests we had in common, as well as romantic statuses. Ellie was engaged to a man named Brian, whom she had met four years ago. He was an economist, and their encounter hadn’t been particularly unique, according to her. They had both been drunk at the same pub when Brian had decided to chat her up.
She was sharing stories about their relationship when I noticed William, but instead of joining us, he grabbed a seat at Andy and Violet’s table. Part of me was disappointed, another thankful. My mood was still unstable after Francesca’s visit, so I appreciated some mental room to sort out my thoughts, especially my feelings.
‘But you’re determined to stay single?’ Ellie asked as we waited for the lift after lunch.
The doors opened, and I was just about to elaborate when a large hand landed on my back and ushered me in gently. As I tilted my head back, a spellbinding pair of eyes instantly hypnotised me.
‘Please, don’t let me interrupt,’ William said and held my gaze. Speechless, I stared back.
‘Mind your own business, Will. Nosy,’ Ellie said. She wasn’t one to talk, but I refrained from commenting on that.
‘No, it’s okay.’ I smiled. ‘I was only going to say that I’m committed to my career. That’s the only thing I have the capacity to maintain at the moment.’ I propped my back against the wall.
‘She sounds like you,’ Ellie said with a smirk and looked up at William.
He shrugged. ‘In a way, yes.’
I frowned. What was that supposed to mean? Wasn’t he seeing Francesca now?
Hearing my thoughts, I nearly groaned. I couldn’t keep doing this. It would do me no good to wonder about his love life.
‘I’ll be leaving to collect the files from Clifford Paints,’ I said to William.
‘Good. You might get back while I’m meeting with Vi. If you do, just continue your work on the NDA.’
I nodded.
§ § §
It was almost three o’clock when I returned from my errand, and it took me another hour to make copies of all the files. I scurried back to William’s office with the stack of paper in my arms and opened the door with my elbow, but he was nowhere in sight. Looking at his desk, I was inevitably reminded of Francesca’s visit. Sighing, I walked in and dumped the documents on it .
As I stood there, I wondered what to do if William was currently seeing her with the intention of building something lasting. I would need to move on as well, that was for sure, but I was already trying and had been ever since we met, and it hadn’t brought me far. But, given enough time, perhaps I would consider this a blessing in disguise. If he and Francesca were getting serious, perhaps I would come to realise that it was the best thing that could have happened. Perhaps I would finally be able to view him solely in a platonic light. Nothing would get in my way, then.
As for his beauty? Well, I would admire that in silence until it became like furniture – familiar and something I didn’t give a thought.
Sinking into my chair, I got back to work.
I had been sitting there for a few minutes when my phone received a message, and it was from the single person I appreciated hearing from most right then.
Aaron.
You available tonight? I’m curious to hear how your vacation scheme is going. Mine’s chaotic but amazing x
Yes! Mine? I finish at five x
Just after I had pressed Send, William came in, and his arrival jolted me. For some reason, the fact that I had just texted Aaron made me feel like I had been caught committing a crime. With haste, I put my phone next to my laptop and focused on the NDA.
‘You’re allowed to look at your phone,’ William said with a tone of amusement.
‘How was the meeting?’
‘Efficient. Vi’s not one to waste anyone’s time.’ He sat down in his chair.
I was just about to reply when the screen of my phone lit up. Aaron had replied. Immediately after I had read his name, I saw that William stole a glance at it. I tensed, feeling awkward.
Some silence elapsed before he said, ‘I need you to stay for a bit longer today.’
I stared at him, but he seemed completely unfazed. Deciphering his thoughts was impossible, and I hated it.
‘Would that be all right, or have you got plans?’
A vague frown crossed my face. While we definitely had plenty of work to do, I considered the timing of his question rather conspicuous .
‘No, I can stay, but for how long?’
He shrugged. ‘I’m not sure. Depends on how quickly we work.’
‘Okay.’ Suspicious, I wondered if he had asked me to stay solely to punish me for interacting with Aaron. Then again, it seemed unlikely when taking his relationship with Francesca into account.
We had been working for a few minutes when he suddenly said, ‘By the way, on Fridays, we tend to go for post-work drinks at Disrepute – the cocktail bar where we first met. You should come. We’ll celebrate your first week with us.’
Ellie had already mentioned it during lunch, but after today’s events, alcohol and William didn’t seem like company worth seeking out. Rather, it seemed like the recipe for a devastating night out. Under the influence, I didn’t trust myself not to do something stupid, like act on my lust for him. Alcohol severely reduced my inhibitions, and I was struggling enough already. If I made a pass at him, I would never be able to live it down. He was my boss, and I had just been preaching to Ellie about maintaining professionalism. It would make me a hypocrite, to say the least.
Moreover, William was likely to reject my advances now, due to Francesca. Acting on my lust for him would also mean contradicting myself, and I wasn’t about to allow that. I had chosen my career, and I intended to stand by my decision. In fact, I owed it to William to stand by it. I respected him too much to do anything else.
‘I can’t. I’ve got plans,’ I lied. ‘Maybe next week.’
‘Next week it is, then.’
§ § §
William made me stay till eight. I was exhausted after spending more than twelve hours at work, so Aaron and I agreed to postpone meeting till tomorrow. I called Olivia on my way home, needing to vent.
‘Seriously?’ she gasped. I had just told her about Francesca’s visit. ‘No way he did that.’
‘Right? I can’t get my mind around it. But Ellie was convinced,’ I said as I walked home from Notting Hill Gate station.
Olivia hesitated. ‘Well, actually, when I think about it, didn’t you say he was also sleeping with his colleague?’
I pursed my lips, the image of Violet popping up in my mind. ‘Yes, but so what?’
‘So he’s clearly not opposed to pushing the boundaries. If he’s been shagging his colleague, we already know he doesn’t abide by standard professionalism, so maybe he did fuck Francesca in there. I wouldn’t put it past him, at least.’
I frowned and kept my gaze on the light-grey pavement. ‘I will be so disappointed in him if he did it.’
‘You need to ask him, Cara. You can’t just let this slide.’
‘But then he’s going to think I’m only jealous.’
‘Do you really think he’s that vain?’
I wrinkled my nose. ‘I honestly don’t know.’
‘I seriously doubt it. He’s your damn boss. It’s a valid concern to bring to his attention. And if he decides to flatter himself with ideas about you being jealous, then that’s on him, honestly.’
I slipped past an old lady walking her tiny sausage dog. ‘I really don’t want him to think that I’m jealous, though, Livy. It could make things awkward between us. And honestly, if he’s moved on, I’m happy for him. He deserves to be happy.’
‘Well, that makes one of us. I’m quite sad. I’ve had my fingers crossed for you two ever since you met.’
I rolled my eyes. ‘That’s ridiculous. I haven’t given you any indication things would ever evolve between us.’
‘It was enough just that you hesitated with rejecting him.’ I could hear the pout in her voice. ‘I really thought he was it. Fuck this Francesca girl. I hope he dumps her.’
It was difficult to stop a laugh from spilling. ‘Okay, Livy, I’m nearly home now, but I appreciate the support. Talk to you later, yeah?’
‘Hold on. Are you free on Friday?’
‘Yes.’
‘Then let’s have a girls’ night at mine.’
‘I’d love that. Just the two of us, though, right? Or will Jess and Nora be there?’
‘Just the two of us, don’t worry.’
‘Great.’
§ § §
When I got home, I quickly showered and settled on the sofa to watch TV with Jason.
‘I’m knackered,’ I groaned. ‘Your brother is a force to be reckoned with. Fucking hell. I can’t believe he works such long hours every single day. How does he stay so fit?’
‘He trains before work. ’
‘Christ.’
Jason brought my feet onto his lap and started massaging them. ‘He’s a machine. Always has been.’
During a momentary lapse of judgement, I muttered, ‘Well, that machine also has a sex drive.’
He stiffened, hands freezing on my feet. ‘What?’
I blinked when I realised how that must have sounded. ‘No, no, I didn’t mean it like that. Sorry. This woman stopped by today – Francesca. I think he fucked her in his office, but I’m not sure.’
His jaw dropped and he stared at me. ‘What?’
‘Yeah, and he made me work in there right afterwards. I was really uncomfortable.’ I wrinkled my nose.
‘I can’t believe he did that. Are you sure?’
I shook my head. ‘No, but Ellie, another paralegal, told me Francesca tends to stop by on Wednesdays, and she’s under the impression it’s to have sex. Still, I neither saw nor heard them, so I’m not sure it’s what happened, but the evidence is definitely compelling.’
He leaned back. ‘What sort of evidence? Other than Ellie’s impression?’
I regretted that I had said anything at all then. At the same time, maybe Jason sat on the answer that William refused to provide: was he serious about Francesca?
‘Well, when Francesca walked out, her hair was down, and it had been in a ponytail when she walked in. And when I went back to his office, his lips were slightly red and somewhat swollen, probably from kissing. He’d opened a window as well, and I think it was to ventilate the room so I wouldn’t smell anything. She was there for a while, too, and he also told me to bring my laptop with me before she came in, and there was something about the way he said it that I found ... odd.’
Jason blinked, visibly appalled. ‘Bloody hell, that’s bang out of order. What’s he thinking?’
I shrugged. ‘Probably wasn’t thinking, or at least not with the right head.’ My joke earned a chuckle. ‘Are they seeing each other?’ I asked boldly. ‘Like dating?’
He frowned. ‘I’m not sure.’
‘I thought he was interested in that girl named Sandra or something?’ I could hardly believe my nerve, but my curiosity had got the better of me. I felt awfully fake, but I was just so desperate to know more.
Jason gave a vague shake of his head. ‘Yeah, he’s not mentioned her lately. ’
‘Really? What happened?’
‘I don’t know, I haven’t asked.’ He shrugged. ‘He stopped talking about her about a month ago, though, so I think he’s just moved on.’ Suddenly he shuddered. ‘Honestly, good riddance. I don’t think I would have liked her much.’
I pressed my lips together and averted my gaze. What he had said made me wonder if he would change his opinion of me if he ever learned the truth. I feared he would, and because of that, I became all the more determined to keep him in the dark.
‘Thanks for the massage, Jason, but I think I’ll go to bed.’
‘Yeah, get some sleep. But before you do – did you talk to Will about it? Did you tell him it made you uncomfortable?’
I looked at him. ‘Well, I’m not even sure they had sex, and it didn’t seem appropriate to ask.’
‘Yeah, I get that.’ He nodded. ‘I’ll have a word with him, then. If he actually did that, he needs to be reminded it’s unacceptable.’
I tensed. ‘What will you say?’
‘I’ll ask him whether he did it.’
I grimaced. ‘But then he’s going to realise I told you.’
‘Well, would you rather ask him yourself?’
‘I’d rather not ask at all.’
He knitted his brows. ‘But then he might repeat it. Would you prefer that?’
What a dilemma. My lips protruded. ‘If he does it again, I’ll ask him myself.’
‘Fair enough.’
‘Thanks, anyway.’ I swung my legs off his lap and stood up.
‘I’m here for you, love.’
‘You always are.’
‘Always, Cara. Sleep well.’
But I didn’t sleep well. I spent hours chasing slumber, and when I finally caught it, I tossed and turned like my worst nightmare was coming to life.