Page 83 of Resisting Mr Black

I look at Art, willing him to say it isn’t true, but he’s motionless, staring at me. The hope I felt about this all being part of some malicious plan of Tara’s to cause trouble between us is extinguished.

He lied to me. Does this mean he lied about everything?

“Keep out of it, Tara,” Big Steve grunts.

“Oh, come on!” Tara cries. “Someone’s got to tell Pollyanna the truth about what he’s really like and what he really likes and it ain’t Little Miss Girl Next Door.” She stabs her finger in my direction. “You don’t have a clue. Who do you think paid for that brand-new apartment you’re living in, eh?”

My stomach flips. Another lie.

“Shut the fuck up, Tara. You have no idea what you’re talking about,” Art shouts.

My chest tightens. The thud of the music is echoing through my skull and I can’t think. Or be here any longer. I’m not giving that cow the satisfaction of seeing me cry.

I push past Big Steve and hurry down the corridor towards the exit. Tears spring in the corner of my eyes as a soul-destroying realisation rips through my heart. I don’t know the man I’ve given my heart to. I don’t know him at all.

Twenty-Six

The cold night air hits me as I stumble out onto the street, looking left then right, as my addled brain works out which way to go.

“I’ve called a taxi,” Lucy announces.

“I need to get out of here,” I mutter, charging forward. I need to get away. Far away from Art Black and his lies.

“Sophie.”

Hot tears well in my eyes and blur my vision at the sound of his voice. I can’t stop walking. I can’t look at him. I can’t be reeled in. Not this time.

His hand lands on my shoulder and I shrug it off. “Don’t you dare touch me. You’re a bloody liar and I want nothing more to do with you.”

He’s not giving up. He darts in front of me, blocking my path. “Let me explain.” I’ve never heard him like this before. He’s pleading and it doesn’t suit him.

“It’s too late,” I spit. “You should have told me at the start. You should have told me you own a bloody seedy strip club at the start.” I stab a finger in the direction of the club. “And that you employ the likes of her to get their tits out. Do you sleep with all the women who work for you, is that it? Do you get a kick out of it?”

“No!” Anger flashes in his eye. “It’s a business. It’s not like that. I don’t feel anything for anyone but you.”

He’s not reeling me in with his words this time. “You know I’ve been hurt by a fucking liar in the past and you still didn’t tell me.”

His jaw ticks with tension. “I’m sorry.”

That’s not going to cut it.

I fold my arms to stem my trembling hands. “And what about the apartment? You lied about that too.”

“You wouldn’t have accepted it if you knew I owned it.”

He’s right, I wouldn’t.

“I’m paying a quarter of the actual rent; what are you getting the rest of your rent in, sexual favours? If that’s the arrangement it would have been nice to have been told.”

“Don’t talk about yourself like that,” he snaps. “I want you to be safe. I care about you, you know that.”

“No, I don’t. I don’t know anything. I don’t know you at all,” I cry. “I thought you’d never hurt or lie to me.” Tears run down my cheeks. “You promised. I can’t be with someone who would do that.”

His Adam’s apple bobs up and down as he swallows. He shakes his head as if he can’t believe what’s about to come. “You haven’t listened to me.”

There’s no way I’m going to stay and listen to more of his lies. I push past him. “We’re over.”

“No!” He grabs my elbow and spins me around to face him. Wide, pleading eyes stare down at me. “I can’t let you go.”

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