Page 24 of The First Chord

The slap across my face took my breath away and shattered my heart in one single swipe. But the punch to my stomach filled my chest with a level of sadness I’d never felt before, not ever. Not in my darkest times like when my mum died had I felt so alone and destroyed. I’d been expecting that and for three years I’d mourned the inevitability of her loss, so that when it happened it was a relief for both of us. I missed her with a heart-achingly regularity, but this, what Jimmy had just done had killed something. I wasn’t sure whether it was something inside of me, or my belief in humanity, but I knew something had disappeared.

Doubled over and wheezing, I stumbled back against the wall, and slid down it. Jimmy’s shadow stood over me and as my heart raced, waiting for the next blow, I curled in on myself for protection. When his hand grabbed my arm I didn’t cry out, I couldn’t as I was still gasping for breath.

“Get whatever shit is going on in your head, out of it,” he snarled, his lip curling as he pulled me up. “Have your fucking shower and then go to bed and we never speak of this again.”

There was so much I wanted to say. So many things that I wanted to do to him, but I was that woman. The one who said nothing but just nodded and did as he asked. I was weak and pathetic and more embarrassed than Jimmy could ever make me as I went to the bathroom to take my shower.

CHAPTER13

RONNIE

You know that time in sleep, when you’re not sure whether you’re dreaming or half-awake? Well that was how I was feeling when I heard my phone ringing.

It sounded like it was miles away, somewhere else in the house, but as it continued to shrill out I eventually realised it was right next to me and slapped on the bedside light

“Hello,” I said groggily, glancing at the old-style alarm clock next to my bed. “Do you know it’s only five-thirty?”

The voice on the other end was soft and quiet and I could just about hear them. “Ronnie, it’s me. It’s Amber.”

Scrambling my legs from the duvet, I sat up and dropped my feet to the floor. “Amber, what’s wrong?” I leaned forward and reached for the jeans I’d discarded earlier. “Is it Jimmy? Has something happened?” Images of him comatose from a drug overdose flitted through my head.

Amber drew in a breath and then her next words shattered me. “He hit me, Ronnie, and I don’t know what to do.”

“He fucking what?” Pushing my phone onto speaker, I dragged my jeans up my legs and then went to the chest of drawers for a t-shirt. “Where are you now? Where’s he?” With one hand putting my shirt on, I whipped the door of my shoe cupboard open and pulled out some boots, pushing my feet into them without socks. “Amber, talk to me, sweetheart.”

“He’s passed out in the bedroom. I’ve locked myself in the bathroom.”

When I heard her sniffle, another splinter cracked off my heart. “I’m on the way. Stay where you are until I get there. Text me your address.” I rushed down the stairs and then into the kitchen to grab my car keys. I just hoped it started up okay seeing as I hadn’t used it in a month. Di, who cleaned for me had been in and out, but she wouldn’t have thought to give my car a start.

“I’m so sorry, Ronnie, I just didn’t know who else to call. I was going to ring Amelie, but Hugo and Jimmy and I didn’t want to worry her and they’re going—”

“Amber, shh love, it’s fine, honestly. I would have been upset if you hadn’t called me. Now, promise me you’ll stay there until I get to you.”

“I will, I promise. I’ll come down to you.”

“No,” I snapped. “I’ll come to you and make sure that—”

“I don’t want him to know it’s you I’ve left with. I don’t want him waking up, I can be quiet, please, Ronnie.”

Scrubbing a hand down my face, I sighed. “Okay. But if he follows you out or tries to stop you I’ll be in there and punching him again, but this time I’ll knock him out.” I left through the kitchen door into the garage and got inside the car. “When I get there I’ll text you and give you five minutes, Amber.”

“Okay,” she whispered. “Thank you, so much.”

“Just stay where you are. Promise me.”

“I promise.”

I breathed out a sigh of relief, which doubled when the car started, and the garage door opened smoothly as I pressed the remote control. As I drove through the gates at the end of my drive, part of me hoped that Jimmy did wake up because I would relish in teaching him a lesson, once and for all.

* * *

She was on four and a half minutes and if she didn’t appear within another thirty seconds, I was going in there. I’d never been a patient person and waiting for Amber was testing the tiny bit I had to the limit.

“Fuck this.”

I put my hand on the car door and was just about to pull it open when she appeared at the front door of the Victorian house that had been converted into flats on the outskirts of Manchester. It was a shitty area and that pissed me off. I knew how much Blind Devil had made from their cut of the tour and he should have got her somewhere better to live before now. No doubt he’d spent whatever he’d earned so far on drugs and booze.

I got out of the car and met Amber halfway across the road as she dragged a suitcase behind her.

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