Page 19 of Knights Game

Thankfully my boobs just about fit in the cups, and with dim lighting, I’m not as self-conscious as I usually would have been about people seeing the jagged scars on my stomach.

I open the door to the steam room, where I’m engulfed in warmth and the sweet smell of blossoms. The light bounces off the tiny blue pearlescent tiles that cover the floor, walls, and ceiling, creating rainbows. The room’s four white loungers, which curve with the shape of your body, are empty, but I head into one of the two small alcoves with a seat made from the same tiles as the rest of the room.

My muscles relax into the curves as I sit, the tiles warm my body and I close my eyes to the large mural of a pink flower that’s on the wall in front of me.

A second after closing my eyes the door opens, and through the steam Katy appears, my moment of peace gone.

“There you are, I thought I saw your arse sashay into here.”

“Shh, you’re ruining my chill.”

Katy plops down next to me, lying back.

“I have a confession to make,” I say slowly. “I think this is the most relaxed I have ever felt. God, I needed this.”

She smiles. “Well, if anyone deserves it it’s you, babe. Can I ask you something? It’s been playing on my mind, and I know you said drop it, but—”

“Hmmm.” I shut my eyes again to the steam billowing around us.

“You had another nightmare last night, are you sure you’ve told me everything? Because you know you can talk to me.”

I try to stay relaxed, and not tense up. “What do you mean?”

“So, Pete…you know Pete.”

I do know Pete. Pete is a police officer, and if my insides could fall out my vagina, I think they would. My stomach twists. “Pete seemed to suggest that it was a car chase. With,” she glances round, but we’re in here alone. “Some London crime family. You know the Mafia.” She whispers the last word.

“The Mafia? Having a car chase in Kensington High Street? Really Katy, you have such a crazy imagination. Those true crime podcasts don’t help.”

She tuts. “Well Pete, he says that London is full of it. Organised crime. He works for the Met, Lay. He’s on this task force that deals with drug dealers, shady shit goes on all the time. You know the whole system is corrupt.”

“Okay.” I don’t really know what else to say.

“Well, it’s on your route home, and you’ve been all out of sorts since it happened, your nightmares…You said you just missed it,”

I stare at her, my heart beating wildly in my chest. The spa music does anything but calm me right now. I lean forward, my hands gripping the edge of the tiled seat and take a deep breath in and then groan as I release it. “You cannot repeat what I’m about to tell you,” I say, sitting up and twisting towards her. She zips her mouth, locks it, and pretends to throw away the key. “I’m serious, Katy.”

“Cross my heart—”

“I don’t know who they are, but I was there.”

“What do you mean you were there?”

“I was there, I pulled them out the car, and then it exploded and before I knew it, I had a gun in my face and was suggesting I take them to the doctor’s surgery and administering first aid to the hottest man I have ever laid my eyes on.” The words, unfiltered, fly out my mouth. “I’ve been wanting to tell you all week, but they told me not to tell anyone.”

Her mouth moves into an O shape.

“And, well, when you have a gun shoved in your face, and someone throttles you, I just kinda thought I’d better keep my mouth shut!”

“Holy shit. Pete said they’re looking for witnesses,” she says in a hushed tone.

“I know, Katy. But these are dangerous people. They threatened Grandad. I can’t risk it.”

“It’s like a movie. Who were they? The Mafia, like Pete suggested?”

“I don’t know. One was called Luca, the other Roman. And I know I shouldn’t, but I cannot get Luca out of my head.” I look at Katy’s shocked face. “Like fucking hell, Katy. He was hot.”

“You need to tell Pete.”

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