Page 122 of Tricky Girls

Haz looks around as we enter. ‘This was Elly’s old digs, right?’

‘Yup.’

The heating’s off and it’s just as cold inside as it is out. We walk up to the third floor, unlock the flat there then hunt the doors until we find the number 6.

I knock first, knowing there won’t be a reply. It’s silent as a tomb in here; only the exit lights had been on when we entered.

As I stick the master key in the lock, Haz sighs happily beside me. ‘Love me a bit of B&E on Christmas Day.’

The door unlocks with a snick. I push it open, waiting on the threshold. The room’s curtains are pulled tight, the bed unmade. It smells of deodorant and stale air.

Haz stands back, knowing this is my show.

Taking a breath, I step inside.

‘Get the curtains, will you.’

Haz reaches over the bed, yanking them so hard they unlatch from their hooks. ‘Oops,’ she grins, letting them dangle as she jumps back down.

I’m too preoccupied to respond.

Tommy’s room hadn’t smelled like this last time I’d seen it. The smallest room in the house, it had still been ten times this one. Painted bright green but he’d wanted it blue. Used to scream every time his baby sister entered.

‘Fucking hate these Funko POP! things,’ Haz mutters, flicking them to the floor one by one.

Their matte black eyes stare up at me. How many times have I looked in the mirror and mine have looked just like that? In that mansion with the bright green bedroom. Except it wasn’t that room, but the basement instead. The one with the lock. The one that was soundproofed.

I kick one of the figures, watching it fly against the base of the bed.

‘Hey, Tilda’s got these,’ Haz says, picking up a black crystal skull. ‘After this can we break into her old digs? I wanna go through her stuff. Maybe leave her a present. A nice one, I mean. Not like the present I’m gonna leave old Tommy boy.’

‘No. We can’t.’

Haz shrugs, pocketing the skull. No doubt to gift to Tilda later.

I look around the room. Maybe this hadn’t been a good idea. Too many memories staring at me in the face.

‘It’s fuckingfreezingin here,’ Haz whines. She gives the electric heater a kick, the thing yellow with age. ‘Yo, if he’s your cousin, why is he holed up in this hovel? Why not the lodges?’

Exactly what I’m wondering.

‘Maybe he didn’t want to be around me.’

‘I mean, yeah, that’s valid, who would? But he wouldn’t have fucked Tilda in ours if that was the case.’

I frown, not wanting to remember that night. Even before I knew it was Tommy, I was fucked off. Sitting on the toilet, listening to her moans—fake as they were—and trying to pretend my own pussy wasn’t responding to them.

‘They didn’t fuck. She faked it. Elly said.’

‘Huh? Why the fuck would she do that?’

‘Because she’s pathetic.’

Haz chortles. ‘Oh, Tilda. You devious little minx. Reckon she was trying to make us jealous?’

‘Doubt that.’

‘Wonder how she’s getting on at Elly’s place. Bet they’ve fucked already. Bet Elly couldn’t wait to get her alone.’

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