Page 54 of Pervade London
“Let go.”His words found me again.
Lifting my Strad, I placed my jaw on the chinrest and raised the bow. The first note rose…
Closing my eyes, I surrendered.
Nine A.M. and London’s commuters were out ahead of Saturday’s tourists, who would soon be swarming the streets. The city was alive once more.
I’d made it just in time to watch Lloyds Bank open its doors to allow the queue of waiting customers to stream in. After resting that hefty bag of cash between my feet, I slipped my credit card into Lloyds’ ATM, glancing quickly behind me to make sure no one was looking before tapping in my four-digit code.
Then waiting…
There was no way I could let this situation go on any longer. What kind of person sees their loved one walk away under suspicious circumstances and does nothing?
Surely no one?
And, anyway, that wasn’t me. I’d never cowered under threats or bullying before.
There was no other option but to defy James and go to the police. First, I needed evidence. And as all our stuff was gone now, this was my last hope of grabbing something on paper. Xander and I had been a couple for six months. Our statements would prove we used this bank frequently. Like any other couple, we had a trail of payments from the life that existed between us.
Tapping my fingers on the side of the ATM, I tried to steady my nerves. It was taking too long.
Think of something else.
Anything but having my life wiped from the map.
At yesterday’s audition, James Ballad had set my world ablaze with his brash and very erotic attack on my pussy. Afterward, guilt had settled in over the fact I’d just lain on that table letting him do those things to me. Even now, my thighs tightened together when I thought of it. He’d taken advantage of my fragility after I’d failed my audition. That man went in for the kill when you least expected it.
I needed to remember that.
I stared in horror at the ATM screen, which flashed a message greeting the next customer. Punching the panel with a fingertip, I tried to get it to respond. The damn thing had eaten my credit card.
With sweaty palms and a chest tight with trepidation, I stormed into Lloyds, the heat of anger warming my face. The length of the queue had me gritting my teeth in frustration, but I fell into line and tried to reassure myself.
It’s an admin error, that’s all.
Finally, a gesture to step forward came from one of the cashiers.
I tried to make eye contact with the clerk, despite the irritating smudges on the glass between us. “Your machine didn’t return my credit card.”
“What’s your name?” Her false eyelashes fluttered.
I gave it to her. “It’s a joint account. Try looking up Xander Rothschild as well, please.”
She gave me a suspicious glare. “He’s not coming up either. Are you sure you’re with Lloyds?”
My mouth went dry. “This is the branch where we opened our joint account.” I recognized the fake tree in the corner with the large pot it stood in as though it would one day grow into it.
“Did you open it with another name?” She glanced over my shoulder at the other people in line.
It was worth a try. “Wells?”
“Sorry, no account under Emily or Xander Wells, either.”
“James, you bastard,” I mumbled.
“I’m sorry?”
I shook off my misery.“Can you check one more time?”
