Page 1 of Only You

Chapter One

Ana

Ana stared at the message taped to her bedroom door and sighed.

Ana Lewis

Don’t forget your rent is due this week!

James Williams

Landlord

Reaching up, she pulled the note with the scrawly writing down, then stuffed it in her bag. Something to worry about later. Ana was going to be late for work if she didn’t hurry.

Damn train strikes.

Ana entered the kitchen, headed to her allocated cupboard, and gingerly opened the door. The hinges gave an ominous clunk as the door dropped, its broken lock swinging from a single screw. Ana had lost count of the times she’d asked James Williams, her landlord, to fix it since she moved in, but her requests, to date, had been ignored. Ana also knew when the door did finally fall off, James would use it as an excuse to deduct money from her deposit, which Ana could not afford. She’d seen it happen more than once. Baz had been made to replace a split shower hose and Sarah a broken toilet seat. It may not be her fault the flat was falling apart, but James had a nasty temper and was quick to blame his tenants for any damages, not his lack of maintenance.

Ana sighed as she spotted a lone box of cereal and a few tins of soup inside. She needed to go shopping when her next paycheque came in, but until then, she’d make do. She picked up the box but knew it was empty without shaking it, just like it had been the last three times she’d treated herself. But without a working lock, her food was fair game. Shutting the cupboard door, Ana dropped the box into the bin.

Ana glanced up at the clock above the kitchen table. She needed to get a shift on. Her job was not something she could afford to lose. Ana snatched up her bag from the kitchen sideboard and headed through the living room to the front door. She pulled the door closed and waited for the telltale click of the lock before giving it a shove to make sure the lock had engaged. Ana picked her way past her flatmates’ abandoned bicycles and the several bags of rubbish that adorned the hallway and stairs. She would need to take them down to the bins before they started to stink, as she knew her flatmates wouldn’t. But she didn’t have time now. She was going to be late. Ana pushed her way out onto the street, breathing a sigh of relief.

The street was bustling with evening shoppers on their way home from work. Ana looked left, then right, before stepping out into the flow of people, careful to avoid any bags and briefcases. Looking right, Ana smiled and waved at Kevin, the shopkeeper of the fruit and veg store beneath their flat. Kevin was busy watching a young man who was taking far too much interest in the fruit crates against the shop window. Kevin looked up as Ana passed, nodding quickly before returning his attention to the kid.

Ana continued navigating the crowds as she made her way to the station. It was one of the first skills she had learned since arriving in London from Bristol. Ana was proud of how she had adapted to her new environment after only four months, and running the gauntlet from flat to train station was the first thing she’d mastered.

Ana breathed a sigh of relief when she reached the station, and her train arrived on time. Taking a seat, she dug in her bag and retrieved the note. With her four flatmates working different hours and shifts, taped notes to doors were typical. Even when everyone was home, they tended to stay in their rooms. Some people might tell her that was sad, but for Ana, it worked.

James Williams was not only Ana’s landlord but also a fellow resident, bully and a total creep. Ana gave him a wide berth whenever he was around. His inappropriate comments and wandering hands made Ana uneasy, so she kept her distance whenever possible. She was immensely grateful that, even when everything else was falling apart in the flat. At least the lock on her bedroom door worked.

Aside from his creeper tendencies, Ana knew James was a stickler for prompt payment. Anyone who missed a payment had their belongings stacked outside, and the locks changed. There were no second chances with James. It had happened twice in the four months Ana had been living there, so ignoring the note was not an option.

Chapter Two

Ana

The journey to work was only two stops away. Ana worked in what her father would have called a dive, somewhere he would never have frequented, but Ana didn’t care. It was enough to pay her rent, and that was what mattered. Ana had met the owner, Randy Watson, when she’d arrived in the city. His restaurant was the first one she had approached for a job. He had been willing to take a chance on someone with no waitressing experience. Randy had been short-staffed and offered her a job on the spot. As bosses went, Ana couldn’t complain. Randy spent most of his evenings in his office, leaving the staff to handle the customers. Meanwhile, he entertained a stream of mates in his office.

Ana shifted her bag from one shoulder to the other, grabbing her phone and checking the time. She relaxed her shoulders, allowing the tension to ease. Having skipped dinner, she was going to arrive in plenty of time. As she rounded the corner, Ana pulled up sharply. The street was alive with blue flashing lights, the pavement outside the restaurant cordoned off, and a growing crowd being held back by several uniformed police officers. Ana squeezed through the spectators before stepping up to the barrier.

“Excuse me,” she said, motioning to the officer standing near the cordon.

He looked up and walked over. “Yes, Miss?”

Ana smiled at him. “I work at Randy’s Bar and Grill. I’m supposed to be starting my shift. Has something happened?”

The area was filled with activity. The staff members huddled together near the bar while police officers walked in and out of the staff area carrying what looked like boxes.

Ana’s heart sank.

The officer concerned, lifted the barrier and ushered her past the other spectators.

“Henry,” he called to his colleague, standing like a sentry by the door. “Another staff member to process.”

He ushered her forward, careful not to touch her.

Ana’s heart thundered in her chest. Something was wrong, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to become involved in whatever was happening inside.

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