Page 70 of Resisting Mr Black
I’m being purposefully unhelpful, bordering on childish and I don’t care. I have no desire to help this woman.
Tara’s kohl-rimmed eyes sweep me up and down. “You’re not the first, love, and you won’t be the last.”
I narrow my eyes at her dig. “The last what?” I snap.
“Flavour of the month.” Her nose wrinkles as if she’s smelt something unpleasant. “Although, I think he must be having an early mid-life crisis with you, you look far too much like a good girl, Pollyanna.”
An unsettling feeling sparks in my head at her words, but there’s no way I’m going to show it. Not to her. I cut my eyes. “Yes, well, people change.”
“Not Art. I’ve known him a lot longer than you, love. Actually, I know him very well.” Her eyes narrow as she delivers the line and my teeth clench as I know she’s referring to her sleeping with him.
I throw her a withering look. “Maybe he wants someone with a little more class nowadays.”
Tara gives me a thin smile. “You poor cow. You don’t know him at all, do you?”
The uneasy feeling is growing by the second and I want her to leave. A stab of relief runs through me at the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs and I pray that it’s Art, so he can put her straight.
I glance down the corridor and see Big Steve walking towards us with a frown on his face. Great, now there are two of them. It’s my turn to roll my eyes.
“Is he not in?” he asks Tara.
She swings her ponytail over her shoulder. “No, he’s gone for a run.”
“How do you know he’s gone for a run?” I snap.
She gives me another one of her smirks, which makes me want to slap her. “I told you. I know him.”
My fingernails dig into the bare flesh of my arms. I hate her.
“I’m off, before my big mouth runs away with me,” she says, turning to Big Steve. “I’ll wait in the car.” Then without a second glance, she saunters across the landing in her stupidly high heels.
Big Steve frowns as he looks at me. “Tell him to give me a call when he gets back.” He turns to start to walk away. There’s no please, no thank you. I don’t know who these two think they are, but I’ve had enough of their bloody rudeness.
“I know you don’t like me,” I blurt.
Big Steve stops in his tracks and turns around to face me.
“You and her,” I nod towards the staircase.
He frowns in confusion. “Don’t lump me in with Tara.”
He’s not fooling me. He’s probably surprised I’ve called him out. “I sort of get it,” I carry on. “You’ve known and worked with Art a long time and I get you’re going to look out for him, but if you think I’m only interested in him for his money, you’re wrong.”
Big Steve rubs a hand across his bald head, the look of confusion still on his face. He takes a couple of steps towards me. “I don’t dislike you, Sophie. You seem to be a nice, decent girl. Too nice for him, and I’ve told him so. You’re not like the others. If anything, I’m looking out for you. I’m worried you’ll get hurt.”
I’m on the back foot. The uneasy feeling Tara sparked is now threatening to consume me.What does this mean? How could he hurt me? His kinky past, perhaps?But I know about that.
“There’s always a risk, isn’t there? But it’s one I’m prepared to take.”
Big Steve considers what I’ve said. “Is it?” He doesn’t sound convinced. “Listen… just ask him if he’s going to be popping into work tonight.”
He turns and starts to make his way across the landing to the staircase.
Now it’s my turn to frown in confusion. “Why would he pop into the gym on a Friday night?”
Big Steve pauses as he reaches the top of the staircase. He opens his mouth and looks like he’s about to say something, but then shakes his head as if he’s thought better of it and carries on down the stairs. I watch his bald head disappear out of sight then head back into the apartment.
I’m sat on a kitchen stool, still mulling things over in my head when I hear the door close five minutes later.