‘When are they ever not with you?’
Amy closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. ‘I didn’t call for an argument, Mum. I need to ask a favour.’
‘Straight to the point, as ever. Come on, then, out with it. How much?’
‘I don’t want money,’ Amy said quietly. ‘I just need you to have the kids for the night.’
She bit her lip and waited for the inevitable earbashing. But her mum just went quiet for several long moments, then sighed, and said, ‘Bring them round in time for their tea. I’ll get some fish fingers. Your dad’ll be chuffed,’ she added, as if she herself couldn’t care less either way. But Amy could tell that she must have been dying to see them.
‘Thanks,’ Amy murmured gratefully. ‘They’ve really missed you. And . . . I’m sorry.’
Fresh tears stinging her eyes, she hung up. There was time enough for emotional reunions later, but right now she needed to get her head straight or she wouldn’t stand a chance of putting her life back in order.
Steve hadn’t long got home from work that evening when someone knocked on his door. Assuming that it was Layla, he answered it with a grin on his lips, all set to tell her that it was her own fault if he smelled bad, because she was early and he hadn’t had a chance to shower yet.
Surprised to see Amy standing there, and then concerned, because she looked terrible, he said, ‘Has something happened? Mark’s not had an accident, has he?’
Amy’s heart sank. She’d hoped that it would turn out that Gemma’s source was lying and Mark had been staying here all along. But obviously not.
‘Can I come in for a minute?’ she asked.
‘Yeah, course.’ Steve stepped aside. ‘Sorry, it’s a bit messy.’ He rushed into the living room and scooped a heap of newspapers, plates and cups into the corner. ‘My girlfriend’s always telling me off for being scruffy, but you know how it is.’ He shrugged and gave Amy a sheepish smile. ‘Can I get you a drink?’
‘No, I’m not staying.’ Amy stood by the door and shoved her hands into her pockets. ‘Do you know where Mark is?’
Steve frowned and folded his arms. ‘I haven’t seen him for a few weeks. Why? Has he gone awol again?’
Amy bit her lip and nodded. Then, swallowing deeply, absolutely dreading his answer to her next question, she said, ‘Did you know about him and Ginger Jenny?’
Just as she’d known would happen, Steve’s face gave him away. His cheeks flared a bright shade of crimson, and his eyes were everywhere but on her.
‘Oh, my God,’ she croaked. ‘It’s true.’
‘I never said that,’ Steve blurted out guiltily.
‘You didn’t have to,’ she cried. ‘Is that where he’s staying? If you know, just tell me. Please.’
‘Amy, I swear I haven’t seen him, and that’s God’s honest truth.’
‘But you did know he’d been seeing her?’
‘No, I honestly didn’t. I just . . .’ Steve ran his hands through his hair and exhaled wearily. ‘Look, I didn’t think it was serious. I told him to steer well clear.’
Amy couldn’t bear it. If it had been anybody else telling her this she wouldn’t have believed them. But, unlike Mark and all the other dickheads they’d hung around with at school, Steve had always been a gentleman, and she knew that he was telling the truth. Once, a long time ago, he had asked her out but, fool that she was, she’d chosen Mark. And, right now, she’d never regretted anything more in her life, because Steve would never have put her through the hell that Mark was putting her through. And he would never have left her to fight off Len Yates on her own.
‘I’m so sorry.’ Steve walked over and pulled her into his arms. ‘I could kill him for hurting you, I really could.’
Amy closed her eyes and laid her face against his chest. Her heart was absolutely breaking and she wanted so desperately to pour everything out. But then Steve might get hurt, and she had no right to do that to him.
She pulled herself free after a moment and raised her chin. ‘Do you know where she lives?’
‘No idea,’ Steve replied truthfully, his eyes gleaming with guilt and pity.
‘Can you find out?’ Amy asked. ‘I’ve been told that’s where he’s been staying, and I have to see him. He’s left me in a mess, Steve. A really bad mess.’
Steve nodded. ‘I’ll try. No promises, but if I hear anything I’ll ring you.’
Amy thanked him and wandered home in a daze, unable to come to terms with the fact that Mark had been seeing Ginger Jenny behind her back. If it had been any other girl, she might have understood. But her? What could he possibly see in her? And what could she possibly be giving him that he would choose her over Amy?
Amy knew that she hadn’t been looking her best since having Bobby, but even on her worst day she was a million times better than Ginger Jenny. But Mark obviously felt something for the bitch, or he wouldn’t have run to her after Yates had beaten him up. It hurt to think that he’d been eating her food, watching her TV, sleeping in her bed, while Amy and the kids had been suffering because of him. But it was the push that she needed to put an end to this situation once and for all.
13
Yates was surprised to find Amy sitting at the kitchen table when he let himself into the house that night – and even more surprised that she had the light on, because she was usually huddled on the couch in the darkened living room.
He narrowed his eyes and looked around the room for signs that her husband had finally found his balls and come home. Not that it made any odds, because Amy was part of the deal now whether the cunt liked it or not.
‘Where is he, then?’
‘No idea.’ Amy forced herself to meet Yates’s piggy gaze. ‘But he won’t be coming back, so if you want your money you’ll have to find him. It’s not my problem any more.’
‘Is that right?’ Yates walked slowly around the table. ‘Think you’re calling the shots now, do you?’
Amy winced when he stopped behind her chair, but she was determined to stand her ground.
‘I mean it,’ she said quietly. ‘It’s his debt, not mine, and if you touch me again I’m going to call the police and tell them everything.’
‘Brave words,’ Yates said nastily. ‘But we both know it ain’t gonna happen, ’cos the debt passed on to you when hubby decided to do a runner. I handed the money over in this house, so this is where I’m getting it back from.’
‘It’s . . . not . . . my . . . debt,’ Amy repeated slowly. ‘I didn’t ask for any money, and I don’t see why I should have to pay for it. You’ve had all you’re getting from me. This ends now.’
Yates leaned down and put his lips to her ear. ‘Let’s go and see what little Cassie thinks about that, shall we?’
Amy shuddered at the feel of his breath on her skin, and said, ‘She’s not here.’
Yates ignored her and ran upstairs to check the bedrooms for himself. Thundering back down a few seconds later, he grabbed Amy by the throat and slammed her up against the fridge.
‘Think you’re fuckin’ clever, do you? You’d better tell me where she is before I rip your fuckin’ heart out.’
‘She’s somewhere where you can’t get your hands on her,’ hissed Amy, adrenalin making her fight back for a change. ‘And I don’t care what you do to me, ’cos I’d rather die than let you hurt my daughter, you dirty bastard!’
Yates tightened his grip and brought his face close to hers. Eyes glinting with malice, he said, ‘I thought you had more sense. I thought you and me were starting to get somewhere.’
‘Never! I hate you. You disgust me.’
Yates’s breathing sounded harsh in his chest as he stared into Amy’s eyes for several long moments. Then, seizing her by the hair, he dragged her across the room, demanding, ‘Where’s your phone? Give me your fuckin’ phone!’
‘You’re hurting me,’ she squealed, slapping at his hand as he hauled her into the living room.
‘So fuckin’ what?’ barked Yates, renewing his grip w
hen she fell over and pulling her along the floor. ‘You had your chance to play nice and you blew it, so now we play it my way!’
All the time he was talking, he was looking around for her phone. But when he spotted the address book on the window ledge he hurled her onto the couch and snatched it up.
‘Bingo!’ he said when he’d flipped through the pages and found what he was looking for. ‘Mum and Dad . . .’
Amy jumped up and tried to wrestle the book away from him, but Yates put his hand flat over her face and shoved her, sending her sprawling across the floor.
‘Thirteen Coniston Avenue, Stretford,’ he read out. ‘Not far, that. Think I’ll go round and see if Granny and Grandad are taking good care of my little girl. That is where you’ve sent her, isn’t it?’
‘Don’t you dare!’ Amy screeched, scrambling to her feet and flying at him again. ‘Don’t you dare!’
Easily dodging her punches, Yates grabbed her, threw her down on the couch and sat astride her.
‘My dad will rip you to pieces,’ Amy warned him breathlessly. ‘He was in the TA – he’s trained to kill!’
‘You reckon?’ Yates laughed and reached into his pocket. ‘Got one of these, has he?’
Amy’s eyes widened when she saw the gun, and her mouth went bone dry when he stroked the tip of the barrel over her lips.
‘I’ve been good to you,’ he said quietly. ‘I could have killed you, but I let you live. And this is how you repay me? Talking down to me like I’m a piece of shit.’
‘I’m sorry,’ Amy whimpered. ‘I didn’t mean it.’
‘Oh, I think you did,’ said Yates. ‘See, that’s the trouble with nice-looking birds, they think they can get away with anything. But you’ve picked the wrong one to fuck around with this time, darlin’.’
‘I’m not trying to,’ Amy sobbed, tears spilling down her cheeks and wetting the cushion beneath her head. ‘I–I’m just trying to protect my ch-children. I’ll do anything you want, but please don’t hurt them. I’m begging you.’
‘Too right you’ll do what I want,’ said Yates, grinning as he unzipped his fly.
Amy gagged when he rammed his cock into her mouth, but he wrapped her hair around his hand so that she couldn’t move her head.
‘Oh, yeah, you like that, don’t you?’ he said as he thrust in and out. ‘Look at me . . . I said fuckin’ look at me!’
Tears still streaming down her face, Amy opened her eyes. Yates stared into them, his ugly face contorting with pleasure.
‘You’re gonna earn me some good money with that tongue,’ he gasped as he picked up speed. ‘Punters’ll be queuing round the block for a bit of this.’
Amy’s eyes bulged with shock.
Punters?
The word screamed in her head. Surely he didn’t intend to make her have sex with men for money?
Yates groaned and held her face tight up against his crotch. Amy choked as his semen spurted down her throat and she tried to push him off, but he didn’t move until he was good and finished. Then, climbing off her, he zipped himself back up as if nothing had happened.
‘What you looking at me like that for?’ He smirked as Amy covered herself up. ‘Hope you ain’t expecting a kiss and a cuddle, ’cos them days are over. You could have been my woman if you’d played your cards right, but now you’re gonna pay your debt in full.’
‘But it’s not mine,’ Amy sobbed, sitting up and giving him a pleading look. ‘It’s Mark’s, and he’s left me. Please, Lenny, I’ve already told you I’ll do anything you want. Can’t we just carry on as we are?’
‘Nah. You get one chance with me,’ Yates replied coldly as he scooped the address book up off the floor. ‘And you’ve blown yours.’
‘I thought you liked me?’ Amy clutched at his hand.
Yates yanked it free and gripped her by the face. ‘Maybe I did, but I don’t no more. You’re just a whore to me now – a whore who owes me five grand.’
‘What?’ Amy felt her world go into a spin. ‘I’ll never be able to pay that.’
‘Sooner you get working the better, then, eh? I’ll pick you up at twelve tomorrow night. Wear a short skirt, and don’t keep me waiting.’
‘I can’t. The kids will be back by then.’
‘They’ll be asleep,’ Yates reminded her unconcernedly. ‘And you’ll be home before they wake up – if you’re good.’
He started to walk out but stopped when her mobile started to ring. Turning back, he snatched it up and frowned when he saw the name on the screen.
‘Who’s Steve?’
‘M-Mark’s best friend,’ Amy stammered.
‘Why’s he ringing you at this time of night?’ Yates gave her an accusing look. ‘You been shagging him behind my back?’
‘No!’ Amy gasped. ‘I saw him earlier, and he said he’d let me know if he hears from Mark.’
‘Answer it.’ Yates handed the phone to her. ‘Put it on loudspeaker so I can hear what he says. And don’t say nothing about me, or Mummy and Daddy will be getting that visit straight after I leave here. And after I’ve finished with them, I’ll work my way through the rest, from A to Z.’
When he patted his pocket to remind her that he had the addresses of everybody she cared about, Amy’s hands shook so badly that she almost dropped the phone.
‘Sorry it’s so late,’ Steve blurted out when she answered. ‘I meant to ring earlier, but Layla dragged me out to the pictures and I totally forgot. I didn’t wake you up, did I?’
‘No, it’s okay,’ Amy said quietly.
‘Good. Anyhow, I only wanted to tell you that I’ve asked around, but no one knows where Mark is. I’ll keep asking and let you know as soon as I hear anything. Are you and the kids all right? Do you need anything?’
Yes, we need you to come and rescue us! Amy cast a nervous glance at Yates.
‘No, we’re fine,’ she lied. ‘I just need to find Mark.’
‘You and me both,’ Steve said darkly. ‘If you need anything before he turns up, just ring me, yeah?’
‘Thanks,’ Amy murmured. Then, when Yates made a cutting gesture across his throat, she said, ‘I’ve got to go – I can hear one of the kids getting up. Bye.’
‘I don’t want you seeing him again,’ Yates said when she’d disconnected. ‘And I don’t want you calling him neither. And I’ll be watching you,’ he added ominously. ‘So be warned.’
Amy stayed on the couch after he’d gone and cried the rest of the night away. She wished that she could pick the kids up and run away to somewhere where nobody knew them, but she didn’t have a penny to her name so it was an impossible dream. Anyway, Yates would hurt her parents and friends if she ran away. She was totally and utterly trapped, and there was only one way to survive: do whatever Yates wanted and hope that, one day, somehow, something would happen to bring the torture to an end.
Physically, mentally and emotionally drained by the time morning came around, Amy decided to ring her mum and ask if she would keep the kids for a while. She would make the excuse that she needed time to sort her head out, and would promise to pick them up in the mornings and take them to school, then deliver them back in the afternoon after they’d had their tea.
That was the plan, but before she had a chance to reach for the phone, her dad’s car pulled up outside.
‘I want a word with you,’ Sonia said when Amy opened the door. ‘In the kitchen.’
‘In a minute,’ said Amy, hugging the kids. ‘I want to spend a bit of time with them before they go to school.’
‘Now!’ Sonia insisted, shoving her up the hall. ‘Turn the telly on for them, John,’ she called back over her shoulder.
When they were both in the kitchen, Sonia closed the door and gazed around with a look of horror on her face.
‘Bloody hell, Amy! I knew it was going to be bad, but not this bad.’
‘It’s not as bad as it looks,’ Amy said defensively, stepping in front of the sink to hide the unwashed dishes.
‘Are you
blind?’ Sonia spluttered. ‘It’s absolutely filthy. And it stinks.’
‘I haven’t been able to put the bins out ’cos I’ve lost the key.’ Amy folded her arms. ‘I’ll sort it out after the kids have gone to school.’ She paused now, and bit her lip before adding, ‘It’d help if you could have them for a couple of weeks.’
Sonia gave her a knowing look. ‘Oh, yes, you’d like that, wouldn’t you? Lump them on me and your dad so you’re free to go gallivanting with your fancy man.’ She pursed her lips when Amy gave her a blank look, and said, ‘Don’t bother denying it, because Cassie’s already told us all about him. And before you accuse her of lying, Bobby said it as well – and he wasn’t even in the room when she mentioned it, so he wasn’t just copying her.’
Amy was confused. The kids were always fast asleep by the time Yates called round, and they couldn’t possibly have seen him because their room was at the front and he always used the back door. She supposed it was possible that one of them had woken up and heard him talking, but there was no way she could admit to it now without making everything a million times worse.
‘They must have been dreaming,’ she said, fronting it out. ‘Until Dad came in just now, there’s been no man in here since Mark left.’
Sonia shook her head. ‘I can always tell when you’re lying; your nose goes even redder than your face. I told your dad on the way over . . . I said, there’s no point asking her ’cos she’ll only lie. And here you go, proving me right again. How could you do it, Amy? Mark’s only been gone five minutes. Don’t you think the children are hurting enough?’
Amy gritted her teeth and reached for the door handle. ‘I haven’t got time for this. I need to get the kids ready for school.’
‘No, lady, what you need to do is stop thinking about yourself and start thinking about the effect all this is having on them.’ Sonia pointed at the wall behind which the children were waiting. ‘I’ve never cared for Mark, as you well know, and I’ll be the first to dance at the divorce party. But if you’re going to replace him, at least have the decency to wait till the kids have got over the split.’
Broke Page 13
