He ignored her request. ‘You look very nice. Going somewhere special?’
‘I’m just meeting someone.’
‘Meeting Jay?’ he asked.
‘Well, yes, I am as a matter of fact.’
‘He’s a very lucky man.’ Nick stepped forward. ‘But he doesn’t deserve you. If you were my girlfriend, I would never neglect you the way he has.’ Again she stepped backwards, and realised her mistake as she found her back against the wall with only inches between her and Nick. She could smell beer on his breath and caught a whiff of stale sweat. She stepped to the side, but he blocked her once more.
‘Nick, please let me pass.’ She cringed as she heard the fear in her voice.
‘But I haven’t seen you for ages. Can’t you at least spare me five minutes?’
‘Tomorrow,’ she said, trying to pacify him. ‘Let’s arrange a time tomorrow. Like I said, I need to go.’
‘But I don’t want to wait until tomorrow. I’m here now and you’ve been avoiding me for long enough.’
She was about to push him out of her way and make a run for it when her phone rang in her pocket. She quickly grabbed it and glanced at the screen. Jay. She tried to swipe the screen to answer his call, but didn’t get a chance as Nick knocked the phone out of her hand. It crashed to the floor.
‘Nick! What are you doing?’
She began to tremble.
‘Don’t fight this, Emma. You know you’ve wanted me since the moment we met.’
‘And you know that’s not true.’ She tried to remain calm even though now she was very scared. He didn’t look or sound like a man who could be reasoned with.
He pushed her against the wall, leaving no room for escape, and then his hands were all over her. She was repulsed by his touch.
‘Get off me!’
She attempted to push him away, but he just laughed and leaned in to kiss her.
* * *
Emma was really late now. Jay was torn between convincing himself she wasn’t coming and thinking it unlike her to not turn up without letting him know. Even if it was just a text message. He decided to call her. If she told him she wasn’t coming he’d be disappointed — more than disappointed — but at least he’d have an answer. His throat went dry as he listened to the number ring out. Then it went dead. Had she rejected his call? It wasn’t at all like Emma to ignore him, especially as she had agreed to come, and knew he would be waiting for her. He was hit with a terrible suspicion that something was very wrong. Without thinking, Jay grabbed his keys and rushed out to his van. Instinct told him he needed to get to Emma as soon as he could.
Jay was in a state of near panic by the time he reached the hotel, his eyes scanning the pavements as he drove. And then he spotted her dashing down the road towards the Tube station, glancing over her shoulder from time to time as she ran. There was a look of sheer terror on her face. He pulled in towards the pavement and called to her through the open window. Emma turned at the sound of her name. Fear was written all over her face, but it was quickly replaced by relief as she realised who it was.
‘Jay!’ She rushed over to the van, wrenched the door open and threw herself inside, slamming the door behind her. ‘Can you just drive, please? As quickly as possible and lock the doors too?’
Although he was desperate to know what was wrong, Jay did as he was asked.
‘Where do you want me to drive to?’
‘Anywhere as long as it’s far away from here.’
He glanced at her. She was breathing heavily and her blouse was in a state of disarray. She normally looked so neat. When her breathing had slowed down, he asked, ‘Are you okay?’
‘Yes, I think so.’ But her voice was wobbly. ‘At least I am now.’
‘Did someone hurt you?’ He tried to keep his eyes on the road and not on her.
She nodded. ‘Nick.’
Rage flared inside him.
‘Do you need to go to hospital?’
