I stared at him. ‘You did what?’

He sniggered and I felt my anger rise again. ‘I thought I’d better check you were working properly, seeing as your sister is barren.’

Shock snatched the air from my lungs.

‘How dare you make those sort of decisions on behalf of someone else? There is nothing wrong with my sister,’ I spat at him. ‘And quite clearly, there is nothing wrong with me. You’re insane.’

‘Yeah, well, all’s well that ends well,’ he said as if bored by the conversation. ‘You just said you’re happy, so you win. Whereas I’ve moved into a squat and have had to get a dead-end job at a call centre because no one will employ me now I’ve got a criminal record.’

I shook my head in disbelief. What had I ever seen in him? He was looking at me, waiting for me to say something. I floundered around trying to think of something.

‘At least you’re off the steroids,’ I said. ‘Well done on that.’

‘Anyway, blossom,’ he made a point of looking around the cottage approvingly, ‘you look like you’ve landed on your feet here so don’t bother chasing me for child maintenance, or anything, because half of zero is zero. I’m skint.’

I stiffened. ‘Don’t call me blossom. My dad called my mum that, and hearing it come from you taints that memory I have of them together.’

He laughed cruelly. ‘Yeah, I know that. Why do you think I called you that in the first place?’

I’d never told him that. I blinked at him. ‘I don’t follow you?’

He rolled his eyes. ‘You posted a photo of your folks on Facebook once. Some soppy thing about wanting to find a man who loved you as much as your dad loved her. Someone to call you blossom and bring you flowers, all that shit.’

My head started to spin. ‘That was years before I met you.’

‘I know, I read everything you’d ever posted. And when I got to that bit I thought, you’ve hit the jackpot, mate, that’s a guaranteed shortcut into her knickers.’ He gave me an evil grin. ‘I was right, wasn’t I?’

‘You’re sick. I hate you. Get out!’ I launched myself at him, punching his chest, but he was far too strong for me.

‘Please,’ I begged. ‘Please leave us alone.’

‘Us?’ He barked with laughter. ‘It isn’t born yet. But okay, I’m going. And remember, I’m not paying for it, or having anything to do with it.’

‘Can I have that in writing?’ I swiped the tears from my face. ‘Because I never want to set eyes on you again.’

He opened the door and hesitated in the doorway before pulling me roughly towards him.

‘One last kiss for old times’ sake, eh?’

‘Don’t you dare!’ I gasped, struggling against him.