Chapters (50)
- Title Page
- Copyright Page
- Dedication Page
- Contents
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Ninteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-one
- Twenty-two
- Twenty-three
- Twenty-four
- Twenty-five
- Twenty-six
- Twenty-seven
- Twenty-eight
- Twenty-nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-one
- Thirty-two
- Thirty-three
- Thirty-four
- Thirty-five
- Thirty-six
- Thirty-seven
- Thirty-eight
- Thirty-nine
- Forty
- Forty-one
- Forty-two
- Epilogue
- Letter From the Author
- Acknowledgements
- About the Author
We sat on her sofa and she listened while I poured out the whole story, for the second time that day, though it came out as more of a jumble this time, jumping back and forth, Sasha constantly stopping me to ask questions, gasping, swearing, her mouth hanging open. It all came gushing out, like telling it to Sasha was a kind of exorcism. When celebrities write their autobiographies they always, without fail, say it’s been a cathartic experience. That’s what this was like. Sasha was particularly interested in the part where I described Charlie’s jealous frenzy the night I stayed over with her. There was part of me that thought Sasha was enjoying this tale a little too much. Though I couldn’t blame her. It was a great story, involving people she knew, and the baddie was someone she hated, who she’d warned me about.
‘You haven’t said I told you so yet,’ I pointed out after I’d finished. I was spent.
‘I’m not going to. How the hell were you supposed to know she was . . . like that?’ She laid a hand on my arm. ‘How are you coping?’
I hung my head and fought back tears. ‘Not well, to be honest. I miss her, Sash. Despite everything. I love her.’
Sasha stroked my hair. ‘I know. I feel the same about Lance, despite all the shit he’s done.’
‘How is everything with that?’ I asked.
‘Oh, he’s gone quiet. I saw him at work today and he ignored me but he didn’t look at me like he wants me to die. I think he realises I’m not going to leave Wowcom but that I’m not going to cause any trouble for him. I mean, it makes me sad to see him but a little less sad every day. So tell me—’
‘I don’t want to talk about it any more.’
‘All right. I understand.’ She squeezed my knee. ‘Let’s get drunk.’
‘I don’t—’
‘Come on. You could definitely use a drink. You look like you haven’t eaten for days as well.’
She was right. I had barely eaten anything since meeting up with Victor on Friday.
‘I’ll pop out,’ Sasha said, ‘get us a takeaway and some booze. What do you fancy? Fish and chips?’
I nodded. I wasn’t hungry. But the booze, and the prospect of temporary oblivion, sounded perfect.
Sasha came back with two bags, the greasy smell of cod and chips emanating from one, the other containing two bottles of gin that clonked together. She put the food onto plates and poured us both a large G&T.
‘Put the TV on,’ she said. ‘Unless you’d prefer music.’
‘Telly’s fine.’