‘The WINNER!’ he yelled, and the Icelander went prancing around the ring to catcalls and boos and a meagre scattering of cheers. His corner was alive with celebration. Everyone in Josh’s was still and shocked. Josh was spark out on the canvas. Nikos ran over to slap his face, then dab him with water.

‘Shit, I hate this,’ said Claire, trembling.

Suki hugged her mother. ‘He’s fine, he just took a bad knock,’ she said.

Nikos was there, kneeling beside Josh.

‘Why isn’t he getting up?’ said Claire.

Now Nikos was calling the referee over. The man went, and bent over Josh. He was patting Josh’s face, and his expression was worried. He straightened up and gestured to someone outside the ring.

‘God, I’ve got to . . .’ said Claire, and ran forward and ducked under the ropes. Someone caught hold of her.

‘Let go of me!’

Seeing something in her face, the man let her go. Claire ducked under the ropes and went and knelt by Nikos at Josh’s side. He lay on his back and it was almost like he was asleep. Nikos looked at her.

‘Took a hard punch,’ he said, but he looked yellow-pale and sick with shock. ‘He’ll be fine.’

‘Josh! Wake up,’ she said, her guts creased with horror. This was what she had feared the first time she’d seen him fight. Now it was all coming true. ‘Come on!’

The referee was at the side of the ring talking to Spiro. The Icelander had stopped prancing around and was now standing still, looking down at Josh lying there. The referee came back.

‘They’re sending for an ambulance,’ he told Claire.

Oh Christ. This was serious. This was an illegal fight, and they were actually going to let paramedics in here? Risk prosecution?

‘Just a precaution. He’ll wake up in a minute,’ said the referee, patting her shoulder.

The room had fallen silent.

Claire was weeping, hugging Josh to her, clutching at his bruised and bloodied hands. ‘Wake up. Please wake up,’ she sobbed.

But Josh did not respond.

123

123

The phone was ringing beside the bed. Shauna woke up with a start, dazed from sleep, and switched on the onyx-based bedside light, one of a very expensive pair she’d gone to huge trouble to source. She snatched up the phone.

‘What?’ she mumbled, running a hand through her hair, looking around the big master bedroom, coming back to herself and the reality of her situation.