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Back The Bad Place Save as PDF
Chapters (72)
  1. Cover
  2. THE BAD PLACE
  3. Contents
  4. Copyright
  5. Dedication
  6. Epigraph
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. 61
  68. 62
  69. 63
  70. Acknowledgements
  71. About the author
  72. An Invitation from the Publisher

‘Whatever it is, I don’t want to hear it.’

He plumped the pillows behind him. ‘I’m splitting up with my wife.’

‘None of my business.’

He was married, of course he was. That was the only reason they were here. Sometimes she needed to be close to another human being, she needed a release, someone to fuck, and to give herself permission to hold, and be held by, another human being, no strings attached.

The other men she saw were also in long-term relationships, they had partners, families, mostly businessmen from London or elsewhere, whose work brought them occasionally to the Essex coast. Sometimes when they were here, they gave her a call. She’d meet them for a drink, or a meal, and then they would go to a hotel room. And as soon as they finished, she would leave.

They’d split the cost of the room, and the food and drink – she insisted on it. The men weren’t interested in anything more, and that suited Karin just fine. And if she didn’t see any of them for months, she’d go to a bar and pick someone up. A seaside resort like this, there were always plenty of men happy to oblige. She’d bring them to this hotel, or one just like it. She never, ever took them home.

Louis was a handsome man, and he was good in bed, but she was going to have to ditch him, because lately he’d been giving off too many vibes. She’d catch him looking at her with a searching expression on his face. She suspected he wanted something more. He liked her too much.

‘I told her there was someone else,’ he said. ‘Someone I can’t get out of my head.’

‘Then you were mistaken. Because that’s not what this is.’

She was annoyed that he was spoiling everything, that he was asking for too much. He knew the rules, she had been very clear with him, it was a relationship of convenience, and she thought he understood that. He should just accept it for what it was. Karin quickly gathered her things and pulled on her jacket. But one arm was turned inside out and she struggled with it.

He placed his hands behind his head, stretching on the bed. ‘We could have more, if that’s what you—’

Her phone vibrated, and letting the sleeve drop to her side, she pulled the device quickly from her jeans, heart racing. But it was a text from Lydia.

Soz i shouted

XXX

Louis saw the disappointment on her face. ‘Expecting a call from anyone special?’

Ignoring him, she forced her arm violently into the sleeve. ‘I don’t want more, I just want this. You’ve always known that.’