‘Gentlemen,’ he said, standing up. ‘I think the girlfriend has had a bit too much to drink. I’d better be going. Leon, I’ll be in touch once I have what you need.’ He shook the big man’s hand and then said his goodbyes to Ben and John.

He could hear Kayleigh snivelling as he walked through to the back of the pub. Maybe he should give her something to fucking whinge about, he thought. One thing about Grace, she was never a whiner. Sure, she’d have a cry now and again, but it was usually for good reason. She certainly knew how to take a punch, his Grace. Better than most men he knew.

Grace was comforting her; she gave Nathan some bollocks about Kayleigh feeling sick, but he would bet she’d been whining about how tough her life is. Yes, with her designer clothes and her constant trips to the hairdressers or the nail salon. Fucking awful time she had, did Kayleigh. He got her out of there as quickly as possible and took her home.

‘Just what the fuck do you think you were doing tonight, Kayleigh?’ he snarled at her once they were inside the flat. ‘Look at the fucking state of you. Snot running down your face. You can barely even stand up!’

She sobbed her reply. ‘You left me sitting there on my own.’

‘What?’ he shouted now. ‘I was working; keeping you in fucking clothes and hair extensions. You stupid bitch. So what? You had to sit on your own for ten minutes. You’re a big girl, aren’t you?’

She was still sobbing, tears and mascara running down her face. He could barely even look at her. He pushed her into the bedroom.

‘You have one fucking job, Kayleigh. To make me look good. If you can’t do that, what fucking use are you to me? Sort yourself out,’ he barked at her before slamming the bedroom door and heading back out.

He was raging as he closed the front door. He was sure she’d told Grace all about her little scam to trap him. As if her getting pregnant would make him marry her or something. He could guarantee she’d made him out to be the bad guy as well, forcing her to get rid of it. He bet she neglected to tell Grace that she purposely stopped taking the pill to get pregnant, without even consulting him. What was it with these women and their inability to use fucking birth control?

He went straight back to the Rose and Crown. It was almost closing time and the last few regulars were finishing off their drinks. He sat at the bar, and Grace poured him a large whisky.

‘Is Kayleigh okay?’ she asked, her voice full of concern.

‘She’s fine,’ he snapped. ‘Why the fuck do you care?’