‘Right now, I couldn’t care what Mike thinks. He, like you, obviously doesn’t know me very well. I ain’t the type of woman who sits back and takes shit, and if he thinks because he’s been banged up for twelve years that that gives him the right to fuck any young bit of skirt when he’s supposed to be engaged to me, then he and you are very much fucking mistaken.’

Gotcha! Eric knew then his little plan had worked; now all he had to do was to reel her in for himself. ‘All right, I’m sorry. I guess you’re right, but you can’t blame me for getting you wrong, eh? Look at you. A stunning woman who’s been through the wringer and comes out the other end – most women would have rolled over and died. And there you are, as strong as an ox, and me, the dickhead, pandering to you. Listen, I’ll drive you to the hospital, and if you want me to wait, I will, or I’ll leave you to get a cab back.’ He held his hands up as a sign of defeat.

Zara looked him up and down and wondered if he was being genuine or he was patronizing her again. A wave of tiredness made her mind up for her. She nodded. ‘Okay, then.’

The drive was spent in silence as Zara contemplated what Eric had been telling her about Mike. He hadn’t denied Mike had slept with that tart; surely, he would have told her straightaway, wouldn’t he? Her rational thought of confronting Mike over the issue disappeared. The hurt, if she allowed it, would consume her. Then a niggling thought popped into her head; it was a notion that she didn’t want to believe, but was Eric deliberately trying to sabotage her relationship with Mike, or did Eric have genuine feelings for her? Maybe that kiss was just a momentary weakness. She shuddered at the thought that she’d led Eric on and now felt guilty for being so disloyal to Mike. She had to push the troubling thoughts aside and get her mind back on track, starting with who the fuck stabbed Neil and who had the audacity to ruin her businesses.

Eric parked in the underground car park at St Thomas’ Hospital and opened the door once more for Zara to get out. She thanked him and was about to head inside the building when he stopped her.

‘Hey, Zara. Listen. Two heads are better than one. I’ll come with you if Neil can share as many details as he can remember. Maybe I can do some digging?’

Zara shook her head in annoyance. ‘This is hardly the place, is it? I’m only visiting because I care about him. This isn’t a boardroom set-up, you know.’