‘You shouldn’t feel embarrassed or guilty.’ He planted his hands on the sofa to push himself forward, and she saw he wore a wedding band of his own. ‘He should support you in what you do. In fact, I imagine he’s very impressed and proud of you, and if he hasn’t told you that lately, then he’s a fool.’

He was already making Sasha feel better about herself. She liked being here, talking to this man. He was a good listener, and charming, if a little full of himself, and she was excited. Maybe the evening wasn’t turning out too badly after all.

He lifted the bottle from the bucket and said, ‘How about we get another?’

41

‘We’re going to get you out of here,’ Abs told the woman, trying to undo the ropes that bound her to the radiator. ‘Jez, mate, come over and help, some sicko’s tied her up!’

But it was dark and his hands trembled, and it was taking forever. She was hysterical now, tears pouring down her face, and she kept saying something, repeating it, so he pulled the gag from her mouth.

‘He’s going to kill me,’ she wailed.

The glass at his feet.

‘Nobody’s gonna kill you,’ he assured her, and impatiently glanced over his shoulder. ‘Don’t just stand there, bruv, come and do something.’

But the way the girl’s red eyes flashed fearfully behind him made Abs blink. Turning slowly, he saw Jez, a still, black shape in the doorway.

‘Jez?’ he said. ‘Talk to me, mate.’

‘Please don’t hurt me.’ Now the girl was looking in terror at Abs. ‘I beg you.’

Nobody had ever looked at him like that before, like he was a monster, the worst thing in the world, and his stomach churned. He had to stop for a moment and get his head on straight, in the face of the repulsive truth that had just been revealed to him. When he touched his own cheeks, he found they were wet. With trembling fingers, Abs began to work at the knots once again.

‘I’m not with him, luv. Don’t you worry, me and you are getting out of here, we’re going home.’

‘I’m going to die, he told me—’

‘Nothing’s going to happen to you, you have my word.’ Abs was annoyed at his lack of progress loosening the rope, and began to panic. He snapped over his shoulder, ‘You’ve broken my heart, bruv.’

The girl began to weep. ‘He’s not going to let me go.’

‘He’s not thinking straight,’ insisted Abs. ‘He’s made a mistake, that’s all, a big mistake.’

And then Jez said quietly, ‘We can’t let her go, Abs, not now.’