Chapters (87)
- Cover
- Praise
- Dedication
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Forty-Three
- Forty-Four
- Forty-Five
- Forty-Six
- Forty-Seven
- Forty-Eight
- Forty-Nine
- Fifty
- Fifty-One
- Fifty-Two
- Fifty-Three
- Fifty-Four
- Fifty-Five
- Fifty-Six
- Fifty-Seven
- Fifty-Eight
- Fifty-Nine
- Sixty
- Sixty-One
- Sixty-Two
- Sixty-Three
- Sixty-Four
- Sixty-Five
- Sixty-Six
- Sixty-Seven
- Sixty-Eight
- Sixty-Nine
- Seventy
- Seventy-One
- Seventy-Two
- Seventy-Three
- Seventy-Four
- Seventy-Five
- Seventy-Six
- Seventy-Seven
- Seventy-Eight
- Seventy-Nine
- Eighty
- Epilogue
- Acknowledgements
- Extract from To Keep You Safe
- About the Author
‘No!’ I said, loud enough to make other people turn around. I couldn’t help it, but I worked to control myself. ‘He would never hurt Jack. Never. He loves him, like I do.’ I felt a flash of anger. ‘What do you take me for? Do you think I’m the kind of woman who stands by whilst her man hurts her child?’
‘I’m sorry, Lisa, we were just worried about if it gets worse and you felt trapped.’
Now it wasn’t just the café that was hot – I felt volcanic. ‘I’m so hurt you could think that about me! As if I wouldn’t kill any man who’d threaten the safety of my child!’ As I said it, an image from another time, another place, became so vivid: the bloodied knife as it fell, used and dirtied, to the floor.
The memory felt so clear, so powerful, so unexpected, tears sprang to my eyes. I couldn’t hide them: I was too overwhelmed.
‘Oh gosh, Lisa!’ Issy stumbled for tissues, and like the well-prepared mother she was, found them and I mopped up my tears. Then there was a tense silence, where we’d both been bruised, her by my sudden hugely emotional reaction and me by her words. It was like a chess game where neither of us had the skills or knowledge to know how to move forward.
Eventually, I spoke. ‘You want me to leave him?’
‘No.’
I felt a wave of relief. Perhaps we could talk this through and find some way back to where we should be.
She gave my hand a quick squeeze: ‘Honey, we want you to leave him now.’
I blinked. ‘Now?’
‘Don’t think you’re on your own. We’ve talked about it – we, the whole gang, are so desperate to help you both, believe me. Nadia says you and Jack can stay with her for as long as you need. Let’s be honest, she’s got masses of room. And you’ll have all our support.’ She reached forward and moved the stuck hair away from my sweaty forehead in an intimate gesture. ‘Anything you need darling, anything.’
I jerked back, not wanting her to touch me.
She took my silence for possible interest and ploughed on. ‘Think of it: Nadia’s got four floors and there’s only her, Ben and Matt. She’s already spoken to Matt and—’