I slipped on the black stilettos that would take me from a small five foot three to a less small five foot six. As always I left my hair down in its natural waves, and I was glamming up the tight black miniskirt, black stockings, and black tank top I was wearing with a bunch of red and silver bangles and earrings. I grabbed at my glittery red clutch and turned to face the mirror, only to come out of my skin at the sight of my boyfriend, Ollie, sharing my reflection. He stood in the doorway, his eyes roaming over me. I hadn’t even heard him come in from work.

I tensed.

“You’re not going out wearing that,” he said quietly. “You look like a whore.”

Without another word he walked out of the room.

Hot with embarrassment and hurt, I changed out of the skirt with shaking fingers and pulled on a pair of black skinny jeans.

I didn’t say anything when I walked into our open-plan sitting room and kitchen to put my empty wineglass in the sink. I’d downed the remnants of it only moments ago. Fortification.

Transferring my purse, keys, and phone from my everyday bag to my clutch, I could feel Ollie’s eyes burning into my back.

Seconds later I heard him approach and then his heat hit me as he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into his chest. He started kissing my shoulder, his lips trailing up to my neck.

Still mad, I stiffened. “Stop it. I need to leave.”

He gave me a squeeze. “Don’t go, babe,” he said, using his soft voice full of apology and placation. “I’ve had such a shit day at work. I could really use a quiet night in with my girl.”

I sighed and turned in his arms. “I’m sorry but I’ve had this night out with the girls planned for ages. I haven’t seen them in so long.”

His hold on me tightened, his eyes pleading. “Please, babe. You have no idea how bad it’s been.”

I chewed my lip. “I’ll leave early. I promise.”

Ollie’s arms instantly dropped, disappointment clear in his face. “It’s cool. Don’t bother. Your friends are important.” But the way he said it might as well have been “Your friends are more important than me.”

Feeling a mixture of guilt and annoyance, and knowing that if I didn’t stay in he’d be pissed off at me for days, I sighed. “I’ll text them to let them know I can’t make it.”

I was rewarded with a long, sweet kiss. “I’ll order in,” he said.

“Chinese,” I muttered as I pulled out my phone.

“Nah, I’m in the mood for Indian.”

Ugh, Indian. I sighed again and texted my friend Jennifer.

A few seconds later I received “You are fucking kidding me, right? Haven’t seen you in ages and then you cancel at the last minute? This friendship is a one-way street right now, and I’m done with it.”

Furious—at myself, at Ollie, and at Jennifer—I stomped back into our bedroom and ripped off my clothes, scrubbed off my makeup, and pulled on my pajamas in a huff.

Ollie had put on Top Gear and had gotten us a beer out of the fridge. I joined him on the couch, where he instantly pulled me into his side, but I couldn’t relax. I sat there worrying for the next few hours, scared I’d really, truly ruined my friendships.

Ollie’s phone rang and he answered it. I wasn’t really paying attention to his conversation, so it was a surprise to me when he got off the phone and turned to me. “Come on, we’re meeting Bill and the lads down the pub.”

Disbelief and anger coursed through me. “Are you kidding?”

Confused, Ollie shook his head.

I stood up, my hands flying to hips. “I just gave up a night out with the girls because you said you needed a quiet night in with me.”

“Oh, don’t start,” Ollie groaned. “I can’t be bothered with your fucking drama tonight. Are you coming or not?”

“No! I’m not!” I yelled. “You selfish arsehole.”

Ollie’s face instantly darkened.

*   *   *

I pulled myself quickly out of the memory, blinking it away as fast as I could. He’d been a prick for a long time. I couldn’t believe how long it had taken me to see him for what he was, to see the damage he’d done to me and to my life.

“Shannon?”

I threw Simon a quick, tight smile. “We lost touch.”

“I need another drink,” Rae suddenly said, changing the subject, and I suspected (gratefully) that it was deliberate. “Anyone else?”

CHAPTER 6

A lthough the hostilities did not cease between Cole and me, time passed pretty quickly while I grew more accustomed to my job at INKarnate and living with Rae. Sometimes I couldn’t believe it had only been a little over a month since I first came to work at Stu’s studio. Not much had changed: I worked, avoided Cole when I could, snapped back at him in retaliation to his cold impatience, and watched him disappear out to lunch every now and then with Jessica, whom he’d been dating for the last few weeks.

Not that I cared.

I had Simon and Rae to use as buffers in the situation with Cole. They found the tension between Cole and me weirdly hilarious. They just went with it. Honestly it was almost becoming second nature to ignore him, or glare at him when I couldn’t ignore him.

That was exactly what I was doing on Tuesday midafternoon. Rae had a client; it was Simon’s day off; Cole was free but keeping himself busy (i.e., avoiding me) in Stu’s office. I was sort of on my lunch break. I’d been late that morning, so I was making up for it by having my lunch break at my desk. That way I could still deal with customers if they came in or called. I was trying not to think about why I was late getting to work.