Outside the cupboard, I heard Victor’s voice suggesting a shower, followed by a dip in the pool.
Yes! Please go to the pool.
There was some discussion about activities: golf for him, a trip to the spa for her. Some snorkelling and an evening on the yacht. I waited until the sound of running water finally reached us. But the shower seemed to go on for ever too. Were they trying to drain an entire reservoir? Eventually – after what felt like another eternity – the water stopped.
By now, my legs were in an even worse position, pressed tightly together at the knees and propped awkwardly against the back of the cupboard. I’d lost all feeling below the waist, and when I tried to wiggle my toes again, they felt like jelly. Muscles I never knew existed ached, and everything tingled.
‘Where are the beach towels?’ called the yellow-toed mistress. Victor must have given her one, because soon I heard footsteps walk past the cupboard.
‘This place is gorgeous, by the way,’ she said.
‘Only the best for my kitten,’ he replied.
And then a door opened and closed, and Victor and his mistress were gone.
I hadn’t seen her in six years, but nothing had changed. She was still all fire and fury, and a few well-placed punches. And being pressed up against her in that small cupboard was pure torture.
God, I’d dreamt of her so many times, and now she was here. Real. Breathing. Furious as ever. I could feel the heat of her skin against mine and it made me ache in places that hadn’t ached in years, because she had been the only person who’d ever reached them.
She might hate me. She might want to murder me with her elbow right now. But I’d probably let her if it meant being this close to her after all this time apart.
CHAPTER 11
When I flung the cupboard door open, it hit the wall and came straight back at me, almost smacking me in the face. I immediately tried climbing out, but since I had zero feeling in my lower extremities, and since Cam’s legs were all twisted up with mine, my attempt to stand failed miserably, and I stumbled. My instincts kicked in. I managed to flip my body mid-air as I was falling, twist it just enough that I landed on my back rather than my face. The breath rushed out of me as I hit the floor and I began gasping for air, but just as I’d managed to get some into my lungs, something heavy landed on top of me. It all happened so fast that for a brief moment I was frozen, until I realised what had happened.
‘What the hell!’ I swatted at Cam and shoved his shoulders in a futile attempt to get him off me. I didn’t know which was worse, being in the cupboard with him, or having him lying on top of me like this . . .No.This was worse. Definitely this. ‘Get off me!’ I hissed.
‘I can’t move my legs,’ he said, lifting himself onto his elbows, which at least gave me some relief.
It also gave me an opportunity to escape, and with all the strength I could muster, I tried to roll. But of course our useless dead-weight legs just tangled together even more, and the momentum of the roll meant that this time I ended up on top of Cam. I glared down at him.
‘Stop smiling! What the hell is wrong with you!’
‘Me? I could say the same for you. You’re on top of me.’
‘Well, I don’t want to be.’
‘Neither do I!’ he shot back, and in one swift, annoyingly practised move, he rolled us over once more. And once more I was pinned to the floor.
‘Stop it!’ I beat my fists against his chest as hard as I possibly could. Which was hard, considering I was probably as muscular as a strong man. I wiggled my toes again, and to my relief, they actually moved. The blood had returned to them and hopefully my legs would follow soon. Because the second they started working again, Cam was getting a knee in a certain place. A certain very sensitive place. And I would relish his screams.
He reached down and grabbed both of my wrists in one hand, looking way too pleased with himself. I’d forgotten how big his hands were, inconveniently big . . .
‘What the hell are you doing here, Cam?’
‘Funny, I was just about to ask you the same question.’
‘Let. Go. Of. My. Hands!’ I spat, refusing to break eye contact.
He leaned in, bringing his face all the way to mine. ‘Or what?’ he asked, his voice dripping with self-satisfaction.
‘Or else . . . this!’
It was a miracle. Movement returned to my legs and I immediately mobilised them into action. Unfortunately my knee missed the primary target, but it landed fairly close, close enough to get a reaction out of him.
‘Lizzy! Fuck!’ He winced, but despite that, he was still bloody smiling.
‘Don’t you dare call me that.’ ThatLizzywas the final straw. I raised my leg and hooked it over Cam’s back, then reached up and grabbed my own shin, an easy move for someone as supple as myself. I’d successfully managed to get him into a triangle choke, and now I was going to hang on for dear life. Cam’s eyes widened as I tightened my grip. It was only a matter of time before he’d have to tap out; his face was already turning an impressive shade of purple – not his colour, I might add. But then, to my utter disbelief, he let out a small breathy chuckle.
