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I dig my nails into my palms, surprised by my new ability to stand up to Craig. “Me and Ella have a different life now. You can’t expect us to drop everything when it suits you.”
Craig glances over my shoulder in the direction Liam went. “If you try and keep my daughter from me...”
“I’m not! I only want to organise what we do if you’ve decided you want to see Ella more often.” I temper my tone. “Look, today is a bad day. Let’s catch up in the week and sort something out? Ella would find this easier too, if she knows when to expect you.”
“So you’re saying ‘no’ to today?”
“Correct.”
Craig steps toward me. “Remember, this is partlymyhouse, formydaughter—not you. If you make things difficult for me, you’re out.”
His deep brown eyes are filled with growing anger. He isn’t violent, but Craig’s moods are unpredictable. Christmas was a prime example of decisions he makes when gripped by whatever the fury does to his logic.
“I won’t. We’ll sort something out. Maybe if you came by tomorrow?” I say, using my well-practiced calming tone.
Will Craig leave or will this escalate? What possessed him to visit out of the blue? Liam moves around upstairs and the situation turns my stomach. The only good thing in all this is that Ella isn’t here.
Craig pulls his car keys from his pocket. “I’ll call you.”
Relieved he’s closed down and the unpredictable mood hidden, I smile with false gratitude. “Thank you, Craig. I’m so sorry about this. I wish you’d called.”
“Yeah,” he mutters with a final glance toward the stairs.
As I close the door behind Craig, I lean against it and take a shaky breath. This guy kicked me and Ella out in a fit of rage at Christmas. He holds the cards because he financially supports Ella, and by default, for me.Please don’t let things get worse.
Dazed by the encounter, I don’t notice Liam approach and touch my arm. “Are you okay?”
“I need to collect Ella,” I say absent-mindedly.
“Do you want me to come?”
“No!”
Liam’s face registers surprise. “Okay. Do you want me to leave?”
“No,” I say quietly.
“Cerys, you’re shaking.” He takes my hand and squeezes. “Don’t let the dickhead get to you. He’s behaving like a dog pissing on his territory.”
I pull a face. “That’s gross, Liam.”
“But true. Here.” He holds his phone out, and onscreen there’s a picture of me and Liam, hand in hand, leaving the club last night. My first exposure by the media.
“Where’s that from?” I ask.
“Our PR girl sent this across; the picture was on my phone when I checked this morning. We both knew this would happen.” He brushes hair from my face. “Do you think someone sent the picture to Craig and that’s why he came over?”
Who would do that?“Maybe, but that was bloody quick. Has anybody else seen the picture?”
Liam shrugs. “A few, probably.”
My thumping heart pushes harder. “The press won’t come after me, will they?”
“Not sure. They don’t always get on my back as quick as they do Dylan’s or Jem’s, but there’s the whole Honey business. You’re the first girl since.”
Honey. “First girl,” I say to myself.
Liam turns my face to his. “And last.”
