Only You - Lord of the Manor book 1

Chapter 37

I walk through Beth's front door and straight upstairs to the flat like a zombie.

Bless Beth. She makes no attempt to try and extract more information from me. Instead, she lets me fall onto the sofa in a tear stained heap and brings me a cup of tea.

My eyes widen when the front door slams. Beth runs out to the banister. 'It's just Ian.' she reassures me as she comes back into the lounge.

'He has a key?' I ask. Beth shrugs it off, but this small snippet of news has me smiling to myself. Will she take it back in light of this new found knowledge?

My phone rings again and I reject the call...again.

Ian steams into the lounge, looking as nervous as he did at The Manor. We both look up at him as he does a little tennis spectator impression, flicking his eyes from me to Beth and back again a few times.

Stalking over to Beth, he all but hauls her out of the lounge by her elbow. 'We need to talk.' he says urgently. I crane my neck around, watching as he practically throws her into her bedroom, slamming the door behind him.

I lie on the sofa, my tea resting on my stomach, and close my eyes. They don't stay shut for long. Mental images of Harry are imprinted on my brain, and with my eyes closed, there's no other visual distraction, so they are all the more clearer. I'm never going to be able to sleep again. My phone starts again. Reaching down, I stab the reject button, staring up at the swirly artex ceiling of the lounge.

I've never felt pain like this before. It's excruciating and way beyond fixable. He owns a fucking sex club? Why? Why couldn't he be a banker or a financial advisor? Or...a hotel owner... I knew there was something wrong, something dangerous. Why didn't I take a few moments to try and gather my senses? I know exactly why – because I wasn't allowed to, I wasn't given a chance to.

I sit up when I hear Beth's high shrill travel across the landing, followed by Ian's placating tones trying to calm her down. She flies out of her room with Ian in tow. He's struggling to pull her back.

'Get your fucking hands off me, Ian. He needs to know.'

'Wait a minute...Beth...arhhhhhh! What the fuck did you do that for?' Beth retrieves her knee from Ian's groin, leaving him in a folded, groaning mess on the landing, before barging into the lounge and punching me with her stare.

'What?' I ask, apprehensively. What do I need to know now?

She throws Ian a filthy look when he appears at the lounge door grasping his groin. I'm left wondering why Ian's looking so apologetic when it's Beth that's just kneed him in the balls. She points at the chair aggressively, silently demanding him to sit. He limps over, lowering himself on a painful hiss.

'Louis, he's on his way over.' she tells me calmly. I don't know why she chooses this tone. It's not going to calm me – not at all.

I gasp, looking at Ian sat in the chair, refusing to meet my eyes. He wasn't going to tell me? I was stupid to think Harry would make this easy. 'I need to leave,' I wail as my damn phone starts again. 'Fuck off!' I shout at the stupid thing.

'Take him.' Beth swings around to Ian. 'He's in no state to drive.'

'Oh no, not me,' He holds his hands up, shaking his head. 'It's more than my life's worth. Anyway, I need to talk to you.' He jerks his head towards Beth.

We all jump at the sound of an almighty crash at the door, my heart promptly leaping into my throat as I look at Beth. Ian groans, and it's not because of the pain Beth's inflicted on him.

'You dirty little turncoat.' she mutters angrily, piercing Ian with her sharp eyes.

'Hey, I didn't say a fucking word!' He's on the major defensive. 'It wouldn't take a fucking rocket scientist to work out where he is.'