Page 176 of Every Silent Lie

He appears from the kitchen with a roll of wrapping paper and various bits of sticky tape lining his bare forearm. “You made it,” he says, joining us and taking a flute. Dec rolls his eyes as April puts one in his hand, then mine, and takes one for herself.

“To you two,” she says, chinking each of our glasses. “We’ll leave you alone, but if you’re peckish, I’ve prepared a sharing board. Cheeses, meats, pickles, nothing too fancy.” She gives me an excited smile and hauls me in for a fierce hug, forcing me to lift my glass to avoid spilling it.

“April,” Dec breathes. “Too much.”

“Okay, I’m sorry.” She releases me and grabs her husband, dragging him back into the kitchen. “How many left?” she asks.

“Too many,” he grumbles. “Can I eat now they’re home?”

Dec sighs and takes my glass, setting it on the side table with his. “Sorry. They’re staying over. Always do on Christmas Eve.”

“That’s nice.”

“Yeah,” he muses, and a weird silence falls between us I’m sure I don’t like. Dec eventually rakes a hand through his hair, and it’s then I see his blemished knuckles.

“What’s that?” I ask, taking his hand and inspecting it.

“Oh, that.” He frowns down at is hand. “That’s the result of me punching Anthony Fryer.”

“What?” I move back.

“You left your mobile here. There were missed calls from him. Naturally, I was curious.”

“Naturally,” I murmur. “So you didn’t put two and two together and come up with the fact he was pissed off because you fucked up his deal and renegotiated with his dad in your favour?”

He shrugs, sheepish.

“I’m not working for you, by the way.”

“Thomas told me he went to your apartment and found Anthony there.”

“Oh.”

“That he suspects Anthony had something to do with the guy who you fired attacking you.”

“Oh.”

“So, yes, I paid him a visit.” He shakes his hand off. “The police arrested Phillip West yesterday and released him after they’d interviewed him. Obviously, he denied it.”

“How do you know that?”

He reaches into his pocket and pulls out my mobile. “They said they’d be in touch to get your statement. I want you to tell them about what happened when Anthony turned up at your apartment yesterday too. Okay?”

“Okay,” I agree easily. They’re both bullying, misogynistic bastards. I hope they never work again.

“Good.” Dec coaxes me into the lounge. “Let’s talk. I want you to know what happened after you ran out the other day.”

With Chelsea.

Oh God.

Dec sits me down on one of the huge couches and puts himself at the other end. “Why have you put so much space between us?” I ask. “In case I don’t like what I hear?”

He frowns and gets back up, coming to my end and dropping to the cushion next to me, taking my hand. “I just want transparency between us. No surprises. She wasn’t happy when she didn’t get the reaction from me that she wanted, and knowing Chelsea as I knew her, and I can’t imagine she’s changed in the four years since she left, I expect there’ll be some backlash.”

“Okay,” I murmur, buckling myself in.

“She wanted us back.” He looks at me for my reaction, but I have no reaction. I figured that out before I overheard her tell him she wanted to come home. “I told her that wasn’t an option, which obviously led her on to you.”