Page 47 of On the Edge

There was a long silence.Nel shook her head.She couldn’t win with Lauren.

Chapter 27

‘What a clown,’ Ryan said, referring to the politician onA Current Affairwho had used taxpayers’ funds to take his mistress to Hawaii.Or something like that.

Sophie murmured agreement, although she hadn’t been listening.She’d been scrutinising Ryan who was upset about something.Her senses had been heightened ever since he’d arrived home from work.She’d picked up on some micro-shift in his movements, his gestures, her sense of dread intensifying with every passing minute.She’d sent the kids to their rooms.Duke was asleep at his feet, twitching as though he was dreaming about running.Sophie knew how that felt.

‘I’ll make tea,’ she said.‘Will you have one?’

‘Yep,’ he said.His eyes didn’t shift from the screen.

When she returned, she put the steaming mugs down on the coffee table.As she went to stand again, he grabbed her arm and glared up at her.

‘Are you planning to tell me who you spoke to at the Berrys’ place on Sunday?’

There it was.Sophie swallowed.There was no point denying it.‘You mean Nel Foley?’

‘Yes, I mean Nel Foley.’He held her gaze, his expression hard.‘According to Matt Green’s wife, you two were having a good old chat.You didn’t think you should mention that?’

She bit her lip.Matt Green was a tradie who did maintenance for the agency.She’d never met his wife.Was she one of the mums who’d arrived as Lauren served the cake?A vein in Ryan’s forehead twitched as he waited for a response.

‘It was just small talk.’Her voice was weak.

‘Matt’s like, “I didn’t know Sophie was mates with Nel Foley”.How do you think that makes me look?That you’re buddying up to that bitch …’

‘I’m sorry, I forgot—’

‘You forgot?’He scoffed.

She sat back down.

‘Well?What were you talking about?’

‘Um …’ She shuffled through the conversation, trying to find something acceptable to share.‘She asked me about work.’

‘What about it?’

‘She asked what I did for work, before I had kids.She offered me some work doing the accounts for their clinic, if I want it.’She swallowed.‘I told her no, but …’

He turned to face her.‘But what?’

‘It’s just …’ She needed to choose her words carefully.‘I’m finding it hard to … to make ends meet with my allowance each week.’A beat.‘And the kids are all at school now, so there’s no reason for me to be at home all the time.’

His dark eyes narrowed.‘Are you saying I don’t provide properly for this family?’

‘No, no!Of course not.’

‘It sounds like that’s what you’re saying.’His voice was louder now.Duke sat up, fear in his eyes.

‘Of course not,’ she said.‘It was just a thought.’

She got up to go to the kitchen but Ryan stood too and grabbed her.A strong hand squeezed each arm, his face just centimetres from hers.Duke yelped, his tail trapped under Ryan’s foot.

‘Shut up!’he yelled at the dog, who whimpered and looked down at the floor.

‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry,’ Sophie said, breathing quickly, his strong fingers pressing painfully into her flesh.She could feel his hot breath.

‘Leave Mum alone,’ a small voice said.