Page 50 of Vying Girls (Girls of Hazelhurst #2)

The call connects just as Callum whips my phone out of my hands and throws it at the nearest wall. ‘Don’t know who the fuck you think you’re talking to.’

‘Callum—’ I make to pick it up, but he shoves me back.

‘Rude fucking tart. No manners on you. Heard you’ve been giving your mum the runaround.’

I glance at my phone, hearing Nic’s tinny voice on the other end of it. My heart races, fear of Damien melding into this more immediate threat.

‘Callum. Please. Let me get my phone. This is important.’

Pursing his lips, he leans on the armchair with folded arms, blocking the path to my phone.

‘Won’t be at that poncy place forever, you know. Then what, huh? Think your mum is just gonna take you in again? After ignoring her for months.’ His dry lips curl up. ‘Was it because of me, eh? Not liking us back together? Better get used to it, that’s all I can say.’

His eyes drift to the doorway where Mum stands, holding three mugs.

‘You told her yet, love?’

Mum shakes her head as she silently deposits the teas.

A lick of dread crawls up my spine. ‘Told me what?’

Mum sits down, fiddling with her dressing gown and still not saying anything. I’ve seen this look before. Cowed. Submissive. I hate it. I fucking hate it.

Gritting my teeth, I lunge again for my phone. Callum steps in front of me, causing me to collide with him. He smells musty, like days-old deodorant.

‘No, you’ll wanna hear this. Sit down.’

‘I don’t want to sit down,’ I snap.

Is Nic still there? Is she hearing all this?

Mum reaches out, beckoning me over. I sink next to her, hating myself more than ever. Why the fuck did I sneak out like that? What was I thinking?

Just about my own pain as usual. Like there aren’t bigger things in the world I need to be worrying about. I fiddle with my fingers, suddenly feeling way younger than the twenty years I’m supposed to be.

Callum sits on the armchair with a self-satisfied groan. ‘Tell her, love.’

I look away from my phone screen, still lit up with Nic’s call, and peek at Mum. She’s sipping tea, blowing on the surface. Her leg jiggles.

‘I’m pregnant.’

A crack of laughter escapes before I can stop it. ‘Give over.’

‘Eleven weeks. Got scan pictures if you wanna see them.’

I glance at Callum and back again. ‘Are you fucking serious? With him?’

‘Tilda,’ Mum hisses, ducking her head.

I release an incredulous breath, my intimidation morphing into something bordering delirious. ‘This is— wow. Are you actually pregnant? With this psycho? You’re not keeping it, surely. You can’t fuck up another kid.’

Mum flinches when Callum shoots to his feet, dark intent all over his face.

‘Callum.’ She lifts a hand. ‘She’s just shocked. Like I was. Doesn’t mean it. She’ll come round.’ She nudges me, a fake lilt to her voice. ‘New brother or sister. You love babies, don’t you, Tilds?’

‘Yeah, I’m fucking shocked.’ I get to my feet too, welcoming the bastard. He can knock me out, kill me. Wouldn’t have to deal with any of this then.

‘You’re crazy if you think you’re getting near that kid. Police would never let you. I’ll never let you. Fucking abusive piece of shit.’

I want to hit him, my fingers twitch with it. But before I can, he gets hold of me instead, face a blank mask as he pushes me to the floor.

I hear Mum cry out. My heart’s pounding so hard I can barely see.

I grab my phone from where I’ve landed beside it, despair filling me at the sight of the blank screen.

I tap it, seeing the icon at the top that shows the call’s still connected.

Don’t know why it matters. I’m too far away to be saved.

I nearly drop it again as Callum hauls me up. He pushes me into the armchair, the thing almost tipping back with the force, and pins me there with a hand on my throat.

I grasp at it, my earlier bravery vanished.

Callum levels our gazes, his eyes as blank as his expression. ‘You stupid bitch.’ His fingers flex around my neck. ‘That’s my kid in her. Ain’t no one stopping me from being a dad to it.’

I see his jaw clench and I screw my eyes shut, knowing he’s about to hurt me.

But the pain never comes.

I hear the squeal of the front door instead, the pause in the air as we swing our gazes to the doorway where Nic now stands, assessing the situation with quick, alert eyes.

‘Get the fuck off her.’

Callum’s fingers fall from me easily as he steps away, as flabbergasted by Nic’s sudden appearance as I am.

‘Grab your shit,’ she says, keeping herself between me and Callum.

‘Who the fuck is this?’ he barks.

The pause in the room breaks. With shaking hands, I pick up my bag, quickly before Callum turns the situation around again.

‘Mum,’ I choke, pausing by the sofa. ‘Please come with us.’

She shakes her head, as I knew she would, barely even sparing us a glance. Doubt she even knows of the ghost standing in her house.

I feel Nic tug me, pushing me back into the hallway and out of the house.

I wipe my face as she rushes us around the streets. When we get to the park that separates our estate with the posher one, she stops.

‘Are you okay?’ Her hands hold my shoulders.

I release a confused breath. ‘How are you here?’

‘How are you?’ She shakes her head of her snappy tone. ‘Never mind.’ One of her hands leaves my shoulder to touch my cheek. ‘Are you okay?’ she says again.

I shake my head, voice choked by another rush of tears.

Nic pulls me to her, long arms enveloping me.

For a moment, I freeze, eyelids slamming shut. The urge to fall into her is overwhelming. Her turtleneck is warm and soft, and she smells of comfort.

It hurts to think of her brushoff, to bring yesterday to mind, but I have to. This kindness won’t last. It never does. I need to pull back before she does. I can’t take another rejection.

‘Fucking hypocrite,’ I gasp, pushing her away. ‘You’re as bad as him. As any of them. You hurt me too. You’re the worst. It hurts the most because I actually care.’

I fist my hands, stabbing my palms with my nails. God, I want to flay the skin from my very bones. I need the pain, feeling like I’ll explode without it.

Nic watches me before flicking her eyes over the park. I know what she’s thinking. The park isn’t empty but there are lonely pockets, pockets where a deranged stalker might hang out.

‘We should go,’ she says quietly. ‘We might make the next train.’

I sniff, forcing myself to calm down. ‘Be quicker through here.’

Nic nods, falling into step beside me. ‘I heard all of that, by the way.’

‘Yeah. Thought you might have.’ I snort, shaking my head. ‘This fucking life. That poor baby. What the fuck is wrong with her?’

‘She hasn’t changed at all. Weird.’ Nic slips her hands into her pockets. ‘Don’t think she recognised me.’

‘Probably for the best,’ I say hollowly. She’s clearly got her own shit going on, she doesn’t need the reminder of Nic and how everything was before. What a fucked-up collision of the past. ‘How did you know to get here?’

‘I got your address.’

‘Why did you come here? Did you know Damien was skulking around?’

‘No. Didn’t know that bit. But I did find out what he wants.’

‘Really? What?’

She shrugs. ‘Money. My money. He owes someone.’

‘Wow, that’s it? Gonna give it to him?’

Nic shoots me a look. ‘What do you think?’

‘Don’t know what to think. God knows what goes on inside your head, Nic.’

She sighs, eyes finding the sign for the train station as we turn onto the main road. ‘That was stupid of you.’

‘Yeah.’ I wipe my nose, pushing down the prickling at being called stupid. ‘Was a bit.’

Nic swings to face me, the frown on her face more one of confusion than anger. ‘Why’d you do that? Sneak out?’

‘Dunno. Just felt a bit crazy with everything. Just wanted some clarity, I guess.’ I let out a watery chuckle. ‘Can’t say I got any.’

I’m aware of Nic still watching me as we head into the dimness of the station.

‘Thanks for saving me, I guess. Fuck knows why you’d do that for someone you hate so much. You can hurt me but no one else can. Is that it?’

‘Tilda,’ she sighs, looking away to scan the platform signs. ‘That’s not it.’

‘Whatever.’ I fold my arms around myself, too mentally exhausted to get into it with her. ‘I appreciate the rescue, but you can leave me the fuck alone now.’ Tears sting at my nose. ‘I just can’t handle it. I can’t handle you.’

Nic nods. ‘Noted. You should probably let the others know you’re okay though. They’re worrying.’