No Strings

Chapter 10

It was a bloke who had been trying to knock Sarah's door down. A big angry bloke smelling of booze who I had never seen before. A bloke she had never mentioned, not that she had much opportunity on account of the fact we didn't exactly talk a great deal. He didn't seem to know who I was either. He was sizing me up like some rutting stag, and looking like he was about to take a chunk out of me. This really had been the shittiest day ever.

"Who the fuck are you?" he asked in an aggressive Scottish accent.

"I'm the neighbour," I said calmly. "Who the fuck are you?" Maybe a little too combative of me, but I was pissed off too. He had interrupted a major snogging session.

Taking in my naked chest and hurriedly dragged on jeans, he looked past my shoulder at Sarah, who I was deliberately blocking. "What the fuck babe?" he asked. "Are you fucking this arsehole?"

What a twat. "I shall ask you again," I said in my calmest cop voice, "Who the fuck are you? And why are you trying to break this door down at eleven o'clock at night?"

"It's OK, Jake," Sarah said, her hand on my arm. "I know him."

"You know me!" The bloke laughed loudly, blasting beer fumes at me. "She fucking knows me alright, Laddie," he said jabbing a finger into my chest. "Now clear off before I mess up that pretty face of yours even more."

I braced my hands on either side of the door and gritted my teeth. I was dying to deck him. "I think its you who needs to clear off mate, before you do something you might regret."

"Oh yeah? Gonna make me?"

Fuck. How did I get in the middle of a domestic? Without backup and half naked. End of a perfect day.

Sarah tried to get past me but I was still blocking her. "Just leave it Paul. It's late. You're pissed. I'll talk to you tomorrow," she said.

"I wanna talk to you now Babe," he slurred, his anger suddenly dissipating. "I can't wait until tomorrow. I need to talk to you now."

I let Sarah squeeze in next to me but stayed where I was, a deliberate show of strength. I didn't trust this fucker not to suddenly kick off. I'd seen enough men like him to not let my guard down.

"It's late," she said again.

"I need to fucking talk to you now," he shouted and lunged for her, but the moment he moved, I went for him, grabbing his forearm and forcing him against the wall.

He tried to get his knee up but I'd anticipated that and I was stronger and sober. "Don't even think about it mate," I hissed. "You need to calm down."

"Who the fuck do you think you are?" he spat.

I glanced at Sarah who was hovering in the doorway, pulling her bathrobe tight around herself.

"You don't want to mess with me," I said low enough for her not to hear.

His face was red with anger. "Fuck off you Jessie."

"Unless you want to be arrested for assaulting a police officer, that is. In which case, go ahead."

That stopped him. He slumped against the wall.

I let go of him. "Now leave," I said in a tired voice. "And don't come back."

He shook himself slightly and looked at Sarah, a pathetic expression on his face. As if a second ago he hadn't been threatening violence. "Tomorrow babe. I'll talk to you tomorrow," and he slumped off down the stairs.

The look on Sarah's face made my heart squeeze and I wished I had decked the bastard. She had gone deathly pale and her fingers tightly gripped the collar of her robe.

"It's OK now," I said quietly and ushered her back into the flat.

----

Paul could be such an idiot. And I was so embarrassed to have Jake witness that and even worse, to have Jake deal with it in such an authoritative way. I guess I should have been swooning at his masterful command of the situation, but I wasn't. For some reason I was a bit angry with him. He was only my fuck buddy, not my bloody boyfriend. And he was still swanning around with that bare chest. At least he had done up the jeans now.

He sat me down on the sofa and perched himself on the coffee table opposite me while I tried to control my temper.

"OK?" he asked, all gentleness and concern.

I took a deep breathe. Do not lose it Sarah. He's only your fuck buddy. Do not get him involved in all of this any more than he already is.

"Yeh," I managed to say.

He raised an eyebrow and despite myself I couldn't help thinking how hot he looked when he did that. Even with the black eye. Fuck. He'd had a hell of a day of it, hadn't he? Maybe I ought not to be so angry with him. Maybe I was being unfair.

"Thanks for that," I said. "Paul can get a bit irrational when he's pissed."

"Irrational? That was more than irrational, Sarah."

I looked down at my feet. I really didn't need any lectures. I'd heard it all before and I was going to get it all from Nina when I told her about this. If I was going to tell her.

"It's fine, honestly. I know how to deal with him."

That eyebrow raised again and he just sat there in silence and looked at me but I was determined not to go any further.

Eventually, he sighed and stood up. "OK then," he said. "But you know where I am if you need me," he added as he walked into the bedroom and emerged with his top half finally covered. Walking towards the door, and stopping there, he turned round. "I mean it, Sarah. Call me if you need me."