AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Josh squeezes my hands as I speak, giving quiet reassurance until I’ve finished my outburst, and then he clears his throat to say his piece.
“Richard Jacobs is nothing but a sleazy, low-life, self-righteous cunt.”
I raise my eyebrows. “You know him? But you bought your place, right? You didn’t go through Kingsgate.”
“Yes, I bought this place, but he’s around here a fair amount, both with friends and for viewings. And I know plenty of him, vile piece of shit. Tiff has had more unfortunate run-ins with him than I have. She’d happily give him a drop kick in the balls and piss on his grave.”
“He’s a real piece of work, then?”
“That’s putting it lightly. He’s a seedy shit bag with an ego the size of Mars.”
I feel sick at the gulf between my dreams and reality. I always take people at face value, until they treat me like crap. I think back to the apartment viewing, and my throat chokes up again. Richard was so nice to me when he was showing me and Ebony around, but the truth is so fucking obvious now, and Eb nailed it from the start. Why have I always been so damn naïve?
“He had ammunition, didn’t he?” I say. “He had some aces stashed up his sleeve, ready to call on when he needed them. He knew my credit rating was shit, and he knew that my address is in the slums.”
“Oh, yeah,” Josh says. “A prick like him will always have his filthy aces ready to play. Thank fuck he has none whatsoever when it comes to me and Tiff, or he’d use them every chance he got. He’s been propositioning her for the past eighteen months solid. Every time they’ve crossed paths he’s hounded the crap out of her. Or he did until about six weeks ago.”
“What happened six weeks ago?”
“She was sick to death of giving him the middle finger and telling him to fuck off, so she waited until he had prospective tenants one morning and followed him up to the eighth floor. He was hanging around outside one of the front doors to give his prospective tenants some space when she walked on by, and the fact he was at work didn’t matter shit. He started right up with his sleazy bullshit about wanting a piece of her, only this time she screamed the whole fucking place down, as loud as she could. And honestly, that would have been loud. It probably shook the whole tower.”
“She screamed at him while he was giving a viewing?”
“Yeah, she screamed at the top of her lungs that he needed to stop offering to pay her for sex like a desperate perv, or she was going to call the police.”
I can imagine Tiff doing that, and it makes me smile through the hurt. Josh smiles too as he continues.
“You’ll have to ask her for her impression of him, but it was a classic, apparently. His swagger dried up to nothing and he paled like a ghost. She said she thought his knees were going to buckle, he looked so fucking mortified. The prospective tenants came out as though they were storming into a crime scene, and Tiff let rip again. This time with tears. Talk about getting in the zone.” He squeezes my hands. “You can ask her for some tips ready for next time you cross paths with him. I’ll tell him to fuck off for you when I see him, don’t worry, but he’s like a dog with a boner, and if I pushed him down the elevator shaft it would only give him more ammunition. He can get stuffed. He’s a powerless, pathetic wanker. Don’t feel shy about telling him so.”
“I wasn’t shy about telling him so, don’t worry. I’m getting more ballsy as time goes on.”
“You’re gaining confidence, not getting ballsy. Scumbags like him, and pieces of shit like the guys outside your old place can go rot in hell. Have the faith in yourself to hold your head high. Plenty of people will want to cast you down like a cheap nothing in public once they know you’re a sex worker, but then plenty of them will be out to offer you a chunk of cash for your services when nobody is watching. They are the two faced, judgemental assholes who need to be ashamed of themselves. Not us. Not you.”
I pull him close and wrap my arms around him, my pulse beginning to calm, even though my heart is still aching for the dream apartment Richard has snatched away.
“Thanks, Josh.”
“You don’t need to thank me, Ells. I haven’t done anything.”
I shake my head. “That’s not true. You chased away asshole guys on bikes, and helped me heave all my stuff out of my old room and over to your place. You listen. You share. You care about me.”
“And you’d do the same for me, I’m sure of it.”
I ease back enough to run a hand across his cheek. “Yep, that’s right. Tit for tat.”
“Always.”
I sigh. “I’d better get browsing for new places. Nowhere too posh this time, since Richard Jacobs might be tainting my name all over the city.”
“Don’t give him more credit than he’s due. Despite his façade, he’s not all that prestigious. He might know a few other agencies, but that’s about all. He plays high lord, when he’s just a guy in tweed.” He pauses. “You’ll have plenty of options. Just take your time. Make sure you find a place you want as much as this one.”
“As if that’ll happen. The Belgravia towers are perfection personified.” I look around his apartment, so eccentric, but so lush. I could cry again at the thought of cancelling my black and gold brocade sofa. So many deliveries I’m going to have to hold off. I had so many plans of my own. So many dreams of creating the space of all spaces.
Josh smooths down the lapels on my blazer.
“There’s no rush, Ella, I’m serious. You can stay with me as long as you need. Make sure you’re happy with your choice before you take it. Don’t knee jerk and take somewhere because it looks ‘ok’. You’ll regret it.”
“You don’t have to put me up like that,” I say. “I was supposed to be bunking up with you for a few days. I don’t want to impose on your generosity like a needy cow.”
