Free Snatched by Unknown Page A

the ground floor in case Connor woke up while he was gone. And he could have done with another brew, but there was no way he was asking Leanne to go and get it for him while she was being such a bitch.
    Watching him with growing irritation, Leanne tutted loudly and said, ‘For God’s sake, will you keep still? You’re making my eyes hurt.’
    Snapping that keeping on the move was the only thing that was keeping him sane right now, Terry said, ‘Anyway, I thought you were going home?’
    Lips tightening, Leanne folded her arms and jiggled her foot a little faster, muttering, ‘Yeah, I bet you’d like that, so you can chat up the nurses behind my back.’
    ‘Don’t be so stupid,’ he hissed, casting a quick glance back along the corridor to make sure that nobody had heard her. ‘I just don’t see the point of you being here when you obviously don’t want to be.’
    ‘I’m not going till you do,’ she shot back stubbornly. ‘And don’t talk to me like that or I’m going to get really mad, ’cos I still haven’t forgiven you for making a fool of me in front of that snotty copper.’
    ‘Me make a fool of you ?’ Terry snorted. ‘That’s a joke!’
    ‘Hear me laughing?’ Leanne snarled, her eyes flashing furiously. ‘No, ’cos I don’t find it funny. You’re lucky I didn’t kick off, the way you were eyeing her up.’
    ‘You’re off your fucking head,’ Terry retorted angrily. ‘Eyeing her up. As if!’
    ‘You were. I was watching you.’
    ‘You always are, and you’re always wrong. Just like you are now – dead wrong. ’Cos I’ve got better things to do than eye flaming women up.’
    ‘Like what?’ Leanne demanded. ‘March round like a stupid caveman, making out like you’re oh so upset. Like, boo hoo, look at me crying ’cos my kid’s inhaled a bit of fucking smoke!’ Sucking her teeth now, she gave him a dirty look.
    Stopping in his tracks, Terry’s face was paler than she’d ever seen it as he stared down at her, his eyes flashing a clear warning that she was going too far. Unable to hold his gaze, she looked away. But there was no apology.
    ‘You’d better go,’ he said thickly. ‘I mean it, Lee. Just go.’
    Folding her arms even tighter, Leanne shook her head.
    ‘I need to be alone,’ Terry said, struggling to control the rage that was stirring in his gut.
    Leanne’s eyes were glistening with tears now and her voice was both accusing and hurt as she said, ‘You won’t be alone, though, will you? You’ll be with them .’ She gestured with a nod towards the duty nurses at the far end of the ward. ‘And they’ll be flirting with you as soon as my back’s turned.’
    ‘Will you get it into your thick head that I’m not fucking interested,’ Terry spat. ‘Not in them, not in that flaming copper, and not even in you at the moment.’
    Jumping to her feet, her cheeks flushed with indignation, Leanne said, ‘If that’s supposed to be some kind of threat, you can fuck off, ’cos if anyone’s going to finish with anyone round here, it’ll be me finishing with you !’
    Feeling the heat of embarrassment crawl up his neck, Terry grabbed her arm and told her to quieten down.
    Yelling, ‘Get off me!’ Leanne jerked away from him, her voice seeming to bounce back at him from every wall as she said, ‘You’re always putting those stupid brats before me, but I’ve had enough! I’ve done everything for you, but if you don’t appreciate me, I—’
    Seizing her by the wrist, Terry hauled her down the ward and out into the corridor. Pushing her into a corner, he brought his face close to hers and said, ‘My son’s in there on his deathbed, and my daughter’s God only knows where, and all you want to do is talk shit ! But it stops now, Leanne – do you hear me? I can’t turn my back on them, and if you don’t understand that, tough .’
    Unable to get free as Terry held her in his powerful grip, Leanne pursed her lips and glared up at the ceiling, refusing to