Free Taken by Jacqui Rose

difference of opinion, but he was too diplomatic – or too sensible – to say anything.
    They’d met at a wedding but it hadn’t been love at first sight; if she were truthful she hadn’t thought much about him at all. They’d spent the evening sitting next to each other in a huge draughty hall as they toasted the happy couple who she knew through her cousin. Josh had talked about his work and asked her polite questions which she gave the shortest of answers to. She’d been civil but aloof, but Josh had persisted.
    ‘Would you like to dance?’
    She hadn’t, but she’d been unable to think of a good excuse before he’d got up and put out his hand for her to take. Even though it’d been their first dance, Casey couldn’t recall what song had been played – she’d stopped being sentimental the day she’d given birth; there was no room in her heart for it. What she had felt was a feeling of safety as he held her in his arms. For the first time in her life she’d felt secure. Three weeks later he’d asked her to marry him and she’d not hesitated in saying yes, hoping saying, ‘I do’ would fix the gaping hole in her heart and fill the void from losing her child.
    ‘Casey? Are you listening? I think you should be careful.’
    Josh interrupted her thoughts and she returned her focus to the conversation on the phone.
    ‘Thanks for your concern; I’ll be fine.’
    She could hear the tightness in her voice although she didn’t mean it to be there; she had no quarrel with Josh; he’d done nothing wrong. He was a kind, warm, sensitive man who’d tried to look after her and heal her wounds. She shouldn’t have married him and he was better off without her.
    ‘Bye Josh.’
    ‘Keep in touch, Cass, and think about what I said.’
    Casey clicked off the phone and was suddenly startled by a man standing in front of her.
    ‘Can I get you another one; or maybe something stronger?’
    Casey quickly wiped away her tears which seemed to spring to her eyes all too easily these days for her liking; she felt embarrassed being caught at a vulnerable moment.
    Her answer was delayed as she looked at the tall well-built man with a wind-tanned complexion, dark brown hair with slices of grey running through it and intense green eyes. He was undoubtedly very handsome. The prospect of something stronger than her lukewarm coffee was also tempting, but she declined the offer.
    ‘My name’s Vaughn by the way.’
    ‘Casey.’
    She gave him a small smile and Vaughn was knocked sideways by her beauty.
    ‘Did you manage to get in safely the other night?’
    Vaughn Sadler watched as a blank expression came over her face. It was still niggling away at him – he was positive he knew Casey from somewhere, but hopefully it’d come to him.
    He could tell she had no idea what he was talking about and he contemplated explaining how he’d helped her pick up her keys, but quickly he decided against it, in case the boy Alfie had given a seeing to had opened his mouth and talked to the hospital. That was of course if he was still alive.
    If the filth
were
sniffing around, it would be foolhardy of Vaughn to admit he’d been anywhere near the building. He didn’t want to get fingered for something he didn’t do; and if he did get collared, it wasn’t as if he’d squeal on Alfie. With his form, they’d throw the book at him before you could say Jack The Hat McVitie.
    ‘Let me get you another coffee then.’ Casey nodded and wished she hadn’t given up smoking.
    Whispers Comedy Club was starting to get busy by the time Casey and Vaughn had arrived. They’d talked for over an hour, with neither one of them divulging anything personal.
    ‘Tell me about yourself; I’m intrigued why a young lady like you is on her own.’
    ‘There’s nothing really to tell; and I’m not that young. What about you?’
    ‘Oh, I lead a very dull life.’
    It was apparent to both of them that they were each hiding things but neither said anything, and