someone and do you know what, Matt?' I don't wait for him to ask. 'He's the best I've had.' I say, stupidly or not.
He laughs a sly, slap worthy laugh. 'He's a raving alcoholic, Ava. Did you know that? He's probably drunk out of his skull every time he fucks you.'
I falter and Matt's cocky grin widens. How the hell does he know who I'm seeing? He thinks I'm shocked because he has just dropped the alcohol bombshell on me. No, I'm shocked because he must know who I'm seeing. How?
Oh God, I want to wipe his smug grin off his face with one swift slap. 'Well, even pissed he's a better fuck than you ever were.' I toss at him and watch as his smug face turns to confusion.
The bastard thought he had one over on me. Those words have achieved far more than a slap ever would. I'm delighted with myself for being so quick off the mark. He always liked to think he was handy in the bedroom. He wasn't.
I can see him struggling, clearly wondering how he should deal with me. I stand my ground, but I'm still curious how the hell he knows about Jesse.
'You're pathetic.' he snarls.
'No Matt. I'm making up for four years of shit sex with you.'
His face drops a little. He doesn't know what to say. I lean down to get the box from the floor and whip my head up when I hear the thunder of heavy footsteps charging up the stairs.
Oh fuck!
'Ava!' he roars.
Any hope I had of leaving Matt and his bewildered expression kind of commotion free has been well and truly trampled. How does he know I'm here? I'll kill Kate if she's tattled on me.
He comes bulldozing through the door and any notion I had that I've seen him in all of his challenging ways has just been thoroughly obliterated. He's rampant, and I'm actually afraid. Not for myself, for Matt, and I hate him. Jesse looks capable of murder.
He doesn't pay any attention to Matt. He looks straight at me and I wilt under his intense, furious stare. 'What the FUCK are you doing here?' he shouts.
I physically tremble in my heels. I've really waved a red rag under his irate nose this time. He's not supposed to know I'm here. How the hell does he know I'm here? Has he got a tracker on me? I elect not to ask, though. Instead, I stand with my mouth firmly shut.
'Answer me!' he roars.
I flinch. It's pretty obvious what I'm doing here, he doesn't need my confirmation, and he must have seen the bags in the back of Kate's van.
Matt wisely stands back and keeps his cocky mouth shut. His eyes are flicking from me to Jesse, and I know he's thinking that this is not the behaviour of a man just fucking a woman.
Hey, meet my God!
'I fucking told you! Don't ring him, don't come here. I said John would do it!' He waves his arms around like a deranged screwball. 'Go and get in the fucking car.'
I hear a snigger escape Matt's lips, and I whip my eyes around to him. He looks at me and I see a glint of sick satisfaction in his eyes. It tips me over the edge. I'm not standing here being screamed at, especially in front of my twat of an ex-boyfriend. I grab my box and steam out of my apartment, thanking all things holy that Jesse didn't walk in a few seconds earlier.
'We kissed.' I hear Matt's smug voice and then Jesse's unmistakable fist in his face.
I could cry. Does Matt not know when to shut the fuck up? I hear Jesse's thumping footsteps behind me as I walk out onto the street and see Kate and Sam - oh, and John too.
John's leaning up against his Range Rover - wraparound sunglasses in place - looking as menacing as ever, but his face is completely impassive, while Kate is pacing besides her van with Sam standing to the side looking a bit concerned. Is it really necessary for everyone to be here? I give her a don't stare as I approach her.
She takes the box from me. 'Holy fucking shit, Ava.' she whispers, throwing it in the back of her van.
'Did you tell Sam I was here?' I ask shortly.
'No!' she screeches. I believe her. She wouldn't do that to me.
'John!' Jesse yells as he emerges from my building. 'Put her stuff in the Rover.' He