A Girl Like Her - Talia Hibbert Page 0,66

while she went out and destroyed Daniel’s pride and joy in front of half the town.”

“Half the town?”

“It was his engagement party.”

Evan stiffened. Then he said, “I think you should tell me about Daniel.”

So she did. She told him everything she’d told Mr. Burne.

But she told him other things, too. The little things Daniel did, the cruelties she’d barely noticed because they’d been wrapped in silk or laced with diamonds. The way he’d spike every compliment with a put-down, the way he made sure she knew that he wanted her—more than anything on earth, too much to leave her alone even when she asked—but no-one else ever would.

“He’d say, you know… ‘Ruth, you’re the most beautiful woman in the world, to me. It’s a shame other people won’t see it.’ Or he’d get rid of my pyjamas and buy me a wardrobe full of Gucci.”

Evan tensed at that part, which was kind of funny. Even funnier was the outrage in his voice when he said, “That fucker got rid of your pyjamas?”

“Oh, he hated my pyjamas. I was always buying new ones and he was always finding ways to throw them away. He hated my comics, too. I had to keep them at Hannah’s.”

She could practically hear Evan’s teeth grinding. “And you were together for how long?”

“Seven years.”

“Seven years,” he murmured. “Seven years, and no-one knew.”

She shrugged. “Who would suspect? Until that night two years ago, I was no-one. I was Hannah’s weird little sister. He was Daniel Burne. It wasn’t that hard to hide.”

His fingers traced gentle, soothing circles over her skin. Impressive, when she could feel him vibrating with anger.

“And he…” Evan took a breath. “He sends you flowers.”

“On a semi-regular basis. He’s been jealous, since I met you. He’s childish like that. He sends me other things, too, to apologise for the way he behaves every time we meet.”

“Why?”

“Because he wants me back, apparently.” Ruth snorted, and was surprised to realise that she was actually amused. Not afraid, or silenced, or blaming herself for Daniel’s delusions. Just amused, and disgusted, and vaguely pitying. “He’s unhappy, and he always will be. Some people are never satisfied. They want endlessly.”

“And what do you want?”

She shifted, turning her head to look up at Evan. His face was grave, his blue eyes gentle. “Are you asking if I still care about him?”

“Yeah.” There was no judgement in Evan’s voice. Even though she’d just told him that she’d spent most of her adult life in a secret relationship with the biggest piece of shit she’d ever met. Even though he now knew that her poor decisions had contributed to the derailing of her sister’s dreams.

“He called the police,” she said. “He called the police and wrote a statement against my sister over a fucking car he could afford five times over. He ruined her life and he did it to hurt me. And he said—he said I should be grateful that he wasn’t suing.” Her voice was hard. Her heart, in that moment, was harder. “When I found out about Laura, when I finally realised what he was, that didn’t stop me loving him. I left him, but I loved him. When he hurt Hannah, though…” She shook her head. “It was as if I’d never loved him at all.”

She didn’t think she was imagining the way Evan relaxed, but he hid it well. His fingers never faltered in their slow, soothing circle. He nodded. Then he said, as if making a sudden realisation, “That girl you were friends with; Hayley?”

“Daniel’s sister-in-law.” Ruth sighed. “That night, he gave Laura some explanation. Some twisted version of what actually happened between us. A version in which I shamelessly seduced Daniel, got jealous when he tried to leave me for Laura… whatever. She told Hayley, Hayley believed her—”

“Why?” Evan demanded.

“Because that’s what sisters do. They believe each other. And I didn’t exactly help.”

Evan sighed. “Let me guess. Someone asked you what was going on, and you very helpfully told them to fuck off.”

“Something like that.”

Ruth still remembered the raw panic of waking to find Mum pacing the room, biting her nails, looking worried for the first time in her life. Still remembered the words, “Your sister has been arrested”. Still remembered the acidic fear, the cotton-thick confusion, the regret. The guilt.

“My sisters was arrested and all anyone could ask me about was Daniel,” she growled, that memory still sour. “I didn’t give a fuck about him or about petty gossip. Then Hayley called and accused