living with would be moving out soon, but even as things stood, there was room for another person. If she couldn’t meet the rent on her student income, he’d cover it. He would have to. He needed to help her keep her life on track, be there for the baby, end of.
‘Look, Kim, I’m not sure whether—’ he started. And then stopped as she got abruptly to her feet.
‘Right, well, that was short and sweet, wasn’t it?’ she said, picking up her bag. ‘Thanks for nothing, Josh. Like I said, you can keep your financial support. I can manage without it. There are millions of single mothers out there who do, thanks to the men in their lives not stepping up. I suppose I’m just going to be another statistic. But that’s not your problem, is it? Because you can just walk away.’ Wiping angrily at her eyes, she turned for the exit.
‘Kim, wait.’ He stood to follow her. ‘I was going to—’
Kim whirled around. ‘No, Josh. I won’t wait to hear you spouting more rubbish. You manipulate me into having sex with you and then think you can treat me like an inconvenience?’
Josh’s heart plummeted to the pit of his stomach. ‘That’s absolute bullshit, Kim,’ he seethed. ‘You know it is.’
‘There was no love there, was there?’ she challenged him. ‘Even though you told me you loved me.’
What? Josh stared at her, flabbergasted. ‘I never said I loved you,’ he protested, realising how that sounded, but not caring. ‘I liked you, felt sorry for you. I was scared for you after all you’d been through, but I was never anything but honest.’ And now, seeing the look in her eyes, hearing the rubbish she was spouting, he was bloody well scared of her.
‘You forced me!’ She eyeballed him furiously. ‘As good as. Coercion is a crime, Josh, or haven’t you heard? You knew how vulnerable I was after my previous relationship. That I would be too frightened to say no.’
Josh felt the blood drain from his body. Saw heads turning, every gaze in the room burning into him. ‘What in God’s name are you talking about?’ He stared at her, disbelieving.
‘You used me,’ she cried. ‘All you wanted from me was sex. What do you think your parents would think about that, hey? Your mother, who you keep bleating on about being ill, as if that’s an excuse for her instilling nil respect for women in you.’
‘What?’ Josh squinted at her. ‘That’s enough, Kim. You are way out of—’
‘Adam, who’s so caring and obviously ten times the man you are,’ Kim talked over him, ‘what do you think he would think? Do you think he’d turn his back on a woman who was carrying his baby? Treat her the way you seem to believe you can treat me? I think not. Don’t you?’
Josh’s mouth ran dry. ‘Don’t you dare, Kim,’ he warned her, a hard knot of anger tightening inside him. That was the reason for this charade, he realised. Her reason for wanting to meet here. So she could threaten him. Coerce him. Into doing what, for fuck’s sake?’
‘You probably hoped I’d get rid of it, didn’t you?’ she said, narrowing her eyes. ‘That would have solved your problem, wouldn’t it, me killing my baby?’
He was scarcely able to believe what he was hearing. ‘Don’t be ridiculous. I would never—’
‘It’s people like you who should be got rid of!’ She glared at him. ‘You’re despicable.’
‘Just stop this, Kim, will you?’ Josh said shakily. ‘I don’t know what it is I’m supposed to have done, but whatever you’re thinking of doing, please don’t. My mother really hasn’t been well. My parents both have enough on their plates without my problems.’
She didn’t answer, notching her chin up instead.
‘Kim, please come back and sit down,’ he begged. ‘Let’s try and work this out calmly.’
She cocked her head to one side, studying him now as if she felt sorry for him. ‘No need, Josh.’ She looked away. ‘You’ve said all I need to hear.’
Bewildered, Josh watched her leave. With all eyes on him, he didn’t dare follow her. Didn’t have a clue what to do. She actually said he’d forced her. Jesus. She’d instigated what had gone on between them. She’d been all over him. What in God’s name was he going to do? His career would be over before it started, his life ruined. His mother… Kim wouldn’t go and see her, would she? Speak to Adam? Why would she? But