Casual Cruelties: A brand new nail-biting domestic-suspense with a breathtaking twist by Alison Irving

Author:Alison Irving [Irving, Alison]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bloodhound Books - crime, thrillers & mysteries
Published: 2023-11-02T16:00:00+00:00

My grin was so wide, my cheeks hurt and I told myself that I really need to wise up and calm down. For I needed to perfect my lying skills or it would be transparent something strange was going on with me.

Later that evening as I read in bed, James appeared wearing only his dressing gown. ‘I can’t let you go to London without a proper goodbye,’ he murmured, slipping naked under the covers beside me.

I managed to suppress a groan of frustration, setting my book on the bedside table and turned to face him. As I lay beneath him playing the best role of my life, I felt him gnawing on my neck. On and on it went until I wanted to push him off and scream to go away, but at last it was over and he rolled off me. Swiftly getting up, he went to his dressing gown which was hanging on the back of the door and reached into the pocket. I could see him withdraw some cash, which he set on the bedside table on top of my book. Then he leant over me and gave me a kiss on the forehead.

‘I know you are angry about the car and that really hurts me, I was so excited to show you it. But I forgive you, so I’m giving you some money to spend in London.’

He left the room before I could reply, and I lay there stupefied. Reaching for the cash I counted £80. He had done his business and left me money.

Like a whore.

My cheeks burned with shame. It wouldn’t be spent on my trip, I would put it into my secret savings account.

I hurried into the bathroom, where I despondently studied my reflection in the mirror. It was then I admitted to myself that he sometimes disgusted me, and I wondered what on earth I was going to do.

Finally I let myself concede the truth I had been hiding from.

It had been insidious, a gradual realisation that I no longer liked my husband.

There was no big fanfare. I just faced the indisputable fact I no longer liked the man I shared my life with. Would I ever be brave enough to do anything about it? I vowed that when I came back from London, I would make a list of things I needed to learn in order to become self-sufficient. I could put it off no longer.

I tossed and turned all night, acutely aware that I must not rise to his bait, as this was not finished yet. If I went downstairs and lost my cool, he would play the injured party and wouldn’t be satisfied until he had upset me all over again. It took all my willpower to smile, give him a kiss on the cheek and converse normally as I made breakfast.

‘I got a bit carried away last night didn’t I?’ He stood right in front of me.

I forced a smile, murmured something unintelligible and went to move but he blocked my way.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.