Ste struggled to find his keys in his coat pocket using one hand sighing in annoyance as he rummaged around for them.
Jack took the hint knowing that Ste wasn't about to run off anytime soon now that they had made it to his door. Ste thanked him sarcastically refusing to look him in the eye as he inserted the key into the lock proceeding to unlock the front door.
He heard an amused grunt from behind him but chose to ignore it as he pushed open the door letting Jack follow in tow.
"Amy?" Ste said making Jack cock his head to the side. After all he had forgotten to tell Jack much about himself.
"In here Ste." She called from the living room, Ste followed her voice inside the room with Jack close behind him. She looked up in surprise at the stranger placing her cup of tea down on the coffee table in response.
"Heya." He said before giving a wary glance towards the man behind him.
Amy stood up to greet him. "Who's this?" She said with a smile on her face and Jack gave an awkward smile of his own wondering who she might be.
"Names Jack." He extended his arm which she briefly shook her smile never fading.
"Oh?" She looked to Ste who attempted to smile back but failed. "Erm my boyfriend." He replied sheepishly.
"Oh my god you never said anything!" She squealed in excitement. "Amy don't." He replied embarrassed and a little bit nervous. He wanted this night over as fast as possible so that he could dump the tosser.
She looked to him apologetically. "Sorry." She answered quietly. "You okay Ste?" She asked. Jack continued to stand silently in awkwardness.
"Ye, just don't wake the kids ye?" She nodded her head slightly still gleaming for her friend.
"Kids?" Jack spoke up now making Ste panic for his slip up, he was surely going to get a beating when they left the flat and if he found out Amy was his ex he would really be in for it, he decided he wanted him out the house as fast as possible.
He tried to look calm before he spoke next. "Right I'm gonna go get ready then we'll set off ye?" Jack nodded his eyes still wide, his eyes never left Ste's back until he was out of the room. He glanced back to Amy who resumed her place on the sofa.
"Sorry do you want a cuppa or anything?" She spoke up when she noticed him looking. "No thanks. So kids eh?" He asked very interested all of a sudden.
"Yeah, Leah and Lucas." She smiled proudly before taking a sip of her drink. "Yours are they?" He continued.
She placed her hair behind her ears feeling a bit awkward at the question coming from a stranger. "Oh and Ste's. But we haven't been together like that in years." She quickly added not wanting him to get the wrong impression.
Jack looked taken aback at her answer, so the little shit was still living with his ex was he. He composed his features feeling the rage inside of him build up.
"Oh thats no problem." He pretended not to care but Amy looked away warily not wanting to offend him in anyway.
Ste came back dressed smartly in a blue shirt, might as well pretend to make an effort he thought. "Right lets go then." He replaced the fake smile back onto his face so that Amy wouldn't be too concerned. He also didn't want to give Jack any satisfaction by showing his fear, been there done that and he wouldn't go back there again.
Jack gave a sarcastic gleaming smile. "Yeah, lets go." He said letting Ste lead the way. "Won't be too long Ames." He shouted before they exited the scummy flat.
They walked in silence for 5 minutes before Jack took a hold of Ste and roughly turned him around. "What yer doing?" He asked in both annoyance and surprise.
Jack backed him into a corner making Ste stumble with the pace of walking backwards. His back hit the wall as he looked on in shock, his muscles freezing up. "You move out of that flat or your little kiddies won't see daylight again, do you understand me?" He snared into his face letting droplets of spit fall onto him.
"W..what?" Ste asked confused. Why would he ask such a question? "Your living with your ex!" Jack screamed making Ste whimper in fright as he tried to jerk away but to no avail.
He answered him with a rushed explanation which was barely audible. This guy was scaring the crap out of him and he didn't know what he had done wrong.
He received a punch to the face, his teeth smashing into his lip with the impact as a cry escaped his throat. "Sorry but I didn't hear you there!" He continued grabbing a fistful of hair and forcing Ste to look at him.
Tears and blood ran down his face as he tried to catch his breath. "To look after me kids." He replied angry at himself for getting into another stupid situation.
"I...don't...care!" Jack explained holding Ste's chin painfully in his grasp as he slowly punctuated each word.
Ste cowered away slightly closing his eyes and expecting another blow but none came. "You leave or they will." He threatened.
He nodded rapidly in response for now knowing it was the best thing to just agree on anything this lunatic had to say.
He'd be rid of him by the end of tonight and everything would be just great. If not he could always call the police, there was no way this nutter was going to ruin his life.
"Good boy." Jack said his face softening as he tapped and stroked Ste's cheek hoping to calm him.
"Now lets go to mine shall we?" He asked which wasn't even open for discussion and Ste knew it.
"Wh..what? What about the date?" His breath hitched in panic, he didn't want to do this, what if he got raped?
His hand was taken by that powerful grip again as he got pulled along against his will.
