Chapter 6

Jenny was buzzing on the intercom to Mark's apartment, unsure as to whether she was being incredibly stupid or not. But she had no evidence to go to the police with; and she couldn't rest without knowing.

"Yes?" his voice issued out of the intercom.

"Mark, it's Jenny. Can I come up?"

He seemed to hesitate for a moment.

"Sure," he said eventually, buzzing her in.

He lived on the fifth floor, and so she was slightly out of breath when she reached his door, having not wanted to get the lift; the though of being in a confined space right now was not appealing to her in the slightest. She knocked, her heart thumping wildly. Mark answered immediately, looking as handsome as ever. He was wearing a confused expression as he surveyed her with slightly narrow eyes.

"Come in," he said, standing aside to let her pass, closing the door behind them.

All of a sudden, Jenny realised that this was a very bad idea. She tried to steady her breath, but the panic that had erupted in her stomach made her hand shake.

"You're looking well," Mark continued, looking her up and down; his eyes lingering at her legs as he did so.

"Thanks, so are you," she said, finally finding her voice.

She must have been giving him a very strange look indeed, as he stared back at her with his eyebrow raised.

"Something wrong?" he asked, as he moved towards the kitchen.

"No," Jenny replied quickly, following him and standing awkwardly in the doorway.

"Are you sure?" he persisted, getting two glasses out of the cupboard and placing them on the counter. "You look a little . . . nervous," he added with a smile.

She looked up at him suspiciously; did he know why she was on edge?

"Why would I be nervous?" she asked him, watching as he poured out some wine that she hadn't asked for, making sure he didn't make a movement without her seeing.

"You tell me?" he smirked, handing her a glass; his fingers brushing against hers as he did so.

She didn't reply, but instead took a sip of her wine.

"The place looks nice," she said, thinking hard about how to get him talking. "I haven't been here since you bought it to rent out, remember?"

"As I remember, you picked the place - I was just the guy with the cheque book," he answered.

"You asked for my advice on investments, and I gave it to you," she defended herself, slightly stung by his insinuation.

"I'm teasing," he said, taking a seat on a stool opposite her. She mimicked him and sat down herself, crossing her legs.

"So, to what do I owe the pleasure of your company?" he asked, taking a sip of his drink. "I thought I lost that a long time ago?"

She rolled her eyes; he was just like she remembered him - a smarmy little . . .

"I just wanted a catch up," she lied, not knowing how on earth she was going to get anything out of him.

He looked at her for a moment, his expression unreadable.

"You have returned none of my calls in the last few months and from what I hear, you're seeing someone else," he pointed out.

"How did you know I was seeing someone?" Jenny asked, perplexed. But then again, of course he would know . . . after all, he was impersonating Cutter on msn . . .

"Your Mother told me," he replied.

"You still speak with my mum?"

"I see her at some functions," Mark explained.

"Of course," Jenny nodded, thanking God she got away from that lifestyle when she did - as she remembered, she wasn't a very nice person back then.

"So you are seeing someone then?" Mark probed.

"No," Jenny said untruthfully. "We, er, we split up."

"That's a shame," he smiled, taking another large gulp of his wine. "What happened, did he realize how high maintenance you are?"

Jenny glared at him over her glass, but didn't dignify his question with a response.

"You look good Jen," he added out-of-the-blue, sitting back and surveying her. "You look really good."

"Thanks," she said, blushing slightly.

"I've been thinking about you a lot recently," he continued, necking back the rest of his drink in one gulp. "In fact, I haven't been able to stop thinking about you."

"Is that so?" Jenny said. Is that why you decided to start stalking me? she thought to herself.

"Yes," he nodded, filling his glass up again, and topping her one up - her eyes followed every slight movement he made.

"I've been thinking about you too," she lied. This was how she was going to get him.

At her words, his head snapped up, his expression delighted.

"Really?" he exclaimed.

"Yes," she continued as she stood up, moving to his side of the counter, swaying her hips as she went. "I think we might have made a massive mistake when we gave up so soon."

"I do too," he mumbled, his eyes transfixed on her waist.

"And," she breathed, placing her hands on his chest and looking down at him, "I think we should give it one more test drive," she fingered the collar of his shirt. "Even if it is for old times sake."

"Oh I was hoping you'd say that," he said, his voice full of longing as he ran his hands down her side; his touch making her feel physically sick. "But what's brought this on? I thought you hated me?"

"Things change," she whispered in his ear, feeling him tremble underneath her. "Maybe it's just seeing you like this after so long - "

He made her jump slightly as he stood up, and pulled her into a kiss. She felt disgusted in herself as she thought of Cutter, and how she was betraying him; but she needed to know -

She broke away from him as quickly as she could get away with.

"Or maybe it's because of the roses you sent me," she continued, feeling the anticipation build up inside her.

"I - what roses?" he asked, pulling away slightly.

"The roses you've been sending me," she carried on, her arms wrapped around his neck. "But you needn't had bothered; all you had to do is ask . . ."

She lent forward and bit his lower lip, knowing that it sent him wild.

"Well if we're going to do this, I might as well be honest - " he said eventually, his hands running down her back.

She held her breath . . .

"I didn't send you any roses," he continued. "I've been away for a month on business. I only just got back yesterday."

Jenny's head snapped up, and she looked at him hard . . . was he lying? Confusion flickered across his face.

"But now we're back on I can get you all the roses you want," he corrected himself quickly, clearly thinking that she was upset that it hadn't been him. "You can have a million roses if you want - "

Jenny backed away from him immediately.

"It's not you," she said numbly.

It couldn't be him if he hadn't been in the country all month.

Without a word, she walked away.

"Jen! Were are you going?" he yelled after her. "What about us?"

"There is no us!" she shouted back, closing the door behind her.


More confused than ever, Jenny pulled up outside her house in her car . . . she had been so sure it was Mark . . .

She knew she should go back to the ARC as she was sure Sarah would be worried about her by now, but she wanted to get a shower to wash the stink of Mark off her before she saw Cutter; how on earth was she going to look him in the eye after what she had just been up to? True, Mark made her skin crawl, but she had kissed him, even if it was a means to an end. She doubted very much that Cutter would accept her explanation. God, he was going to go nuts.

Jenny opened her front door and stepped inside the hall, feeling the same prickling feeling she had whenever she was alone in this place now. Maybe she should have gone to Cutter's instead . . .

All of a sudden, someone grabbed her from behind, frightening the life out of her. She shrieked and struggled against them wildly, until she felt a sharp prick in her neck. Out of nowhere, she felt unbelievably spaced out. The will to fight left her . . . unknown arms were holding her up . . . her vision was clouding and her brain seemed to be slowing. Someone was muttering something into her ear softly, but she couldn't discern the words as she fought to stay conscious; she could feel hot, tickley breath on her neck as she seemed to be fall deeper and deeper into blackness.