Down London Road

back.’
    Her eyes brightened with hope. ‘You think?’
    ‘Definitely.’
    Pleased, she began to hang up another poster, grinning like an idiot. ‘So how’s your ribs?’
    ‘Unfortunately still sore.’ It had been a week since the attack, and after spending seven days of bed rest in the flat, I’d begged Cam to let me attend Sunday dinner. Seeing my desperation, he’d agreed it was time I got out of the flat. Considering I had to go back to work tomorrow, I was counting it as a practise run. Leaving the flat with Cam and Cole in tow, I was surprised to find that I was still a little nervous and jittery being out and about. As we got on the bus, I found myself glancing back on to the street to make sure Murray Walker’s face wasn’t in the crowd.
    Cam caught me and deduced what I was doing. The clouds that gathered in his eyes made me feel loved, but it upset me that part of the blackness in their depths originated from his feelings of helplessness over the whole situation. Basically, he felt guilty that he hadn’t been there to stop it, which was sweet but silly and irrational. As it turned out, we both needed comforting about the whole ordeal. I’d taken his hand to let him know I understood, and he had kept me close beside him to let me know he understood.
    Our relationship had changed in the last week. Our confessions of love had brought us both the security we needed. I didn’t think it would cure either one of us of our possessiveness, or the flare of jealousy we felt when an ex-partner was mentioned, but knowing that we trusted each other had made us stronger.
    It had also made me horny as hell, and not being able to do much about it was killing me.
    Assuaging my frustration was the knowledge that it was killing Cam, too.
    ‘Done.’ Hannah stepped back and we gazed around her newly poster-decorated bedroom. ‘What do you think?’
    ‘I think Elodie’s going to kill you.’
    ‘She said I could.’
    ‘She said “a poster”.’
    ‘Well, I just heard the permission part.’
    ‘Come on, you,’ I grinned, gesturing to the door. ‘Let’s enjoy dinner before Elodie discovers your bedroom’s been transformed into a groupie’s paradise.’
    Before I could exit Hannah asked quietly, ‘Are you really okay, Jo?’
    Looking back at her over my shoulder, I was warmed by the concern on her face. ‘Baby girl, I’m fine. In fact, you know what? I’m more than fine. I’m great.’
    ‘But your dad …’
    Needing to vent, Joss had told Ellie what had happened to me, and Ellie had told Elodie and Elodie had told Clark and apparently Hannah overheard the conversation between her mum and dad. I reached out for Hannah’s hand, giving it a squeeze. ‘I know it must be difficult for you to understand because you’ve got such an amazing dad. I could let the fact that my dad doesn’t care who he hurts, including his own children, get to me. Or I could find what he can’t give me somewhere else. I have Uncle Mick. And I have family in all you guys. It doesn’t change what my dad did, but you know, it goes a long way to helping me get over it.’ I smiled reassuringly at her. ‘Some people are born with family, and others have to make family.’ I shrugged. ‘I can live with that if it means I get to spend time with you sarcastic buggers.’
    Hannah laughed, the sadness fading from her eyes. She squeezed my hand back, and I led her to the dining room, where our family was waiting:
    Cam, Cole, Uncle Mick, Olivia, Joss, Ellie, Braden, Adam, Elodie, Clark and Declan.
    What a beautiful sight for sore eyes. I smiled at Cam across the room as he pulled out a chair for me.
    Once we were all settled around the table and the others were chatting loudly, Cam leaned over me. ‘How are the ribs holding up?’
    I looked into his concerned eyes as I held a roast potato to my mouth. ‘Just as they were when you asked me that question twenty minutes ago.’
    ‘Well, excuse me for being a concerned boyfriend.’
    I made a face at him, and we shared another silent conversation.
    You just want to know if we can have sex yet.
    Cam’s lips twitched around his mouthful of food.
    Damn right.
    Amused and turned on in equal measure, I searched for distraction from Ellie, who was talking about the bridesmaids’ dresses for Joss and Braden’s wedding.
    ‘I saw these beautiful fuchsia gowns on this Spanish wedding designs website. I was thinking –’
    ‘That I’m out of my mind if I think Joss will have the colour