‘My mistake,’ said Mike, watching the pair leave. ‘Not a friend.’
‘No, you could say that.’ It was, in fact, the understatement of the year. ‘Thanks for stepping in – I’m, um… glad you’re here.’ Oh no, did I really say that out loud?
Mike gave her a long, slow smile, his golden eyes shining with amusement. ‘So am I.’
And suddenly Billi realized she meant it.
Normal. It was a normal conversation. Nothing about Templars, about plagues and Watchers. Nothing but the sort of conversation normal people have. Mike told Billi a bit about his dad, sounding so much like hers. Strict, judgemental and pushy. She asked about the tattoos and he laughingly said he’d been born with them.
‘When I came in and saw you with that girl you looked like you were going to totally rearrange her face.’ Mike made a mocking fist. ‘Who taught you to fight like that?’
‘My dad.’
He raised his eyebrows. ‘Wow. I thought most daddies wanted their daughters to become ballerinas, not bouncers. Normal, boring stuff.’ He tilted his head across the table so his bright eyes were close. ‘But there’s nothing normal about you, is there?’
‘I assume that’s a compliment?’
‘I’d never insult you. I’d be too scared.’
His hands were on the smoky glass tabletop, his fingertips a centimetre apart from hers. Just the tiniest touch forward… Billi hesitated, trying to summon up the brazen courage that the other girls in the cafe seemed to have no problem with.
Too late. Mike leaned back in his chair and moved his hands on to the armrests.
Billi didn’t quite know where to look.
‘What did Jane mean, about your dad?’ asked Mike, breaking the awkward silence. ‘Overly protective, is he?’ There was a hint of a smile, but Billi’s heart still sank.
He didn’t know. Not about her mum or her dad’s trial. What should she tell him? Billi looked down at the dark glass and could see her gloomy reflection. If she didn’t tell Mike he’d pick up the malicious rumours soon enough.
‘Y’know I told you that my mum had died?’ She looked up at Mike and could see how his face had subtly changed. The laughter was gone. ‘I didn’t tell you how. She was murdered.’
‘Jesus, Billi. I’m sorry.’
Billi closed her eyes; she couldn’t think with him looking at her like that. ‘There was a break-in at our house. Mum was stabbed. She died.’
She was lying. She had to. This was the official story.
‘Did they ever find who did it?’
She shook her head. ‘It’s more complicated than that. The police arrested my dad. He was tried for her murder.’
Mike leaned over and put his hand over Billi’s. She couldn’t look up, but could feel the tenderness of his hand resting softly on hers.
‘Why did they think your dad did it?’
There were so many reasons, except for the truth. No one would believe it had been the work of the Unholy. But it was easy to believe a man like her father, a soldier who’d been court-marshalled, a man who’d spent a year in a psychiatric hospital suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, might turn into a murderer.
‘The police just wanted to solve the crime. My dad was an easy suspect.’ She looked up at him. Did he believe her?
Mike smiled gently, but there was something holding him back.
‘He didn’t do it, Mike.’
‘No, of course not. I believe you.’ But she could see he wasn’t really looking at her, not directly. He was looking at her bruises: the one on her cheek from the Ordeal, the one on her forehead from her dad’s headbutt.
Did he believe her lies? She couldn’t tell.
‘My dad’s a hard man. And he wanted me to be like that too,’ said Mike as he unconsciously trailed his finger along a thorn on his neck. ‘He had plans for me, wanted to control every moment of my life. That’s the thing about parents, isn’t it? They don’t really want you to live your own life; they want you to correct their mistakes.’
‘What happened?’
Mike laughed bitterly. ‘Whatever I did, it wasn’t good enough. He just wanted more and more.’ He spoke again, so quietly it was almost a confession. ‘So I left.’
He caught her gaze and his amber eyes flashed with the pent-up frustration. Billi couldn’t look away. It was like having all her own feelings reflected back at her.
The doorbell chimed again and Billi caught the unmistakeable dash of white hair under a black woollen cap.
Kay.
He came straight over.
‘Billi, you’re needed.’ He looked at Mike and the suspicion was obvious. ‘Now.’
‘Kay, I’m busy. Can’t it wait?’ She felt strangely guilty. But I’m not doing anything wrong!
Mike stood up. He was actually a few centimetres shorter than Kay, but his bulk and physical presence made him seem bigger. Billi hoped Kay wouldn’t do anything stupid. As far as she knew Kay couldn’t fight a marshmallow.
‘Another friend of yours?’ said Mike.
‘Yes.’ Kay snapped.
‘Me too.’
Kay edged forward. ‘Funny, she’s not mentioned you.’
Billi took Kay’s elbow. ‘Outside,’ she snapped. She looked at Mike. ‘I’ll just be a minute.’
Billi had to drag Kay outside. He stood with his hands buried in his pockets, occasionally glancing over his shoulder, back at Mike.
‘Why are you here?’ asked Billi.
‘D’you know what time it is?’
What was Kay going on about? She had ages. They’d only been talking for about an hour. She checked her watch.
That can’t be right.
‘Oh yes it is,’ said Kay. ‘You should be on duty by now.’
‘Then why didn’t you just call me?’
Kay shifted uneasily. ‘I thought it best I come tell you.’
‘No, you thought it best to come and spy on me. To see who I was with.’
He stepped back, frustrated. ‘We used to look out for one another, remember?’
‘Used to. Not any more. I can look out for myself. What d’you think I’ve been doing for the last year?’
Kay jerked his head in Mike’s direction. ‘He’s not one of us, Billi. You’re a Templar and you’ve got bigger responsibilities than hanging out in cafes.’
‘Jeez, listen to you, Kay. You sound just like Dad.’
‘And what’s wrong with that?’ he snapped.
Billi gritted her teeth. Kay was the sort of Templar Arthur wanted. Devoted and blind. That’s why her dad was so hard on her – she was never going to be like that.
All she wanted to do was turn round, go back to Mike and not think about the bloody Templars just for one solitary evening. She shook her head. She obviously wasn’t even going to be allowed that.
‘Just give me a minute.’
‘Now.’
‘Just give me a minute!’ Billi shouted. Kay almost said something, then turned away.
Billi wandered back into the cafe.
‘I have to go, Mike.’
‘You in trouble with your boyfriend? Sorry, I didn’t realize.’
Boyfriend? Kay? ‘No! It’s just… my dad wants me home.’
Mike put his hand on her shoulder, but she gently pushed it away. She’d never have any peace and it wasn’t fair to get him caught in the middle.
‘Goodbye, Mike. I’m sorry.’ Yes, really sorry. She glanced over at Kay, fuming by the door. She hated what he was turning into: a Templar through and through.
‘Listen, Billi. If things are hard at home with your dad, I understand.’ He smiled. ‘Been there, done that, if you know what I mean.’ He took her coat and helped her put it on, a curiously old-fashioned gesture that took her by surprise. Billi could feel Kay’s blood boiling from here.
Good.
‘Just give me a shout if you want a break. Get away from… whatever,’ Mike added.
He leaned forward and their faces were a few centimetres apart. She could see her reflection in his golden eyes. Mike’s neck muscles tensed and she stared at the long curve of his throat down into his T-shirt. She stepped away, flustered. Suddenly it was all too hot and stuffy in here.