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stare at Dale in absolute shock. This was bad; way bad, way way worse than anything she had ever experienced before. Whilst he wasn’t physically assaulting her, he was completely embarrassing her in her place of work and she could feel herself reddening from head to toe, her anger rising to boiling point. She was totally ashamed. No one apart from Cole knew about Dale and his problems and she had always prided herself on keeping it that way. Andrews & Andrews was her sanctuary and she didn’t need him turning up uninvited and tainting that for her.
    At a loss as for what to do, Elise tried to talk some sense into Dale. “Look, I really appreciate you coming to see me - you know I do - but this is really not a good time for me. I have lots on and if I spend time with you, then that will make me later home tonight and you wouldn’t want that, would you?” Maybe a little blackmail would work.
    Absently Elise was aware of Annabel making a phone call but she stayed where she was, her eyes riveted to her husband, imploring him to leave without making any more of a scene. She watched as he started to focus and realise where he was and she was sure that when he was sober he would be mortified at what he was doing. He didn’t want anyone knowing their business any more than she did, although he visibly marked her skin on a regular basis. She had become an expert at using cover-up makeup; another skill, like lying, that she had never aspired to achieve.
    As his eyes began to clear and he started to sit up, Elise allowed herself to release the breath that she had been holding, finally beginning to believe that maybe he would leave and that perhaps things would be alright. Behind her, a door slammed and angry footsteps rattled across the floor in their direction. Startled, she turned. Oh God no. Cole. Anyone else approaching them and she could have dealt with it but not Cole. Not the man who knew exactly what her husband did to her. Not the man that picked her up and patched her up. Not the man who knew all of her bruises almost as intimately as she. Not the man that hated Dale with a passion. Not the man who was the last person that needed to see this display from her husband. Shit. Cole.
    A feeling of dread coursed through her as she realised that this was probably not going to end well. Why the hell couldn’t it have been anyone other than him approaching?
    Seeing Dale still sprawled on the sofa and taking in Elise’s placating position beside him, Cole immediately swerved towards Dale and for a split second, Elise thought that he wasgoing to punch him. Bracing herself, she waited but instead he stopped just short; anger radiating from his every pore, his hands clenched at his sides, jaw ticking incessantly.
    His voice when he spoke was calm, measured and dangerous.
    “What the fuck are you doing here? You are not welcome and, I need you to leave.”
    When Dale made no comment but merely continued to regard Cole with a somewhat amused expression, Cole continued. His voice low, his threat veiled.
    “You are a waste-of-space piece of shit and I do not want you cluttering up my Reception area. Now get out, you bastard, before I throw you out.”
    He had spoken relatively quietly and although she was straining to hear as much as she good, Elise was thankful that Cole had judged his tone right and that Annabel had not managed to understand anything.
    Dale focused his bleary vision on Cole. “Well, if it isn’t pretty-boy,” he mocked. “You need me to leave, do you? Well I know what you need,” he was sneering now, “you need to get in my wife’s panties don’t you? I’ve seen the way you look at her. You probably get rock-hard every time you’re around her.” He laughed almost humourlessly.
    “The thing is ‘pretty-boy’, I do too and I know that it messes with your head to know that she is mine. She is my wife.” He punctuated the last three words and then rudely gestured towards his crotch. Elise