One Night Only (164 page)

He
turned
his
head
slowly
towards
her
and
Polly
felt
a
shive
r
g
o
straigh
t
t
o
he
r
bones
.
H
e
wa
s
a
slightl
y
built man
,
abou
t
fiv
e
foo
t
eigh
t
bu
t
hi
s
ton
e
wa
s
fierc
e
and
,
up agains
t
Gina
,
h
e
wa
s
lik
e a
worl
d
champio
n
heavyweight.
Sh
e
wouldn
’
t
stan
d
a
chance
.

“Oka
y
,
I’l
l
g
o .
. .
bu
t
I’l
l
b
e
bac
k
i
n
fiv
e
minutes,
”
she
said
,
slowl
y
standin
g
u
p
fro
m
th
e
table
.
Sh
e
sa
w
th
e
look o
f
pleadin
g
fea
r
i
n
Gina
’
s
eyes
.

“Fiv
e
minutes,
”
sai
d
Gina
,
wit
h
a
gulp
.
Poll
y
nodded.
T
revo
r
wa
s
starin
g
a
t
hi
s
wif
e
again
.

“I’
m
jus
t
nex
t
doo
r
i
f
yo
u
nee
d
m
e
befor
e
then,
”
Polly
sai
d
an
d
sh
e
walke
d
slowl
y
toward
s
th
e
sittin
g
roo
m
where
th
e
twin
s
wer
e
caugh
t
u
p
i
n
innocenc
e
an
d
laughte
r
.

Sh
e
too
k
th
e
boy
s
b
y
th
e
han
d
and
,
ignorin
g
their resistanc
e
t
o
leave
,
sh
e
lef
t
Gin
a
alon
e
wit
h
he
r
husband an
d
walke
d
nex
t
doo
r
wit
h a
fea
r
i
n
he
r
hear
t
tha
t
sh
e
had
neve
r
experience
d
before
.

“Don
’
t
touc
h
me
,
T
revo
r
.
Pleas
e
don
’
t
touc
h
me,”
whispere
d
Gina
.
He
r
voic
e
wa
s
breath
y
an
d
he
r
mouth wa
s
s
o
dr
y
.
Sh
e
kep
t
glancin
g
toward
s
th
e
bac
k
doo
r
,
waitin
g
o
n
Dann
y
t
o
burs
t
i
n
fro
m
hi
s
pla
y
.

T
revor
’
s
silenc
e
wa
s
petrifying
.
H
e
stoo
d
ove
r
he
r
,
shakin
g
hi
s
hea
d
an
d
clenchin
g
hi
s
clamm
y
fists
.
I
t
was onl
y
second
s
sinc
e
Poll
y
ha
d
left
,
bu
t
i
t
seeme
d
lik
e
an eternit
y
.
Gin
a
glance
d
a
t
th
e
clock
,
willin
g
i
t
t
o
move
forward
.
I
t
wa
s
comin
g
u
p
t
o
tw
o
i
n
th
e
afternoon
.
Danny woul
d
nee
d
a
snac
k
soon
.
H
e
ha
d
barel
y
touche
d
his
lunch
.
Mayb
e
h
e
woul
d
hav
e
a
sandwich
?
T
un
a
perhaps? O
r
banana
.
Y
es
,
h
e
love
d
banan
a
sandwiches
.
A
s
soo
n
as
T
revo
r
lef
t
sh
e
woul
d
–
“
Arghh!
”
Hi
s
fis
t
lande
d
acros
s
he
r
chee
k
an
d
it throbbed
!
O
h
God
,
i
t
throbbe
d
s
o
badly
!

“
Y
o
u
dirt
y
,
filth
y
whore!
”
h
e
said
,
shakin
g
hi
s
right han
d
an
d
shufflin
g
hi
s
fee
t
lik
e a
frustrate
d
animal.

“Wher
e
wer
e
yo
u
las
t
night
?
Wher
e
di
d
yo
u
go
,
yo
u
slut?
I’l
l
kil
l
him
!
I’l
l
fuckin
g
kil
l
him!
”

Gin
a
cowere
d
int
o
th
e
kitche
n
chai
r
,
almos
t
int
o
the foeta
l
position
.
H
e
kne
w
.
Sh
e
coul
d
tel
l
h
e
kne
w
.
H
e
knew
everythin
g
abou
t
he
r
.
Sh
e
kne
w
barel
y
anythin
g
about hi
m
thes
e
day
s
bu
t
h
e
alway
s
kne
w
wha
t
sh
e
go
t
u
p
to
.
If
sh
e
visite
d
a
differen
t
grocer
y
stor
e
tha
n
usual
,
h
e
would hea
r
i
t
befor
e
sh
e
go
t
home
.
I
f
sh
e
too
k
a
differen
t
route t
o
schoo
l
wit
h
Dann
y
,
h
e
woul
d
qui
z
he
r
a
s
t
o
wh
y
.
So
wh
y
th
e
hel
l
di
d
sh
e
believ
e
tha
t
sh
e
woul
d
eve
r
ge
t
away wit
h
wha
t
sh
e
di
d
yesterday
?
Wh
y
di
d
sh
e
thin
k
she
woul
d
eve
r
hav
e
th
e
abilit
y
t
o
leav
e
him
?
H
e
wouldn
’
t
let he
r
.
H
e
ha
d
ful
l
control
.