The local council had clearly given up on fixing potholes and he felt the car judder and jar with every dip in the road. One out of every three street lights was blinking on and off and several houses were either boarded up or just looked plain depressing. Who would ever want to live in such an area he thought and then shook himself, because the residents clearly did not have a choice. Whilst much of London was prosperous, there were still areas of extreme poverty. Million pound town houses backing up against council owned housing complexes and here that difference was quite startling.
“Where exactly are we going?” he asked.
Penny shot him a smile. Dressed in a pair of his sweats and an old tee, she looked fresh and innocent. He almost snorted at the thought.
“Not too far. Take the next left.”
He should have allowed his security people to accompany him, he thought as he drove down the shady looking street. He should allow them to accompany him far more often than he did. They were already full of questions. He’d dealt with their immediate concerns, namely not being able to work out how she’d gotten in, whilst Penny slept the night before, but still they were antsy, wondering what the hell was going on.
Aren’t we all?
Still, he hadn’t wanted to look like some sort of coward, dragging a contingent of guards with him. He chafed at having to have security at all, and though he was rich he was not a public figure so could get away with having them close but not too close most of the time. And then to bringing them along to whatever Penny was up to felt wrong. They were bound to ask questions and what the hell could he tell them?
I’ve actually gone a little bit mad. Don’t worry though. It’ll all be over soon enough. Because it would be, wouldn’t it?
“You can pull over anywhere here,” Penny said, interrupting his frantic thoughts and indicating a stretch of road that had about a million potholes. “We have to walk the rest of the way.”
“Here?” he asked, noting the fact less than half the streetlights were in working order. “Is it safe?”
She nodded. “They’ll think you’re a dealer or something. They won’t dare touch this car just in case. Don’t worry about that.”
“A dealer? As in drugs.”
She laughed. “No valuable antiques.”
He scowled and pulled his seat belt free. “And this is where you spend your time? With drug dealers and criminals?”
Another laugh. “Well yes, or have you forgotten I am one?”
“I forget nothing.”
“Let’s get moving then.”
The road was deserted but it felt to Sebastian like there was a lingering menace. He was glad that he’d gone for jeans himself rather than the suit he would normally have worn. Suits would not fit here. They suggested authority and Sebastian suspected authority was the last thing the residents of this area respected.
“Come on,” Penny prompted. “Best not to linger.”
They walked for a good ten minutes, through shaded streets and side alleys, and Sebastian became more and more appalled as he took in their surroundings. Penny did not seem to notice. Hands by her side she strode along as if she were walking through Knightsbridge.
“Penny, do you live around here?” he asked, wanting the answer to be a resounding no.
“Uh huh.”
“But why?”
“It’s all we can afford.”
We, not I. Sebastian didn’t even want to ask the question that was forming but knew he had to. He gritted his teeth and took her by the arm, steering her past an old trolley. “We as in who?”
She looked up at him, the light from a nearby house reflecting off her surprised expression. “Myself and my sisters of course.”
Relief filled him, sweet and searing. Up until the question left his lips it had not occurred to him that there might be another man in the picture. The very idea made his anger spurt and he exhaled shakily. “Not a boyfriend then?”
“Nope. No boyfriend.”
“No dates?”
“Sebastian,” she asked, pulling her arm free. “Do you really think I’d have fucked you if I was involved with someone else?”
He shrugged. “People do it all the time.”
“Some people maybe. Not me.”
They walked across an unlit area and Sebastian had to bank down the urge to pull her close again. She was clearly at home in their surroundings, moving easily past boarded up houses and rusting cars. Yes, because she lives here. The woman you’re fucking comes from one of the most dangerous parts of the city….
“Why here?” he asked.
“Why here what?”
“Why do you live here?”
“Because as I said it’s all we can afford,” she said.