"You what?"

Ste knew his voice was screechy. People were looking at him curiously, but he didn't care. He couldn't believe his ears.

"I borrowed the…"

"Yeah! I heard ya, Doug!" he interrupted. Of course he heard, he just couldn't believe it was possible.

"I'm sorry, I know you didn't want to but…"

"Didn't want to's an understatement, Doug! Told you and him that I'd rather die's closer to what happened!"

"But Ste," Doug pleaded, gesturing at the deli, "all this would never have happened without it. There was no other way we could have got the money."

"Then we shouldn't have got it. Do you know what this means, Doug?"

"It doesn't mean anything. It's just a loan, like from a bank, and we'll pay it back and that'll be that."

Ste knew his jaw was on the floor. "Have you met Brendan Brady?"

"Yes, and I know how you feel about him, but…"

"Well, obviously ya don't, cos otherwise you'd never have done it!"

"Ste, chill out, he just wanted to help."

"Oh, yeah, cos that's what he said? Yeah, that's gotta be true, I mean, Brendan never lies, does he? Except when words are coming out of his mouth!"

"He hasn't even asked for anything, though, has he? He didn't mind you not knowing."

"Oh, so it was your idea to lie to me, was it?"

"Ste…"

"Oh, just leave it Doug!" Ste shouted, and stormed off. He felt like screaming, like throwing himself at the wall and destroying everything in his path. He felt so stupid. How could he have believed that this was him doing something for himself, making something of his life? He was never going to do that. He was always going to be under someone's thumb. His step Dad's, Brendan's, whose was irrelevant. He never had belonged to himself, or been his own man, and he never would.

He stormed across the road. He didn't even realise where he was going until he'd climbed the stairs and was staring at Brendan Brady.

"Steven," said the lilt that once upon a time made his heart beat that little faster at every syllable. A casual observer might think Brendan was waiting for him, but Ste knew when he wasn't expected. It was like he couldn't manage to mask his interest in his prey when it did something unexpected, "to what do I owe this pleasure?"

Smug, smooth, irritating bastard.

"Doug told me."

Brendan tilted his head on one side. "How cryptic, Steven."

Ste rolled his eyes, but Brendan didn't seem to notice.

"What did the cardiganned American tell you that was so important you expect me to read your mind?"

"What do you want?" Ste demanded.

Brendan mock-frowned at him, "It's customary, Steven, when person A seeks out person B, it is person A that wants something."

"I know you gave Doug the money for the deli."

"Oh," smirked Brendan, "that."

"Yeah, and so now I want to know what you want."

He stared at him, like maybe if he never let him out of his sight, Brendan wouldn't be able to lie again.

"Why should I want anything, Steven?" Brendan almost chirped, "maybe I just did it out of the goodness of my heart."

"You don't have any goodness of your heart."

Brendan was enjoying this far too much. "Maybe, as a business man, I could see the potential in a good investment, situated conveniently on my doorstep."

"Yeah, right, you were always on about how I was gonna fail before."

"Well, why don't you enlighten me, then, Steven? Why did I lend Douglas eighty thousand pounds to start your wee business?"

Ste's mouth fell open. The amount was out of this world. He couldn't pay that off if he worked until he was a hundred.

"Come on, Steven, I thought you were all ready to accuse me of something."

He was such a smug bastard.

"You did it because you have to be in control," Ste announced, "even when you hate me and want me out of your life, you still want to have your hold over me. You see me moving on, getting away from you, and you just have to find a way back in there, to mess with my head."

Brendan looked at him quietly, letting him talk.

"Is that what you think?" he asked, voice thoughtful, quiet.

"That's what I know!" Ste replied, certain of himself and folding his arms.

"You think…" said Brendan, slowly, "that I paid Douglas eighty thousand pounds so I could 'mess with your head'?" he laughed, "I can think of more cost effective ways to do that, Steven."

God, that was a terrifying amount of money.

"To put yourself in charge, yeah, you would. And it's not like you think you won't get it back again, is it?"

Brendan laughed, "But I thought I expected you to fail. Isn't that what you said a minute ago?"

"Then what do you want then?" Ste shouted, furious he was being talked around in circles, that Brendan wasn't just holding his hands up and backing off, or being angry or showing his true colours or something. "Because I know you Brendan. You don't do nice. You never could. You can't even do stuff that will make yourself happy if there's a chance it might be hard. All you care about is yourself, and having the rest of us on strings."

And suddenly Brendan was on him, pushing him back until he hit the banister. Ste clawed at the hands on his shoulders, but knew from experience they wouldn't let go until Brendan was ready.

"I don't care about anyone, do I? You really think that, do you Steven? You think, knowing what I have done for you that I would blink at a few grand?"

"Let go of me!" Thoughts of Danny Houston never failed to freak him out.

"You think the way I feel about you just disappeared, do ye? You turn your back on me when I need you most, and you think I could do the same to you?"

"What?"

"You think you know me so well, do ye Steven? I didn't know when Dougie boy would cave in and let it slip, but I knew every word you were gonna say to me when he did. I knew how long it would take you to get here, and I know exactly what you've said to Doug."

"I ain't said anything to Doug."

"What, didn't have it out with him before you cut off in the middle to come here? Go home, Steven, go back to your little Douglas and your lies, and my deli, but remember, I will always be here, and I will always be watching, and there is nothing you can do that'll change that."

And Brendan let go, turned and disappeared into the office. After a moment of stunned silence, Ste turned on his heel, and ran down the stairs. He did almost as instructed. He went straight home, back to his flat, and locked himself in, with nothing but Brendan's face and words to fill his mind and not a moment's peace.