Fallen Angel

by Bev Dulson

  ‘It’s good to be here,’ Magenta smiled. ‘We’re here to straighten the record, if you pardon the pun.’

  The presenter leaned in closer, ready for all the juicy gossip to be divulged.

  ‘It’s simple really, there’s no denying that Roxie has talent, you’ve all heard her voice right?’ The audience cheered Magenta’s comment. ‘Unfortunately she was being mismanaged. Just to point out this is no reflection on Highway 65, they are a reputable company, however, Roxie’s former manager, Jax Buckley resorted to his previous tricks of stealing songs, Roxie was just doing what she was told by her manager.’

  ‘Yet, Roxie, you gave an interview stating that the song was from personal experience.’

  Roxie hoped the nerves weren’t showing on her face. ‘Yes, well, that was an ill advised instruction from my manager.’

  ‘Look, Roxie is new to this industry, she should’ve been guided by her manager not set up like this. She’s just as much a victim in this as I am.’

  ‘On the subject of Jax Buckley, he appears to have gone missing. Any comment on this?’

  Magenta shook her head. ‘None at all. Roxie is no longer his client, she has been signed up with my record company and will be managed by the awesome Logan Hudson.’

  Sensing she wasn’t going to get anything more from Magenta on the subject, Dana changed tack. ‘Roxie, you’ve had quite a makeover, what happened to the red hair?’

  She smiled. ‘I went back to my roots, Magenta’s stylist, Juke Montgomery got me back to a look I feel comfortable with.’

  ‘Hey, he’s only on loan, you can take my song but you ain’t having my stylist.’

  All three women laughed.

  ‘So what’s next then for you both?’

  ‘Well, What I’d like is the opportunity to mentor Roxie, help her to write, help her to become the star she obviously is.’

  ‘How about you, Roxie? Did you ever imagine Magenta Valentina would take you under her wing?’

  Roxie shook her head, smiling. ‘I can’t believe my luck, she’s been awesome, especially after everything that happened with her song, she had every right to try and finish my career before I started, but she’s one of the most inspiring women I’ve ever met.’

  ‘I’m not in the habit of doing other women down, I’m about fixing crowns.’

  ‘What about your personal life Magenta, it’s fair to say you’ve had a rough time.’

  She nodded. ‘Yeah, but we’re through that now. I’m still smiling.’

  ‘I imagine that handsome hunk of a boyfriend helps to keep that smile in place. Any sign of wedding bells?’

  Magenta’s smile widened. ‘He deffo does keep me smiling, we’re good, happy as we are.’

  ‘Well after that video of you both I can see why you’re happy.’

  ‘As I mentioned after the event, I like to keep my private life private.’ Magenta shut her down with a look.

  ‘We’re almost out of time here. Good luck to you Roxie, I’m sure under Magenta’s wing, you’ll be flying high in no time. Join us after the break for the latest on…’

  ‘That went well, I thought,’ Trina congratulated her friend once she was backstage.

  Magenta shrugged. ‘Anything to deflect from Max and the negative shite he’s been peddling out to the universe. Better to have Roxie in our fold where we can spin the story than out there under the influence of Max and Jax, wherever the fuck he is, he’ll pop up at some point.’

  ‘And what about Max?’

  ‘I don’t know, there’s always the danger he’s planning something else,’ she sighed. ‘I’ll just have to try and stay one step ahead, shouldn’t be too hard when your opponent is an absolute dickhead.’

  Trina smiled.

  ‘What’s wrong, you don’t seem yourself.’

  Trina let out another smile and just shrugged.

  ‘Hmm, well that smile seemed a little forced. Dean? Has he been in touch?’

  She shook her head. ‘No, it’s Johnny…’

  ‘Ah, still deciding on whether to let him have his wicked way?’

  ‘That’s just it, we already did.’

  Magenta’s hand flew to her face. ‘Oh my God, don’t tell me the cock star was shite in bed?’

  Trina blushed. ‘Best sex I’ve ever had in my life.’

  ‘So, what’s the problem, that’s what you wanted, wasn’t it?’

  She nodded. ‘Yep, I got what I wanted, but what I didn’t expect was Johnny telling me he loved me.’

  ‘Shit! Did not see that one coming, I knew he fancied you, but Johnny doesn’t do being in love.’

  ‘Well apparently he does now.’

  ‘What did you say?’

  ‘Nothing really, I started telling him that we couldn’t do it again, I am still married and it’s not like I’ve actually decided to divorce Dean…there’s me committing adultery like I don’t have a care in the world. Then Johnny flips, says he thought I knew I was the one, he loved me, but I’d used him.’

  Magenta laughed. ‘God, girl, I know this isn’t funny, but Johnny finally gets a taste of his own medicine, that boy has a trail of broken hearts leading to his bed. Don’t feel bad babe, he’ll get over you as soon as he’s got under someone else.’

  ‘You think? He seemed really upset, I don’t want to hurt him.’

  ‘Trust me, I’ve known Johnny a long time. I think he’s incapable of getting hurt.’

  ‘Magenta, everybody hurts, just whether you show it or not.’

  Later that afternoon Logan called Hunter and Tango into the living room. He was getting worried about the location of Jax and said as much to the guys.

  ‘He’s the key to this whole thing, I know we have Roxie on side now and Erika is in jail, but he’s the link to Max and I’m worried Max is gonna pull another stunt.’

  Hunter nodded. ‘I agree, it’s a loose end that needs tying up. Can you get your PI onto it?’

  Logan hung his head. ‘There never was one, I’ve never had a situation like this. Magenta was freaking out over the stolen song, then there was the threatening letters, don’t forget we still don’t know if that was Max or not. I felt out of my depth, I didn’t know how to deal with it, I make music for fucks sake. I thought hiring Romeo and Tango would be enough.’

  ‘Bloody hell, Logan, why didn’t you be honest about this from the beginning? You know I have contacts. I’m not happy about you taking a risk with Mag’s life like this.’

  ‘I know, I fucked up.’

  ‘Hold on,’ Tango stepped forward. ‘Did you say letters?’

  Logan nodded. ‘Two more this morning, same style, newspaper cut out.’

  ‘Right, we have to find Jax, this has to be Max but we need proof and you’re right he’s the missing link and when I get that proof, Max better be prepared for the consequences.’

  ‘Logan, you need to see this.’ Magenta came into the room, holding her phone out for him to see.’

  ‘Aw shit,’ he was looking at a live video of Johnny, a very drunk Johnny, singing very badly as he slurred along to an attempt at singing I will survive. ‘Where do I start with this?’

  ‘I’d go with the song choice, it’s career suicide.’

  Logan gave Magenta a look. ‘Feel like I’m running a kindergarten here, not a fuckin’ record label.’

  ‘Where is this?’

  Trina appeared over his shoulder, also watching the video. ‘It’s err, the Knickerbockers’ residents bar.’

  ‘At least that’s something, he’s not in some dodgy dive.’

  ‘Yep, a classy drunk.’

  ‘Don’t throw stones Magenta, glass houses,’ Logan warned. ‘What the hell has happened to get Johnny in this state?’

  Trina threw a rescue me look to Magenta. ‘No idea, think you need to get over there though and stop him.’

  ‘Where is that bodyguard? Why isn’t he stopping him?’

  Tango coughed. ‘In all due respect, Romeo is there to protect him from others, not much he can do
to save him from himself.’

  Logan shook his head. ‘Just another problem to add to my on-going list.’

  ‘Err, Logan, I’ll come with you if you want, I might be able to help.’

  ‘Whatever you want, let’s go and sort this kid out.’

  Magenta found herself alone in the penthouse with Hunter for the first time since they arrived in New York, well apart from Tango but he’d disappeared back into the study.

  ‘Peace at last.’ Hunter flopped down on the sofa.

  ‘Not so peaceful in that bar right now, reckon Logan will kick his arse from here to Liverpool,’ she chuckled. ‘You OK? You look distracted. Any more information on the book person?’ She sat down next to him, bringing her legs up underneath her and resting her arm on the back of the sofa.

  He sighed, letting his head fall back onto a cushion. ‘Nope, drawing a complete blank,’ he paused, his eyes flicking over to her.

  ‘What?’ She asked, immediately picking up on the look in his eyes.

  ‘There’s been more letters, two new ones arrived this morning.’

  ‘What did they say?’

  ‘It doesn’t matter what it said, the priority now is finding out who it is, we need to find Jax. Logan thinks he’s the link to all this.’

  ‘I’m fine, this nutter targeting you is worrying me,’ she reached out, letting her fingers become entwined in his chestnut hair.

  ‘You know I can look after myself, I need to protect you. I don’t want you going anywhere without either me or Tango.’

  ‘If you hadn’t noticed I can’t move without him popping up. I am fine, there’s more than enough security around me. I couldn’t cope if anything happened to you.’

  ‘Nothing’s gonna happen, likelihood is, it’s just some saddo trying to get his kicks.’

  ‘Babe, he knows too much, he knows your name, he took out the chapter of the book based on what happened with Travis. It scares me.’

  He pulled her close wrapping his arms around her, her head resting on his shoulder. ‘Don’t be scared, I’d be more worried about them when I find out who it is.’

  Something niggled at her, she wasn’t sure what it was, but something about this wasn’t all that it seemed but she couldn’t make the connections yet, there was too much going on in her head. She rested her eyes for a moment, enjoying the feeling of his arms around her. ‘There’s nowhere else I’d rather be,’ she mumbled, sleepily.

  ‘Me either, la. Me either.’

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  Logan had indeed kicked Johnny’s ass from New York to New Glockenshire, not that it had done much good, he wasn’t in any state to be bollocked. They were back in the penthouse of the Knickerbocker after Logan had dragged him kicking and screaming.

  ‘C’mon boss, s’not like I got caught sssshaggin’ on camera again, issss it?’

  ‘That might have been preferable, least you weren’t singing in that video, your voice sounded absolutely shit. This is gonna take some damage limitation. Your voice is your fuckin’ career, Johnny.’

  ‘Nah, it’s my face. Everrrrryone wants a piece of Johnnnny.’

  ‘I can’t talk to you when you’re like this, sober up then we’ll talk. In the meantime, I’ll try and sort this shit storm out. Bloody artists, I need a less stressful job.’

  ‘I’ll stay with him,’ Trina had been standing behind Logan as he reprimanded Johnny.’

  ‘Thanks Trina, not your job to babysit him though.’

  ‘I know, but it’ll take the pressure off you a bit and I need to give Magenta and Hunter some space, I don’t mind, honestly.’ What she wanted to say was it was the least she could do for possibly being the cause of this little situation.

  ‘OK, but he gives you any messing and you call me straight away.’

  Johnny was now passed out on the bed. ‘Think I can cope.’

  Once Logan had gone, she tried to get Johnny as comfortable as possible on the bed, but it was proving difficult to move his drunken rock star arse. In the end Romeo helped her to move him, she told him he could wait in the room next door and she’d call him if she needed him. Once Johnny was settled, she made herself a cup of tea as best as she could without her PG Tips, sat in the window seat of his bedroom, watching him sleep. This couldn’t be her fault could it? So much for trying to be a brave, independent woman and doing things on her own terms. Her first foray into a new world had resulted in the drunken mess in front of her. Her life had literally turned on its axis, if you’d have said to her before she came to New York that she’d end up in Johnny’s hotel room while he slept off a hangover she’d have thought that was crazy, yet, here she was. A thought struck her, he kept asking her who was looking out for her, the same could be said for him. Where was everyone else? Even Fly had disappeared this afternoon. Where they just a pair of lost souls who had found themselves wandering along the same path? She was looking too deep into this, must’ve been his comments about the universe flinging them together staying in her subconscious. Her phone beeped, pulling her from her thoughts. Finally, a text from Dean.

  Hey babe…

  Babe, who did he think he was? Sorry for virtually cheating on you ‘babe.’ She pulled a face as she carried on reading the rest of the text.

  …Sorry I haven’t been in touch, I wanted to give you some space and I needed to think. I was stupid to ask you to be part of my virtual world, I know you’re too straight for that…

  Ha, that’s what you think Dean Fraser, the memory of the window seat sex in her hotel room flooded her mind. She carried on reading.

  …I was thinking I could go and see a sex counsellor, but I do think that if we can just start having sex again, we’ll be back on track. Maybe we could get some pills or something for your libido…

  Wanker, of course this situation was her fault! She looked over to Johnny’s sleeping form. She was sure he wouldn’t agree that her libido was a problem.

  …We’ve been together so long, don’t think either of us want to start over and y’know, there are the kids…

  That was it, the final nail in the coffin to her marriage, no I love you, no I’ve made a mistake, no I want to fight for you, for us. Just a text basically blaming her for his indiscretions. Whatever guilt she’d felt for sleeping with Johnny was gone. Her marriage was over when she sent Dean packing.

  She read the text over, what would Trina do a month ago? She’d probably take the dickhead back, she’d be thinking about the kids, like the end of the text alluded to, if she didn’t take him back, she’d be breaking the kids hearts. But what would this new improved Trina do? She wouldn’t fall for his emotional bullshit, she’d hold her head up high, she’d do what was best for both her and her kids. She looked out of the window, the one thing about Times Square was, that it was constant, it never stopped. Just like life, their world wouldn’t fall apart if she and Dean split up. What example was she setting her kids, particularly Jade if she let them know that it was OK to be treated like that? A pretty shit example. No, Trina had found a missing piece of herself in New York, maybe a piece that hadn’t been missing at all, just mislaid. She picked up her phone and sent a text back.

  You’ll be hearing from my lawyers, T.

  And with that, in a penthouse in New York, a drunken rock star asleep on the bed and Times Square in front of her, cup of tea in her hand her marriage was over. Trina felt like a weight was off her shoulders, she looked down to her left hand all that was weighing her down now were her wedding rings. She took them off, her finger felt almost naked without them, but she felt free. Was she really supposed to feel like this after ending her marriage? She took a picture of her rings sitting on the window seat and sent them to Dean without any caption, that was her final word.

  Back to business, she opened up the Twitter app on her phone. No surprise, Johnny was trending. She groaned, but got a pleasant surprise when she saw the tweets, they were largely about what a good laugh Johnny seemed and how people wanted to go out on the piss with him. Even his dodgy
singing was being overlooked with people being more interested in his antics.

  Even pissed Johnny looks hot #stillwould #Johnnykidd

  #Rockstargoals turning up drunk to any event #Johnnykidd

  Too cool for school #Johnnykidd

  Johnny singing on a bad day is still better than the Bieber on a good day #Johnnykidd

  And so it continued. Few trolls on there, but the majority seemed to be that this had done nothing to damage his rock God status. She frowned at the injustice of it all. Magenta’s drunk meltdown had resulted in so much negative press, yet Johnny could get away with it and still be the golden boy of rock. If this had been Magenta she’d have been totally slated.

  ‘Scouse?’

  She looked up from her phone. Johnny was awake, albeit in a disorderly fashion. She stood up and walked towards the bed.

  ‘Am I in trouble?’ He rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand.

  ‘Surprisingly not, Johnny Teflon Kidd strikes again. The Twitterverse loves you.’

  ‘But not you, hey?’

  ‘Let’s not do this now, you need a shower and you need to go and apologise to Logan, he IS pissed off with you, even if the rest of the world aren’t.’

  ‘Can we talk later, y’know, when I’m not hung over to death?’ He reached out for her hand and squeezed it. He focused on her for the first time.

  ‘Your rings?’

  ‘Clearly your head isn’t completely full of bourbon then. Not now, like you said, later. I’ll let you get ready. I need to go and find a decent cup of tea, you need a kettle and proper tea bags.’

  Magenta had decided the best way to steady the Logan International Music ship after Johnny’s impromptu karaoke stint and to also establish Roxie as a new member of the fold was to have a party. This was before all Johnny’s good social media comments, but by that point Logan agreed and an impromptu gathering had been arranged for the following evening at the Waldorf Astoria, all New York’s glitterati would be there. It would be small, but perfectly formed. It would be an opportunity for Magenta to put all her bad press behind her too, time to get her sparkle on and shine like the star she was, it was also a chance to see Hunter in a tux, was worth having a party in itself just to see him looking hotter than James Bond.