It is like I slapped him. His whole body contracts at my words and he looks at me as if it is his fault that Gavin is a bastard. He takes my hand gently as if he is afraid I would break there and then, and I say clearly. I want to spare him the humiliation of being here. Of having his heart ripped out of his chest in front of an audience. ‘Go now. I’m all right.’
‘But you …’ he trails off as if it is too painful to even say the words.
‘I’m a big girl. I can handle this.’
He nods, turns on his heels and walks out of the room. The room is so silent you could have heard a pin drop. I walk up to Octavia. She blinks slowly at me.
‘Get out of my house you vindictive bitch,’ I growl at her.
There are shocked gasps all around us. No one has seen this side of me. I am the loony little sister. Be nice to me to get to my brother.
She takes a step back. ‘What’s wrong with you all? Don’t kill the messenger. I’m not the bitch here. Tori Diamond is a lying, cheating slut and I just exposed the truth. You should be thanking me. She was about to ruin your brother. Couldn’t you see, he was intoxicated by her?’
I look at her. Yes, Tori turned out to be a snake in the grass, but I always liked her, there was something warm and kind about her, but this cold, black-hearted, mercenary bitch, I disliked her from the first second I laid eyes on her.
I let my eyes run down her skinny body in her designer leather dress. ‘Tori has more class in her little finger than you ever dreamed of having.’
Her eyes register shock and fury. She always dismissed me as the inconsequential little sister. Well, I’m not. Not anymore. Thanks to Tori. So I’m not going to say a bad word about her.
‘You don’t mean it,’ she says, trying to look dignified, but her face is red with humiliation.
‘I never wanted anything more in my life. Get out of my house before I get the bouncers outside to escort you out. With the paparazzi vultures gathered outside that would make very interesting breakfast reading.’
For a second she hesitates, then she lifts her chin proudly, and leaves the room. The sound of her heels clicking on the hardwood floor is loud.
I look at the DJ and smile at him. ‘Can we have some music before this party dies of boredom.’
He raises his eyebrows in an impressed way and spins a revved up version of Taio Cruz and Ludacris’ Break Your Heart. Adrenaline is pumping in my veins, but soon the tears will come. With my head held high I walk away to the kitchen. Cora. Cora will know what to do.
Cash
Clutching Tori’s poisonous diary in my hand, I go out through the kitchen door, cross the garden, and vault over the brick wall. I’m halfway up Mrs. Herrington-Little’s garden when she spots me through her kitchen window and comes to open the sliding door.
‘Wipe your feet,’ she instructs as if I’m still thirteen.
I wipe my feet and automatically ask about her son. My voice sounds normal, not like my head is on fire and Tori’s name is vibrating in my chest like a fucking cell phone. Cash calling Tori. Cash calling Tori. Cash calling Tori. Fuck it.
Mrs. H chatters about her son as she walks me to her front door. I don’t hear a word.
I open the door. ‘Thanks, Mrs. H.’
I walk on to the street and stride down it, my head lowered. I take a left at the end of the road and casually walk towards my car. A scruffy man standing near my father’s front door spots me. Shit. He raises his long lens camera and starts snapping away. It alerts the others and they begin running towards me. Everybody wanting to get the best shot. They remind me of a pack of hyenas. I get into my car and floor the pedal.
I dial Gavin’s number.
He answers on the third ring. His voice is cautious. ‘Hey, Bro.’
‘We need to talk,’ I say, my voice completely normal.
‘Yeah, I agree. Let’s talk, dude.’
‘Where are you now?’
‘Home, but I’ve got company.’
‘Get rid of her.’
‘Right. Right. Got it,’ he stutters.
I kill the connection.
As I’m driving, my mind veers back to Tori. I can still smell her on me. Fuck, I was inside her pussy less than an hour ago. My hand slams into the steering wheel and the car swerves wildly. Someone behind me blows his horn. Asshole. I hit the button that brings the glass of my window down. Cool night air rushes in as I give him the middle finger and accelerate so fast my tires screech.
The security guard at his post nods and lets me through the gates. I stop the car at the front of the house and run up the steps. Before I can put my finger on the doorbell, Gavin’s butler, Jeremy, opens the door. He is so pale and still, he always reminds me of what you’d expect to find inside a satin lined coffin.
‘Good evening, Mr. Hunter,’ he greets formally.
I have no time for pleasantries. ‘Where is he?’
‘In the Blue room, Sir,’ he says, his eyes showing just the flicker of surprise. There is hope yet for him.
I stride towards the room and open the door without knocking. I stand at the doorway and stare at him. I’ve known him since I was fifteen, but it would seem I’ve never really known him at all.
He is standing nervously by the great marble fireplace. He has obviously heard me come in and is waiting for me. He has the expression of someone about to bolt. Fucking coward.
‘Why Britney?’ I ask, the fury in my voice barely leashed.
Gavin shrugs. ‘I was drunk, man. I didn’t know what I was doing. I would never have touched her otherwise. You have to believe me.’
I stare at him. Fucking liar.
‘I was drunk. It was dark. I didn’t even know it was her. I thought it was some chick. Come on. You must know I’d never do something like that.’
‘Tell me something I can believe,’ I tell him coldly.
His mouth quivers as he analyzes his next move. ‘It’s the truth, man. You gotta believe me. I swear it’s the God’s fucking truth.’ He takes a couple of steps forward, his voice pleading, his expression shifty. ‘We’re mates. You know me. I can get any girl I want.’
Look at him. How weak he is. I haven’t even swung a punch yet and he is shaking like a fucking leaf.
‘So why her? All the women in the world and you picked my sister. Did you think I wouldn’t find out or when I did, I’d stand back and watch my little sister be hurt by a little, coke snorting, acid licking, waste of skin like you? What do you think I am? A moron? A coward like you?’
‘Oh fuck, Cash. I was so wasted. What’d you want from me? She came on to me,’ he cries desperately.
Of all the things his twisting, turning devil tongue could have said. That was the worst. In the blink of an eye I had covered the distance between us and slammed my fist into his face. Pain blazes up my arm as my hand connects with his jaw. He stumbles back, blood flowing from his mouth and spilling down his chin. I don’t allow even a brief second for him to catch his breath. I drive back into him and he tries to throw a sloppy blow. I dodge it easily.
Blood hums in my veins as I grab his head in my hands and bring my kneecap to his nose. There is a blunt crack before he screams in pain. I release his head. Two streams of crimson are running from his nostrils and his nose is twisted. He grabs hold of my body in a kind of protective hug. I tilt my head back and smash it into his. Stars burst in my vision, but he sinks to the ground barely conscious.
His mouth moves, no words come out.
‘You tell anyone your version of what happened, call her name, or you come near her again and I swear I will fucking destroy you.’ I grab a handful of his hair. ‘Do you understand me?’
He nods weakly. I open my wrist and his head lands on the carpet with a soft thud. I stand over him watching his chest rise and fall with every shallow breath he takes, then I walk to the bottle of whiskey on the table and I pour myself a generous measure.
Jeremy enters the room. His face is impassive. ‘Should I pour, Sir?’ he asks.
‘I’m good, thanks.’
‘Should I perhaps call for a doctor?’ he asks as if he is asking me if he should bring in the tea.
‘That’s a damn good idea, Jeremy.’ I down the rest of the drink and walk away without looking back.
I get into my car and I fucking stamp on the accelerator. The car flies until I hear the sound of sirens. I look in the rear view mirror and see the blue flashing light. Fuck them. With the horsepower under me I could have outrun them, but I don’t.
Sometimes the future is written in the stars. I pick up my mobile and call my lawyer.
Chapter Thirty-nine
Cash
-That’s me in a cockfight, losing to a fucking pigeon-
It is not my lawyer who gets to me first. It is Octavia. She prowls the small utilitarian room at the police station restlessly.
‘Forget it, Octavia. You’re wasting your time. It’s all over for me, anyway. I’m not coming back.’
‘Why is it over? What has any of this got to do with the band?’ Octavia looks about as malevolent as a scorpion crawling into a baby’s crib.
I look her in the eye. ‘There’s no fucking way I could be in the same room as Gavin after what he did.’
‘She was a slut. She came on to him.’ Her voice is full of anger.
I stare at her in disbelief. ‘What the hell are you talking about? You actually believe my sister came on to that brainless waste of skin?’
For the first time since I’ve known her she looks at me with confusion. ‘Your sister?’
The realization is instant. Bile rises up in my throat. My eyes narrow on her. ‘You were referring to Tori, weren’t you?’
She recovers fast. ‘Well, that’s neither here nor there now.’
Frustration bubbles up inside me. ‘What did he do to her?’ I ask with deceptive softness.
She hesitates, then shrugs carelessly. She doesn’t care that she’s tearing open my chest and ripping my heart out. ‘I found her on Gavin’s lap. She was kissing him.’
My breath comes out in a rasp. I’ve never wanted to hit a woman before, but I would love to swing my fist into her pitiless, plastic face.
‘She was no good. Look how much damage she has caused. Don’t let her ruin everything. Please, Cash.’
‘Get the fuck out,’ I say through clenched teeth. My stomach burns. Be still heart. Be still.
‘Fuck this. I’m not having this. I worked around the clock, called in a lot of favors, made threats, and generally fucking sold my soul to keep your shitty story out of the media.’
‘Looks like you wasted your time. I’m out.’
She looks at me incredulously. ‘Are you really that stupid? Do you really want to throw your career away over a lying psychopath? You don’t even know who she is. We’ve been through a lot and we’ll overcome this if we stick together.’
I look at her impassively. ‘Fuck you, Octavia. I don’t care if they burn me in the headlines. I don’t care if the record company drops me and no one else picks me up. I’m through playing this game.’
She shakes her head in disgust. ‘You know what your problem is? You’ve started to believe your own hype. You’re nothing but a spoilt, talentless, fuckboy. The lead singer of a boy band singing jingles for teenagers and you’re nothing without me guiding your career,’ she screeches furiously.
I clap my hands. ‘Bravo. Finally, the moment of truth. A little bit of what Octavia truly thinks. I actually prefer this to all the sickening lies. The band can continue without me. Find a replacement for me. Shouldn’t be too hard considering how talentless I am.’
‘You’ll be sorry, but it will be too late. If I walk out of this door, I swear, there will be no way back for you.’
‘Bye.’
She clenches her hands into tight fists and grunts with anger. ‘I made you and I can break you.’
‘Have fun doing it.’
She turns on her heels and walks to the door. She puts her hand on the handle and turns around and smiles. ‘I know you are upset now. It doesn’t matter. I’ve taken care of everything. Of course, I’m not going to break you. I care about you. You’re like the son I never had.’
I wince. Even the idea of her as a mother figure makes me want to puke.
‘You need me,’ she adds fiercely.
I shake my head slowly.
‘Yes, you do. You’re just too immature to realize it. You’ll see soon enough how your career nosedives without me.’
I shrug. ‘You should go. You’re wasting your time.’
She opens the door and goes out. I hear her heels clicking sharply down the corridor.
How on earth did she ever manage to convince me that she was acting for my greater good?
Many years ago while I was in America I went into a diner for a meal and the guy flipping the burgers in the kitchen recognized me. Then I was not a celebrity, but I was a rising star. He came out and told me he was once a one hit wonder. His record sold in the millions. I never forgot what he said.
‘This industry is full of leeches. They glue their mouths to your skin and suck you dry. When there is nothing left to drain they drop off and look for the next unsuspecting victim.’
Tori
That night I can’t sleep at all. I lie in bed with the curtains open, looking at a starless sky. The whole time my mind is replaying the scene with Octavia reading my diary out and my body is listening for the phone or the sound of a car pulling up on the road outside. He will forgive me. He will call. He has to. The mere thought of being without him gives me heart palpitations.
By six in the morning I finally drop off to sleep, exhausted and defeated. The sound of a car coming up our driveway wakes me up at nine o’clock. I run to the window and look down. For a second my heart stops. It’s Victor. Then I see him get out of the car, open his boot, and take out a large cardboard box.
I have to cover my mouth to stop the sobs from escaping. I watch him walk up the path and come up to the house. I hear the doorbell ring and I hear my aunt answer it, but I don’t come down from the bedroom. I just stand at the window and watch Victor go back to his car and drive away.
After a few minutes my aunt comes up and knocks on the door.
I go and sit on the bed and say, ‘Come in.’
She comes in with the box. ‘Your things. It was nice of them, wasn’t it?’ she says, putting the box on the nearby desk.
My throat feels hot and constricted. I nod wordlessly.
‘Do you want to come down for some breakfast?’
‘In a while,’ I say softly.
‘OK, I’ll see you downstairs then,’ she says.
‘OK,’ I say, relieved that my aunt doesn’t want to talk ‘about it’.
She closes the door and goes out. I stand and walk to the box. I pull the duct tape off and open it. The first thing I see is my mobile phone. I switch it on and check it for messages. Nothing. I look at calls received and … nothing. There is a letter. I recognize the writing on the envelope as Cora’s.
Dear Tori,
I’m so sorry, duckie, that it happened the way it did. You didn’t deserve that. I still believe in you. There must be a way to work this out. If there’s any way I can help you just let me know and I’ll do everything in my power to do so.
With love and hugs,
Cora
I feel tears blur my vision. I put down the letter and go through the box. The leopard print dress is in there and so are the Medusa tri-strap shoes. At the bottom of the box I find another envelope with Mr. Hunter’s writing on it. Inside there is a check made out to me, the sum equivalent to two months’ wages. He has stuck a Post-it Note on it with the words Thank You. I think of Britney’s face when Octavia was reading my diary out and I have to close my eyes and breathe slowly and deeply or the blinding regret I feel will make me scream uncontrollably.
If only I had not taken that damn diary with me or if only I had never written those things. If only I had told Cash earlier. I had the perfect opp
ortunity while we were upstairs, but instead I had sex with him. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Then I suddenly realize that my diary is not in the box.
I wonder who has it and why they have not returned it. I hope Britney has it, because if she reads it all she will realize that I only felt she was shallow and selfish before we got close that night at the pool party. By the time we went to Milan together she was the sister I never had.
I get dressed, braid my hair — concentrating on the mundane is the best distraction from grief — and go downstairs where I talk to my aunt and pretend that I am not dying inside. My mom calls and I repeat the lie that I am fine with faux cheerfulness.
‘Are you sure?’ she asks.
‘Yeah, I’m sure. It was all a stupid misunderstanding.’
‘But your aunt said—’
‘Anyway, it’s all for the best,’ I interrupt, shutting her down with brutal efficiency.
‘I love you, Tori,’ she says after a pained pause.
‘I love you too, Mom,’ I say, and my voice almost breaks, but I manage to control it enough to say goodbye.
It is even harder to do when my dad comes on the phone and asks if I want him to send me a ticket home. Then I just want to crawl into his lap and bawl my eyes out the way I used to when I was a little girl and anything went wrong in my life.
However, when Leah calls, the dam bursts. I don’t try to hide my pain. I tell her everything. Every hateful detail of my imploded world. ‘My heart is broken, Leah,’ I sob. I never thought it would hurt this much. Then I cry my eyes out.
Chapter Forty
Cash
The door opens and a man in a police uniform comes in. ‘You’re free to go now, Mr. Hunter.’
I stand and start walking towards the door.
‘Er … Do you mind signing this CD for my niece?’
I turn to look at him.
‘I … er … ran out to get it during my lunch break. It’s her birthday next month, you see.’ He holds the CD and a marker pen out to me.
The Bad Boy Wants Me: A Bad Boy Romance Page 19
