Alik saw Parker arrive and waved him over, with Olivia not far behind him.
“Alright, mate?” Alik held out a hand. “Long time no see.”
“Now you're behaving yourself, I don't need to be around as much,” replied Parker.
“I need to talk to you about some of these press junkets,” Parker said, waving Olivia over. “I want you and Nate doing Roccia, biggest title alongside Kerrang, and still on the shelves with a big online presence. I think the best idea is to keep you and Billy apart for the time being.”
“What? You think the scandal hasn't already been in the gossip rags too much already?”
Parker laughed. “I don't have time to be reading that nonsense, the less I see of it the better.”
“Alik's been working on some new material,” said Nate. “For when we're super successful with the first EP and need some more stuff.”
“Sounds good, we’ll need more music for the album. When do I get to hear it?” asked Parker.
Alik hesitated. He wished that Nate hadn't mentioned the new songs. Some of them were still quite raw, particularly the one about Edie's betrayal. He wasn't sure if he was ready to air them to anyone else yet, even though Nate had been treated to a sneak preview. “Soon, I promise. They’re still a bit rough at the moment.”
They heard the door crash open and turned to see who had arrived.
Billy swept over to Alik, gathering up the singer in a big bear hug. Alik could smell the alcohol on his breath and extricated himself from the embrace.
“Alik! How's it going? You missing this little beauty yet?” He gestured towards Edie and swiped a glass of champagne from the passing waiter.
Alik's eyes narrowed as he looked at Edie. “Hardly, Billy, hardly.”
* * *
Edie felt Alik's gaze on her and flushed with embarrassment. She slunk over to Olivia and grabbed a drink.
“I knew we shouldn't have come,” she said quietly, so no-one except Olivia could hear. “I told him not to drink before we came out, but he wouldn't listen.”
She plastered on a smile as Caro and Poppy approached them.
“Edie, how lovely to see you,” said Poppy. “How are things with you and Billy?”
Edie could tell from Poppy’s tone that she wasn’t being sincere. “We're good. So good. It's so refreshing to be in a relationship where there isn't another person involved,” she said, with a pointed glance at Caro.
“Glad to hear it,” replied Poppy. “Of course, you know Caro and Alik are finally together.”
Her smiled wavered slightly. Edie knew that it had been coming, but to hear it said out loud was still a kick in the teeth, even though she had been the one to betray Alik. “About time, really, I always knew there was something between them. They make a good couple.”
“How kind of you to give your blessing.” Caro's smile didn't reach her eyes. “Now I really must go and speak to Josh.” She swept past Edie heading towards the director, leaving Poppy and Edie together.
“You're some piece of work, Edie,” said Poppy, once they were alone. “All this time we thought you and Alik were a great couple and you were shagging around behind his back with one of his best friends! I suppose I should be grateful it wasn't Nate.”
Edie lowered her head. “I didn't mean for it to happen, Billy was just...being friendly and flirting a bit when I was feeling low. I guess he kind of took advantage of me initially.”
“You didn't think to tell him to stop because you were seeing Alik? Whatever happened between you shouldn't have been done when you were still with someone else. You can't deny that you cheated.”
Edie couldn't help but think that Alik had done exactly the same thing with Caro. But now wasn't the time to have that debate with Poppy. She knew that Poppy's loyalties were with Caro. It was plainly obvious to Edie that she and Poppy would never be friends, even before all of this had happened.
“I'm with Billy now, Poppy, you had all best get used to it,” she said, as strongly as she could muster. “Now, if you'll excuse me.”
* * *
Josh clapped his hands and brought everyone together. “First of all, I want to thank you for coming along this evening. And secondly, for everything you did in order to get this film clip to be as fantastic as it is. You'll probably be embarrassed to see yourselves up on the big screen, but stick with it. If you'd like to find some seats, we can get started.”
The assembled crowd obediently filed into the rows of seats; Alik and Caro front and centre. Billy pulled Edie towards the back row, making some comment about what he'd be getting up to if the clip was dull.
The opening chords of ‘Bleed Like Cyanide’ filled the room, along with the first shots of the clip taken from the set at The Indigo Lounge, the camera panning round, taking in the various implements of torture and the women who were tormenting Alik. He felt ridiculous seeing himself up on the screen like that. Caro squeezed his arm, leaning in close to his body. The action comforted him. He couldn't believe how long they'd waited to be together - it felt so right. He tried to ignore the whispers and sniggers coming from Billy's direction, tolerating them for the sake of the four-minute video.
When the final shots of Alik on the beach faded away, there was a moment of rapturous applause, followed by some deliberate, slow-hand clapping from Billy.
“And there he is,” Billy said. “Alik Thorne in all his glory, the centrepiece of this band.”
Alik swivelled to face Billy. Edie shrank back into the seat beside him.
“Your point being?” said Alik. He already knew the answer, but he wanted Billy to say it.
Billy stood up and walked down the steps and loomed over Alik. “The celebrated, feted, awarded frontman, whilst the rest of us are hidden in the shadows and never allowed to see the light of day.”
“If you're behaving like that, is it any wonder?” said Alik. “Your behaviour hasn't exactly been exemplary recently.”
“And don't think that these things don't go unnoticed by the guys at Numb,” said Parker. “There's already been enough drama around this band and that's even before you've had anything released.”
At the mention of the record company, a silence descended over the room. Alik knew Parker had the power to really make or break their ambitions. Anything they did was going to be scrutinised heavily. Something Billy seemed to have forgotten.
“Alik, Parker... is there anyone who doesn't own me? I'm done.” Billy threw open the door and stalked out of the room.
The tension between those remaining was palpable, and after a beat Edie followed Billy.
“What is his problem?” Caro asked, taking one of the left over glasses of champagne from the table.
“Where should I start?” Alik sighed and took her hand. “Let's go.”
They walked out of the cinema and into the hotel foyer
“I could do with getting away from here,” Alik said.
“Me too. And I know just where we can go.”
Chapter Forty-Eight
When Caro and Alik arrived at the airport the following day, Mariella was waiting for them.
“You look amazing!” The Norwegian blonde threw her arms around Caro. “And happy. Is this Alik?”
Caro nodded and Mariella drew back, looking Alik up and down. “He's perfect for you.”
“I'm glad you approve,” said Caro, laughing.
They put their bags into Mariella’s car and set off. As Mariella drove them through the streets, Caro pointed out various landmarks and venues of her time on the island; bars she had frequented and restaurants she had been to. They came into the village, past the marina and the beach Caro and Alik had walked along when they had first met.
“I assume we'll be spending some time at Juju's?” asked Alik as they drove past the bar where they had first laid eyes on each other.
“It would be wrong not to,” replied Caro. She kissed him on the lips.
“Hey, I don't want to spend this whole time being a blackberry,” said Ma
riella.
Caro and Alik frowned at each other for a moment, until Caro laughed. “Oh, you mean gooseberry! I'm sure you won't, there must be someone you're seeing?”
Mariella blushed as she screeched to a halt in front of the apartment building. “There might be someone. If you're good, I'll let you meet him.”
Since Caro had left, Mariella had moved out of their shared flat and into a more spacious one-bedroom place. It was light and airy, and if you stood on tiptoe on the balcony, you could just about see the beach. There was a large open-plan living room with space for a dining area, a tiny galley kitchen, which suited Mariella and her complete ineptitude in the catering department, one huge bedroom with a massive bed, built-in storage, an en suite wet room, and a tiny bathroom. There was still some evidence of the time that Caro and Mariella lived together in the decor and accessories: Rugs and scarves that covered the furniture, the wooden wind chimes that hung outside on the balcony, and a porcelain iguana.
“How long have you been living here?” asked Caro, dumping her holdall on the floor by the sofa.
Mariella counted on her fingers. “About six weeks. I got a great deal on this place and I missed you too much in our old flat.”
“Awww...” Caro pulled her friend in for another hug. “I missed you too. Life seems so much simpler out here.” She glanced meaningfully at Alik.
“What brings you here anyway?”
“Needed to get away from the bright lights of North Ridge for a bit and this seemed like the best place to be,” said Caro. “Let's just say things got a bit heated and we needed to be somewhere else.”
Mariella was staring intently at Alik. “Wait a minute, you said something about Juju's. Are you the mysterious man Caro spent her last night in Mallorca with?”
Caro and Alik exchanged a telling glance and smiled at each other.
“I knew it! She's never usually that secretive about her conquests.”
“Well, he was called Nate when I first met him,” Caro said.
Mariella screwed her face up. “You had another name?”
“Let's just say we played each other quite well that night,” said Caro. “Although who knows, if we'd been more honest with each other at the start, things might have been very different.”
* * *
For the next couple of days, Caro and Alik did little else apart from sleep, swim, eat, drink, and make love. The pace of life on the island was much more relaxed than it was in North Ridge, and without the stresses of being around Billy and Edie they were able to enjoy themselves and chill out.
One afternoon, they found themselves on one of the beaches, away from the centre of town. Having had a leisurely lunch at one of the hotel restaurants - a delicious paella - they were sitting at the back of the beach, sheltered slightly from the intense heat of the sun.
“You were really reticent about getting involved with me,” said Alik, as Caro played with the sand, letting it run through her fingers and tracing shapes where it fell.
She nodded. “It wasn't right. You were with Edie and I swore to myself I wouldn't do that again.”
Alik frowned. “What do you mean, again?”
Caro took a breath.
“I was seeing someone once. He was married.”
She told him everything, how the relationship with Josep had started, how he had been less than honest with her and naively she had carried on with him. How it had all ended with Josep's death and the subsequent wrangling with his wife.
A single tear fell down Caro's cheek. Alik lifted a finger and wiped it away. He gently tilted her face towards him and kissed her. It was the gentlest, most loving kiss they had ever shared.
She pulled away. “We were on this beach, and we argued. Then he left me and I never saw him again.”
Alik's face changed. "The 'J' doesn't stand for Jonny, does it?”
“What are you talking about?”
Alik reached around and traced the tattoo on the back of her neck. “It's for Josep, isn't it?”
The tears started to fall again as Caro nodded, remembering her first true love. As she sobbed in Alik's arms, she thought how lucky she was to have found her next.
Chapter Forty-Nine
Caro sat at her desk, making some amendments to a flyer for an upcoming promotion. It had been tough coming back from Mallorca. She and Alik had had such a relaxed time, and she enjoyed showing him around the island. Mariella had been so welcoming as well. Caro had a sudden pang of sentimentality. She did miss the place.
She had half an eye on her inbox, when she noticed a sudden influx of new emails; mostly social media notifications. She scanned the messages and started to feel sick at some of the content. There were the ones that called her a money grabbing whore, those that said what they'd do to her if she needed more money, ones that out and out said she slept her way to the top.
One of them contained a link.
She clicked on it and was directed to The Goss’ website. Her jaw fell as she read the article, written by their features editor.
We know that Edie Spencer-Newman likes a rocker! Since splitting up with Blood Stone Riot's lead singer, Alik Thorne, Edie has become involved with the band's bassist, Billy Walker. The Goss got the latest on the Pretty Rich Things star's complicated love life.
Edie told us that her relationship with Alik was difficult and she felt that she was often sidelined by his career and supposed friendship with club owner Caro Flynn. “It felt like I was being pushed aside for his career and he was spending more and more time at The Indigo Lounge with her,” the socialite said.
Caro shook her head. She knew that Edie was playing the victim and was pushing the blame onto her and Alik. But she also knew the truth. She carried on reading.
“When I found out how Billy felt about me, I was flattered. I thought it was too soon to get involved with someone again, but he managed to persuade me otherwise...”
Caro had enough. She scanned the rest of the piece, not really taking in the words - she knew that they were false, anyway. Then she came to the second part of the article. The sub story showed a grainy picture of Caro and Mariella outside The Roca Bar, celebrating with a few of the locals. The headline screamed at her: Caro Flynn - shady past exposed!
Alik Thorne's new girlfriend may not be the no-nonsense businesswoman she appears. The Goss has uncovered news reports that the bar Caro Flynn owned in Mallorca was gifted to her by a former, married, lover. Josep Leon owned The Roca Bar just outside Alcudia and Caro started working there as a mere barmaid. Her affair with the renowned local businessman was kept under wraps. But when Leon died suddenly after suffering a fatal heart attack, his recently-changed will meant that his wife lost out on the bar and his younger lover gained it. Despite being challenged by Consuela, his wife, Caro retained the bar and it became one of the most popular bars in town. We wonder how much of that was down to its attractive owner?
She felt sick as she read on, recognising some of the words from the articles that had appeared in Mallorca Daily Bulletin and Talk Of The North. Without reading the remainder, she grabbed her phone and dialled Olivia's number. Olivia answered on the third ring.
“What do you know about this?” Caro asked.
“What are you talking about?”
“Edie's article in The Goss. You must have seen it.”
“No, I've been working on a Blood Stone Riot press schedule. I haven't had the opportunity to look online. Plus, The Goss isn't my preferred website for news.”
“Let me ping it to you.”
Caro copied the link and pasted it into an email to Olivia. She pressed send and sat back in her chair, waiting for Olivia to receive it. There was silence on the other end of the line.
“Jesus, Caro, I had no idea,” said Olivia.
“You should see some of the comments I've had from people who have read it and made their own assumptions. I think the nicest one said something like 'scheming bitch sleeping your way to the top.'”
“Has Alik see
n it?”
“I don't know. He does know about Josep and me though.” Caro gulped down some water, eternally grateful that she had taken the opportunity to tell Alik the truth about her relationship with Josep. Had he found out like this, their relationship would have been on the rocks before it had even begun. “I thought you might know why Edie had done it. She and I have never been friends, but I don't know what she thought she would achieve with this. I guess she's trying to damage my professional reputation now.”
“I'm sorry,” said Olivia.
“You have nothing to be sorry about! You didn't write it.” Caro sighed. "I need to speak to Alik. Do you think you could mention it to Parker? I'm sure there will be a few trolls out in force.”
“Sure. I'll come in to the club after work. We can get a drink."
After Caro hung up, she reread the two articles, wondering how Edie was so bitter about how things had ended up. She had got what she wanted, after all. She scrolled through her contacts list and found Alik's number. It went straight to voicemail. Deciding it would be best if she didn't leave a message, she tapped out a text message that assured him everything was okay, but that he needed to read the story. She added the link to the message and pressed send.
* * *
Edie swept into The Indigo Lounge that evening, closely followed by Minty. She scanned the VIP area, which seemed quieter than normal, as did the rest of the club. Caro wasn't anywhere to be seen. Probably hiding away, thought Edie. She was pleased with the results of the article. There had been lots of messages of support for her and she'd seen some of the choice words that had been directed at Caro. She headed over to the bar.
“Bottle of champagne, please,” she said.
The barman stared past her, choosing instead to serve the woman standing to her left. When he'd poured the two pints of cider she'd requested and taken her money, Edie tried again.
Cocktails, Rock Tales & Betrayals Page 20
