“I give you plenty of cash,” Steven said. “Why?”
Naomie backed farther away from the table and her mother.
“I didn’t know what he had in his head,” she said. “It’s not like we planned it. He guessed that you and Udo were together.”
Could no one be trusted?
“When did you find out?” Andrew asked.
“After he’d called the paper. I swear.”
Andrew glanced at Steven. Through everything in their lives, they had remained a family unit. This fracture would hurt them all deeply. Naomie had no idea what she was risking.
“You covered up for him?” their mother said.
“It wasn’t illegal.”
“It is on private property,” Steven replied. “The media tried to say it had been taken from the road. I could tell it was on the grounds.”
Naomie narrowed her eyes. “Then why aren’t you suing?”
“Because I suspected you were caught up in it, you silly little idiot,” Steven replied. “You can tell Kyle from me I will be getting legal advice. If you think I won’t because of the publicity, you’ve fucked everything up for me already. So come on, how much did he get?”
“I…I haven’t spoken to him. My calls go to voicemail.”
What a surprise.
His sister considered herself a grown woman. She had a long way to go until that day.
“I think you should go,” Andrew said. “Leave the grown-ups to talk.”
Steven looked at his mother. She was trembling. He hated that his suspicions had been true.
“Steven, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for it to get so out of control. I should have called you the minute Kyle told me what he’d done.”
Everyone froze. Even Hanna, engrossed in cartoons, kept watching them over her shoulder. She might be a child but she wasn’t a fool. She must sense the tension in the room.
“I think perhaps you should go,” Steven said. “I wanted to hear from your voice whether you were a part of it.”
Naomie took his hand and he wrestled it free. “You have to believe me that I wasn’t. I love him.”
Steven stared her in the eyes. “I can tell you now that Kyle will be on the first flight to Ibiza. He’s taken you for a ride, my darling.”
She sobbed. He hated to see her in so much pain. She wouldn’t be the first or last family member duped for access to a celebrity. If she wanted to be an adult, she would have to deal with this like one.
“Please go,” he said. “I love you. I need you to leave me be.”
Naomie looked at the rest of her family.
“Mum?”
“Come back later when Steven has gone,” she replied. “We can have a proper talk. For now, do as you’re told.”
Naomie stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind her. Andrew squeezed Steven’s hand.
“She thinks she’s in love,” he said.
Their mother collapsed, sobbing. Andrew and Steven dashed around the table and hugged her from both sides.
