“Thank you, boss,” Javier said, throwing Steven’s words at him.
He smiled. “Thank you, boss. I’ll go and ring Udo.”
Javier nodded and joined his wife in the kitchen. Steven took his phone from the table and walked out onto the terrace. The morning sun was getting warmer. At least it wasn’t raining.
He opened the screen and winced at the number of notifications from his socials and apps. The world had gone to shit and he was in the peace of the Tosar family compound. If only he had Udo there with him.
Instead, he connected the call. It wasn’t eight yet. Udo wouldn’t have set off for training.
“Hello. Steven?”
His voice sounded so frail Steven’s heart almost broke.
“It’s me. How are you doing?”
“I’m freaking out. We’re everywhere. What are we going to do?”
“We will weather this storm. I promise you. I’m going into Newby Park this morning and I’m going to speak to everyone. Javier doesn’t want you in until lunchtime.”
Udo was silent.
“Are you there?”
“Won’t that come across like I’m letting you fight my battles?”
“Babe, I’m fighting my own at the same time. It’s orders from the boss anyway. He’s being brilliant. We do not want to piss him off.”
Udo sighed. “I guess you’re right. Did you sleep?”
“What do you think?”
“I miss you.”
“Yeah. Me too. The club will send a car for you. I don’t want you driving. I presume you’ve reporters camped outside?”
“Oh totally. I can see them from the spare room window. Twats.”
Steven chuckled despite the situation. “I love you, Udo Holtmann.”
“I love you too. I’ll see you later.”
“Count on it.”
Steven terminated the call. He heard Javier and Nikki bickering in the kitchen. It hadn’t been twelve hours and he yearned for Udo’s presence.
Pushing the thoughts from his mind, he connected another call. It went straight to voicemail.
“Naomie. It’s me. Call me as soon as you get this, yeah? It’s important.”
He put the phone in his back pocket. Something wasn’t right.
Predictably the entrance to Newby Park was mobbed. Javier drove through it expertly as cameras clicked and a dozen questions were shouted. Steven shrank down in his seat.
Then it went to silence as they passed through the gates and down the drive toward the training centre. Now they were safely on private property, the press wouldn’t dare cross the threshold.
“Okay?” Javier asked.
Steven nodded.
