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SOUTHAMPTON, UK.
“This has to be the shittiest part of being a rock star’s other half,” Ginny complained as she, Dani, and Allegra wheeled their suitcases down the passenger ramp onto the dock.
“Really?You think the worst bit is being asked to slope off and keep out of sight while they sign autographs?”Dani’s petite face was largely hidden behind an enormous pair of shades.Alle had spent the last ten minutes wondering if they were her usual disguise, or if they were masking eyes, puffy and red from crying.They’d got along well before, but now things were decidedly awkward between them.It didn’t make sense.Their boyfriends having done the dirty with one another shouldn’t have had any bearing on their relationship, but it had.There was something decidedly brittle about Dani’s demeanour.
It had occurred to Alle that perhaps Dani held her responsible for what had happened.After all, she’d been the one who’d insisted on having Xane’s help to deal with Spook’s meltdown, and the one who’d left them alone together.
“You know they’ll be signing tits and arses, right?”Ginny replied.“Not just bits of paper and CD cases.”
Dani just sniffed, like she refused to be affected by it, but was dying inside.
“They do that?”Alle was pretty certain she knew the answer.She knew how gaga people got when faced with their idols.Hell, she couldn’t claim any superiority on that score, but her aim in asking wasn’t so much getting an answer, but to keep Ginny talking.Better that than lapsing into another awful silence.
“You’re all right, Spook doesn’t.He’s Mr Hands Off.He doesn’t even do cuddles.”
“Yeah, and he does the whole Keanu Reeves hover hands thing,” Dani elaborated.She stumbled as she hit the end of the ramp, and righted herself with a growl.“Unlike someone else who just can’t help himself.”
Ginny exchanged a look with Alle.
“Is she okay?”Alle mouthed.
“Still giving him the silent treatment,” Ginny mouthed back.“And she won’t be in the same room as Spook.I’m afraid he’s lost his halo.”
“Luthor?”
“Is playing go between.Don’t fret yourself.They’ll get over it.How about you?Have all your saintly delusions about him been smashed?”
Alle shook her head and chuckled thinking about all the things they’d done over the last twenty-four hours.“Didn’t have any.”Spook had spanked her bottom the first time they’d met, and done a lot more since.She’d always known he had a wild and dirty side.His saintliness had only ever been a by-product of the shackles he’d placed on himself.
“Didn’t have any what?”Having reached dry land, Dani glanced back over her shoulder at them.
“Breakfast,” Ginny replied, before Alle had a chance to.“Alle didn’t get time to have any because she overslept, and Ash scoffed most of mine, but I bet there’s somewhere around here we can grab something while we wait.”
“I’d kill for a cuppa,” Dani admitted.
“See?That’s us set for the next hour or so, then.”
As a matter of fact, Alle had eaten breakfast.Spook had brought it to her on a tray, and spoon fed her cornflakes.Admittedly, most of the milk had wound up spilling down her front.Deliberately, she suspected, considering how much effort he’d put into cleaning it up with his tongue.He’d found splashes in locations that couldn’t possibly have got wet.
“Come on, let’s find the café.”
The chatter and wails coming from further along the docks certainly suggested the guys would be a while.In fact, there had to be one monumental crowd waiting for them considering the thunderclaps rebounding off the various dockland buildings.They’d reached the arrivals gate when it diminished into something distinctly reminiscent of a pantomime hiss.
“What the heck was that?”Ginny’s narrow brow creased.They all three craned their necks.
“Never mind that.”Dani clapped her friend on the shoulder and guided her attention across the yard to beyond a chain link fence.“What the heck is that?”
Paparazzi.That’s what.A whole black-clad gaggle of them.More than she’d seen in Cannes.They were all jostling for position, and even now were training their cameras on them.
“Is that an actual TV crew out there?”Ginny ushered them all indoors, apparently perturbed by the prospect “What the friggin’ hell is going on?”
The Arrivals lounge was thankfully deserved except for a couple of staff on the desk.
“Ronnie?”Alle proposed, her heart already sinking down to her boots.She knew that wasn’t the reason, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t hope.
Marshall—Marshall had to have published his promised exposé of Spook’s diabolical past.
