“Tell me something. Was it you who tipped off the photographer in New York? Did you set me up?”
Dani chews the side of her lip for a moment, screws up her mouth to a pout and taps her index finger against it. “I suppose I could have let slip your location during lunch with my friend Gina and her boyfriend. I mean, surely it wasn’t a coincidence she was there that night and you stuck your head in her cleavage.”
I take in the deepest breath, my nostrils flare and my hand's fist. “I fucking knew you had something to do with this.”
“Of course I did, but only because I had to kick start this machine. The band’s music is amazing Ash, but it’s not the only thing fans look for. You pining after your girlfriend wasn’t doing any good, so I helped things along. Oh, and did I mention, Gina’s partner is a freelance photographer?”
What the fuck did she just say to me? It takes a second to process, and my heart is beating so fast, I’m worried I mightlose control of my anger. Somehow, I keep the majority inside but fuck me, I’m on the boil. “You’re fucking lower than a snake’s belly.”
Dani stalks right up to me. She whispers in my ear, grit in her tone. “Believe me, I can get lower if I have to. This whole bloody band relies on you, so if you fail, they fail. Don’t push me, Ash. I can do worse if I have to.” When she pulls away, I get a warning stare.
“Don’t threaten me, Dani. I work for your dad, not you. I won’t take your crap and I’m pretty sure he won’t either.”
She raises a brow. “You know Ash, my Dad likes you. You remind him a lot of himself, so he says, but sentimentality won’t cut it with me. Don’t you dare make a fool out of me. If that ever happens, I’ll make sure you’re out. Blood is thicker than water at the end of the day.” She stares at me with daggers in her eyes, and I do the same back. I could get myself in some serious shit if I respond.
“Now, get your act together and go get in that taxi. We’ve got a plane to catch, and you haven’t got time to slope off with your little girlfriend before take-off.”
I don’t reply to her sarcasm and instead, pick up my belongings and head to the door. I feel sorry for the porter who tries to take my bags because I shrug him away and act like a total arsehole. All I need now is for the boys to rip me a new one about what they’ve just witnessed. They probably thought Dani was just telling me off. I’m worn out with all this bullshit, and in no mood for jokes, so they better keep their mouths shut.
Having to catch this flight is a thorn in my side. All I want is to see Calla. I can’t handle leaving without putting things right and making her see the truth. I don’t know if she’s given up on us or not.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
CALLA
“Hey baby,”His tone is low.
“I’m about to catch a flight back to New York.” There’s silencefor a beat, until he says, “Listen, about this morning. Can we just talk about it, please? Can you give me a chance to explain some more?”I hear him sigh out a long breath. “This can’t be over Cal. It just can’t.”
I replaythe message over and over. It was the first of many Ash left during those initial days. Now, almost a month later, he’s still asking for a chance, but the calls are less frequent.
I still can’t face what I saw on TV that morning. Those images of Ash and Dani made me mad as hell, but the image of him with the other woman was so intimate, I boiled over. He seemed mesmerised by her cleavage as if he were about to lick it. My stomach turned at the thought.
My phone rang off the hook that day with people wanting to know if I’d seen the TV. I didn’t feel like speaking to anyone, but if I didn’t take Angie's call, she would have filed a missing person’s report.
“I’m guessing you’ve seen the entertainment news,” she had said with a level of anger in her voice.
“Yeah, I saw it.”
“It was a little grainy. Do you think those reports were wrong?”
“It’s him,” I confirmed. “He was here with me. We watched it together.”
“He was what?” Her voice was so shrill; it nearly burst my bloody eardrum, but once she’d calmed down, I told her what happened between us.
“What will you do?” she said with concern in her tone.
“Pray this is a horrible joke? I don’t know.”
“Hmm,” she breathed down the line. “Have you spoken to Ash since?”
My stomach dropped. “Not yet.” I’d said it, knowing full well I wouldn’t be talking to him any time soon.
“Well, if I get hold of him before you, I won’t hold back Calla. I’ll fucking kill him.” Her reaction was no surprise.
I chewed my fingernails down to the skin, and I was exhausted from lying in bed, crying. There was no denying, I’d hit rock bottom. I couldn’t eat or sleep and trying to concentrate during lectures was nearly impossible.
Ash would call three, maybe four times a day, but I had no idea what to say to him, so I didn’t pick up. I was trying hard to come to terms with what had happened, by replaying all the things Ash said.
