“A little sore and sensitive, but I can walk and everything.” She laughed as she recalled doubting that the previous night.
“For now, baby. For now.”
“Please.” She pleaded in a single word as she freed him from his pyjamas and got down onto her knees and consumed him greedily.
He had just helped her back to her feet when her phone rang.
“Hi Angie. What? No. I don’t know what to say, have you spoken to the P.R. people?” she asked as Jim appeared in front of her.
“What’s going on?” he asked concerned. “Put it on speaker.” he ordered, and suddenly corporate Jim was here, and in control.
“Hold on Angie, I’m putting you on speaker so Jim can hear too.”
“Hi Angie. What’s happening?”
“I’ve just told Tash that one of the Sunday tabloids have contacted me about a story they are printing tomorrow. That fucking idiot of a father of hers has sold them a story about the family breakdown. He is crying that Tasha has driven them all apart and estranged him from his other children. You know how it goes; poor him, such a victim. Such a dick!” spat Angie.
“What have you said?” asked Jim.
“Just that whilst there has been a family dispute it is a private matter and Tasha has no comment to make as she doesn’t want to cause anyone any further distress by talking about it,” replied Angie.
“Good. What have P.R. said?” asked Jim.
Tasha sat on a stool at the bar and suddenly felt incidental to this whole thing.
“They’ve said we should issue a response confirming the family dispute and that the sibling has been put into the care of grandparents by the courts following an assault within the family home, but without confirming the victim of the assault,” explained Angie.
“Okay, that sounds like the best option at this stage. Can you sort that?” he asked as Tasha left the room to get into the shower. He watched her leave. Would a life with Tasha always be like this? Would every good episode be the calm before the storm that was her fucked-up parents? He had no clue but knew if it was then that was the life he wanted. He turned his attention from the closed bedroom door back to Angie, “Can you get all the details sorted in the next hour and maybe we could meet before it’s issued so we can go over it?”
“Yes, no problem, where?”
“Can you come here? We can do it over lunch, get P.R. here too. I need Tasha to be okay with it,” he said, seriously concerned for her emotional wellbeing.
“Is she still there?” asked Angie.
“No. So, two o’clock?”
“She really doesn’t deserve any of this shit. Yes, I can do two o’clock, see you then,” replied Angie and hung up.
Jim looked down at Tasha’s phone and thought he liked Angie. She was straight to the point and as direct as he was, plus, she genuinely seemed to care about Tasha beyond the fact that she brought in revenue for her.
“Right,” he said aloud to himself, “Tasha!” he called as he strode across the suite through the bedroom and into the bathroom.
Tasha was standing underneath the hot water hoping it would wash away all of the crap in her life. Her thoughts were interrupted by Jim walking in. She hadn’t seen him, but heard, or sensed his presence.
She had her back to him, but he was certain that she knew he was there. He discarded his trousers before walking into the shower behind her and as he placed his hands on her hips she relaxed and fell back against him.
“Are you okay?” He wrapped his arms around her and thought it was quite clear that she was anything but. He needed her to tell him how she was feeling and what ridiculous thoughts were swimming around in her head. By ridiculous he meant the idea that this, any of it was in any way her fault or of her doing, because it wasn’t, she was innocent in it all.
“I suppose. I just wish it would all go away. It’s not fair for him to benefit from what he’s done, but short of me revealing the whole, sorry, sordid story, the paper will run with it. And if I do reveal all it will just fuel the fire. A definite no win situation,” she said as she turned around and nuzzled his chest.
“Let Angie and Bradley sort it out. They’re coming here for lunch at two to make sure you’re happy with what they have planned,” he said and then thought that this could be the opportunity he was looking for, to keep her safe and close.
“Come to L.A.” he said as he brushed her hair back and tilted her head up to look at him.
“I’ve told you I will,” she said. “But not until after next week.”
He kissed her gently on the lips. “No, come to L.A. permanently, to live with me.” He backed her against the cold tiled wall making her jump and tense.
