“Can I have a word?”
Marcus nodded, stepping away. He held a glass of champagne, but it was barely touched.
“Why’s Chad here?”
My step-brother rubbed his nose, clearly having been sampling his goods. “I totally didn’t think. Where’s Jamie?”
He hadn’t recognised me, which wasn’t surprising. “With someone. Get him out of here.” I let him think he knew who I was. “He shouldn’t be here.”
“We’ll go. But he’s on the island for a few weeks.”
“Keep him away from her. And me.”
“I’ll try. But he’s allowed here. There’s no reason why he can’t be here.”
I wished for the hundredth million time I’d pressed charges. “Just keep him away from Safir and where she goes.”
Marcus rubbed his nose again.
“You okay?”
He shook his head. “Bit of a reaction. Look, we’ll piss off back to the hotel, and you can forget we’ve been here.” He sniffed again. “I think I need to crash anyway.” He looked back at me. “Did Ash turn up today?”
“No.” I remembered the name from the woman who’d been looking for him.
“Fuck. He said he’d seen you and passed on a name to give to me. He’s a fucking liar.” Another wipe of his nose. “We’ll go. I’ll make sure Chad doesn’t get near Jamie.”
“Good. Thanks.” I backed away, my arm colliding with what felt like a mountain of hard muscle.
I didn’t need to turn around to know who it was. Marcus walked over to Chad and said a word, him and the other couple of friends he’d brought heading for the gates. I watched them go, struggling not to cover my breasts with my arms for fear Chad would look my way again, even if he thought I was Lala.
A hand rested on my bicep, the thumb stroking skin that now had goosebumps.
“You’re going to lead me somewhere quiet and then you’re going to tell me what the fuck all that was about.” A red coloured drink was in his other hand. “This is for you. Take it and put a smile on that pretty face before anyone sober enough to start asking questions does.”
I took the drink, our bodies moving in synch, so I linked my hand through his arm, taking a sip of the cocktail.
Seeing Chad had sobered me up, and that surge of alcohol hit my veins beautifully. I led Tommy to a spot in the garden where hibiscus had created a den over the course of years. Livi had planted it back when I was about ten, wanting the flowers for her hair.
There was a bench there, now painted glossy white. It had once been Livi’s favourite place to sit and read, and I’d once found her there with Lawrie, back when they’d really seemed in love.
I sat there now with Tommy, the music muffled back here, the lights less bright.
“Who was the man who stared at you?”
“Aubrey Chad Baker. He’s a friend of Marcus’. My step-brother.”
“I know who Marcus is. Tell me more about Aubrey. What sort of fuck-name is that?”
I half-laughed. “He did something to me.”
“What?”
“I’d rather not talk about it, if you don’t mind.”
I expected him to press, to try to prise the information from me.
“I’ll find out another way then.” His hand went to my back, the roughness of his palm soothing my bare skin. “You don’t want to see him?”
