Page 38 of Edge

Jory raised an eyebrow ashe sampled his fish dish. “Quite the day you had. Who knew runninga cinema was so exhausting?”

Damian settled down atthe small dining table with his food and beer and smiled up atJory. “How’d your day go? Did you manage to finish recording oursong?”

Jory picked at his fishand shovelled a bit into his mouth.” Uh-huh,” he said around chews.“Sounds pretty good but could probably do with a bit morework.”

Damian shook his head inamusement. “You’re such a perfectionist. I thought it soundedimpressive the way it was.”

“Yep. Butthank God you aren’t the music producer, love. This isour song and I need it toget out to everyone in the world. And to do that, it needs to bethe most epic epicness it can be.”

Jory’s phone trilled, thefamiliar ringtone of Tubular Bells sounding.

“Oh look, it’sRoger,” Damian muttered disgruntledly. “The Exorcist tune isfitting.”

Jory picked up his phoneand clicked it off. “It won’t be anything important. He’s beencalling all day. He even tried to get through to Sooty to get me. Iwon’t tell you what she told him.”

Damian was silent andforked in another mouthful of food. He chewed slowly beforeswallowing and speaking. “He’s been doing strange stuff lately. Theman seems a little unhinged.”

Jory had the sameimpression. “I know. And I’m worried about it.”

Damian laid down his forkand sat back, observing Jory. “You’re worried because you think hecould release something from the diary? You do remember Ramsay’sdeath wasn’t anything to do with Roger or anything you’dwritten?”

The truth about Ramsay’sdeath had broken two weeks ago. He’d been found overdosed in hisluxury beach house in Florida, and snippets of his suicide note hadbeen released. Jory’s fun-loving friend had been takingantidepressants for some time and the black dog of depression hadcaught up with him.

His note intimated he’dsimply had enough of this life and wanted to find out if heaventruly existed. From what Jory remembered of his friend, he’d been adevout Christian, and Jory hoped wherever Ramsay found himself,he’d be at peace.

The one thing Jorycouldn’t forgive was Roger had lied to him, had deliberately usedsomeone else’s tragedy against him. It was the lowest of the lows,and completely in keeping with Roger’s character.

Jory shrugged. “Iremember.”

Damian cleared histhroat. “If you think he’s getting worse, perhaps you should dosomething about it?”

A thrum of discomfortcoursed through Jory’s body. Not this conversation again so soon,he thought desperately. “I’m trying to figure things out, Ipromise. I left Roger a message earlier telling him we need totalk.”

Damian rolledhis eyes. “Babe, you know exactly how it’s going to go. You’regoing to tell him he needs to get a life and give you the diariesback, so you can get on with yourlife without the threat of emotional blackmail.He’s going to listen, nod his head then ignore everything you say.And the cycle will continue.” He reached out a hand and claspedJory’s hand. “I know you’re trying, but something more drasticneeds to be done. You’re a public figure being blackmailed by yourold guardian into giving him funds you’ve earned, and he has noright to. You must go to the cops and tell them to deal withthis.”

Jory pulledhis hand away and stood up, pacing around the room.He doesn’t understand the risk especially nowRoger has become so unstable.

“You make itsound so simple. Like getting the police involved will magicallyfix everything. All it will do is piss him off, and there’ll be notelling what he’ll do. He could mail those fucking diaries to themedia and destroy a lot of people’s lives.”

Damian rose and took hisplate through to the kitchen, dumping it in the sink. Jory did thesame with his plate—it gave him something to do while his brainraced.

His lover’s shoulderswere tense as he stood leaning over the sink, his back to Jory. Thehuff of frustration was audible. “Jory, we have to let the policedo their job and trust they’ll scare the shit out of him orsomething. Anything, I don’t care what. Surely they can get hold ofthe media and threaten them with something if they publish anythingfrom the journals because it will be an active investigation.” Heturned, his face grim. “I’m not the fucking expert, babe, but wehave to do something.”

Jory wanted to scream. Heknew Damian was right, but how could he risk his past lovers’ livesso he could have an easier one? If he hadn’t written the fuckingstupid things in the first place and outed them in a stupid displayof macho pride, they wouldn’t be in danger now.

This is allmy fault. This is my problem.

“I told youI’m dealing with it,” he snapped. “Let me figure this out.It’s my issue.”

The room went dangerouslysilent.

Damian stared at him,face set. Jory hadn’t seen such an expression of disbelief in hisboyfriend’s eyes before. He had the sinking feeling it didn’t bodewell.

“Yourproblem? So there’s no us in this?” Damian’s flinty gazegave Jory the chills. “I thought we were partners?”

Jory shrugged and it wasthe worst thing he could’ve done.

Damian’s face twisted. “Isee. So I’m supposed to accept you living with another manindefinitely, a man who’s rumoured to be sexually involved with yougiven the amount of Edger shipping I see on social media, eventhough I know it’s not true—at least, I hope it’s not—whoblackmails you into being there because he’s obsessed with you andprofits off you. Have I got that right?”