Chapter 20 #2
‘Honestly, is any of this even real?’ I ask the universe. ‘Can someone please pinch me? Can someone shake me awake, because I’ve obviously been roofied and slipped into a coma?’
Matteo speeds across the room. ‘Are you okay?’ he asks, taking me in his arms.
‘Yes, I’m fine,’ I say, pointing to Luke. ‘But it’s been a lot for him to take in. He just fainted, that’s all.’
And none of us could be bothered to catch him.
‘Thank fuck,’ says Big Sue. ‘I wasn’t looking forward to chopping that huge body up in the bath. What is he? Six three? Six four?’
‘Okay,’ I say. ‘Let’s rein it in. This is not a Hollywood blockbuster. This is a pre-moon-slash-work-trip-slash’ – I half smile at Matteo – ‘romantic minibreak. Everyone needs to get a grip.’ I take a deep breath in. ‘Big Sue, what’s the ten twenty?’
‘No, no, no, Big Guy,’ says Big Sue with an exasperated groan. ‘How many times? It’s what’s your twenty for where you are, or what’s the ten four for what’s happening. Capeesh?’
‘Perhaps we could speak English while we sort out what’s what?’ suggests Matteo firmly. He has such an authoritative manner that we all nod obediently. ‘Any news on Hank Junior?’
We shake our heads.
‘We’ve decided you and Connie should keep Luke in your room and guard him first,’ Liam informs him.
‘Good idea,’ agrees Big Mand.
‘No. Absolutely not,’ Matteo says firmly.
‘But it’s the last place the killer will look,’ says Liam. ‘And he’s far too high-maintenance to stay here.’
‘I think we might have to go to the police,’ says Matteo.
‘But what if they think we’re the guilty ones for agreeing to have him “taken care of”?’ Big Mand asks.
‘But we didn’t,’ I say.
‘I know, but how can we prove it? Don’t the hotel have us all on video admitting exactly that?’
Matteo exhales loudly. ‘Okay. Just for one night.’
‘Who were you on the phone to just now?’ I ask. Literally everyone is listening in.
Matteo looks me dead in the eye. ‘Birdie.’
I swallow down a jealous urge. ‘Oh.’
‘About work.’
‘Oh.’
‘About her threatening to pull the plug on the deal. If she walks, the singer walks. If the singer walks, the deal with the record company falls through. It’s that simple.’
‘Ah. And is she okay with you now?’
‘No.’
‘Oh.’
I’m discovering I’m not what you call a natural conversationalist under pressure.
Just then, his phone pings. He reads the message. ‘It’s her. She wants to meet me.’
* * *
‘Matteo just needs to sort things with Birdie,’ Ged says soothingly as we walk a groggy Luke back to my room. ‘She’s threatened to quit in the heat of the moment. When she calms down, she’ll be okay. You know what the French are like.’
All ooh-la-la and sex appeal?
We plonk Luke on the chaise longue. None of this has properly sunk in. Liam fixes him a double brandy from the minibar but ends up drinking it himself.
How could such a beautiful day end so badly?
I recap the events of today in my mind. The search party came up with nothing.
It’s as though Hank Junior has disappeared.
He doesn’t want to be found. Matteo looked so disappointed to leave but he didn’t exactly put up a fight against Birdie.
He never even gave me a chance to ask him to stay.
He just pivoted and walked out. Walked out to where?
Her room? My body shivers at the thought of him in her room.
She’ll do anything to get the two of them together.
This might be just the catalyst she’s been after. I don’t trust her one bit.
How, on my wedding night, did I manage to end up sharing a room with Luke while Matteo is in a room with Birdie? How?
It pinches at my heart. I reach for my phone. No message from him.
* * *
‘I wonder what time Matteo will come back.’ Liam yawns, a few hours into them helping me babysit Luke. They are clearly getting bored, and all the miniatures have been drunk. ‘It’s just the butler… He might… need us.’
Ged is snoring, slumped face down: half on, half off the sofa. Liam shakes him awake.
‘Just go,’ I say, waving them towards the door. ‘We’ll be okay.’
Luke has not moved a muscle since we arrived. He is staring glumly into space.
‘Are you sure?’ checks Ged. ‘We can wait.’
‘I’ll be fine. He’ll be back any minute.’ I’m not in the slightest bit sure what time he’ll be back, but I really don’t want to spoil Ged and Luke’s pre-moon any more than is necessary. ‘I’ll phone Big Sue if anything happens.’
‘What do you think might happen?’ Luke shrieks, suddenly wide awake.
‘Nothing,’ I say. ‘Nothing will happen.’ Please God.
‘Okay. Well, we’ll leave you to it. If you’re sure.’ Liam is discreetly nodding towards Luke, who is slumped on the chaise longue. His face is haunted and thoroughly miserable.
‘I’ll be fine,’ I assure them as they leave.
‘I’m having a shower,’ says Luke, getting up and walking over to the bathroom. ‘I might as well stay in there. It’ll be easier for housekeeping to mop up the blood.’
I roll my eyes. ‘Whatever.’
* * *
Luke takes an age in the bathroom, so I seize the opportunity to get out of my wedding dress.
It takes a few minutes to undo the tiny delicate buttons and shuffle out of it.
I hang it back on its hanger. I admire the gorgeous underwear the bridal assistant advised me to get.
Aside from the haggard face and messy hair, it looks stunning.
I stare at my reflection. What a shame. What a waste of a wedding night.
We had Caesars Palace booked and everything!
I really hope I get another opportunity to show this off to Matteo.
And, as if I manifested him to return to the room right this instant to see me in all my glory, the familiar beeping sound of the room key at the door indicates Matteo’s arrival.
I assume a sexy pose with which to greet him.
At the same time, the bathroom door opens. I instinctively scream out to Luke, ‘No, don’t open the door!’
But as I spin back round to see Matteo standing there, I notice a look of hurt darken his eyes.
‘Too late,’ he says as he watches Luke emerge from the bathroom in a towel and not much else. Matteo sees me in my underwear, shifts his gaze back to Luke, who has suddenly decided to stir things by smiling for the first time today as he looks me up and down appreciatively.
A thunderous expression crawls across Matteo’s face.
‘I meant for Luke not to open the door,’ I explain. ‘And it’s not as bad as it looks.’
‘It never is,’ Matteo says.
‘There’s nothing going on,’ I say quickly, grabbing my robe to cover up.
‘I know. I believe you.’
‘And what took you so long?’
Matteo’s face colours as he crosses the room towards me.
‘I see,’ I say, feeling a pang of jealousy.
He shakes his head. ‘No. Whatever you’re thinking, it’s not that.’
‘So, what happened?’
‘After my meeting, I went to reception to see if they had another room available.’
‘Oh. I see.’
He lifts my chin so that he can see my eyes. ‘For us. Another room for us. I didn’t want to share our wedding night with… that prick.’ He nods towards Luke.
Oh.
He exhales loudly. ‘But I had to wait so long in the queue that by the time I got to the front there were no rooms available anyway.’
Oh.
Matteo turns to Luke. ‘Get dressed. It’s someone else’s turn to babysit you.’