Chapter 21
Natasha
I wake to the sound of talking in the kitchen.
I frown and look around. I pull myself out of bed, put my pajamas back on and head out, and there I see it.
My heart warms at the sight of Joshua sitting at the kitchen counter on a stool in his complete suit talking to Mum who is making bacon and eggs. “How many eggs?” she asks
“Two please,” he answers, as he casually flicks through the paper.
“This is my favorite start to the day ever,” I smile as I hunch my shoulders in excitement and clap my hands in front of me.
Joshua and Mum both frown at me in question.
“Having breakfast with my two favorite people of course,” I smile as I walk around to Joshua and put my arm over his shoulder and around his neck. His eyes flick to Mum.
“It’s okay,” I say.
He subtly shakes his head at me to signal silence, this is shy Joshua at his adorable best.
Mum has her back to us, and Joshua reaches over and grabs my hand as he gives me a wink.
“What are you doing today?” I ask.
He raises his brows. “I’m going to go for a surf and then train at the gym, go to the hospital and then Adrian and Ben want to see me about a few things and then I suppose it’s back to work tonight.”
I nod and smile at Mum as she hands me a cup of coffee. “Why do you need to train?” Shit, that bloody fight. I knew it.
“Tash, I train every day, you know that.”
“How long do you train for?” I ask as I take another bite of toast.
He shrugs. “Couple of hours I suppose.” Hmm, that’s why he always looks like he’s been photoshopped.
“Are you still going to the gym?” he asks as he smirks.
Of all the nerve! I widen my eyes at him. “Of course.” Not really, I can never be bothered, but I will from now on. Mental note, get to the gym today, you lazy bitch.
Mum puts our bacon and eggs onto the countertop. “Here you are, I’m going to get ready to go to the hospital. Enjoy.” She smiles and rubs Joshua’s arm as she walks past us.
Joshua’s horrified face drops to his breakfast and I giggle. “Don’t you like bacon and eggs?” I ask.
He smiles. “Yes, of course.” He picks up his knife and fork and starts to pick at it.
I smile with my cutlery in my hands. “When was the last time you had a breakfast like that?”
He shrugs. “Probably five years ago.”
I frown. “Why?”
“I don’t like feeling like shit and how I train and what I eat determines that.” I smile and nod. Shit, I had better find some hard-core motivation somewhere and soon.
“Can you stay here again tonight?” he asks.
I frown. “Josh, I am ok at home. I have been having these nightmares all along and even if I were here, I wouldn’t wake Mum up anyway.”
His face drops. “Can you just humor me please?”
I smile and rub my hand up his leg as I remind myself, he is only being over the top caring. “Okay,” I sigh.
“Can you humor me?” I ask.
“On what?”
“Can you not cage fight anymore?” I need to stop him from fighting Jesten, and if it’s the last thing that I do.
It can only end badly. He rolls his eyes as he finishes his mouthful.
“Tash, we are on day one.” He holds his pointer up to accentuate his point.
“Can you not start your shit, please? We have had this conversation before, and I am not giving up something that I love just because you perceive it as dangerous.” I smile goofily.
“What?” he asks.
“Are we on day one?”
He smirks and raises an eyebrow. “Yes.” I smile.
“So was yesterday negative one?”
He shakes his head as he breaks into a smile.
“No, yesterday was zero.”
I nod. “Right, so where were we a month ago?”
His eyes hold mine. “In the black hole. Now eat your break- fast.” I smile and shovel in a mouthful of food…loving day one!
Joshua
I walk into Ben’s room. “What do you want to see me about?” I ask. His nervous eyes flick to me. “I’ll call Murph.”
“What’s going on?” I ask.
“Murph, Stan’s here. Okay, see you soon.” He flips his phone shut.
I bet Max has resigned and they are telling me together. Good, I want him gone.
Adrian walks through the door with his laptop and smiles at me nervously. “Hi Stan,” he murmurs.
Adrian turns on his computer and then flicks the jug on while it boots up.
“Take a seat,” he says quietly.
“What for? Aren’t we going to the gym?” I ask.
“We’ve got a problem.” He opens an email and I read the words:
‘Contact me on mrsjones@ or the wife gets the lot.’
Wife? I frown at the screen. “Who sent this?” I ask. Adrian shrugs.
“It was sent to the work email in LA.”
“Play,” I sigh.
He presses play and my stomach clenches. It is a vision of me and a woman. I can tell by the legs. I frown as I try to remember when this was. I sit back in my seat and run my pointer over my lip as I think. “When was this?” I ask.
Adrian’s nervous eyes flick to me. “Here in Australia.” “What?” I frown.
He points to the screen. “Here, see, it’s the house in Bondi. It’s the girl who told us the other night Natasha’s email, remember?”
My eyes widen in horror. I sit shellshocked as I watch myself get a drink and then walk up the stairs with her.
“What was your name again?” I ask.
“What do you want it to be?” she replies.
“My bedroom is this way…Natasha,” I answer.
I stand in a rush. “Are you fucking kidding me?” I scream at Ben as I point to the computer monitor. “Why wasn’t she searched for cameras? I thought she was lying the other night.”
He frowns uncomfortably. “I’m not sure,” he answers.
I start to pace as I run my hands through my head.
“Who’s the wife she refers to?” I ask, horrified.
“I’m guessing Natasha.” Adrian winces.
“What?” I scream. “Is this a joke? Why do I have security if they don’t check girls for cameras?”
Ben drops his head.
“Have you been in contact with her?” I ask Adrian. He nods solemnly.
“And?” I yell.
“She says she has film of the first night you were together
…three hours of footage.”
“What?” I punch the chair in anger.
Adrian and Ben jump at the bang. I start to pace again with my hands on top of my head.
“What does she want?” I snap.
“Five million dollars,” Adrian whispers.
“What?” I scream. They both stand silent and still.
“How long have you known about this?” I ask.
“Two days.” Adrian frowns. “We were trying to sort it before we told you.”
“What? Trying to sort out why my security is so shit?” I glare at Ben.
“Joshua, calm down, blaming someone is not going to help the situation,” Adrian says quietly.
“Oh really, what am I paying for? Tell me that. What is the rule of my fucking house?” I ask Ben.
He drops his head. “All women are checked for cameras.” “So why wasn’t she?”
He shrugs. “She was but we think it was hidden in her bag.”
“Oh this is perfect,” I yell. “Fucking perfect.” I drop to the bed and put my head into my hands as I try to think. What if Natasha gets that footage and is forced to watch me have sex with another woman? She’ll lose it…who wouldn’t?
I stand and walk over to the window as I look to the street below. She’s got me. I have no choice. “Pay the money,” I say flatly.
“What?” Adrian gasps. “Joshua, no, she could drag this out for more and more. We need to go to the police.”
I turn in a rush. “If you think for one minute, I am having Natasha watch me have sex with someone else you can think again. I will not put her through this and if I have to kill this stupid bitch to shut her up then I will.”
“Stop it, you’re talking crazy,” Adrian snaps.
I turn to Ben. “Get those fucking tapes back at all cost. Do what has to be done,” I snap and leave the room.
Natasha
I look nervously at myself in the closet door mirror.
I look like Frankenstein’s version of a medic: half hooker, half nurse.
We are going with Adrian to a fancy dress ball for Nicholas Anastas’s charity tonight.
Joshua hates fancy dress balls with a passion, but I have promised to wear a naughty nurse outfit to sweeten the deal.
I have a skintight white short nurse’s tunic on that has a zipper down the length of the front of it with a little pointy collar.
The girls are standing to attention in the bustiest bra I could find, I have on high sheer-white stockings that come above my knee with a little red satin bow at the top and I am wearing white patent sky high stiletto shoes that are without a doubt the most uncomfortable shoes known to man.
I need to bring Mr. Stanton out of his shell at all costs.
All this softly, softly quiet business at my mother’s house this week is about to drive me insane.
I love the gentle love making but now I just need to be taken hard.
My hair is out and teased in a Bridget Bardot do and I have the full cat makeup on.
Let’s do this. I walk into the living room and the girls both turn to look at me.
Bridget is taking a large scull of her drink and chokes as her eyes find me.
“Holy shit,” she snaps. “Are you trying to give him a heart attack?”
I smile and nod as Abbie hands me my wine. Abbie’s eyes scan up and down as she nods. “Now that’s what I’m talking about,” she coos.
She points her wine glass at Bridget. “Why didn’t you get us outfits like that? We look like shit.”
Bridget looks down at herself. “I think we look ok.” She shrugs her shoulders.
“We look like men,” Abbie snaps. “This outfit is totally sexless.” I giggle as I look at the two of them dressed in their doctor’s coats and pants. It’s a government services fancy dress ball, you have to dress in something from a service.
“I didn’t see you at the fancy dress shop, you ungrateful witch. I got the best that was there,” Bridget frowns.
I laugh out loud. “I like the outfits, Didge, they are very…” I smirk as I try and think of the right analogy. “Medicinal.”
“Medicinal,” Abbie snaps. “That will do me. I don’t want to look medicinal. I want to look hot.”
Bridget rolls her eyes. “Blah, blah. Abbie, you would look hot in a garbage bag. Who are you kidding?” I smile, thank frigging God I picked my own outfit.