Chapter 61
AMBER
I find Dominic in a shady spot on the terrace, alone and bent over his laptop.
‘Hey,’ he says as I approach. ‘How did it go with Demetriou?’
‘Well, he hasn’t arrested me yet, so that’s a win, I guess.’
I could tell him about the fact that although I now have an alibi, my fingerprints are all over the recovered murder weapon, but I don’t have the energy for the barrage of questions that’ll invariably follow.
‘Where is everyone?’
‘Simone’s trying to rest. Willow’s in her room and Barney’s helping Vic deal with some kind of work crisis.’
I motion to his laptop. ‘What are you doing?’
‘Shifting some meetings around.’ He makes an apologetic face. ‘I’ve promised Simone I’ll stay and help her get Felix’s body home, which could take a while.’
There it is again. That hold Simone has over him. She says jump, he simpers, ‘How high?’
I stare at him dispassionately. When we first met I used to joke to Nessa that I was dating the ultimate romcom heart-throb – suave, charming, the perfect floppy-haired English gentleman. His slightly rumpled, self-deprecating charm had undone me.
But now it’s as if I’m seeing him properly for the first time.
The floppy fringe is artfully arranged to cover his receding hairline, his one vanity.
There are pouches under his eyes and the chiselled jawline has softened.
He is what he’s always been: a good-looking, middle-aged man. No more, no less.
It’s me who’s changed.
‘You don’t mind, do you?’ he’s saying. ‘I know it’s not ideal but I’ll get you on the same flight as Vic and Barney.’
I shrug, finding I don’t care one way or another. The spell’s broken, and the sense of liberation makes me giddy. I’ll never have to worry whether I fit in or measure up again.
‘I’ll let you know as soon as I’m back in London.’ He closes the laptop with a sigh. ‘I don’t know about you, but I’ll be glad when everything’s back to normal.’
I frown. ‘Nothing’s ever going to be “back to normal”, Dom. I’m the suspect in a frigging murder investigation for a start.’
His expression clouds. He looks as if he’s about to say something but I beat him to it, the words coming out in a rush.
‘I think we’re done, don’t you?’
He shakes his head, bewildered. ‘No, Amber. We don’t have to be. I know this holiday’s been a total fucking disaster but we can get through it. And you can leave the police to me. I’ll tell Demetriou you had nothing to do with Felix’s murder.’
‘Why should he believe you? And even if he does, I’ve had enough.’
‘But I love you!’
‘You don’t love me, Dom. You’re still in love with Simone. And that’s fine. You were hers first. I just wish you’d warned me, that’s all. Managed my expectations. You could’ve saved us all a lot of heartache.’
Somewhere below the terrace a dog barks, and the noise is so ordinary that it reminds me there’s a world outside the four walls of Villa Paradiso.
‘I think you should sleep somewhere else tonight.’
‘What?’
‘I’m sure Simone’ll be only too happy to keep her bed warm for you.’
‘Don’t be like that,’ Dominic says, wounded. ‘I told you, Simone and I are ancient history.’
I sigh. ‘Whatever. But I mean it, Dom. I can’t do this anymore. We’re over.’