Chapter 20
TWENTY
ROMAN
My head is thumping, from the booze or the squashing of Maggie’s thighs, I’m not sure.
But I need air. ‘Come on, let’s pop outside a minute before we head upstairs.’
Maggie follows. Her cheeks are flushed, curls escaping their earlier taming now thoroughly undone. We steal two cocktails from a passing server and slip out like teenagers bunking off school early.
Outside hits me with a wave of freshness. It’s cold and rainy, and much needed.
The stone terrace glistens under the lights, rain dropping steadily. I inhale the smell of damp earth and smoke. Maggie tips her head back to let the rain hit her face, smiling softly. After our heated and likely misguided encounter in the alcove, it’s exactly what I needed to calm back down.
Not that I regret it, but my growing feelings for Maggie are complicating things. I should want to escape, but instead I find myself craving the next touch.
With heavy tread, Eddie steps out of the shadows.
He’s drunk. Messy-drunk. His gaze is positively menacing. He saunters, his body is loose, but those eyes are deadly, social graces utterly abandoned as he lurches toward us.
‘Running away already?’ he says, voice slick.
Maggie stiffens beside me.
I move to angle my body in front of her.
‘Look at you, all knight in shining armour for my little Maggie. You barely know her, but I’ve loved her since I was ten.’
‘We’re just getting air,’ I say. ‘We don’t want any of your shit. Maggie doesn’t want you. Get over yourself.’
He laughs. An ugly sound.
‘Her wanting me isn’t necessary.’ His gaze slides over us; it’s like being dunked in raw sewage. ‘You know, it’s funny. You think you can just walk in here. Play pretend with my girl.’
My stomach tightens. ‘Pretend what?’
‘That you’re not who you are.’
The rain runs down Eddie’s face, dripping off his chin. He doesn’t blink.
‘I know all about you. All your online bullshit. The fact that you’re a fucking liar. Does Maggie know who you really are? A cunt who’s convinced half the population you’re someone worth listening to.’
My pulse thunders as his eyes sweep over Maggie.
‘Oh, so she knows,’ he continues before breaking into a hyena-like cackle. ‘I don’t even need to touch you. One whisper in the right ear and it all comes tumbling down. Sponsors. Fans. Maggie. Gone.’
Maggie’s fingers curl in my hand.
Then Eddie lunges, his hand gripping Maggie by the arm.
‘Let go of her,’ I demand, shoving him hard.
He ignores me. And I’ve had enough. That’s it.
I swing.
The punch lands, knuckles crunching on bone. The impact jolts fiery pain up my arm. Eddie stumbles and goes down hard on the slick stone, rain splashing up as his arse meets the paving.
The world seems to still. Nothing but rain pattering and Eddie’s short breath. He comes up fast, swinging, and we’re on each other. Stumbling and shoving, fists flying and catching flesh.
Maggie shouts my name, but I need my wits about me. If Eddie is the killer I now believe him to be, then I’m out of my depth. I can only thank the stars that he’s drunk as a fucking skunk.
Sloppy.
Eddie slams me back against the railing, his face close enough that I can smell the spirits on his breath. His hand dips into his jacket with a demented grin.
Metal flashes.
A knife.
Rain streaking through the blood at the corner of his mouth, making him look like the Joker.
‘I’m going to enjoy this,’ he slurs. ‘Cutting out that lying tongue of yours. I’ll give it to Maggie as an engagement present.’
My heart hammers as I try to shove him off, but he has me pinned.
Behind him, Maggie’s voice trembles. ‘Eddie.’
He turns.
Maggie stands a few paces away, both hands wrapped around a gun. Her arms quake, and her face is ashen.
Eddie turns before laughing, keeping his knife pointed at me.
‘You won’t do it. You never could. You’re not a killer, darling.’
She swallows and cocks the gun.
A shot cracks through the night.
It whines past Eddie’s ear and smashes into a stone gargoyle-like statue behind us, close enough that he flinches. Close enough to make him doubt his assessment of Maggie.
Maggie’s breathing is ragged, but the gun doesn’t waver. It stays pointed at Eddie. He stares at her, then starts to laugh in a wild, unsteady pitch. ‘Look at you go. Maybe we’ll make a killer of you yet.’
Lifting his hands, he backs away, still grinning. ‘This isn’t over.’
Then he turns and staggers off into the rain.
I don’t move until he’s gone, sagging against the railing.
Maggie’s knees buckle slightly. And I’m there in two unsteady strides, catching her and pulling her close. ‘I’m so sorry.’
‘Nothing for you to be sorry for, you saved my ass.’
’I didn’t think he’d actually try anything while we’re here. Even Eddie usually has a little more decorum.’ Maggie lowers the gun to her side and relaxes her head against my chest. I’ve never even seen a gun before outside of the TV. It brings Maggie’s reality into sharp focus.
‘You okay?’ I ask.
She nods. ‘You?’
‘I’ll be better when we get back to the room.’
We’re soaked to the undercrackers, pulses going like the clappers, and exhaustion kicking in.
What a party.