Chapter 25 #3
‘Rhys’ll get to the bottom of this,’ he says. ‘It’s his job. The guitar has just been put down somewhere and this is all a misunderstanding.’
No pressure. Fuck, how could I have relaxed so much that something like this happened? The stalker’s silence lured me into a false sense of security, made me believe they’d given up. But they were hiding, waiting for the next time my back was turned.
Because it has to be him. The description’s too close – Luce feels it too.
If Gethin knew what me and Luce were doing while Cai’s guitar was stolen from under my nose, I’d be in deep shit. I’m allowed breaks, but my walkie was turned down, and I was distracted.
Get it together, Rhys. Now’s not the time to spiral. I give myself a mental slap then snap into action.
‘All right.’ I clear my throat, add more assertion to my words. Like a duck, I’m calm as fuck on top while underneath I’m paddling for my life. ‘A couple of people on my team match the description. I’ll go talk to them first.’
‘I can’t go on without it,’ Cai whinges. He’s close to tears.
I stride across the room and squat so I’m face-to-face with him. ‘Yes, you can. You don’t use it until the last encore, and I’ll have it by then. Col will get your back-up ready, in case I don’t find it. The show must go on, mate. That’s what we always say, right?’
His frown doesn’t ease, but he flops into Beth’s arms. Fine. She can deal with him, and I can do my job. I stand up and turn to everyone else in the room. ‘Keep your walkies on. I’ll report back when I’ve got an update.’
I switch mine on as I leave. Lucy’s trainers squeak after me, but I ignore them.
Cai needs her more than me right now, and I can’t worry about her when I’ve got other things to do.
My fists clench and unclench at my sides, my gaze fixed at the end of the corridor.
If I let her in, let her help, she’ll derail my concentration.
For fuck’s sake, I was about to get at least a hand job right there behind the rubbish bins.
No romance about it. Just me thinking about my cock.
My hard work on this tour – the extra meetings with my team and the PI, the chats with local police officers to make sure Cai and his shit’s safe – all of that’s gone straight out the window.
My anger builds, irrational and hot, all of it aimed inward. Curses spill from my gob, and I stomp to the end of the corridor. None of it stops her from following me, calling out my name as if I’m her long-lost husband on a foggy night on the moors.
‘Rhys. Bloody hell. Stop. Please.’ It’s her use of a swear that has me stopping and turning on my heels to stare at her.
‘What, Lucy?’
She recoils at my tone, the lack of my nickname for her, and retreats a little up the corridor.
Some of the tension wooshes out of me straight away.
Dammit. I’m not the guy who bullied her in Gethin’s office, all those weeks ago.
I refuse to take this out on her. I soften my tone the best I can, even though my feet itch to continue to the backstage area. But I don’t close the gap between us.
No wonder she has all these fucking rules and boundaries. Makes it all a lot fucking simpler.
‘What do you need, Luce?’
‘The guy Colin described. Dark hair, tall—’
‘Yeah. I caught that. Sounds like the guy you saw in Manchester. But it can’t be the same bloke.’
‘Are you sure?’
‘No.’ I can only admit to her I don’t have a fucking clue who’s doing all of this. If Cai and Gethin find out I'm more confused than ever, I’ll be out on my backside. My job’s to know. Not to run around the arena on a massive goose chase. ‘It could be anyone. I’m sorry, Luce, but I have to go.’
I fucking hate myself for it, but I turn away.
‘I— is there anything I can do to help?’
‘No. Go to the green room and look after Cai. Let me get on with my job.’
‘Right. Sure.’
The dejection in her voice twists around my lungs and squeezes, but there’s nothing I can do about it.
She’s not my priority right now. I need to speak to my team quickly to stop the guitar from leaving the O2.
If it’s not already gone. It’ll be harder to trace if it has.
She can’t help me, and having her by my side will make my job a hundred fucking times harder.
I grind my teeth together and force myself around the corner. There’ll be time to fix this later. After I’ve found the guitar.
I fumble for the button on my walkie. ‘I need as many of you as possible in the backstage area. Now. Unless you’re guarding Cai or an external door, get your arse there. A guitar’s gone missing and we have to find it.’
A series of confirmations crackle in reply.
I take the nearest staircase two steps at a time.
I turn into the left corridor, my concentration fixed on beating everyone else there.
That way I’ll look more on top of things than I feel.
My phone pings in my pocket, and I pull it out without missing a step.
Luce <3
I love you. Let me know if you need anything xxx
Yep. I’m a complete and utter wanker.