Chapter 6
CHAPTER
SIX
EMMA
The curtains stayed open as his body twitched then went still. I was shaking uncontrollably and I felt sick. Bile rose in my throat as I peered frantically around at the stunned crowd.
What the hell was happening right now?
Why wasn’t anyone rushing to get him down?
I grabbed my bag from the floor and stumbled over the rope that was holding us in our Press pen.
I had every intention of running to the wall to do something.
But as I escaped the confines of the Press area, and went to walk forward, Lloyd appeared in front of me, huffing and puffing.
His cheeks were red, his face shiny with sweat, and his breaths were heavy and laboured.
“I’m so sorry,” he gasped. “I meant to get back to you to watch the performance, but I just got... tied up.”
“Is he okay?” I asked, my eyes darting from Lloyd to the curtain. It was closed now, but the memory of what I’d seen was still burned into my brain. I think it always would be. “What’s happening?” I asked. I was frantic, shaking like a leaf.
“Nothing’s happening,” Lloyd replied. “S.K.A.M. is fine. It was all fake.” And he frowned at me like he thought I was losing my mind. “Did you enjoy his performance?”
Did I enjoy being traumatised?
Watching a man take his own life?
Even if it was fake, as Lloyd was telling me, it still had that grotesque shock value that made me feel fucking sick. His performance and his words were everything. The ending was... something else entirely.
I glanced around, expecting to see everyone else in shock like me, but they all seemed to be in deep conversation.
“He hung himself,” I stated in exasperation.
“He hung from the wall, he didn’t hang himself,” Lloyd replied. “He was wearing a harness. But you already knew that. We told everyone at the entrance about the trigger warnings for tonight.”
“No one told me,” I shot back.
Typical, the snooty girl at the entrance obviously thought the information wasn’t necessary for someone as low as me. No wonder Alex didn’t want me to watch this alone. But it was done now. There was nothing I could do to change the situation. At least I knew the artist was okay, even if I wasn’t.
I grabbed a glass of champagne from a passing waiter and downed it in one to help calm my nerves.
“What did you think?” Lloyd pressed again, nodding animatedly at the curtains. “He’s good, isn’t he.”
“He certainly left an impression.”
“That’s what he does, makes you think, look at the world from a different perspective, and maybe, look at yourself, too.”
“His words were very...” I tried to find the right words to describe how he made me feel. “Raw and honest.” I swallowed, my throat feeling like sandpaper. I don’t think I had any more words left in me to give to Lloyd about what I’d seen.
We started to walk back into the main gallery, Lloyd striding confidently ahead, and me, swaying slightly on my heels, dizzy from the shock of what I’d seen and too much alcohol.
Lloyd tilted his head towards me as he said, “I can’t wait to read your piece in the newspaper next week. I’m sure your readers will love hearing all about everything you’ve seen tonight, and the photos, too.”
Shit.
I’d been so engrossed in S.K.A.M.’s performance, I hadn’t taken a single photograph.
“I loved it, and they’ll love it too,” I said, faking confidence. “If you have any photos or videos you can send onto the newspaper, that would be great,” I added. “They might be better than mine.”
“I did wonder why you hadn’t brought a photographer with you.” Lloyd frowned as he spoke. “You’re a woman of many talents, covering everything. Do you have a business card with your email on?”
I didn’t have a business card.
I wasn’t deemed important enough by Mr. Gold to warrant having one.
“Oh shoot,” I replied, pretending to check in my purse for a card. “I must’ve given away the last one. But if you send anything you have to the main email for the newspaper, it’ll come through to me.”
Because I vetted all those emails, anyway.
“Right you are.” Lloyd cocked his finger at me like he was pretending to shoot. “Yours will be the first review we read.”
And I hid my gasp, my breath catching in my throat as I noticed the red stains under his fingernails as he pointed at me.
“Are you... did you...” I took a step back as Lloyd came towards me, and everything seemed to move in slow motion as I felt my body collide with something behind me, making me lose my footing and fall to the floor.
Then I heard something smashing to the ground as the crowd around me cried out in horror.
I was mortified. I’d fallen over. Made a fool of myself in front of everyone. But as I manoeuvred my body to sit up and eventually stand, I saw the shattered clay from a piece of art scattered all over the floor.
I stared at Lloyd, eyes wide in terror as I spluttered, “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to break it. I’ll pay for it.”
“You’ll have to,” he snapped, his jaw tight as he glared back at me and staff members came running over with dustpans and brushes to clear the mess. “That’s five thousand pounds worth of art you’ve just broken. Do you want to pay by cash or card?”
I stuttered, unable to form words.
Five fucking thousand pounds.
I didn’t even have that much available on my credit card.
“I don’t have my bank cards on me tonight,” I said, trying to buy myself some time.
Lloyd sighed as Tobey and Ethan appeared through the crowd, and they both leant down to help me up.
My embarrassment levels shot through the roof, and I half expected Alex to appear beside them.
But he wasn’t there. That was some small consolation, although he’d hear about my shame through the grapevine.
“It’s fine,” Lloyd replied. I’ll contact your office on Monday to sort it out.”
“Sort what out?” Tobey asked.
“Nothing,” I butted in, not wanting Lloyd to embarrass me any further in front of these men.
“Just some photos and quotes for my article.” I turned to Tobey and Ethan.
“Thanks for your help,” I said, smiling earnestly at them.
“It’s been such a lovely evening. I really have enjoyed meeting you all. ”
Then I turned and walked away, leaving the disaster behind me like a villain out of a blockbuster Hollywood movie, before Tobey or Ethan could reply, or I could make another show of myself.
“Monday morning!” I heard Lloyd call out behind me. “I won’t forget.”
I knew he wouldn’t.
But where the hell was I going to get five thousand pounds from in a matter of days?
I didn’t even have five thousand pennies.