‘Did you do it?’ He hadn’t meant to say that out loud but he’d been unable to stop himself from asking the question.
‘Not tonight, Dad. Please.’
‘Everything okay here?’ Dominic asked, arriving by India’s side, handsome and sexy-as-hell in a black shirt and pants, his hair in that messed-up, just-got-out-of-bed style that he was known for – and that India loved – the movie star smile firmly in place as he circled her waist with his arm, pulling her into him.
‘Everything’s fine,’ Reece replied. He held Dominic’s stare for a few seconds before turning his attention back to India. ‘I take it, by this display of protective behaviour, that you two are officially an item then.’
It wasn’t really a question, and India felt about fifteen again. She guessed she always would, because she’d given her father no other option but to be suspicious of every relationship she got into now. Her past had seen to that.
She looked up at Dominic, removing his arm from around her waist and slipping her hand into his. He just smiled that smile, kissed her quickly, then left her alone with her dad.
‘It’s a bit early for him to be playing the gallant hero, isn’t it?’ Reece said, immediately wishing he hadn’t said anything at all because the look on India’s face wasn’t one he felt comfortable with. He could do without alienating her, especially at a time like this. He held his hands up. ‘Okay, okay, I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’ll back off, I’ll quit with the over-protective father routine. Just…’
‘Be careful. Yeah, yeah, I get it.’
‘You’re gonna be in the public eye all over again, you know that, don’t you? Now you’re in some kind of relationship with your co-star.’
‘It’s not like I’ve never had to handle that before, Dad.’
He wanted to say so much more to her but tonight was her night, her birthday, a night for her to cut loose and enjoy herself. Anything else could wait. ‘Go on,’ he smiled. ‘Go have a good time.’
She threw herself into his arms and hugged him tight, and he held onto her like he never wanted to let her go. And he didn’t. Because every time he let her go something happened that he couldn’t control; she got hurt, and he’d have to pick up the pieces all over again. He could only hope that, this time, things would be different.
***
‘I’m almost certain Vince suspects something’s up, Kenny,’ Charley said, suddenly feeling more than a little self-conscious talking to him. But that was only because of what had happened between them, and nobody else knew about that, did they?
‘Then you’ve got to try and be less edgy around him, Charley.’ Kenny couldn’t really concentrate tonight. He was too busy watching India and Dominic kissing like a couple of kids by the bar, laughing and play-fighting. It shouldn’t bother him, he’d thought he was over all that, but it did. It bothered him.
He turned his attention away from his best friend and her new boyfriend, smiling at Charley. His beautiful distraction, and now he knew why he needed her so much. ‘It’ll be okay, I’ve told you. I promised you that, didn’t I?’
She smiled too. He made her want to smile. ‘You’re the only one who can say that to me right now and make me actually believe it.’
‘Yeah, well, I’m that kind of guy.’
She couldn’t help laughing, finding something in Kenny’s smile that just suddenly made everything better. Or make it seem as if it was, anyway. ‘Thanks, Kenny.’
He looked at her. She’d come so far and changed so much since that stupid night together all those years ago, the night that had ended his short marriage to India. A night he’d always regretted. So why was he going back there? Because India wasn’t involved anymore? Or because she still was, and always would be. And his life was always going to be one long distraction in order for him to forget that.
‘For what?’
‘For being there.’
He smiled again, looking down at the ground, scuffing his boot against the wall. ‘That’s never been a problem, Charley.’ He looked up at her. ‘I’ll be there for you as long as you need me. And that’s a promise.’
***
‘Leopard’s don’t change their spots, Angel.’
India looked at Bobby over the top of her beer bottle. ‘Quit with the cryptic crap and tell me what you’re talking about.’
‘90% of his leading ladies, Princess. He’s slept with 90% of his leading ladies, and the other 10% only escaped because they were either too old for him, or married. Oh, hang on, you’re married! And it hasn’t stopped him this time, has it? Oh, something else, you’re actually older than him too!’
‘I could still fire you, y’know. It’s not too late.’
‘Then I shall start working for Kenny, Princess. I hear he’s on the lookout for a new personal assistant.’
‘Yeah, but preferably one who doesn’t stalk him,’ India smirked, taking a long swig of beer straight from the bottle.
‘Does Mr MacGorgeous know you drink like that?’
‘I still swear you’re jealous, Bobby.’
He sat forward, gently pushing her fringe from her eyes, smiling that gentle, friendly smile of his. ‘No, Angel, I just care about you. Yes, he’s an incredibly hot, sexy guy, but you’ve had those before… you’re still married to one, remember?’
‘Bobby…’
‘How do you know you’re not just another one of his conquests, Princess?’
She tucked her legs up underneath her, looking over to where Dominic was talking to some of the other cast members, throwing his head back and laughing, that movie star smile so evident, and the once tiny fluttering in her stomach had now increased a hundred times over. It was getting worse by the day, if she was honest with herself.
‘I don’t, do I?’ she said, turning away from Dominic and looking back at Bobby. ‘So I’ve just got to trust him.’
***
Michael watched everything going on from a quiet corner of the club – or as quiet as it could be in the middle of a nightclub where the music was loud and the crowd was growing by the second, more and more people eager to turn up and wish his ex-wife, the movie star, a happy birthday.
He took a sip of his bourbon, leaning back against the wall, watching as some of her co-stars hugged her, laughing and chatting away. He could’ve stayed there forever, just watching her.
He felt as though he’d come full circle with India, because this was how it had all began, all those years ago – him standing in the shadows watching her and wishing, until the day she’d finally become his. And they’d been so happy, so unbelievably happy, but he’d ruined all of that, hadn’t he? With actions he regretted every day of his life. And now he was right back where he’d started – standing in the shadows once again, watching and wishing.
As Dominic joined the group surrounding India, slipping his hand into hers, quickly kissing her, Michael felt his stomach dip and a rush of blood flood his head that caused him to grab the wall for support. This was it. It was time. Time to end whatever game Dominic MacDonald was playing. Time to finally confront this man who’d walked into India’s life and taken away Michael’s second chance with the only woman he could ever love. Time to face the son he’d never even known he’d had. Time for a whole new game to begin. And this time, he’d be the winner.
***
‘You look miles away, Vince,’ India smiled, gently touching his arm and he swung round to face her, smiling back. She was the kind of person who made you want to smile, especially tonight. She didn’t only look beautiful, but the fact she was so obviously happy was also quite infectious. Even if he wasn’t totally sure he felt all that happy himself.
‘Just thinking. You know how it is.’
She looked at him. ‘Well, maybe I should have done a bit more thinking myself recently, huh?’
He couldn’t help smiling again, because he knew exactly what she was referring to. ‘We all do things we regret, India.’
‘Yeah, but your mistakes aren’t going to be up there
on a movie screen for millions to see. Anyway…’ She quickly looked over towards Dominic who was talking to one of their female co-stars, a young, dark-haired actress who was shooting her first major supporting role, ‘… enough of that. How are things with you and Charley?’
Vince turned away for a second, catching sight of his wife talking to Kenny over by the bar, huddled together, deep in conversation. ‘Strange, India.’ He looked at her, throwing his head back and sighing heavily. ‘Things are strange.’
India glanced over towards where Vince had been looking, narrowing her eyes as she watched Charley and Kenny talking.
‘You haven’t really spoken to her much since she arrived in Vegas, have you?’ Vince asked, causing India to break her gaze and turn back to face him, shaking her head.
‘No. I haven’t. We’re supposed to be having lunch some time, but I’m so busy and…’
‘So is she, yeah, I know. Tell me about it,’ Vince sighed, pushing a hand through his now slightly greying dark hair.
India slipped her hand into his and gave it a squeeze. ‘She loves you, Vince. She loves you so much, and I know what you’re thinking, but she wouldn’t go there. Not Charley. Not after everything that happened in the past. She wouldn’t risk losing you; she wouldn’t risk losing what you two have. I can promise you that.’
He smiled at her, wishing he could feel as confident as she did. ‘She’s told me everything’s fine…’
‘Then what are you worrying about?’
‘I know her, India. I know her better than she thinks I do, and I know something’s not right. Something’s just not right… and I’ll find out what that is, believe me. Because I am crazy about that woman, and whatever it is we’ll get through it. Whatever it is.’
India took one more look over at both her best friends – still holding onto the hand of the man who’d taken Charley from the depths of despair and a past she’d needed to leave behind, and given her the chance to start again – and India just hoped with all her heart that, whatever was going on, it wasn’t what she thought it was.
***
Dominic sat back and looked at his watch. It was still early. A whole chunk of the night still lay ahead of them and yet all he wanted to do was take India back up to his suite and make love to her until their bodies couldn’t take any more. He wanted to fall asleep holding her in his arms, wishing he wasn’t who he was, and that this crap with Michael Walsh didn’t exist. Because, if she ever found out…
‘You thinking, MacDonald?’ He looked up and smiled as India sat down next to him, stroking his hair, leaning over to kiss him quickly. ‘Because, if you are, then you’re probably using up energy that you might just need later.’
He smiled too, laughing that low, sexy-as-hell laugh, pulling her over to sit astride him, circling her waist with his arms. ‘Oh, baby, there’s plenty of energy left for whatever you need me to do, I can promise you that.’
‘The perks of having a younger man.’
‘You bet your beautiful ass, honey.’
She threw her head back and laughed as he kissed her neck, his mouth gently brushing the base of her throat, so lightly it made her physically shiver, and she moaned quietly as his fingers slipped underneath her top, stroking the small of her back.
‘Not a good idea, baby,’ she groaned, gently pushing him away, all too aware of how much trouble getting carried away could get them into. And the last thing they needed was more ammunition for the press and media, some of which were there at the party, although they were the invited ones, people India had grown close to over the years. People she could trust. But that didn’t really matter in the long run, did it? If something was going on that looked like a story worth writing about, they’d write it. She knew that only too well.
‘Can’t we just escape for five minutes, India? Go somewhere quiet, somewhere private…’
‘I wasn’t aware privacy bothered you two anymore,’ Bobby said, sitting down beside them and taking a long sip of his rather brightly coloured cocktail. Miguel was running the bar for the night so all kinds of weird and wonderful concoctions were being created, with most of them more colourful than any rainbow India had ever seen.
Dominic looked at India but she just shrugged, climbing off his knee and standing up, repositioning her top.
Bobby looked at the two of them, all wide eyed and innocent. ‘I’m only saving you both from yourselves. I mean, there was a time when you at least dragged your men into the nearest toilet for a quick one up against the wall, Angel. Now you seem to prefer the more public option.’
She stuck her tongue out at him, pulling Dominic up out of his seat.
‘Very ladylike, Princess,’ Bobby tutted, turning his attention back to his cocktail. ‘I’m just tying to keep you on the straight and narrow. That’s my job, after all.’
‘Oh, she veered off the straight and narrow a long time ago,’ Kenny smirked, joining them all at the booth.
‘Who asked you?’ India said, but she couldn’t help smiling as she looked at her best friend. Her very best friend. The one man who’d been constant in her life for the past twenty years. The one man who would always be there, no matter what, she knew that now. She knew that. He looked good tonight, too. The hair was shorter than he usually wore it due to the film he’d just finished shooting, but the beard was slowly making a reappearance, and he still carried off that scruffy “rock star” look to its ultimate best in old jeans, black T-shirt and his favourite heavy biker boots. Free-spirited, handsome Kenny Ross. He may have hit middle-age, but middle-age certainly hadn’t hit him.
‘Who knows you better?’ Kenny winked, and India burst out laughing. Those cocktails of Miguel’s were starting to take effect now and she clung onto Dominic as she briefly lost her balance.
‘Actually, I want a word with you,’ she said, looking straight at Kenny, who looked right back at her, his stare making her stomach flip over slightly and she squeezed Dominic’s hand tighter, leaning in against him. She was definitely laying off those cocktails now; they were having some very strange side effects in her opinion.
‘Would you like that word now?’ Kenny asked, still staring at her. ‘Or, are you too busy?’
She looked at Dominic, whose expression told her he’d really rather they just got out of there and got down to something he knew they both wanted to do, but India needed to know something first. Otherwise she was only going to be distracted.
‘Give me five minutes, baby, okay?’
‘Do I have much choice?’ Dominic asked, pulling her against him for a long, slow kiss. He wasn’t letting her go that easy. Kenny Ross might not be a threat anymore, but Dominic still wanted him to know where he stood as far as India was concerned.
‘She doesn’t give anyone much choice in anything,’ Kenny said, and India swung round to look at him, letting go of Dominic and grabbing Kenny’s hand, pulling him away from everyone else.
‘What the hell was that supposed to mean?’
‘What?’
‘Oh, quit with the innocent act, Kenny. It doesn’t suit you. That comment, back there. Was that some kind of dig? Because I didn’t deserve that.’
He pushed a hand through his jet-black hair, looking down at the ground for a second. A momentary lapse, that’s all it had been. Thinking aloud. A mistake.
‘I’m sorry.’ He looked up at her, her beautiful blue eyes confused, with good reason. ‘I didn’t mean anything by it, okay? I didn’t.’
She couldn’t be bothered to argue with him. It didn’t matter anyway; she had more important things to worry about. ‘What’s going on with you and Charley?’
‘Nothing’s going on with me and Charley.’
‘I said quit with the innocent act, Kenny. Look, you know me, don’t you? You know me inside out, wouldn’t you agree?’
‘Yeah… what’s your point?’
‘I know you too. So, what’s going on? And if you tell me it’s nothing again I swear, I’ll hit you. And I can hit hard, you know that.
’
He looked back down at the ground, pushing a hand through his hair in an action that was fast turning into a nervous habit, because he was more than aware that he wasn’t going to be able to keep this from India for much longer. Even though he really didn’t want to involve her. The memories it could bring back would be just too painful for her. And the situation far too dangerous. ‘There’s nothing going on, India…’
‘Jesus, Kenny…’
‘She’s just got a lot on. Believe me, baby, I’m not lying to you.’ Wasn’t he? Charley did have a lot going on, it was just that India didn’t need to know what, exactly. She didn’t need to know.
‘Because Vince thinks there is. Are you aware of that?’
‘Yes…’
‘Then sort it out. For Christ’s sake, Kenny… if you and her…’
‘It’s nothing like that, India. Nothing like that.’ And it wasn’t, not really. What he and Charley had done, well, it had been once. One time. A chance for both of them to have that moment of escape, those few minutes to forget everything that was killing them both inside. Two very separate reasons, but both he and Charley had demons they needed to push aside, just for a little while. However, the last time he and Charley had done something once, just one time, look what had happened. But it wouldn’t be like that again. Not this time. Nobody’s relationship would be ruined, nobody would get hurt. History wasn’t going to repeat itself; Kenny would make sure of that.
India looked at him, right into eyes that she honestly thought she could trust, but she just couldn’t read him tonight. ‘Shit! Do you know what? Forget it. I haven’t got time for this. If she doesn’t want to talk to me then that’s up to her. I can’t force her. But if she’s hurting Vince…’
Illusions of Love Page 17