Illusions of Love

by Michelle Betham

  ‘Are you going… are you still going to confront him?’

  Reece continued to get dressed, ignoring the pain. ‘Do you even need to ask that question?’

  ‘Reece, honey… do you not think everyone’s had enough to deal with over the past few days? India included. She was so scared, baby. So scared for you, because she loves you so much…’

  ‘And I love her too, Martha. Which is why I need to do this. She needs to know I’m there for her.’

  ‘She already knows that, Reece. What she doesn’t need is the past bringing back up, what good would that do? And think of Ethan. India and Michael are getting on now, aren’t they? They’re talking to each other, they’re working together, things are okay…’

  ‘Martha, she’s sleeping with Michael’s son. A son he didn’t even know he had until a couple of weeks ago so how does that, in any way, go towards making this situation any better?’

  ‘Forget Dominic. He’s got nothing to do with India and Michael’s past.’

  Reece pushed a hand through his grey-flecked hair. ‘No, maybe not… Look, Martha, I know this really isn’t the time to be doing this, but… Jesus, I just need to talk to her. Can you understand that?’

  She walked over to him, smiling, quickly kissing his mouth as she gently stroked his cheek. ‘Of course I understand. And I know how much you’re struggling with everything – with what I told you, but… for that little boy’s sake, honey…’

  ‘Martha…’

  ‘For Ethan’s sake, let him have his mom and dad, okay? Let that little boy have both his parents, because he was far too long without that.’

  ‘For good reason,’ Reece whispered, feeling tears start to prick the back of his eyes and he stared up at the ceiling, blinking furiously, because he couldn’t cry. He had no time to be weak. ‘She forgave him, Martha. I don’t understand… How could she do that?’

  Martha stroked his cheek again, making him look at her. ‘Because she needed to, baby. She needed to do that. For whatever reason. And maybe you need to do that too.’

  ‘How can I? What he did… She’d just had his baby; Ethan was seven months old, Martha. He was just seven months old, and his father...’

  ‘Okay, Reece, stop. Please. Listen to me. Listen. You have got to think about India here. She’s trying to make a new start…’

  Reece pulled away from her, walking over to the mirror, staring at his tired and battered reflection, his face bruised and sore from the accident but those Irish Brogan eyes were still shining. Despite everything. ‘With Michael’s son, Martha.’ He turned round to look at her, leaning back against the sideboard. ‘How the hell could that ever be considered a new start?’

  ‘You can’t help who you fall in love with, Reece.’

  ‘Yes. You can. And she should have known better.’ He grabbed his jacket from the back of the door.

  ‘Reece… where are you going?’

  He turned round once more as he opened the door, throwing her a small smile. ‘I’m going to get some fresh air, Martha. That’s all. I’m just going to get some fresh air.’

  ***

  Vince stood back and stared at a scene that, only a couple of days ago, had resembled nothing but carnage. Yet now, looking at the usual everyday goings-on that surrounded a Vegas resort, it was hard to believe that anything had happened at all. Still, that was what he paid top dollar for, wasn’t it? To make sure that any shit that did happen was cleared up as quickly as possible.

  Sticking his hands in his pockets he walked back towards the entrance of the hotel, smiling hellos at people he knew, and those he didn’t – Vince Maine was the perfect Vegas host. He could turn it on with the flick of a switch, whether he felt like it or not.

  Thinking back to what had happened, how more people hadn’t been hurt Vince didn’t know. So far the police were coming up with no leads as to who was responsible, and Vince knew they never would. Because he knew exactly who was responsible. And so did Charley.

  Walking through the imposing glass doors of The Amber Palace, into the exquisite atrium with its vast glass ceiling and towering indoor palm trees, the bright and airy atmosphere giving the place an almost outdoors feel, Vince wondered if it had been such a good idea coming back to Vegas for this movie. He loved this city, it was in his blood. He loved everything about it. It was where he’d got together with Charley, it was where their daughter had been born, it was where his life was. His whole world was wrapped up here. So why was so much shit happening? Again.

  He sighed inwardly as he checked his cell phone, a message flashing up on the screen from one of the casino managers. He’d really wanted to oversee filming today. It was the first day back on set after the recent goings-on, but his hotels came first and if there were any problems with those then they needed to come before anything else. Michael was more than capable of handling the movie side of things.

  Sliding his phone back into his pocket he stopped at reception to pick up any messages, suddenly feeling a wave of total exhaustion sweeping over him. He’d left Charley upstairs in their apartment, catching up on sleep she’d missed through nights of staying awake and crying and he’d promised her he’d leave her in peace – no more talking until she felt strong enough. But he was beginning to realise that he couldn’t really go on today if he didn’t face up to things, if he didn’t talk to her properly, tell her what was on his mind. Crazy things, things that couldn’t possibly be true but until she put his over-active imagination to rest he wasn’t really in any state to carry on with his day.

  So, he quickly tapped out a message to his casino manager, took a deep breath and headed for the private elevator that took him up to his and Charley’s private apartment, hoping beyond anything that every fear he had buried deep inside him was wrong.

  ***

  ‘Your dad is gonna be okay y’know.’

  India turned to look at Dominic, watching as he absent-mindedly tidied a pile of magazines she’d left lying around on the dining table.

  ‘Yeah. I know. It was just the shock, that’s all. The realisation that he’s not indestructible, that he’s not going to be around forever. That scared me.’

  He turned round, leaning back against the table. ‘That’s totally understandable.’

  ‘What I don’t get, though, is why he was even on set that day. I mean, his scenes were over, he’d finished. I thought he wanted to spend more time with Martha, not hang around watching us lot at work. Why would he want to do that?’

  ‘Is it really so important?’

  ‘Yes. It is. I know my dad, and I know that if he doesn’t have a damn good reason to be somewhere then he doesn’t usually hang around for nothing. Not when Martha’s here, not when they could be spending time together. Him being on set that day… well, it was weird.’

  ‘Weird?’ Dominic laughed, folding his arms, wiping the smile off his face the second he caught the look she gave him. ‘Okay, listen, he’s fine. He’s fine, alright? No real damage done.’

  India pushed a hand through her hair, turning away from him for a few seconds. ‘Is that what you think? Huh? That no real damage was done?’

  ‘India, baby, he’s fine. He’s one hell of a tough old guy.’

  She looked at him again. ‘Something’s not right, Dominic. Something’s just not adding up, it doesn’t feel right…’

  ‘Come here.’

  She stopped talking and stared at him through slightly narrowed eyes. ‘Why?’

  ‘Jesus, India, do you ever stop being so freakin’ defensive?’ Dominic laughed, and she couldn’t help but smile. He had that effect on her. Over these past few days he’d been there for her, constantly, always by her side, and she’d been grateful. For everything. Grateful to have him with her, grateful that he cared enough to do that for her.

  ‘Sorry… I’m sorry, okay? I’m just a bit stressed out with it all. This movie’s turning into a bit of a nightmare.’

  Dominic raised an eyebrow. ‘So, meeting me was a nightmare, was it?’


  ‘Well, I can’t say the circumstances under which we met were ones I would have chosen, but… ‘ She couldn’t help laughing. ‘No, meeting you was not a nightmare. Meeting you was the good bit.’

  ‘So, come here. Come on.’

  ‘You telling me what to do?’

  He gave her that movie star smile, sexy-as-hell and twice as hot. ‘I’m not sure I could tell you what to do, even if I wanted to.’

  ‘Yeah, you got that right.’ She walked slowly over to him, keeping her eyes on his all the time. ‘You got that so right.’

  He rested his hand on her hip as she stood in front of him, their eyes still locked together. ‘Do you have any idea how beautiful you really are, India Walsh?’

  ‘Shut up and kiss me.’

  ‘Forceful, huh? I like that.’

  Finally shutting him up by kissing him, India pushed herself against his hard, toned body, slipping her hands underneath his slightly open shirt, pushing it back off his shoulders. His hand rested lightly in the small of her back, keeping her right where she was because it felt good to have her so close again, recent events having put paid to any real intimacy between them over the past few days. She just hadn’t been in the mood, and understandably so. But he wasn’t willing to let go of her now, he wasn’t willing to pass up this chance because he ached for her, with a physical pain he couldn’t describe. Never in his entire life had Dominic ached to make love to the same woman so much and so often but with India he couldn’t shake those feelings. They wouldn’t go away. And he wasn’t sure he ever wanted them to.

  ‘I really need you right now,’ she whispered, running her fingers lightly over the ever-present stubble on his chin. ‘These past few days have been tough, y’know? They’ve been hard, so… are you gonna help take away all that stress then, Mr Movie Star?’

  ‘Is that what you want?’ he asked, slipping his hand up under her T-shirt, the feel of her soft skin underneath his fingers sending his stomach into a frenzy of somersaults.

  ‘Yeah. It’s exactly what I want.’

  ‘Well then, if my leading lady wants me to take away her stress, then her wish is my command.’

  She smiled again, throwing back her head as his mouth started brushing the base of her throat, his hands holding her by the waist, moving her quickly and swiftly around, pushing her back onto the table, a sudden desperate need to have her taking him over once again.

  With clothes removed in seconds, Dominic once more took in every inch of her incredible body, her breasts pushed up towards him as she arched her back, his mouth accepting the invitation she was obviously sending out, lowering down to cover first one breast then the other, the taste of her something he would never tire of. No wonder his father was obsessed with her, who wouldn’t be? She was a walking, living dream, and he wasn’t in any hurry to wake up.

  Her small moans and light gasps served only to turn him on more as he let his fingers travel downwards, touching that warm, wet heaven that waited for him. Kissing her slow and deep he moved his body over hers, feeling her legs pull up and wrap themselves around him as he pushed into her gently, every inch of him flooded with feelings he’d never experienced before – until he’d met this crazy, sexy, mixed-up woman.

  ‘Do you have any idea what you do to me?’ he whispered, his mouth ever-so-lightly touching hers as he spoke.

  She smiled, reaching out to touch his rough chin, running her fingers over his mouth, enjoying the feeling of calm he brought her whenever he was inside her. The most beautiful form of stress relief possible, and that thought made her smile again as she stared into his ice-blue eyes. ‘I think I’ve got a vague idea, yeah.’

  He couldn’t help smiling too. He’d never been with someone who made him want to smile quite so much, despite the complicated link they had – that man who would never really go away, he’d never leave them alone, but Dominic could deal with that. He’d make sure of it, because he wasn’t ready to let India go. All he had to do now was make sure she felt the same way about him, and that wasn’t something he felt entirely certain about just yet.

  Closing her eyes, India arched her back once more as Dominic pushed in deeper, his hands holding tightly onto her hips as their bodies moved together in that perfect rhythm, his breathing heavy, warming her skin. It was the most incredible feeling, being with him. Oh, she’d had some great sex in her time, with some amazing men, but there was something about making love with Dominic that felt different, somehow. Because he was Michael’s son? She quickly banished that thought from her mind, biting down on her bottom lip as Dominic thrust hard, her hips answering back immediately. She pushed upwards against him, their bodies now covered in sweat as their movements became faster, their grip on each other tighter, their kisses deeper and harder until that white-hot climax overtook them with a force that caused them both to shout out loud, their bodies rocking together, still in that perfect rhythm. Until it was over, done.

  They stayed where they were for a few seconds, catching their breath, before Dominic pulled India up and into his arms, still in no hurry to let her go, still wanting to feel her, naked and warm, against him. Still wanting to just look at her, keep her right where she was because every time she set foot outside of this bubble they lived in when they were safely behind the doors of her villa, there was always that threat that his father could still get to her. Always that threat, a threat that couldn’t touch them when they were here, together, alone.

  ‘I love you, India Walsh,’ Dominic whispered, gently stroking her hair from her eyes. ‘And I’m never gonna tire of telling you that, do you understand?’

  She stared up at him, smiling slightly as she held onto him, playing with the hair at the back of his neck. Had she ever told him she’d loved him back? She couldn’t remember, she really couldn’t, and she wasn’t even sure if she did – if she, truthfully and honestly, loved him back. She loved being with him, she hated it when he wasn’t around – did that mean she loved him? Would she feel that same crushing pain she’d felt when she’d had to live without Michael if Dominic walked out of her life? Would she feel that? Because, if she didn’t, then she wasn’t sure that she really loved him. Not in a way that was strong enough.

  ‘India?’

  His voice shook her back to reality and she looked up into those all-too-familiar blue, blue eyes.

  ‘You were miles away, honey. Everything okay?’

  She smiled, gently stroking his cheek with her fingertips. ‘Everything’s fine. It’s fine.’

  He smiled too, keeping her close against him, because he needed to feel her there, needed to know she was close. Especially now. ‘Good. That’s good, because… because I need to ask you something.’

  ‘Oh yeah?’ She kissed his slightly open mouth – did that mouth of his resemble Michael’s just a touch too much? If it did, it certainly didn’t feel the same, or taste the same. Dominic was different. Wasn’t he? ‘What do you want to ask me?’

  Dominic threw his head back for a second, taking a deep breath before looking straight into India’s eyes again, an almost steely determination taking over. But it wasn’t enough. He wasn’t ready. The time wasn’t right. And he had to be ready.

  ‘It doesn’t matter,’ he said, his smile returning, along with that overwhelming need to make love to her again. ‘It can wait.’

  ‘You sure? It seemed like it was kind of important.’

  He shook his head, letting his fingers gently stroke the small of her back, pushing her closer. ‘No. It can wait. But I’m not sure I can.’

  She smiled too as she felt him grow hard against her. ‘I guess we’ll have to do something about that then. Won’t we?’

  ‘Yeah, I guess we will… India?’

  She looked at him, his ice-blue stare penetrating deep into her very soul. ‘Nothing, sorry… Like I said, it can wait.’

  CHAPTER 34

  Charley lay back against the pillow, keeping her eyes closed as Kenny rolled over to lie beside her. She always kept her eyes close
d for those few seconds after they’d made love, for some stupid reason, almost as if keeping her eyes closed would rid her of the crushing guilt she felt right now.

  ‘Charley?’

  She finally opened her eyes, slowly turning her head to face him, a small smile appearing at the sight of his oh-so-handsome face. India was crazy not to have stuck with this man because he was perfect in almost every way, and sometimes it seemed as though India was the only person never to have really seen that.

  But he wasn’t Vince, and he never would be. So why was she doing this? Why was she risking so much for nothing more than a few minutes of forgetting?

  ‘You’re miles away,’ Kenny smiled, resting up on one elbow as he looked at her, her face devoid of any make-up, her dark curls fanning out over the pure white pillow. She was an incredibly beautiful woman was Charley Maine. But she wasn’t India. Nobody could ever be India, and Kenny was still learning – after almost twenty years – to live with that.

  ‘I was just thinking,’ Charley whispered, twisting her wedding ring round and round on her finger.

  ‘About what?’

  She looked at him again. ‘You really have to ask that?’

  He ran a hand through his dark hair, pushing it back off his face, not answering her quite obviously rhetorical question. He didn’t need to. He knew what she was thinking about, because he was thinking about it too. Vince was a great guy, the perfect husband to Charley, a good friend to Kenny. And he didn’t deserve what they were doing to him, just because they both selfishly needed a few minutes of escapism from situations that couldn’t be helped by any of these stupid actions.

  ‘You need to go,’ she said quietly, turning away from him, staring at a photograph of Vince and Lily on the bedside table. The two most important people in her life. And she was letting both of them down. ‘You need to go, and we need to stop this.’

  Kenny knew she was right, but he didn’t want to leave because when he was here, with Charley, he didn’t have to think about the things he spent so long trying to avoid. Yeah, he was weak. So what? He’d had twenty years of trying to be strong, and he was tired now.