“I mean, it’s her dad’s party so you’d think she’d have been here wouldn’t you?” Kenny went on.
Vince looked at him. “Sorry ... what are we talking about here? I was miles away.”
“India and Michael’s non-appearance. Jesus, you haven’t got women on the brain too, have you?”
“No. What makes you say that?”
Kenny looked up as he heard Michael’s voice congratulating Reece, India holding onto his waist as they talked, leaning right in against him, looking like some lovesick kid. Kenny almost wanted to look away but he couldn’t because she looked amazing, dressed in a black baby doll dress and high strappy sandals, her hair piled up messily on top of her head. It was quite obvious what they’d been doing, and also quite obvious that any trouble from this morning had been put well and truly behind them. And he didn’t like the way that made him feel.
“Looks like trouble in paradise has been averted then?” Bobby said, sidling up to Kenny at the bar and ordering himself a gin and tonic.
Kenny just looked at him, not really wanting to talk about it. The way she was looking up at the great Michael Walsh made him feel physically sick. He really wasn’t handling this well at all. He’d thought he was over it all and finally moving on, but it seemed his emotions had other ideas.
“Do you think they’ll ever fall out of love?” Bobby asked, in no hurry to leave Kenny alone.
“Who?” he asked, even though it was very much a rhetorical question.
“Romeo and Juliet over there. The rather gorgeous Mr and Mrs Walsh.” Bobby sighed, leaning back against the bar and looking over at them as they laughed and talked with Martha and Reece. “I think they look perfect together, don’t you?”
Kenny knocked back his drink and ordered another one. “Do you not think he’s a bit old for her?” He knew the minute he’d said it that he should have kept his mouth shut because both Vince and Bobby looked at him.
“I do believe you still have feelings for your ex-wife, Kenny Ross,” Bobby teased. “I sense a teensy bit of jealousy there if I’m not mistaken.”
“Fuck off, Bobby! I’m not jealous.”
“Yes, well, I think you protest just a tad too much.” Bobby turned his attention back to scanning the room for people he knew. “Right, I’m off to mingle.”
Vince looked at Kenny again, his body language screaming that Bobby had hit an extremely raw nerve. He was jealous of Michael, and it was obvious he still had feelings for India, he’d made that quite plain in those few seconds just there. Maybe Michael was right after all. Maybe Kenny was someone to be worried about. But India wouldn’t go there again. So much had changed since the affair Michael claimed they’d had. India seemed more in love with Michael than ever so surely there wasn’t a problem.
Kenny looked at Vince, aware that he was studying him. “I don’t have feelings for her, Vince. I don’t.”
Vince just raised an eyebrow and left him to it.
Kenny kicked the bar and knocked back his drink, angry with himself for a moment of weakness. Of course he still had feelings for India, he’d never lost them. He’d just learnt to live with them, learnt to cope with watching her with Michael, a man he’d never really understood, and understood less what it was that India saw in him.
“Hey, you not speaking to me or what?”
He turned round as someone tapped his shoulder. India stood there, smiling at him, her face giving away every tell-tale sign of someone who’d just had great sex. Because that’s what her and Michael had, wasn’t it? Great sex. She’d told him that herself.
“What’s up with your face?” she asked, picking up a glass of champagne from the bar. “You look fed up.”
“I’m fine.”
“Are you? Now you’re looking like the one who got out of bed the wrong side.”
“I’m surprised you managed to get out of yours at all.”
She looked at him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
He pushed a hand through his hair and sighed. “I’m sorry.”
“You know, I’m a bit sick of people saying that to me today. I’ve had him in a mood ...” She indicated towards Michael, who was now talking to Vince. “... and now you’ve got a face on you. What’s your problem anyway?”
“I haven’t got one.”
“You sure about that?”
He looked at her. “Positive.”
“Whatever.” She stood up on tip-toes and kissed his cheek. “I’ll see you later.”
He watched her run back over to Michael, almost throwing herself against him as he caught her with one arm, leaning over to kiss her slowly, a kiss that was something they should probably have kept behind closed doors but Kenny couldn’t stop watching - watching the way Michael held her, watching the way he buried his fingers in her hair, his thumb stroking her cheek as he kissed her; he watched the way her body went almost limp in his arms. What was it with him? What was it he had that made her feel that way? What was he doing to her?
“What fucking spell does he have her under?”
“Did you say something?” Bobby asked, suddenly reappearing at Kenny’s side.
“No, I didn’t.” Kenny tore himself away from a sight that was only making him feel dead inside, and put his empty glass down on the bar. “I didn’t say a thing.”
***
Reece was more than a little concerned. He knew India and Michael had been apart for months, he knew they were obviously spending a lot of time together in a way he didn’t really want to think about, but the way they were with each other tonight unsettled him slightly. The way they were looking at each other, especially the way Michael was looking at India; it was too intense for his liking. His eyes followed her everywhere, they followed every step she took. He watched every move she made and whether he’d always done this and Reece had only just noticed or it was something he’d just started doing Reece had no idea, but it didn’t make him feel entirely comfortable.
“What’s the matter?” Vince asked, noticing Reece’s look of concern.
“Michael ... have you seen the way he is with India tonight?”
Vince looked over to where Michael was talking to Martha, but his attention was quite obviously on his wife, who was sitting with Kenny.
“Is it because of Kenny?” Reece asked, looking at Vince.
Vince didn’t know if he should share Michael’s concerns about Kenny Ross with India’s father. Would it worry him unnecessarily? Was it something he needed to know? Vince decided it was.
“Michael thinks Kenny may still want India.”
“And does India know he feels this way?” Reece asked, looking back over to his daughter as she held onto Kenny’s arm, laughing at something he was saying to her.
“No. She doesn’t. And I don’t think he wants her to know.”
“I see ... and I suppose this is magnified ten-fold because he’s leaving her here with Kenny.”
“Got it in one,” Vince said. “I’ve tried telling him that he’s got nothing to be worried about but ...”
Reece turned to look at him again. “But what?”
“Just something that happened earlier ... I’m not so sure that Michael’s wrong.”
“What do you mean?”
“I think Kenny still has real feelings for India that go way beyond friendship.”
“Oh for fuck’s sake ...” Reece sighed, pushing a hand through his hair.
“You’ll be working with him for the next few months Reece. Just keep your eye on him, ok? Look, did you … did you know that Kenny and India … did you know they had an affair?”
Reece nodded. “I caught them. I saw it with my own eyes.” He looked at Vince again. “Michael found out?”
Vince nodded.
“How?”
Vince shrugged. “I have no idea. I didn’t ask him. He just told me he knew. He’s known all along.”
“All these years and he’s never said a thing? Maybe I should talk to him.”
“I wouldn’t b
other, Reece. He goes inside his own head sometimes, he has a way of dealing with these things that only he can explain. It’ll be fine. Just keep your eye on him when you’re in L.A. Make sure he’s ok. Even if Kenny does still harbour any ideas about India she won’t go there. She’s in love with that paranoid bastard over there and I can’t see that changing any time soon.”
“She’s my daughter, Vince. Anything concerning her and I’m worried. But yeah, you’re probably right. I’m sure nothing’s going to happen.”
And Reece just hoped that was true because he’d seen behaviour like Michael’s before, he’d seen how it could destroy both people and relationships and he didn’t want that for India. She’d been through enough and she needed stability. And Reece would make sure that was exactly what she got.
***
India looked over at Michael, their eyes locking together, the message loud and clear between the two of them, even across a room full of people. She watched as he walked out of the room, waiting a few seconds until her ‘phone signalled the arrival of a text message, flipping it open and smiling as she read it. Now. That’s all it said but she knew exactly what it meant.
“Anything interesting?” Bobby asked, trying to extract information out of her.
She looked up and smiled at him, sliding her ‘phone back into her bag. “Not as far as you’re concerned.” She stood up and handed him the bag. “Look after this, will you. I won’t be long.”
“As long as it takes, huh?” he said, but she just smiled again, walking out of the room and heading to where she knew Michael would be.
Looking quickly behind her to make sure nobody saw her, she pushed open the door to the men’s rest-room, checking her face in the mirror first, turning round as Michael kicked open the door of a cubicle from behind, holding out his hand. She reached out and took it and he pulled her inside, shutting the door and pushing her up against the wall, tugging her dress up over her thighs as he kissed her, long and hard.
They’d once acted out a scene just like this in a movie together, and they’d always harboured a secret fantasy of doing it for real. And because Michael had directed that scene as well as acted in it he knew exactly what he wanted to happen and she let him lead the way. Everything they’d portrayed in that movie scene they were now doing for real, but with no cameras in sight. He was touching her for real, touching her so he knew she was ready for him before he pushed himself inside, no simulation and no camera angles to be aware of. This time it was all for real.
And she wanted him to push hard, she wanted to feel every inch of him and she wanted to open her eyes and know he was there, to watch what he did to her because tomorrow he wouldn’t be here and that thought was killing her. Tonight they were being selfish, they were acting like a couple of teenagers on a first date but she couldn’t help it, she couldn’t help her feelings, even if she sometimes felt like they were spiralling out of control.
There was no speaking either, no talking to each other, no words were being spoken but the looks that passed between them said it all. Somewhere, somehow - and she didn’t know when, she couldn’t remember when - their relationship had changed. It had crossed a line and there was no turning back. She needed him to survive, she couldn’t breathe without him, she couldn’t even think straight if he wasn’t around and that both scared and excited her. There’d been a time when the thought of being with Michael like this would have felt wrong; it wasn’t what she’d fallen in love with. She’d fallen for the romance and the violins and all that kind of stuff. This had been the domain of Kenny Ross – the hard sex and wild lovemaking – and there were times when a thought would come into her mind that having sex with Michael like this was a way of exorcising the demons of Kenny, a way of proving that she didn’t need him anymore, that she could have it all with Michael, and when those thoughts appeared she’d push them away immediately, but not quickly enough to pretend they hadn’t been there at all.
His fingers slid between hers and he held her hand tight as he pushed harder and harder, almost slamming her back against the wall, her legs wrapped tight around his waist, his eyes burning into hers all the time and she was unable to look away, she didn’t want to. She only closed her eyes when he kissed her and it all lasted just minutes, a few crazy, almost painfully beautiful minutes, before the inevitable crashing climax had them both crying out loud as everything that had been building up came spilling out.
And when it was over there were still no words spoken, neither of them said anything. She just pulled herself together, gave him one last, lingering kiss and left him with a look that said so much more than any words ever could as she walked out to re-join the party.
Bobby looked at her as she grabbed a drink from a passing waiter and sat back down beside him, crossing her legs. He held out her bag and she took it.
“Your mascara’s smudged and your hair’s out of place,” he said, giving her a knowing look. “To be honest, I’m surprised you’re still walking today.”
“Bobby!”
“Well, I wish I had a man like that,” he sighed, finishing his drink and looking around for another one.
“Like what?”
He looked at her. “India, angel, Stevie Wonder could tell what you two have been up to, you have no idea how obvious you are. You might as well have a flashing neon sign above your head saying ‘I’ve just had my husband in the toilets’.”
She looked at him, but she couldn’t stop the smile spreading across her face. “Jesus, Bobby, it was good. It was very, very good.”
“I knew it! I knew that’s what you were up to!”
She kicked him under the table. “You are so nosy.”
“You offered up the info, honey. I can’t wait to get into that villa with you, we are going to have such a blast!”
“You’re going to spend hours extracting every area of my private life out of me you mean.”
“Try keeping your private life private, princess, and we might not have such a big problem. Shall we get a bottle of champagne to celebrate our moving in together?”
India laughed. She couldn’t help it. “Why not? We might as well start as we mean to go on.”
She was going to miss Michael like she couldn’t even begin to explain, but she had a feeling having Bobby around might just help her through it, and if anybody could do that it was him. Because Kenny Ross just wasn’t a safe option anymore.
***
Michael leaned back against the cubicle wall as he got his breath back, closing his eyes and re-living every second of what they’d just done. She was his wife, she was his beautiful, perfect, incredible wife but she made him feel so out of control, so ridiculously confused. She messed with his head but he loved her for it. He loved the way she made him feel alive. Which is why he had to do this.
Reaching into his pocket he took out his ‘phone, quickly tapping out a number, peering outside for a second just to make sure nobody else was about. They picked up on the fourth ring.
“Yeah, it’s me, listen ... what we talked about before ... I need you to go ahead as planned. Just do what I told you and let me know. Let me know everything.”
CHAPTER 34
“Are you ok, sweetheart?” Reece asked, sitting down opposite India at breakfast the next morning. “I thought you’d be having breakfast with Michael.”
“He’s busy making a few calls and I’m not really hungry,” India replied, playing with her wedding ring. “And no, I’m not ok. Today both my husband and my dad are leaving and I’m going to miss you both. Especially Michael.”
“So, not me so much then?” Reece smiled, but India didn’t seem in the mood. He reached out and took her hand. “You’ve coped with this before, my darling. You’ve been together for a long time now; you should be used to the separations.”
She let go of his hand and continued playing with her wedding ring, twisting it round and round her finger. “It’s different now. Things are different.”
“In what way?”
She looked up at him. “They just are. Me and Michael ... we’re different.”
She wasn’t making a lot of sense and Reece didn’t feel great about leaving her like this.
“India, sweetheart, you know, maybe this time away from Michael will do you good ...”
“Do me good? We’ve been apart for over three months, he’s been back with me five minutes and you think him going away again is going to do me good?”
“India, I didn’t mean ... look, things have been pretty intense with the two of you these past few days, all I’m saying is ...”
She picked up her sunglasses, standing up to go. “All you’re saying is nothing. You don’t know what you’re talking about, none of you do. He’s packing to go back to our home, without me, and I feel sick at the thought, ok? I feel sick.”
Reece stood up and ran after her. “You two are in love, I get that, but this ... I’ve never seen you like this over him leaving before.”
She looked at Reece, a headache starting to throb behind her eyes. “Do you think it’s ever been easy for me to say goodbye to him?”
“No, of course not.” He took her hand. “Of course you miss him sweetheart. Nobody’s saying that’s wrong.”
She pulled her hand away from his and sat down again, looking at him. “It just feels different this time, dad. I can’t really explain it. All these years when he’s been away filming, or I’ve been out of the country without him, it never felt like this. It was never easy, but it never felt like this.”
He looked at his daughter. She seemed confused, nervous, like there was something she wanted to say but couldn’t.
“Is it because of Kenny?”
Her expression changed in that second and he knew he’d hit a nerve. He’d seen it for himself. She may be a brilliant actress but she hadn’t been good enough to hide that split second expression.
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