I was woken in the morning by my phone ringing. I looked across at my clock radio.
Shit, eleven forty-five.
Sean was wrapped all around me and hadn’t stirred at the sound of the phone. I wriggled out from underneath him and grabbed it from its base before walking out to the kitchen to put the kettle on as I answered.
“Hello.” My voice was dry and raspy from my long sleep.
“I’m sorry, Kitten, did I wake you?” Guilt washed over me when I heard Cam’s voice. I looked down at my naked self and thought about all the different ways Sean had fucked me in my bed last night.
“Mmm, yeah, you did,” I said as I stretched, trying to disguise the guilt in my voice.
“Did you have a late night, baby?”
“Not really, just needed the sleep.”
Lie.
“What did you do last night?”
“Went for an Indian.”
Not a lie.
“Right, who with?”
“Jimmie.”
Sort of not a lie. Jimmie was there.
“Oh, right, no Ashley?”
Shit!
I nearly always go out with Ash on a Friday night.
Double shit!
It’s Ash’s party tonight at the club.
Shit!
Fuck!
Bollocks!
I had a hair and makeup appointment at three. “No, no Ash, she’s saving herself for tonight.”
“Ah, right, yeah, her party at the club.”
“Yeah.” There were a few seconds of uncomfortable silence.
“Okay, well seeing as you don’t seem to want to talk, I’ll hang up. Sorry for waking you, Kitten.”
I felt terrible.
Ashamed.
“Cam.”
The instant I said his name, I realised that Sean was behind me. I turned to see him standing naked, his arms stretched above his head as he reached up to touch the top of the door frame. He wasn’t as tall as Cam, but at around six feet, he was still tall. He wasn’t anywhere near as broad, but he was beautifully defined. That was exactly what Sean was—from his dark hair, which was a long mess right now, to his dark skin and eyes, to that perfect V thing men have going on, all the way down to his toned legs and sexy brown feet. He was just beautiful.
My beautiful boy.
“Kitten?”
Shit. I almost dropped the phone.
“I’ll talk to you Monday,” I said.
He hung up without saying any more. I turned and looked at Sean who now had a hard-on that was almost touching his belly button. I walked towards him, wrapped my arms around his neck, and kissed him. He slid his hands underneath my bum cheeks, lifted me up, and carried me over to the breakfast bar, where he sat me down but remained standing between my legs.
“Shit,” I complained as the cold surface hits my bare arse. “It’s freezing.”
He gave a little smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I thought you spoke to him yesterday.”
My stomach jumped into my throat, and I swallowed it back down before I spoke, “I did, he’s away on business. I want to tell him face to face, but he’s not back till Monday, so it’ll have to wait till then.”
He slid me forward so I was pressed against him. He was standing, I was sitting with my legs wrapped around his hips, and we were both naked.
“I’m jealous. I don’t want you to see him Monday.”
“Why are you jealous? I’m seeing him to break up with him.”
He shrugged his shoulders and rubbed his thumb over his bottom lip. “I don’t know, just the thought of you with him…” he trailed off as his hand rubbed at the back of his neck. “I’m being a twat ain’t I?”
“You’re being a complete twat, babe.”
He smiled that beautiful, lazy, lopsided smile of his. “I love you,” was all he said, and then he carried me back to bed.
Later, I explained to him about Ashley’s party that night at my dad’s club and asked if he would like to come with me. Jimmie and Lennon were going so we called Marley up and asked him to come along, too. Despite the fact that the party was in the VIP area, Sean called his usual security guards and arranged for them to work. Later, Sean headed over to Len’s to pick up Marley and they both went home to get ready for tonight. They would meet us at the club later as I was going in the limo with the girls. The instant he was gone, I missed him. I missed him to the point that I stood for a few seconds and hugged myself as I thought of the mad events that had happened over the last forty-eight hours. I was brought back to earth by my buzzer going off. Sean had insisted that I lock both doors after he left. He was worried about reporters finding out who I was and turning up there. Although, why exactly they would be interested in me, I had no idea.
“Hello,” I spoke into the intercom.
“Get the door, G, my arms are breaking here.” It was Ashley. I’d completely forgotten she was getting ready here. She would freak out when I told her who I’d invited along tonight. She loved Carnage. I’d gotten her tickets for their shows a few times, but never the backstage passes that she’d begged for. I couldn’t, I hated the thought of her seeing Sean when I couldn’t, so I always selfishly made up some excuse. Well, today, I would make up for that and give her a birthday present to remember.
I buzzed open the bomb/riot/nuclear war-proof door and went to my front door. Ashley not only had a garment bag and holdall with he, but she also had a case of champagne. I helped her in with everything, and we had a quick cuddle.
“I’ve been worried about you babe, your mum said you was a bit under the weather. I thought you was gonna bail on me. I belled a couple of times, but you didn’t pick up. What’s up babe, dodgy guts or summit?”
Ashley had the kind of Essex accent that made my mum cringe. She was careful in the shop to never drop her H’s or to use slang, but once she was out of the shop, she spoke like a typical Essex girl. The way I would have spoken if my mum hadn’t been around to always pick me up on my pronunciation. I slipped occasionally, but never to Ashley’s degree.
“Ash.” I held her by the shoulders and looked at her. She was as blonde as I was dark. She was as tall as me but much curvier, and whenever we went out together, I wasn’t ashamed to admit, we could turn every head in the place.
She frowned and looked at me. “George.”
“I have some news.”
“Yeah? Right, before you go any further, am I gonna like it? Coz I don’t want anything ruining my night.” she asked nervously.
“Not sure, you’ll definitely like some of it, and I promise, it’ll make your night one to remember… I hope.”
“Fuck’s sake, George, jus’ spill, will ya.”
“I’m back with Sean.”
“What…? Rock star Sean? Maca, from Carnage, Sean?”
“Hmm mmm,” was all I could manage while I nodded.
“Fuck, what about TDH?”
Okay, that wiped the smile off my face.
I let out a deep sigh. “I know. I feel really bad. He’s away till Monday. I’ll see him then and call things off.”
“Wow, babe, back with Sean… Shit, was that you in the paper with him this morning, coming out of a restaurant last night?”
No! The pictures were in the papers?
“What? What papers? What did it say?”
“Ha, well actually it’s really funny now I know it was you. You’re looking down at the ground and Marley’s on one side with his arm around your shoulders, and Sean’s on the other just behind you, pushing a pap out the way. The headline says something like ‘Looks like another Marley and Maca threesome was on the cards for the Carnage boys last night’. How funny is that? They had you down as shagging your own brother, which… Yeah, anyway… So… Wow.”
She realised that I wasn’t impressed by the look on my face and trailed off. I grabbed my phone and dialled the number that Sean had written down on a piece of paper for me earlier.
Marley answered, “It’s done! We dumped the b
ody in the Thames.”
“Very funny, Marls. One day that will get you in deep shit.”
“Hello, little sister Georgia. It’s been what, two hours since you saw him, and you’re already on the phone, you sad little individual.”
“Is that Georgia? Gimme the phone,” I heard Sean say in the background.
“G?”
“Sean, those pictures from last night made the papers. Apparently, I was going home for a threesome with you and Marley.”
“Fuck! Norman the doorman said we were in the papers when we got back here this afternoon, but he didn’t say what it said. You okay, G?”
“Not really, but what can I do?”
“Nothing really. I told ya, most of them are pigs. I’ll sort you out some security. If they see us together again, it’ll only get worse and then…” he trailed off.
“And then what?
“Look, don’t freak out, but some of our fans are a bit… Possessive. Any girl any of us have ever been linked with, generally get abuse of some kind. But don’t worry, I’ll get Milo onto it. I’ll get you the best close protection. I ain’t having anyone getting near ya, G.”
“I need a bodyguard, seriously?”
“Yes, G, and I ain’t taking no chances. There are some fuckin’ nutters out there, and I ain’t risking one of them getting near ya.”
I didn’t really know what to say to that.
“I miss ya. I can’t wait to see you tonight,” he said quietly into the phone.
“Peeerrrleeease, you’ve just left her. You’ll see her again in a few hours, you sad fucker.” I heard Marley call out.
“Shut the fuck up, Layton, you dick.”
I smiled at a conversation I’d heard so many times between these two. I looked up to see Ashley watching me with a grin on her face.
“I miss you, too.”
“What time you leaving?”
“The limo picks us up at nine, get ready, and come back here if you want.”
“Na, you enjoy your girl time, we’ll just meet ya at the club.”
“Okay, see ya then.”
“I love you, Georgia Rae, show us your tits,” he whispered into the phone.
“Maca, I can hear you. That’s my little fuckin’ sister, you perv.”
“I love you too.” I stood and grinned into the phone for a few seconds, listening to him telling Marley to shut up again.
“Go get yourself tarted up, can’t wait to see ya.”
I hung straight up otherwise we’d be there for hours, just like we used to be. As soon as I ended the call, Ashley was on me.
“George, I’ve gotta say, babe. I’ve never, ever, seen you look so happy. You’re proper in love with him, ain’t ya.” She sounded amazed, as if this was a revelation.
Had no one been listening to me these past nine years?
I loved Sean McCarthy, always had and always will. Nothing would ever change that.
“I love him, Ash, I’ve always loved him.”
She didn’t say anything for a while and then surprised me by giving me a cuddle.
“You know what, babe? I believe ya. It’s written all over ya face. You look different. Like a light has been switched on somewhere.”
I smiled back. I knew exactly what she meant, because that was exactly how I felt. “Ash, look, I hope you don’t mind, but tonight I sorted of invited Sean along.”
“Oh, my fuckin’ God, George, are you serious? Sean McCarthy is coming to my birthday party? Really, did he say yes? Is he really coming?”
“Yes, Ash, really, and Marley’s coming too.”
She screamed so loud it actually hurt my ears.
“Georgia, oh my God, Georgia, the boys from Carnage are gonna be at my birthday party? Fuck, you are the best friend ever.”
I think she was happy!
Chapter Twenty
By eight o’clock that night I was dressed in a short, black leather dress and knee-high leather boots, my hair was a long and bouncy mass of curls, and professionals had applied my makeup to perfection. I had downed three glasses of champagne and snorted two lines of coke. Ashley’s brother had supplied her with some top-notch, class-A shit, along with a few ecstasy pills that we would take later in the night. By eleven o’clock when we walked into Kings, I was buzzing and felt on top of the world. I loved turning up there when there was a queue and walking straight past everyone waiting in line.
My dad and Bailey had done me proud. The room was decorated exactly as I had asked them, in Ashley’s favourite colour of purple matched with silver. There was a small table with nibbles on it, and there were waiters and waitresses on hand with champagne and more nibbles. Jimmie had come in the limo with us and told me the boys had a driver and would be leaving from her place about now, so to expect them within the hour.
Bailey appeared at my side and gave me a cuddle. I could see the eyes of Ashley’s friends light up as they looked my eldest brother over.
“How you doing, little sister Georgia? See you got pap’d last night outside the Indian. I’ve called in a few extra doormen in case there’s any problems tonight.”
“Thanks, big brother Bailey. The boys are bringing their own blokes, and thanks for all this, too. It looks great.”
“Not a problem. Mum’s been here all afternoon organising all of this. You know what she’s like, but I’ve gotta admit, it does look nice. She does have a good eye.”
My stomach lurched a little bit at the mention of my mum, and I felt guilty. Despite everything, she still went out of her way to do this for my friend. “How is she?” I asked him, and he shrugged.
“She’s actually really pissed off with herself. She can’t believe she believed that girl without checking out her story.”
“That’s just typical Mum though, Bails. She only ever sees the good in everyone. She thinks we’re all as nice as her.”
He nodded in agreement. “Exactly, that’s why you shouldn’t be so hard on her. She fucked up. We all do it at least once in our life, most of us even more.”
“Yeah, I know. I’ll sort it out between us, I promise.”
“Make sure you do. Right, enjoy yourselves and behave, your pupils are already like saucers.” He narrowed his eyes at me. “I’m watching you, Georgia. No doing any of that shit in public. You never know who might be watching, especially since you’re practically famous now.” He kissed my hair and Jim’s cheek and left.
“Shit, George, your brothers are so fuckin’ good lookin’, even your mum and dad are still hot.”
“Eww, Ash.”
“Well, it’s true, and then look, your brother’s marrying Jimmie and she’s gorgeous too. You lot are gonna produce the next generation of beautiful people between ya’s.” Jimmie and I just shook our heads and laughed. Ashley was buzzing. We called her machine gun lips when she was on one because she talked so fast.
The VIP bar had its own dance floor, overlooking the general admission one with the same music pumping in through a hidden sound system. Saturday nights were always dance music nights, and I couldn’t keep still. I loved dancing, and after so many years of not listening to music, I found that when I first started going clubbing with Ash that I just couldn’t stand still. I didn’t know if it was because of the drugs we took or if I was just making up for my four years of self-imposed music exile. Either way, I had to dance, and that particular night, it didn’t matter what my reason was. In fact, I would have loved to hear a Carnage song just so I could dance my arse off to it.
Ash, Jimmie, and I headed down to the main dance floor since no one was dancing up in our section yet. We had arrived early so that Ash was there to greet her guests. But most wouldn’t arrive until after midnight, which was when we usually turned up. We danced for four or five songs, and when we got sick of fighting off the unwanted attention of sweaty men, we headed back upstairs. As soon as we entered the bar, I knew Sean was there. I don’t know what it was I felt, but I felt it. I could feel him. It was like long fingers of electricity reached o
ut from him towards me. Even if they didn’t quite connect, I could still feel the current, the pull, and I thought it worked in reverse for him or at least I hoped it did.
Ashley had warned all of her friends that the boys would be here tonight, and she had asked them not to ask for autographs and to treat them as normal blokes on a night out. Which I should’ve realised to some women, meant that they could chat them up as they would any other good-looking blokes. I spotted Marley first, he was taller than Len, who was standing next to him at the bar. Sean was right at the end and seemed to be receiving the most attention from Jill and Coral, Ashley’s two friends who’d arrived in the limo with us. They were both dressed like cheap, nasty sluts and had not shut up about Sean and Marley all night. I had reminded them earlier that Sean was my boyfriend, and they had given me an “of course he his sweetheart” patronising type of smile.
Why would they believe me?
If all they ever read were the newspaper stories about him and Marley. Why would they believe he had a girlfriend? Why would anyone? Suddenly, that old, familiar rage I used to feel back when the band was just starting out, started to burn inside me, and I clenched my fists. Jimmie didn’t miss it, not for one second.
“George, no trouble.”
I didn’t even look at her. I just walked over to where they all stood. Jill had her hand on Sean’s chest, so I grabbed it and bent it back as far as I dared, making her yelp in pain.
“Get your fuckin’ hands off him.”
“Whoa, whoa, Georgia.” Lennon jumped in and pulled my hand from hers.
Sean just smiled at me. “Georgia, baby, you are such a bad girl.” His eyes were glassy, and he stunk of whiskey and I loved him so very, very much.
Milo, the bouncer from Spain all those years ago, stepped out of thin air and escorted Jill and Coral away.
Marley passed me a glass of champagne and said, “Little sister Georgia. What are we gonna do with you and that temper of yours?” He shook his head as if he were telling me off.
“We’re not gonna do anything with that temper of hers,” Sean said. “Because she makes me so fuckin’ horny when she gets all green-eyed. I fuckin’ love it.”
Carnage Boxset Page 28