Page 78 of Away We Go

“Nicky!” I cry as I lose my grip on him. The press pack, sensing my weakness, move in even closer to me, jostling me about.

“Cherry, tell us how it feels to have sex with the hottest driver in the world?”

“What?” I turn and am jostled some more. Someone pushes me and I fall forward, catching an elbow in the face on my way down.

“James!” Nicky roars.

A pair of strong arms wrap around my waist, hauling me upright, half dragging, half carrying me to the lobby.

Once inside Nicky sprints to me, pulling me roughly from James’s arms into his own. His frantic eyes search my face, flashing fire when they land on my cheek. “They hurt you.”

My face where I caught that elbow throbs and a shudder takes over my body. “I’m a-alright,” I stammer.

“You are not.” Nicky looks murderous and I place a trembling hand on his arm to stop him doing something silly. Or dangerous.

“I’ll be fine.”

His nostrils flare as he continues to examine my face, his lips a grim line as he traces the bruise I know is already blooming on my cheek with a gentle finger.

“She needs ice.”

A flurry of people scatter around and with his hand on my lower back, he guides me to a couch, tucked away from the doors and the media hounds waiting on the other side of it.

“Sit.” He pushes me gently and my wobbly legs comply, folding under themselves as I sink into the soft leather.

“Here.” An ice pack appears from somewhere and Nicky places it on my cheek, swearing under his breath as I let out a hiss.

“Sorry.”

He closes his eyes and inhales deeply. “You have nothing to apologise for.” I watch as he strides away from me, taking his phone out of his pocket and tapping at it with angry fingers.

The throbbing on my cheek dulls thanks to the ice pack and I nibble on my fingernails while waiting to see what will happen next. Nicky and James are now huddled nearby, flicking their eyes to me and whispering to each other, while Frieda stands off to the side, looking pale but otherwise unruffled. Her shoulder pads are still firmly in place.

“Cherry!” Serena flies out of the lift and makes a beeline for me. “Oh my gosh, are you okay?”

Tears prick my eyes at the concern in her voice and I nod miserably. Because I’m not really.

“Can you take her up to her room and get her settled?” Nicky asks, his gaze trained on me. What I see in his face has my stomach rolling. He’s feeling guilty about the whole thing. In true Nicky fashion, my getting hurt is his fault.

“Of course.” Serena helps me upright, keeping her arm around my waistas I wobble.

We walk to the lift together. “Nicky?” I turn to him when we get there.

His smile is a mere uptick of his lips, his whole demeanour tight with anger. “I’ll come up and see you in a bit.”

This does not make me feel better, but I nod and get in the lift, anyway.

“Wow, that was a lot,” Serena whispers as we head up to my room. “But don’t worry,” she continues as she sees the tears in my eyes. “I’m sure it’ll all die down. Everything will work out fine.”

I lean my head on her shoulder, letting out a shuddering breath and for now I naively choose to believe her.

CHAPTER 16

Cherry

“I’ve never seen Nicky like that,” Serena says as we enter my room. With her hand on my lower back, the spot I now know as Nicky’s, she guides me towards the edge of the bed, pushing me backwards until my legs hit the edge and I’m forced to sit down. “The Ice Man has truly melted. I think he may kill someone.”

Lightning bolt pain throbs in my cheek and I chew my bottom lip, feeling like my nerves are eating an ulcer into my stomach lining. “I’m causing so many issues.”

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