Page 14 of Replay
“Hm.”He finally took a sip of the wine she’d poured him forty minutes ago.
“Why did you?If it wasn’t about the article.”
Spook rolled his tongue over his front teeth and shifted uncomfortably.Suddenly, he couldn’t seem to look at her.
“Spook?”She reached out and clasped his hand.Gave it an encouraging squeeze.“I’m not judging.I’d just like to know.”
“He grabbed me from behind, Alle.It was… it was instinctive.”
Like the bastard in Genoa.Marshall had grabbed him in the same way his attacker at the gig had done.No wonder he’d lashed out and not simply jerked away.For those few split-seconds he’d surely been back there again, pinned against his will.Terrified.
“He deserved everything he got.He shouldn’t go around grabbing people,” she said savagely.“You should tell your side, and then the public would realise it’s all a witch hunt byBang!”
“Actually, I’m good with not talking to journalists.It’s over and done with, Alle.Xane’s contacts pulled strings, and the charges got purged.It’s fine.”
“Xane’s contacts?”
He sighed.“That’s speculation.I don’t know that, I just suspect it.He knows a lot of people in high places in the region.”
Alle kicked off her shoes and lifted her legs up over his lap.“You don’t sound like you entirely approve.”
Spook began kneading his thumb into her arches.“I don’t much like backroom dealings.”
Alle wrinkled her nose at his frown.“Are you sure it’s that, and not that you feel you did something wrong and ought to be punished for it?”
The ghosts that came alive in his eyes said she’d hit on something.“I’ll smack your bottom for you, if you think it’ll help.”
He switched foot.“It wouldn’t.I don’t like nepotism.”
Alle bum-shuffled closer, so she could wrap her arms around his body and rest her head upon his shoulder.Spook leaned into the contact, prompting her to rearrange herself, so she was straddled across his lap.“You know, speaking of your friend, Xane.He reckons the reason you’re such a mess is down to your insistence on not getting laid.”
Spook groaned, and dropped his head against the sofa back.“Xane’s answer to everything is sex.He’s an addict, Alle.Sex isn’t going to fix the crap inside my head any more than it has fixed the crap inside his.I take it you had a nice chat about me earlier?”
“Not really.”She nuzzled against the tilt of his jaw.“Are you sure about the sex?”
He took hold of her hands and kissed her fingertips.“Lady, you’re incorrigible.And, yeah, pretty positive.”
“But you don’t feel like to trying it to find out for definite.”She nipped his earlobe.
Spook pushed her back a little.“Much as you’re amazing, shagging you isn’t going to fix anything.”
There wasn’t really any argument she could make to change his mind.She’d already tried.Tried to reason with him.Pled.Cajoled.All she could actually do was to keep muddling along in the hopes that a miracle was lurking around the corner.
“I really missed you this last week.The minute I found out what had happened, I wanted to fly straight back to Cannes so I could be there for you.I just wasn’t sure that you’d want me.”
“And my lack of communication didn’t help.”His cheeks hollowed as his expression fell into dour lines.“I wanted you, Alle.But honestly, it was better that you weren’t there.There wasn’t anything you could have done, and police cells really aren’t very sexy.”
She poked him in the abdomen, and then flattened her hand against his chest.“I could have comforted you.Not to mention, I could have kicked my brother in the arse.”
He sighed and covered her hand with his.His heart was thumping hard against her palm.Too hard, like he was in fight or flight mode.“Can we let this go?Just put it behind us.I don’t want to dwell on it any longer.I don’t want to think about what story he’s constructing, or whose testimony he’s going to present next.Maybe it’s foolish to hope, but I hope he moves on and finds someone else to torment.”
She shared that wish, but she didn’t believe Marshall would move on, and neither did he.Marshall had put into black and white that there’d be more.
“Is there something you need to say, Spook?”His pulse continued to race.If there was something he feared Marshall would reveal, wasn’t it better to share it with her now?She flicked her gaze down to her hand pressed against his chest.“Something is making you nervous.”
Spook raked his teeth over his plump lower lip.“You make me nervous, Alle.When you’re around, I never feel entirely in control.”
“It’s not the prospect of what Marshall might print, then?Because, if it is, you should just tell me.”
