Page 161 of Never Tell Secrets

“Lo, she might have a point,” Keira said. I looked up to find her dark eyes unusually serious. She didn’t like this anymore than I did but if she approved then I would follow her lead.

“I’ll think about it.”

I lay in bed, fresh from a shower, the familiar sounds of Keira’s sewing machine soothing me through the walls. Despite how quiet a roommate Maia had been, I could feel her loss in the apartment. I missed her and the sting of that betrayal wouldn’t fade for a long time.

My phone buzzed next to me and I looked over to see Alfie’s name flashing on the screen. I sighed but answered anyway.

“Alfie, you need to let me breathe.”

“I know, but I wanted to tell you that I’ll be sending the car for you at 5am on Monday.”

The car? What car? I paused, confusion addling my brain. “Why? Where am I going?”

“Our trip to Dubai?”

I closed my eyes. I’d completely forgotten about that. “You really think I’d still want to go after all of this?”

“You’re going, Lo.” His tone was firm, that no nonsense ‘Mr Tell’ voice that told me I wasn’t getting out of this. “You can go on a different plane if you want and stay in a different hotel but you are going. I won’t let you compromise your work, not over my mistakes.”

I didn’t bother to fight the tears in my eyes. He was still making sure I kept my priorities straight, even when I was too blinded by pain to think clearly. “Fine. I’ll go.”

“Good.” He released a breath. “Would you like to fly commercial or would you rather accompany me on my plane? Either way I’m going to have a security team with you. Please don’t be difficult about that, given the recent media attention I?—”

“I get it,” I cut him off. I didn’t like it but I wasn’t about to risk my safety just to spite him. I hesitated, trying to decide whether to fly with or without him. Without him felt too much like running. “I’ll go with you.”

He was silent for a moment, no doubt surprised by my answer. “Are you certain?”

“No,” I answered honestly.

“Thank you, Lola.”

“I’m not doing it for you,” I snapped, not bothering to hide the bite in my tone. I took a breath, trying to release the tension this infuriating man had roiling in my gut. “I have to go to bed.”

“One more thing,” he said before I could hang up, “I thought you should know that Angie will be joining us on our trip.”

The roiling in my gut kicked up a notch. Angelina Carter, the woman wrapped up in Alfie’s darkest secrets. The woman who hated my existence with a fiery passion.

“Perfect. I can’t wait.”

Fifty

According to Keira, five in the morning was a stupid time to be awake but I liked being up to watch the sunrise. Despite her hatred of five am, Keira had stayed up all night with me, watching films and eating our weight in pizza, all in an attempt to distract me from how nervous I was about my trip with Alfie.

It had helped for the most part but now Keira was snoring away in bed, grabbing some precious sleep before work, and I was in the back of a Rolls Royce, ignoring Elliot as he sped us towards Heathrow.

Apart from a polite nod and an offer to help me with my bags which I’d declined, Elliot had allowed me my pointed silence. There was no apology, no explanation for what he’d done and if I was honest, I didn’t want one.

We arrived at the airport and I noted without the least bit of surprise that Alfie’s plane was much bigger than Damien’s. It was a sleek air shark, all the more intimidating knowing who awaited me inside.

I stepped out into the sharp November chill, giving Elliot an equally frosty ‘Thank you’ for opening my door. An air stewardcollected my bags from the boot of the car, flashing me a polite smile as he carried them to the plane.

“Miss? Right this way.” Elliot gestured towards the steps leading up to the plane. I wrung my hands, fighting the urge to jump in the car and speed myself back to the warm safety of my apartment.

Come on, Lo. Think of the Miracle Garden.

That was the only thing that got my feet moving. Though my feet came to a stop when I saw Alfie standing at the top of the stairs, staring down at me.

I climbed the steps, forcing myself to meet his gaze as I reached him. It was unfair that he looked so perfect whilst I had barely made it out of my pyjamas.