Obsession (The Talisman series) (18 page)

“I can come with you if that’d help? I speak French fairly well.”

Suki looked set to refuse, but Anita nodded and put her hand on my arm.
“Yes, please. I’d appreciate that.” There was still no news on Jon. Gabriel said he was being treated in hospital for alcohol poisoning.

The plane was a small business jet, eight seats in a well-appointed cabin. While Anita tried to get some news on Jon before we took off, I spoke again to Suki. I’d noticed she was pressing her fingertips to her temples.
“Do you have another headache?”

She flashed a tired smile.
“I think it’s just stress.”

“
Come here, let me work my magic on you.” I gave her a cheeky grin. “I’m cheaper than Panadol, with none of the nasty aftertaste.”

She yawned as she got up from her seat, sitting next to me now and allowing me to wrap her in my arms. Her pain was little more than a dull ache and I felt it dissipate quickly, but to my relief she stayed nestled in my embrace.

Anita put her phone away. “I’m going to try and get some sleep.” By now it was almost 1:00 a.m.. It didn’t take long before Suki nodded off, her head resting against my chest, heavy in her slumber. As the world slept, I held her safe, and wondered if I had no other choice, would I have the strength to walk away from her?

9.4 Suki

I remember every minute of the flight to Paris. I cuddled into Josh, his body angled so that I could lean comfortably against him, my head pillowed on his firm chest. He curled one hand protectively around my shoulders, the other absently caressing my hair. It felt as though I’d landed in heaven.

Gabe hated prolonged cuddles. Josh, it seemed, was the opposite.

I’d never been a good actress, but I hoped my ‘sleep’ was convincing. In a few hours, I’d have to make it very clear to Josh that I didn’t want to see him again. Until then, like a greedy child gorging on sweets. I wanted to have him to myself, to savour the sheer pleasure of being with him. He was temptation itself. Not just his looks
—the handsome face and beautiful eyes—but the gentleness and affection pouring from him. His scent. I inhaled it delicately, knowing whenever I smelled this crisp, summer fragrance I’d think of him. If I lived to be a hundred, I’d never forget the exquisite feel of his lips.

I refused to think about Gabe, to consider what horrors may be waiting for us in Paris, or to wonder if he’d somehow been involved in this incident. He may well dislike Jon, but I still couldn’t believe he would deliberately hurt him.

Right now everything else was on hold. Nothing existed apart from Josh and myself.

We stumbled off the plane, yawning and sleep fogged, every sense dulled. True to his word, Josh found us a taxi and directed the driver to the hospital with the minimum of fuss. The quiet of the night streets was a shocking contrast to the noisy horde of paparazzi gathered around the hospital entrance.

“Oh God,” Anita shrank even further into her seat. “I can’t face them. What can we do?” I gazed helplessly at Josh. He nodded in reply and leaned forward to talk to the driver. His conversation was rapid, the sweeping diversion equally swift.

“
The back entrance,” announced Josh, as we pulled into a small parking area, deserted, apart from a couple of nurses smoking in the darkness. “Now, let’s find him. Do you have any idea where he is?”

We didn’t, so I made a quick call to Gabe. Putting my phone away, I forced a smile for Anita.
“He’s coming to collect us. He’ll be here in a minute.”

Anita was already climbing out of the cab.
“Come on, we’ll wait inside.” She paused, reaching out to press a hand against Josh’s arm. “Thank you.” Her lip wobbled and she pulled away again.

I found my tongue.
“Just give me a moment, please, Anita. I’ll be right with you.”

Josh glanced down at me, intent and curious. My fingers curled into his sleeve. The soft jacket felt cool beneath my fingertips, I could imagine the heat of his skin underneath. I struggled to remember the little speech I’d been rehearsing in my head.
“I can’t see you again, Josh. I’ll tell Gabe we’ve completed my part of the interview. I’m sorry.”

His lips were curved in a little smile. I don’t think he understood.
“I’m coming with you both.”

“
No.” I shook my head, unwilling to drag my eyes away from his face. “I think it’s best if you just go home.”

His brows dipped in a frown, tiredness cutting lines across his face. As I gazed at him, helpless and silent, having run out of words, he yawned and rubbed one hand over his stubbled jaw. He looked dishevelled, rumpled and undeniably gorgeous. My mouth dry and stomach tying itself in knots, I licked my lips and wished things were different.

“I want to see you again, Suki. I’ve only just found you, I’ve no intention of walking away.” They were confident words, arrogant even, but I saw the flash of anxiety in his eyes, the tensing in his jaw. A little muscle jumping in his cheek.

Exhaustion threatened to overwhelm me. This was just too much to cope with.
“I’m sorry,” I repeated, my voice cracking. He offered so much, seemed to know me on a visceral level my husband could barely guess at, but I could not risk seeing him again.

There was an uncomfortable moment as I turned to climb out of the cab and Josh tried to hug me. I sidestepped, slipping out of his reach, seeking Anita waiting inside the building. Feeling his eyes on me, I had to look over my shoulder. I couldn’t
not
.

He stood next to the cab, hands shoved deep into his pockets. Watching me. His face blank. Hurt clawed at my chest—it would be so easy to go back to him, but I couldn’t. How would I feel if Gabe dumped me for a woman he’d met two weeks earlier? I couldn’t be so cruel. He’d done nothing wrong. My marriage was one of the cornerstones of my life and, in comparison, this was just a stolen moment.

Blinking back tears, I held my chin high and marched blindly to the doors. I needed to brace myself for meeting Gabe. Dread lay coiled in the pit of my stomach and I couldn’t rid myself of the conviction that he’d
know
. Not just the kiss, although that was so potent and dangerous, but the sudden intimacy which had grown between us. I had no close male friends, no benchmarks against which I could measure him. Nothing other than pure, carnal desire. The longing to do more than just kiss. To throw caution to the winds and sample this very forbidden fruit.

It had taken seconds, that’s all, to turn my head, to make me question how honest I was, how easily I could betray my husband. Betray his unswerving trust in me.

I was different now. And Gabe couldn’t fail to notice.

9.5 Gabe

It amused me how quickly fortunes could change. Jon Craigowan had started the evening as a rising star, feted by the press, adored by his fans. In less than twenty-four hours, the newspapers would be carrying a different story.

The paparazzi followed me through the maze of hospital corridors to where Suki and Anita waited. In the few minutes it took me to get there, the pack had circled them. I pushed my way through, shoving a little harder than necessary and gaining some more attention. “That’s my wife in there—let them come through.”

Questions flew at the two women, a torrent of voices, bright lights and clicking cameras. I slipped an arm around each, guiding them through the mass, warning them to say nothing. At the top of the corridor, just before the ward entrance, I turned and waited for the journalists to quiet.

“I just reacted to the situation, the same as anyone would.” I hugged Suki closer on one side. “Jon and Anita have a great marriage. I have no further comments.”

I released them as soon as the door closed behind us, turning to back Suki against the wall. Bracing my arms on either side of her head, so she was trapped. Anita stared, open-mouthed. I kept my voice calm, just the right amount of menace.
“I know all about it. The only thing I don’t know, is how far it’s gone.”

Wide, horrified eyes stared back at me, her skin blanching.
“
What
… what are you talking about?” Her voice raised several notches.

“
You. Cheating. With him.”

A telling flush swamped her delicate features and I burned inside. My fishing had reeled in more than I’d expected.
Fuck
. The prospect of her with Craigowan made me feel sick.

Something shoved my arm. Snapping my head to the side, I saw Anita, fury blazing from her.
“I don’t care about your domestics, Gabe. Please take me to my husband. You know where he is.”

“
Gladly.” I released Suki, noting her trembling as she leaned against the wall. “Jon’s my friend. I’d like to think I’m big enough to put this behind me for the sake of our friendship.” I smiled tightly to myself and led them to his room.

I was satisfied with the result. Craigowan lay in a stupor while I got the glory. He wouldn’t fuck with my wife again.

9.6 Suki

I perched on the edge of an uncomfortable chair and waited for Gabe to come back. He’d taken Anita to see Jon and to meet with his doctor, and then he’d gone to talk to their press agent and to phone his manager. He hadn’t spoken to me since those angry, humiliating words in the corridor. I saw Anita first. She drifted into the waiting room, rubbing at her eyes, and hugged me hard.

“
Is he okay?” I could hardly get the words out fast enough.

“
He’s going to be fine, thank God. He woke briefly, muttered a few words and then went back to sleep.” She took a deep breath and pushed back, sitting in the empty chair next to me. “We need to talk, Suki. Has Gabe told you what happened?” Her normally mobile face was still, her eyes dark. “I should say, what’s
supposed
to have happened.”

I shook my head. Thoughts of Josh flashed through my tired brain. I was still puzzling over how Gabe knew, without me even saying anything.

“They think Jon was upset and took an overdose of tranquilizers. They thought at first that he was drunk, off his head, but the blood test showed a low level of alcohol.” She paused. My mind struggled to make sense of her words.

“
But why would Jon be upset? An
overdose
?” It made no sense. “I didn’t even know he took tranquilizers.” Like me, I almost added.

“
He doesn’t.” Her voice was grim. I stared.

“
I don’t understand.”

“
Oh God. This is a nightmare.” She ducked her head and wiped her eyes. “His phone had a text message from you, breaking up with him. It looks as though you were having an affair.”

“
My… I…
what
?” I shot to my feet, unable to stay still. Gulping, I tried to speak. It came out as a frantic babble. “I haven’t—I
wouldn’t
—you can’t believe that?”

Anita’s head lifted, her hair a tangled mass that she pushed it back with both hands.
“I
know
. I don’t believe it, but someone found his phone and gave it to Gabe, so that’s what
he
thinks.”

“
That’s what he meant in the corridor.” My teeth were chattering with fear. He didn’t know about Josh. A warm swell of relief bathed me for a fraction of a second. At least that secret remained safe. But he thought I’d had an affair with Jon, my friend’s husband… Surely, he’d know I’d never do that.

Something obvious struck me.
“My phone? I haven’t texted Jon. I don’t think I even have his number. Here,” I scrabbled for it in my bag. “You can check. Go on, look.”

“
It’s okay, Suki, I believe you. It didn’t come from your phone.” Staring up at me from behind the mass of corn coloured hair, she looked painfully young. “Someone’s trying to make trouble for us. They’ve already had one go.”

“
Those photographs?” I shivered. Sinking back into my chair, I slipped an arm around her shoulders. “You thought Josh took them.”

“It’s too much of a coincidence this has happened—all since we met Josh. I keep thinking over and over about it.” She shrugged. “He tries to make himself look innocent and friendly, but how much do we really know about him? A big, fat nothing.”

I remembered the useless Internet searches I’d done. Another memory slipped in, of Josh holding me on the flight here, of how safe he made me feel. I pushed it away with difficulty.
“He’s been with us all the time. And why would he do this?”

Anita stiffened against me.
“What if he’s not working on his own? What if someone is paying him to make trouble?”

“
But who hates Jon enough to do this to him?” Gabe didn’t like Jon, envied his success, but he wouldn’t do anything like this.

“
Gabe might.” Her whisper stopped the breath in my lungs. “You know how much he wants the title.” I pulled back and wrapped my arms around my chest.
She’s right
, crooned my devil.