‘We need him?’ Katie’s gaze sharpened. ‘That’s an odd way of putting it.’ She turned to look at her more closely. ‘Now that I think of it, you two have hardly spoken all day. You used to be so lovey-dovey. What’s going on?’
‘Nothing,’ Allie lied. ‘It’s just been a rubbish few days.’ She looked down at her feet, as if something interesting had just appeared there.
‘Hmm.’ Katie didn’t sound convinced. ‘Try harder. I was watching the two of you even before that thing happened with his dad and he had to leave. I saw signs of strain. Something’s definitely up. You might as well tell me.’
She didn’t sound happy or unhappy about this fact. Just intrigued.
‘You were watching me? That’s so creepy.’ Allie tried to appear bored. But the conversation was making her increasingly uncomfortable. ‘Whatever it is, it’s none of your business.’
‘I’m right, then.’ Katie pounced. ‘I knew it. There is trouble in paradise. What’s going on? Did you argue? Did you lie? Did he cheat on you? Did you cheat on him?’
Allie’s cheeks flamed. Hurriedly, she turned away, pretending she was just collecting the gun from where it had fallen.
By the time she returned, she’d smoothed all the guilt from her expression.
She pointed the gun at Katie.
‘Fight me,’ she said darkly. ‘Or something that rhymes with that.’
Katie rolled her eyes. ‘Nice try. I’m not giving up. Tell me what happened.’
‘Whatever. Bang.’ Allie twitched the gun. ‘You just keep getting killed, Katie.’
But the redhead was relentless. ‘Tell me the truth. Did you and Sylvain fight? Did something happen in France? What did he do?’
‘Nothing happened.’ Allie had begun to sweat. ‘We did not fight.’
She glanced over her shoulder to ensure the subject of this conversation couldn’t overhear them. But Sylvain and Nicole were laughing about something. Well out of earshot.
‘Fine. Then something must have happened in London with you and Carter,’ Katie persisted. ‘You professed your undying affection. Something like that.’
Allie dropped the gun.
She didn’t know how it happened. Her fingers just went nerveless.
The gun hit the blue rubber mat on the floor without a sound.
Katie’s green eyes widened. Wordlessly, she picked up the gun and pointed it at her.
Allie held up her hands; to a casual observer it would have looked like a hold-up.
‘Please,’ she whispered. ‘Stop this.’
‘Never.’ Katie’s cat-like eyes had gone cool. ‘That’s it, then. Something happened in London, that night. With Carter. And you. You fought. You kissed. He was cruel. You’re in love.’
There was too much truth in her litany of guesses.
Allie dropped her hands. Her shoulders slumped.
She thought of Carter, kneeling above her on the bed in the Kilburn safe house. Pulling her into his arms, pressing her body against his hard chest. Their whispered promises whirled through her memory, tainted by the guilt and loss she’d felt ever since.
She hadn’t told anyone about it. Not even Rachel. And it was killing her.
She couldn’t keep it a secret. Couldn’t lie anymore.
It was time to be honest with someone. Time to come clean.
Besides, if there was one thing Katie knew about aside from money, it was boys.
‘We didn’t fight, OK?’ Allie’s voice was barely above a whisper.
‘What did you do, Allie?’ Katie challenged her.
Allie took a long breath.
‘We had sex.’
‘You didn’t.’ Katie stared.
Her condemning gaze made Allie’s insides curdle.
Suddenly telling her the truth seemed like a really stupid idea. But it was too late to change her mind now.
‘We didn’t mean to,’ she said, defensively. ‘It just… happened.’
Katie had gone so blank Allie could project anything onto her. Contempt. Disbelief. Ridicule.
When she finally did speak, her voice was low and angry.
‘Did you think once about Sylvain? About how he’d feel? With everything that just happened to his dad…’ She looked away, her jaw tight. ‘Bloody hell, Allie. You’re much more ruthless than you let on.’
The familiar bite of guilt cut deep into Allie’s heart.
She dropped her gaze, unable to take the disapproval she saw in the other girl’s gaze.
‘I just don’t understand you.’ Katie lowered her voice. ‘What were you thinking?’
Allie thought of Carter’s dark eyes. His voice saying, ‘Oh God, Allie. I love you, too.’
How could she explain that to Katie? How could she describe the relief of listening to her heart at last? Or how it felt to have – if only for a few minutes – the one thing she wanted in the world?
She didn’t have words for that.
‘We weren’t thinking,’ she whispered. ‘It just happened.’
‘It just happened?’ Katie’s stare was incredulous. ‘Jesus Christ, Allie. That’s even worse. At least tell me you were safe.’
Allie flushed. Somehow, Katie asking her if she’d used protection was worse than anything else.
‘Of course we were.’ She mumbled the sentence, staring down at the feet.