Illusions of Love

chapter 21



‘Happy birthday my darling,’ Reece smiled, kissing India on both cheeks then standing back to take a look at his beautiful daughter. Dressed in the simplest of outfits – skinny jeans, strapless black top and spike-heeled ankle boots, her blond hair piled messily on top of her head – she looked incredible.

‘You’re not gonna start with the nagging then?’ India asked, wary of facing her father for the first time since the rumours about her and Dominic’s “did they or didn’t they?” sex scene had started. He’d been in L.A. for a couple of days visiting Martha on the set of her new movie, so it was the first time she’d seen him since the news had hit the front pages of the tabloids and gossip magazines.

Reece looked at her, all too aware of what she was getting at. And there was plenty he wanted to say on the subject of her and Dominic and what was being said about them, but maybe tonight wasn’t the right time. He’d witnessed just a few seconds of that scene being filmed, and even those images had been way too graphic for him to grasp, so to think that things may have gone further was just too much for him to comprehend right now. And it was something he would never put himself through, he’d never see that scene, he’d never watch it, he’d make sure of that.

‘Did you do it?’ He hadn’t meant to say that out loud but he’d been unable to stop himself from asking the question.

‘Not tonight, Dad. Please.’

‘Everything okay here?’ Dominic asked, arriving by India’s side, handsome and sexy-as-hell in a black shirt and pants, his hair in that messed-up, just-got-out-of-bed style that he was known for – and that India loved – the movie star smile firmly in place as he circled her waist with his arm, pulling her into him.

‘Everything’s fine,’ Reece replied. He held Dominic’s stare for a few seconds before turning his attention back to India. ‘I take it, by this display of protective behaviour, that you two are officially an item then.’

It wasn’t really a question, and India felt about fifteen again. She guessed she always would, because she’d given her father no other option but to be suspicious of every relationship she got into now. Her past had seen to that.

She looked up at Dominic, removing his arm from around her waist and slipping her hand into his. He just smiled that smile, kissed her quickly, then left her alone with her dad.

‘It’s a bit early for him to be playing the gallant hero, isn’t it?’ Reece said, immediately wishing he hadn’t said anything at all because the look on India’s face wasn’t one he felt comfortable with. He could do without alienating her, especially at a time like this. He held his hands up. ‘Okay, okay, I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’ll back off, I’ll quit with the over-protective father routine. Just…’

‘Be careful. Yeah, yeah, I get it.’

‘You’re gonna be in the public eye all over again, you know that, don’t you? Now you’re in some kind of relationship with your co-star.’

‘It’s not like I’ve never had to handle that before, Dad.’

He wanted to say so much more to her but tonight was her night, her birthday, a night for her to cut loose and enjoy herself. Anything else could wait. ‘Go on,’ he smiled. ‘Go have a good time.’

She threw herself into his arms and hugged him tight, and he held onto her like he never wanted to let her go. And he didn’t. Because every time he let her go something happened that he couldn’t control; she got hurt, and he’d have to pick up the pieces all over again. He could only hope that, this time, things would be different.



***



‘I’m almost certain Vince suspects something’s up, Kenny,’ Charley said, suddenly feeling more than a little self-conscious talking to him. But that was only because of what had happened between them, and nobody else knew about that, did they?

‘Then you’ve got to try and be less edgy around him, Charley.’ Kenny couldn’t really concentrate tonight. He was too busy watching India and Dominic kissing like a couple of kids by the bar, laughing and play-fighting. It shouldn’t bother him, he’d thought he was over all that, but it did. It bothered him.

He turned his attention away from his best friend and her new boyfriend, smiling at Charley. His beautiful distraction, and now he knew why he needed her so much. ‘It’ll be okay, I’ve told you. I promised you that, didn’t I?’

She smiled too. He made her want to smile. ‘You’re the only one who can say that to me right now and make me actually believe it.’

‘Yeah, well, I’m that kind of guy.’

She couldn’t help laughing, finding something in Kenny’s smile that just suddenly made everything better. Or make it seem as if it was, anyway. ‘Thanks, Kenny.’

He looked at her. She’d come so far and changed so much since that stupid night together all those years ago, the night that had ended his short marriage to India. A night he’d always regretted. So why was he going back there? Because India wasn’t involved anymore? Or because she still was, and always would be. And his life was always going to be one long distraction in order for him to forget that.

‘For what?’

‘For being there.’

He smiled again, looking down at the ground, scuffing his boot against the wall. ‘That’s never been a problem, Charley.’ He looked up at her. ‘I’ll be there for you as long as you need me. And that’s a promise.’



***



‘Leopard’s don’t change their spots, Angel.’

India looked at Bobby over the top of her beer bottle. ‘Quit with the cryptic crap and tell me what you’re talking about.’

‘90% of his leading ladies, Princess. He’s slept with 90% of his leading ladies, and the other 10% only escaped because they were either too old for him, or married. Oh, hang on, you’re married! And it hasn’t stopped him this time, has it? Oh, something else, you’re actually older than him too!’

‘I could still fire you, y’know. It’s not too late.’

‘Then I shall start working for Kenny, Princess. I hear he’s on the lookout for a new personal assistant.’

‘Yeah, but preferably one who doesn’t stalk him,’ India smirked, taking a long swig of beer straight from the bottle.

‘Does Mr MacGorgeous know you drink like that?’

‘I still swear you’re jealous, Bobby.’

He sat forward, gently pushing her fringe from her eyes, smiling that gentle, friendly smile of his. ‘No, Angel, I just care about you. Yes, he’s an incredibly hot, sexy guy, but you’ve had those before… you’re still married to one, remember?’

‘Bobby…’

‘How do you know you’re not just another one of his conquests, Princess?’

She tucked her legs up underneath her, looking over to where Dominic was talking to some of the other cast members, throwing his head back and laughing, that movie star smile so evident, and the once tiny fluttering in her stomach had now increased a hundred times over. It was getting worse by the day, if she was honest with herself.

‘I don’t, do I?’ she said, turning away from Dominic and looking back at Bobby. ‘So I’ve just got to trust him.’



***



Michael watched everything going on from a quiet corner of the club – or as quiet as it could be in the middle of a nightclub where the music was loud and the crowd was growing by the second, more and more people eager to turn up and wish his ex-wife, the movie star, a happy birthday.

He took a sip of his bourbon, leaning back against the wall, watching as some of her co-stars hugged her, laughing and chatting away. He could’ve stayed there forever, just watching her.

He felt as though he’d come full circle with India, because this was how it had all began, all those years ago – him standing in the shadows watching her and wishing, until the day she’d finally become his. And they’d been so happy, so unbelievably happy, but he’d ruined all of that, hadn’t he? With actions he regretted every day of his life. And now he was right back where he’d started – standing in the shadows once again, watching and wishing.

As Dominic joined the group surrounding India, slipping his hand into hers, quickly kissing her, Michael felt his stomach dip and a rush of blood flood his head that caused him to grab the wall for support. This was it. It was time. Time to end whatever game Dominic MacDonald was playing. Time to finally confront this man who’d walked into India’s life and taken away Michael’s second chance with the only woman he could ever love. Time to face the son he’d never even known he’d had. Time for a whole new game to begin. And this time, he’d be the winner.



***



‘You look miles away, Vince,’ India smiled, gently touching his arm and he swung round to face her, smiling back. She was the kind of person who made you want to smile, especially tonight. She didn’t only look beautiful, but the fact she was so obviously happy was also quite infectious. Even if he wasn’t totally sure he felt all that happy himself.

‘Just thinking. You know how it is.’

She looked at him. ‘Well, maybe I should have done a bit more thinking myself recently, huh?’

He couldn’t help smiling again, because he knew exactly what she was referring to. ‘We all do things we regret, India.’

‘Yeah, but your mistakes aren’t going to be up there on a movie screen for millions to see. Anyway…’ She quickly looked over towards Dominic who was talking to one of their female co-stars, a young, dark-haired actress who was shooting her first major supporting role, ‘… enough of that. How are things with you and Charley?’

Vince turned away for a second, catching sight of his wife talking to Kenny over by the bar, huddled together, deep in conversation. ‘Strange, India.’ He looked at her, throwing his head back and sighing heavily. ‘Things are strange.’

India glanced over towards where Vince had been looking, narrowing her eyes as she watched Charley and Kenny talking.

‘You haven’t really spoken to her much since she arrived in Vegas, have you?’ Vince asked, causing India to break her gaze and turn back to face him, shaking her head.

‘No. I haven’t. We’re supposed to be having lunch some time, but I’m so busy and…’

‘So is she, yeah, I know. Tell me about it,’ Vince sighed, pushing a hand through his now slightly greying dark hair.

India slipped her hand into his and gave it a squeeze. ‘She loves you, Vince. She loves you so much, and I know what you’re thinking, but she wouldn’t go there. Not Charley. Not after everything that happened in the past. She wouldn’t risk losing you; she wouldn’t risk losing what you two have. I can promise you that.’

He smiled at her, wishing he could feel as confident as she did. ‘She’s told me everything’s fine…’

‘Then what are you worrying about?’

‘I know her, India. I know her better than she thinks I do, and I know something’s not right. Something’s just not right… and I’ll find out what that is, believe me. Because I am crazy about that woman, and whatever it is we’ll get through it. Whatever it is.’

India took one more look over at both her best friends – still holding onto the hand of the man who’d taken Charley from the depths of despair and a past she’d needed to leave behind, and given her the chance to start again – and India just hoped with all her heart that, whatever was going on, it wasn’t what she thought it was.



***



Dominic sat back and looked at his watch. It was still early. A whole chunk of the night still lay ahead of them and yet all he wanted to do was take India back up to his suite and make love to her until their bodies couldn’t take any more. He wanted to fall asleep holding her in his arms, wishing he wasn’t who he was, and that this crap with Michael Walsh didn’t exist. Because, if she ever found out…

‘You thinking, MacDonald?’ He looked up and smiled as India sat down next to him, stroking his hair, leaning over to kiss him quickly. ‘Because, if you are, then you’re probably using up energy that you might just need later.’

He smiled too, laughing that low, sexy-as-hell laugh, pulling her over to sit astride him, circling her waist with his arms. ‘Oh, baby, there’s plenty of energy left for whatever you need me to do, I can promise you that.’

‘The perks of having a younger man.’

‘You bet your beautiful ass, honey.’

She threw her head back and laughed as he kissed her neck, his mouth gently brushing the base of her throat, so lightly it made her physically shiver, and she moaned quietly as his fingers slipped underneath her top, stroking the small of her back.

‘Not a good idea, baby,’ she groaned, gently pushing him away, all too aware of how much trouble getting carried away could get them into. And the last thing they needed was more ammunition for the press and media, some of which were there at the party, although they were the invited ones, people India had grown close to over the years. People she could trust. But that didn’t really matter in the long run, did it? If something was going on that looked like a story worth writing about, they’d write it. She knew that only too well.

‘Can’t we just escape for five minutes, India? Go somewhere quiet, somewhere private…’

‘I wasn’t aware privacy bothered you two anymore,’ Bobby said, sitting down beside them and taking a long sip of his rather brightly coloured cocktail. Miguel was running the bar for the night so all kinds of weird and wonderful concoctions were being created, with most of them more colourful than any rainbow India had ever seen.

Dominic looked at India but she just shrugged, climbing off his knee and standing up, repositioning her top.

Bobby looked at the two of them, all wide eyed and innocent. ‘I’m only saving you both from yourselves. I mean, there was a time when you at least dragged your men into the nearest toilet for a quick one up against the wall, Angel. Now you seem to prefer the more public option.’

She stuck her tongue out at him, pulling Dominic up out of his seat.

‘Very ladylike, Princess,’ Bobby tutted, turning his attention back to his cocktail. ‘I’m just tying to keep you on the straight and narrow. That’s my job, after all.’

‘Oh, she veered off the straight and narrow a long time ago,’ Kenny smirked, joining them all at the booth.

‘Who asked you?’ India said, but she couldn’t help smiling as she looked at her best friend. Her very best friend. The one man who’d been constant in her life for the past twenty years. The one man who would always be there, no matter what, she knew that now. She knew that. He looked good tonight, too. The hair was shorter than he usually wore it due to the film he’d just finished shooting, but the beard was slowly making a reappearance, and he still carried off that scruffy “rock star” look to its ultimate best in old jeans, black T-shirt and his favourite heavy biker boots. Free-spirited, handsome Kenny Ross. He may have hit middle-age, but middle-age certainly hadn’t hit him.

‘Who knows you better?’ Kenny winked, and India burst out laughing. Those cocktails of Miguel’s were starting to take effect now and she clung onto Dominic as she briefly lost her balance.

‘Actually, I want a word with you,’ she said, looking straight at Kenny, who looked right back at her, his stare making her stomach flip over slightly and she squeezed Dominic’s hand tighter, leaning in against him. She was definitely laying off those cocktails now; they were having some very strange side effects in her opinion.

‘Would you like that word now?’ Kenny asked, still staring at her. ‘Or, are you too busy?’

She looked at Dominic, whose expression told her he’d really rather they just got out of there and got down to something he knew they both wanted to do, but India needed to know something first. Otherwise she was only going to be distracted.

‘Give me five minutes, baby, okay?’

‘Do I have much choice?’ Dominic asked, pulling her against him for a long, slow kiss. He wasn’t letting her go that easy. Kenny Ross might not be a threat anymore, but Dominic still wanted him to know where he stood as far as India was concerned.

‘She doesn’t give anyone much choice in anything,’ Kenny said, and India swung round to look at him, letting go of Dominic and grabbing Kenny’s hand, pulling him away from everyone else.

‘What the hell was that supposed to mean?’

‘What?’

‘Oh, quit with the innocent act, Kenny. It doesn’t suit you. That comment, back there. Was that some kind of dig? Because I didn’t deserve that.’

He pushed a hand through his jet-black hair, looking down at the ground for a second. A momentary lapse, that’s all it had been. Thinking aloud. A mistake.

‘I’m sorry.’ He looked up at her, her beautiful blue eyes confused, with good reason. ‘I didn’t mean anything by it, okay? I didn’t.’

She couldn’t be bothered to argue with him. It didn’t matter anyway; she had more important things to worry about. ‘What’s going on with you and Charley?’

‘Nothing’s going on with me and Charley.’

‘I said quit with the innocent act, Kenny. Look, you know me, don’t you? You know me inside out, wouldn’t you agree?’

‘Yeah… what’s your point?’

‘I know you too. So, what’s going on? And if you tell me it’s nothing again I swear, I’ll hit you. And I can hit hard, you know that.’

He looked back down at the ground, pushing a hand through his hair in an action that was fast turning into a nervous habit, because he was more than aware that he wasn’t going to be able to keep this from India for much longer. Even though he really didn’t want to involve her. The memories it could bring back would be just too painful for her. And the situation far too dangerous. ‘There’s nothing going on, India…’

‘Jesus, Kenny…’

‘She’s just got a lot on. Believe me, baby, I’m not lying to you.’ Wasn’t he? Charley did have a lot going on, it was just that India didn’t need to know what, exactly. She didn’t need to know.

‘Because Vince thinks there is. Are you aware of that?’

‘Yes…’

‘Then sort it out. For Christ’s sake, Kenny… if you and her…’

‘It’s nothing like that, India. Nothing like that.’ And it wasn’t, not really. What he and Charley had done, well, it had been once. One time. A chance for both of them to have that moment of escape, those few minutes to forget everything that was killing them both inside. Two very separate reasons, but both he and Charley had demons they needed to push aside, just for a little while. However, the last time he and Charley had done something once, just one time, look what had happened. But it wouldn’t be like that again. Not this time. Nobody’s relationship would be ruined, nobody would get hurt. History wasn’t going to repeat itself; Kenny would make sure of that.

India looked at him, right into eyes that she honestly thought she could trust, but she just couldn’t read him tonight. ‘Shit! Do you know what? Forget it. I haven’t got time for this. If she doesn’t want to talk to me then that’s up to her. I can’t force her. But if she’s hurting Vince…’

‘She isn’t hurting Vince.’

‘You know that for sure, do you?’

He looked down at the floor for a second, shoving his hands in his pockets. ‘Yes, I do.’ He looked back up at India. ‘I promise you, India, I’m not lying to you. I would never lie to you. She isn’t hurting Vince.’

India just stared at him. She was tired now, and this obviously wasn’t getting her anywhere. She wasn’t finding anything out here, except the knowledge that whatever Kenny was telling her, it wasn’t the whole truth. She believed him when he told her he wasn’t lying to her, but that only meant that he wasn’t telling her everything. ‘And if you can’t talk to me either…’

‘India… Jesus, just trust me, okay? Please?’

He held out his arms and she stepped into them, letting him hold her tight, hugging him like the best friend that he was. She needed this man, she always would, but tonight he was making her feel as though they’d lost that closeness, that he was putting up a barrier, something to stop her from getting too close. And it was a feeling she hated, but one she knew he was all too familiar with because she’d given him plenty of opportunities in the past to feel just how she was feeling right now.

She pulled back slightly and looked at him, up into those deep, dark eyes, still holding onto his waist. ‘Don’t shut me out, Kenny. Don’t do that.’

He stroked the hair from her eyes, absent-mindedly letting his fingers fall down to her shoulders, running them over her skin, all the time looking at her. The woman he’d never stopped caring about. ‘Trust me, baby. Please. That’s all I ask.’

She leant into him again, falling against him, suddenly just wanting to feel his body against hers, that familiarity that always – always – made her feel safe. A few seconds of remembering how it used to be. Then she pulled back again and hit his arm, hard enough for him to wince in pain.

‘Jesus, India! That f*cking hurt!’

‘It was meant to. Whatever’s going on, sort it out, Kenny. I mean it. Because I’ve got enough to worry about, okay?’

He gave her a mock salute and she had to smile, leaning over to kiss him on the mouth.

‘And we both need some “together” time. Soon. You got that?’

He smiled back, relieved she was backing off from the questioning, and ridiculously happy that she was acknowledging the fact they needed to spend some time together. Because they just didn’t get the chance to do that so much these days, and he missed it. He missed her. More than he cared to admit.

She ran back over to Dominic who was leaning against the wall, his hands in his pockets, a look of concern all over his handsome face.

‘What was all that about?’ he asked, somewhat moodily, holding out his hand which India took, letting him pull her against him.

‘I don’t know, to be honest. Something’s going on with Kenny and I just can’t work out what it is. But there’s something he isn’t telling me.’

‘What is it with you two anyway?’

She looked at him. ‘We’re best friends, Dominic. You got a problem with that?’

‘Do you kiss all your best friends like you kiss him?’

She stared at him. ‘Where’s this come from all of a sudden? What’s the matter with you? Me and Kenny, we’re friends. That’s all. Just friends.’

Dominic held up his hands. ‘Hey, okay. Okay. I know you guys are close, it’s just that, seeing it for real, seeing the two of you together – you really are close, aren’t you?’

‘Are you trying to say something?’

‘Jesus, India, you’re on the freakin’ defensive, honey. I’m not trying to say anything.’

She sighed, playing with the collar of his shirt, her whole body tensing up and suddenly she just wanted him to take all the crap away. The fear of Kenny and Charley getting themselves into something she couldn’t even comprehend, the fact Michael was back to his game-playing best – she wanted Dominic to take it all away.

‘Come on,’ she said, taking his hand and leading him away, out of the club. ‘They won’t miss us for a few minutes. Anyway, it’s my birthday and I want something right now that only you can give me, and this time, I’d rather we were behind closed doors when it happened.’

Dominic smiled, quite happy to be led anywhere by this crazy, hard-to-understand woman because there was a good chance it was going to lead to more mind-blowing, hot and dirty sex. And if that was the case, who was he to put up a fight?



***



Michael watched them leave, knowing where they were going and what they were going to do. But he also knew they’d be back. And he hated having to do this to her, especially on her birthday, he really did. He hated having to do anything more that could hurt her, but it was time to get the truth out there. Time to start winning her back. Time to put an end to Dominic MacDonald taking anything else away from him. It was time.



***



Jimmy tipped his hat further down over his eyes as India Walsh and Dominic MacDonald – two very famous movie stars quite obviously on their way to find a quiet corner in which to f*ck each other senseless – ran past him, laughing like a couple of high school kids cutting Prom Night early.

So, things were moving along nicely for India. Things seemed to be moving along nicely for quite a few of them. All of Charley’s friends, happily getting on with their successful, A-list lives. All except Charley. But, soon enough, she wouldn’t be the only one whose life was slowly being turned upside down.

Yes, things were working out just fine right now. But Jimmy knew he didn’t have all that much time left. They wouldn’t all be together in this one place forever, and he needed everyone together. If he wanted this plan to work out just the way he wanted it to. Because, once everyone went their separate ways then his chance was lost. So, he had to start moving. He had to start making Charley pay, and he had to start now.

Jimmy Cash wanted revenge, and he was about to make Charley Maine pay bigger than she’d ever thought possible.



***



Dominic pushed India up against the sideboard, the huge French windows of his Penthouse suite thrown open to let in the warm, stuffy Las Vegas night air. The sounds of a vibrant 24-hour town filled the room as he bent her forward, pulling her back against him as he thrust into her, his hands on her hips to keep her right where he needed her to be.

Her shouts and moans were turning him on more than ever before, the sound of the air conditioning and the noise of a Vegas night doing nothing to drown them out. He was in the middle of a f*cking living dream here, a fantasy he never wanted to wake up from. Even if he didn’t really know where it was heading. Jesus! What was he doing thinking about shit like that when he was inside one of the world’s most beautiful women? And the grip she had on him was verging on painful as he tried to go deeper, tried to push farther into her, tried to forget that – underneath everything that was happening here – one hell of a mess was just waiting to be unleashed. A mess he really had no idea how to deal with anymore, because he was falling for this woman. She was no longer a pawn in a game; she was no longer some kind of trophy he wanted to take from his long-lost dad – just because he could. She was no longer any of that. She was somebody he cared about, somebody he needed. And that had changed everything.

He gave one long, last thrust and she screamed out loud as he came inside her with a force that pushed her right up against the sideboard, but he held onto her, keeping her close as her climax matched his before finally pulling her upright, holding her against him, wrapping his arms around her from behind.

‘Jesus, Dominic… that was, incredible!’ She leant back against him, trying hard to get her breath back, her chest heaving with the exertion, her skin damp with sweat.

He kissed her shoulder, wanting to keep her right where she was for a few more minutes because he wasn’t all that keen on rejoining the party just yet. He felt much more like staying here, just the two of them. Alone. Something they very rarely were, but that was the life of a movie star. Especially a movie star who was involved with another high-profile movie star.

‘India, can I ask you something?’

She turned round to face him, looking into those incredible blue eyes of his, pushing his hair back off his face. ‘Yeah, of course you can.’

He let his hands rest in the small of her back as he pulled her closer, so close it felt as though every inch of their bodies were touching, and just knowing she was there made him feel like a kid who’d just managed to get the best looking girl in school to go out with him. He felt about sixteen again as nerves set in and his stomach flipped over and over in a million never-ending somersaults, his mouth suddenly dry as he tried to form the words he needed to tell her. Words he’d never really told anyone else before. Not ever. Because he’d never felt like this before.

‘How… how do you really feel about me, India? I mean, I know all of this has happened really quickly and things have moved along so fast, but…’ He looked at her, into a face so beautiful it tore him apart to think about what he was doing to her, and he had to avoid that now. Somehow. Should he tell her himself, before she found out from someone else? Or should he try to pretend none of it had happened in the first place and put Michael Walsh back where he belonged? In the past, forgotten. After all, he didn’t need him, did he? He didn’t need a father he’d never known. He’d got by in life quite happily without him, and this game he’d thought he’d wanted to play – this ridiculous attempt at trying to prove something to a man who didn’t even matter – it was redundant now. It meant nothing.

India didn’t really know what to say. She hadn’t expected some big, deep and meaningful heart-to-heart with him. They were together, they were having fun, and being with him felt good. He made her feel young again, he made her feel alive, able to cope with anything, even Michael and whatever shit he might be creating. But, as for anything else, she didn’t know. She was going through an extremely high-profile divorce, Michael was messing with her head again, and what had all that been with Kenny downstairs in the club?

‘Dominic, I… Baby, I am having the time of my life with you…’

The air conditioning was suddenly making her feel quite chilly and she stepped away from him, grabbing his shirt and covering herself with it, walking over to the huge open French doors, staring out at the lights of Las Vegas spread out before her, like a blanket of multi-coloured stars against the clear black night sky.

She closed her eyes as she felt his arms circle her from behind and she leant back against him, a tiny shiver running right through her as his mouth brushed her neck, his breath warm on her skin.

‘I’m falling in love with you, India.’

Her heart almost stopped dead as he spoke words she’d never thought for one minute she’d ever hear from him. Not from Dominic MacDonald, a man whom she knew had boasted he’d never been in love, a man who’d said he never really wanted to feel like that because it would tie him down, get in the way, cloud things – and wasn’t that the truth? Which was why she’d gravitated towards him in the first place, because love was the last thing she needed right now. She had enough complications going on without falling in love with a man she hardly knew. She’d fallen foul of that all too often and look at the crap it had caused.

She kept her eyes closed, reaching up behind her to touch his face, burying her fingers in his hair as he continued to kiss her neck, moving the shirt she was wearing down off her shoulder, letting his fingers stroke it as his other hand gently ran over the curve of her waist.

But she couldn’t say anything back to him. She couldn’t tell him she loved him too, because she didn’t. Or she couldn’t, she didn’t know. She couldn’t work out what was going on anymore.

‘India…’

She turned round and kissed him slowly, catching him slightly unawares, but it took just seconds for him to respond, his open mouth moving against hers, warm and soft, making her feel things she didn’t want to feel, making her weaker than she wanted to be.

‘I’ve been here before, Dominic.’ She gently stroked his rough chin, running her fingers over his lips. ‘With JJ…’

‘Baby, I’m not JJ…’

She put a finger to his lips, shaking her head. ‘Sssh… I know that, okay? But… I can’t rush into anything; I don’t want to do that. For both our sakes, Dominic. It’s just… it’s just too early to be throwing words like love around.’

‘Especially when it’s coming from someone like me, huh?’

She couldn’t help smiling. ‘Hey, come on. That’s not what I meant. I just… I just can’t tell you something so… Look; it’s hard for me, okay? Hard for me to get so involved again, because every time I do something goes wrong. And I’m just not ready to feel that way again.’

‘I won’t hurt you, India.’

She stroked his cheek, staring into those piercing blue eyes, wanting to believe him. She really wanted to believe him. But it wasn’t just that, was it? ‘But I might hurt you, Dominic. And I don’t want that to happen.’

‘I’ll take my chances, India. I’m a big boy now.’

She smiled again, playing with the hair at the back of his neck. ‘Oh, I know that, mister.’ She kissed him slowly, closing her eyes as his mouth moved against hers, her stomach flipping over and over. ‘Let’s just see how things go. Okay?’

She was right. It was probably best not to push too hard right now. It would happen. He had no doubt about that. She’d fall for him just as hard as he’d fallen for her, he was sure of that. He was just going to have to be patient and let her get there at her own pace. ‘Yeah. Okay.’

He flashed her that movie star smile and she wanted so much to just stay here with him, to lie in his arms and forget everything else around them. But they had a party to get back to. They had to show their faces, they had to keep up that front, that image, even at her own birthday party. And if they stayed missing for too long all they were going to achieve was the creation of yet more rumours. ‘Come on, handsome. Let’s get back down there.’

‘Do we have to?’ he groaned, pulling her back against him, sliding his hands underneath her shirt to touch her naked breasts, coaxing a tiny gasp out of her.

‘Yes, we do.’ She removed his hands and stepped away from him, going over to retrieve her clothes that were lying in a pile next to his on the floor where they’d thrown them off at a ridiculous speed the second they’d set foot inside the apartment.

‘It’ll happen, India. You know that, don’t you?’

She looked up at him as she slipped back into her skinny jeans. ‘What will?’

‘Me and you. It’ll happen.’

‘I thought it already had,’ she smiled, pulling her top down over her head and running her fingers through her hair.

He walked over to her, smiling too, reaching out to gently brush a strand of hair back behind her ear. ‘You’ll fall in love with me. I know you will. One day.’

And, as India looked up into those incredible eyes of his, she thought there was a chance he might just be right.



***



Michael had been patient, he really had. But as he saw India and Dominic walk back into the club, arms wrapped around each other, leaning into one another, looking for the whole world to see like two people who’d just had great sex, he couldn’t take it anymore. He’d had it; he was tired of it all, of knowing the truth and keeping it to himself. Now she needed to know the truth, too. She needed to know just who she was sleeping with. And he needed Dominic MacDonald out of her life because with every second he was there, getting closer and closer, it took her farther away from him. Farther away from his second chance.

Downing the last of the bourbon in the bottom of his glass he threw it down on the bar and walked over to them, any remaining feelings of guilt he may have been feeling at doing this to India wiped away with one look at Dominic’s hand in hers.

‘Michael… is everything alright?’ India asked, trying not to giggle out loud as Dominic whispered something in her ear that promised a late birthday present she’d never forget.

Michael watched them for a second, studying their body language, the way they interacted with each other – the looks, the little touches, the way Dominic would smile at her for no reason, he recognised it all because he’d felt that way too, once. No, he’d never stopped feeling it. Not where India was concerned.

‘No. Everything’s not alright. Not really.’

India looked at him, narrowing her eyes, a bad feeling suddenly washing over her. She’d been here before, she could sense when something was about to happen and she held onto Dominic’s hand tight as she watched her ex-husband with a familiar feeling of trepidation.

Michael continued to stare at Dominic, trying to find something in this young man that he could relate to. He was his son, after all, wasn’t he? There should be something in there that he recognised.

‘Have you got a problem, Michael?’ Dominic asked, pulling India closer to him, sensing the tension. He could feel it in the way she was gripping his hand.

‘Yeah. I’ve got a problem, Dominic. You. You’re my problem.’

India felt her stomach sink, so fast she had to grip Dominic’s hand even tighter. ‘Michael…’

Michael turned his attention to India, fixing her with a look that told her this wasn’t going to be pretty, and suddenly she just wanted to run away, to leave behind whatever crap he was going to cause because that’s what was about to happen here. She could feel it, hanging heavy in the air like a storm cloud that was about to burst open.

‘No, India. It’s time to get this out in the open.’

Now it was Dominic’s turn to feel an icy shiver run up his spine. Did Michael know something? Jesus, no! Was this how it was all going to come out? Was this how India found out the truth? Because this wasn’t how Dominic wanted it to happen. Anything but this, because this was not going to be good.

‘Get what out in the open?’ India asked, looking at both Dominic and Michael, that bad feeling in the pit of her stomach growing ten-fold as she noticed the way they faced each other, something in both their eyes letting her know this wasn’t going to be good news. It just wasn’t. ‘Dominic… do you know what he’s talking about?’

He squeezed her hand, but he didn’t break the stare. One set of piercing blue eyes looking right into the others. ‘It’s okay, baby. Really, it’s okay.’

Michael laughed, throwing his head back, pushing a hand through his hair. ‘You really believe that, do you? After what you’ve done?’

India felt herself starting to panic. What the hell was going on here? This was crazy, she didn’t understand any of it. But, looking at Dominic, she knew he did. He knew exactly what was going on, and it scared her. ‘What’s he talking about, Dominic?’

He squeezed her hand again, turning to look at her, tilting her chin up and quickly kissing her mouth. ‘It’s going to be okay, honey. I promise.’

‘What is? What’s going to be okay? I don’t understand…’

‘There’s something I need to tell you, India.’

She stared up at him, every inch of her body gripped with a fear she couldn’t describe. Everything had changed in an instant. The whole atmosphere had turned, and she suddenly felt cold and nervous, wary of anything anyone was about to say to her.

‘Telling her now isn’t really going to help, is it?’ Michael said, and Dominic swung round to look at him, his ice-blue eyes angry now. ‘You’ve left it too late. Haven’t you?’

‘Left what too late?’ The rising panic in India’s voice was evident as she stared at the two of them. ‘Will somebody please tell me what the hell is going on here?’

Dominic said nothing; he just clung onto her hand, a fear building up in him that he just hadn’t anticipated. He’d dreamt of this situation so many times, dreamt of facing Michael and letting him know just what it was that he’d taken from him, but it wasn’t working out like that at all. Nothing was going to plan, nothing was happening quite how he’d envisaged.

‘Dominic…’ India’s voice was shaking now, an anxiety she couldn’t explain completely taking over.

‘Do you want to tell her?’ Michael asked, unable to look at her because he knew how much this was going to hurt her. But it had to happen. She needed to know. ‘Or shall I do it?’

Dominic felt his breath catch in his throat, preventing him from saying anything at a time when he really needed to speak. He needed to make sure she understood.

‘I told you there was something you needed to know about Dominic MacDonald, didn’t I?’ Michael said, finally looking at India, his heart breaking at the confusion in her eyes. But he’d make it better, just like he’d used to. He’d make it all better, and she’d forget about Dominic MacDonald and all this pain he was about to cause. With his lies.

India couldn’t say anything. The fact her ex-husband was involved in all of this only served to make her panic more, after what she’d experienced at his hands in the past.

‘He’s lied to you, baby. He’s been lying to you all along.’

India looked up at Dominic, a questioning look in her eyes.

‘Honey, let me explain, I need to explain…’ He should have told her upstairs. He should have told her himself and prevented this from happening, but he’d had no idea Michael already knew. How could he have? The guy had given nothing away. How could he have known? Jesus, he’d handled this really badly. The minute he’d started to feel anything for this woman he should have told her the truth.

‘Explain what?’ India whispered, slowly letting go of his hand, but her eyes didn’t leave his.

‘I… Jesus, this is hard…’ He pushed a hand through his hair, but Michael saved him the trouble of trying to explain any more.

‘He’s my son, India. Dominic MacDonald, movie star – he’s my son.’