“April.”
“This is your crisis management, Bart?” I huff.
“How—”
“Yes, I stopped it,” I snap. “Bring a plain clothed police officer to Sebastian’s. We’re pressing charges. We need to release a public statement this evening. You need to prepare for it.”
“April.”
“Non-negotiable, Bart. Attack is the best form of defense. This has gone too far. It’s only a matter of time before the story breaks, and you know it. Our statement needs to hit first.”
Sebastian drags his hand through his hair. He looks like he’s about to pass out.
I hang up the phone, and he looks over at me, his eyes searching mine. “April…”
“Don’t,” I whisper angrily. My blood is literally boiling. “How could you be so fucking stupid?”
He opens his mouth to say something but the elevator door opens. The security guards are standing around waiting for their precious Prime Minister.
We both fake a smile as we walk out and get into the back of the waiting car.
Sebastian
“To my place.”
“Yes, sir.” The car pulls out of the hotel, and I reach over and to take April’s hand but she flicks me away. My heart drops.
She’s furious.
Who could blame her?
The phone call.
Oh no, my stomach rolls.
I feel sick.
The car weaves through the heavy London traffic. My mind goes back to that morning in the hotel when I woke with no memory.
I see the silver wine chiller and the two crystal glasses.
I remember the scent of perfume on my sheets. At the time, I was terrified, but then as soon as the security guard said he walked me back to my room, I dismissed my fears. I put it down to two glasses being delivered as standard practice, and the scent on the sheets as a strong washing powder, but now…
Why didn’t I get drug tested?
I thought there was no use wasting time at the hospital when no harm had been done. I thought it was about Bart and his wife—that I had accidently had a drink meant for him.
What if…?
Fuck.
I close my eyes as a dark sense of dread fills me.
This can’t be happening.
April
We walk in the front door to find Bart standing in the foyer. Sebastian brushes past him and walks straight into the kitchen,
“Are you serious?” I ask Bart. “Where are the police?”
“They’ll be here in half an hour, and don’t give me your crap, April. We were only trying to protect you?”
“By giving her six million pounds?”
“It was ten." He splutters. “If this story broke about the two of you, the ramifications would be horrendous.”
“Oh my God. How could you even contemplate heading to her demands?”
“She has footage, April.”
“No, she doesn’t,” I snap. “She was lying.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I had the club’s system hacked months ago, and I wiped all traces of Sebastian from the security footage.”
Sebastian walks back into the foyer with a glass of scotch.
“Why would you do that without clearance?” Bart asks.
“To protect him.” I throw my hands up in disgust. “Like you should have done. What the hell has he been paying you for, Bart? I would have assumed that you would have already wiped his sordid history slate clean.”
Sebastian tips his head back and drains his glass.
“As soon as she broke into this house, I knew she was up to something, and I couldn’t go on about it because it would be assumed that I was being the jealous new girlfriend. Why the hell wasn’t she charged back then for break and entering? I always assumed that she was.” I throw my hands up again. “I cannot believe the advice he has been given in regard to her.”
“Ex-wives are an entity of their own.”
“And you would know.” I huff as I begin to pace. “You lead by such great example, Bart. Did you know that Helena is now threatening that she’s pregnant with Sebastian’s child from the night that you and he were drugged?”
His eyes widen. “Is she?”
“No!” I bark. “Another lie.”
“Fucking hell.” He drags his hand down his face. “Why didn’t you tell us you hacked the system? How do you even know how to do that?”
“Because it’s illegal, Bart, and I didn’t do it by myself. Penelope, my friend, did it. She’s a computer scientist. I didn’t tell you because I assumed that I would have been told if there was a privacy breach. Never in a million years did I imagine that this stupidity would occur.”
“Calm down,” Sebastian says.
“Calm down?” I growl. “Calm down? How can I fucking calm down?”
Sebastian and Bart exchange looks.
“This is what’s going to happen,” I reply as I look between the two of them. “When the police get here, you’re going to tell them that Helena has tried to blackmail you with falsified images of you in a strip club. You have all of the emails as proof. You are going to show them the cash you withdrew to give to her.”