“No.” I smile. “We’re free.”
His nostrils flare, and he sucks in deep breaths as his emotions overwhelm him. I put my arms around his neck, and he drops his head into my shoulder.
Tears fill my eyes as we hold each other, the relief between us palpable.
I've never felt such an overwhelming relief.
“I’m sorry you had to go through this.” He squeezes me tighter.
“We made it,” I whisper, and I squeeze him right back.
Our lips meet, and a door opens behind us. “We need to go,” Bart’s voice interrupts us. “Your schedule had us leaving ten minutes ago. You’ll be late for your next appointment.”
We both turn to look at him.
“Hi, April.” He fakes a smile. “I didn’t realize you were coming today.”
Sebastian’s jaw clenches as he glares at him.
Bart looks between us, sensing something is off. “What?”
Sebastian takes my hand in his. “Go home, Bart.”
“Huh?” He frowns. “Why would I go home?”
“Because you’re fired.”
35
April
“I’m what?”
Sebastian pulls me toward the door. “Fired.”
“W-what are you talking about?” he stammers.
Sebastian turns abruptly. “The security footage from the hotel in Bath. Where is it?”
Bart's eyes widen, and he opens his mouth to say something.
“Don’t you dare fucking lie.” Sebastian growls as we walk out into the crowded backstage corridor.
Bart follows us out. “There isn’t any!” he calls. “I told you that already.”
“That was your last chance. Get out.”
“W-what?” Bart stammers. “You’ve got to be joking?”
“What I am is fucking furious,” Sebastian bellows.
Everyone around us withers and scurries for cover.
Sebastian steps toward Bart. “I know for a fact that there’s footage. April has seen it, and I also know that you’ve been lying to me to cover your own sleazy ass. Do you have any idea how stressful this last week has been for me and April?” he yells. “You didn’t even ask the hotel for the footage, did you?”
Bart takes a deep breath as his eyes hold Sebastian’s. He knows he’s fucked up.
“I didn’t know back then that anyone else was involved,” he says. “I knew I was drugged, and I had no idea what I had done. It was to protect Jeremy. I didn’t want him to see me with those girls. I had no idea that, three months after, you were going to need that footage. By then it was too late. I had already said I couldn’t get it. I didn’t think anyone was going to get hurt.”
I close my eyes in disgust. Except the apparent love of your life. Jeremy.
I can’t hold my tongue for one second longer. “Jeremy has seen the footage.”
Bart’s face falls.
“And it wasn’t even the strippers that you ordered for yourself that was the worst part,” I spit. “It was the conversation with your wife that brought him to his knees.”
Bart’s jaw clenches, knowing full well what this means.
Jeremy knows everything… finally.
“Why you think you can treat people the way you do is beyond me. When this story broke, you could have fessed up and saved Sebastian a world of pain. How could you be so selfish?” I ask.
Bart screws up his face in disgust. “And you are so quick to judge, April. Unlike you, I’m not sleeping with the Prime Minister. I don’t get special treatment.”
Sebastian’s eyes narrow. “Leave. Now”
“You’ll regret this,” Bart spits.
Sebastian’s cold eyes hold his. “I think we both know who’ll regret this.” Sebastian picks up my hand and we walk down the corridor. He takes out his phone and dials a number.
“Melody, change of plans. I’m returning to London immediately. Reschedule the rest of my meetings.”
He leads me out to the waiting car, and we get into the back seat.
Kevin turns to us. “Where to, sir?”
“Downing Street.”
The car pulls out into the traffic. Sebastian makes a call. “Melody, have the police come to Downing Street. Yes.” He listens. “I’m leaving Winchester now. Thank you.” He hangs up.
I hold Sebastian’s hand in my lap, but he’s too angry to even notice. He’s glaring out of the window as he silently fumes.
But that’s okay. I notice.
I’ve got him in my hand, and I’m never letting go. As long as we’re together, I don’t care about the rest of the world or the lies that they tell.
We’ve got each other, and that’s everything.
Sebastian
I’m sitting with the detectives, watching the footage of Gerhard leaving my room.
Furious doesn’t cut it. I’ve never been so angry.
All this time, Helena was working with him. Were they going to split the money?
Or was he on her payroll? So many unanswered questions.
“That’s it. That’s the proof we needed,” one of them says. He picks up his phone and makes a call. “Hi, Anna, this is Steven. Can you do a check on a Gerhard Klein for me, please?” He listens for a moment. “I need to know where he is right now. His home and office addresses. Call me back immediately with the details. Thank you.” He hangs up, and his eyes come to mine. “Are we still pressing charges on your ex-wife?”