Nathan had told her a tale of money and blackmail. The terrorists had received late and inaccurate intel, and they’d threatened to expose Alison. Her response was to set in motion a plan to kidnap Autumn with a five million price tag on her head which Alison would settle from Autumn’s own funds. Nathan hadn’t had to remind Autumn that terrorist gangs were unstable and volatile, but he had anyway. There was no guarantee they would keep their end of the bargain and release Autumn when the money was paid. Having the Foreign Secretary’s daughter would give them all sorts of leverage. And Alison knew all about that risk. She had put Autumn in harm’s way without a second thought.
‘Do you trust who’s told you this?’ Autumn spoke, lifting her eyes from the liquid in her glass.
‘You don’t believe your mother’s involved?’
‘No, that wasn’t what I meant. I can believe it. Maybe I don’t want to, but… the people you work for, your source, do you trust them? One hundred per cent?’
She watched his expression, but it was his body that told her all she needed to know. He didn’t answer straight away. He took a breath and held it.
‘I’m not convinced that’s all there is to it,’ he responded.
‘And what are your orders?’ Autumn asked.
Nathan let out the breath and laughed. He put his hands to his head.
‘What is this? Talking about trust and orders!’ he mocked.
‘I’m just trying to get my head around what you’ve told me. I thought that was a language you understood.’ Autumn took another mouthful of her drink.
‘They want to deal with your mother in-house,’ he explained.
‘What does that mean?’
‘It means she’ll be made to leave her post, but it will be done quietly, with the minimum of fuss. No full-page spread in the Daily Mail, no scandal for her, no egg to wipe off the faces of the Cabinet,’ Nathan elaborated.
Autumn stood up and slammed her drink on the coffee table, ‘What?’ she shrieked. ‘But they can’t do that! She’s been passing information to terrorists. That’s treason of the highest order, and she was going to have me kidnapped. She had Blu-Daddy killed! She’s a treacherous bitch and a murderer!’
*
He watched her, pacing the room, playing with her fingers, counting them up and down and back again, trembling. Emotion—at last. It had to do something to you, finding out your mother was willing to sell you out to a gang of crazy bandits who put no value on human life. She felt something now, and that was the best way. Normal people showed their feelings. Normal people couldn’t show restraint in their darkest moments. Normal people weren’t paralyzed inside like he was.
*
‘She was never there for me… after my father died,’ Autumn muttered. She stopped at the glass doors and stared out at the vista.
‘No, well, some people can’t do that, can they?’
Autumn spun around to face him. ‘What do you mean? Are you defending her?’
‘No, of course I’m fucking not. I’m just saying she was obviously a shit mother because she just couldn’t do it. She had her career, just like you. Look at you, you’re the ultimate career woman.’
‘Speaks the guy who’s married to the Special Forces or whoever it is you work for. I mean, where’s your family, huh?’ she spat.
The second the words had left her lips something happened to him. His pallor grayed, and his eyes dimmed like a dark cloud had descended into the room. He pulled in his lower lip and clamped down on it with his other one before putting a thumb to his mouth and biting onto the nail.
‘Nathan…’she began and took a step toward him.
Her words had hurt him, made him drift off to another place. She had never seen him look like that before. For a brief second, he looked wounded.
He stepped back from her and restored his demeanor. ‘My orders are to keep you here, out of the public eye until the music awards.’
‘She has to pay for what she’s done. Not just for me, but for Blu. Someone died because of me, and that’s her fault,’ Autumn said, a look of determination set on her face.
‘I know.’
‘So, what do we do? I’ll do whatever I have to.’
‘I had one of my team keep track of her. She’s still here. She stayed at the Ricardo last night. I want you to call her and arrange to meet for dinner. I think we should let this play out.’
‘Fine.’
‘She’ll try to have you taken again. You know that, right?’
‘Yes, I know. But you’ll protect me, won’t you? I won’t leave your side,’ she promised.
She took hold of his hand and squeezed it tightly in hers. He looked at her and she saw some of the same depth of feeling in his expression that she had seen the night before. As she held onto his hand and drew him nearer, her eyes caught the tattooed inscription on his wrist. Marie.
He saw her looking at his arm and pulled his hand away, then reached onto the cabinet next to them. He held the pistol out to her.
‘You need to learn how to use a gun.’
Twenty-One
‘Darling, I’m so glad you rang. I was so worried about you when I saw what happened to your… What was he? What did he do? Blue somebody. Oh, you know I’m no good with names.’
A wave of prickly heat washed over her body as she listened to her mother’s voice on the speaker of Nathan’s phone.
‘His name was Albert Arthur. He called himself Blu-Daddy. He was my producer,’ she responded, trying hard to keep any hint of hatred out of her tone.
‘Of course, of course. Well, it’s all over the news. Everyone’s concerned for you. Where are you, darling?’
Autumn looked up at Nathan. She didn’t
