Page 12 of Endgame

That hurts, only because Lara is right. ‘And it has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that you want a job?’ I retort weakly.

‘It has everything to do with that. I was going to stick around to get a job with Ivory Bow Asia, but Ariella has destroyed both our futures by falling on her own bloody “demotion” sword. Now, I’m going to have to go back home to charm Christopher, before I bribe or blackmail Dominic into giving me a job out here. And not just any job, I want a house and a car and a housekeeper and all that fancy shit.’

‘You honestly think that you’re going to rock up for a job you’re unqualified for, demand a massive pay packet from Dominic and he is just going to give it to you?’

‘Why not? You men have been doing it since the beginning of time. There are presidents of whole countries that give me good reason to question whether they ever finished primary school. This is just a job. No nuclear codes, international incidents or deaths.’

‘That’s not going to happen, Lara. You have more of a chance of staying in London and getting your old job back.’

‘You know what I have a 100 per cent chance of getting?’

‘What?’

‘Front-row seats to Honey beating the living daylight out of you tomorrow morning. It really sets me up for the day.’

‘Is that what you’re really looking forward to when Honey is around, Lara?’ I tease her.

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ She sits up. I’ve hit a nerve. I’m going to enjoy this.

‘I think someone has a little crush…’ I sing, and I see Lara go beet red all the way from here.

‘I do not!’

‘Yeah, you do…’ I relax.

‘Shut up, Caleb.’ She’s getting angry and I’m the happiest I have been in a while.

‘If you write a note, can I pass it to her in class?’

‘You’re a dickhead, do you know that?’ She narrows her eyes at me. ‘I categorically do not fancy Honey.’

I’m laughing too hard to care what Lara’s defence is.

‘I don’t!’ she protests. ‘And even if I did, I’m not going to go there. That whole Bamidele thing scared me off straight girls looking to experiment for ever.’

‘Wait, what?’ Lara still doesn’t know about Honey? They have spent so much time together recently that I assumed Honey would have told her by now.

‘Ariella didn’t tell you about Bamidele? Nice. Get me drunk on the expensive stuff one day and I might spill. Your disgusting little mind will enjoy it. There’s alotof lesbian sex.’ Lara pushes her sunglasses back up and reclines again.

As annoying as Lara is, I’m secretly pleased she’s here. In her own acerbic, insulting way, she has been largely responsible for holding me together since that night of the kiss, especially after Jasper went back to London. She forced me to keep training with Honey even when I didn’t want to, and was always a willing participant when I wanted to drink, moan and be petty. She currently is very much in the anti-Dominic camp, although sherepeatedly warns me that her allegiances might switch, based on whether or not he hands her a truckload of cash. The one thing she has never wavered on is Ariella. No matter how broken I have felt, she stands firmly in her best friend’s corner. However, little acts of kindness that show the empathy she clearly feels keep slipping through the hardened armour she defends herself with. Armour that magically disappears when Honey is around. Lara isn’t fooling anyone. She is crushing hard on Honey. She is always up to watch my training and gets Honey’s hot-water bottle ready for her every morning. This is going to be interesting.

Forgetting that things aren’t great between us, I grab my phone and send a text to Aari. By the time I remember, it’s too late to delete it. Argh! Why is everything so hard at the moment?

THREE

ARIELLA

Lara still doesn’t know that Honey is gay?

Is the first message that comes through as I touch down at Louis Armstrong New Orleans. I love it when Caleb gets gossipy and I’m ready to dive into the juicy details with him until I stop myself and craft a more restrained response.

No. Why?

A message comes straight back.

They’ve been spending A LOT of time together.

Really? Still?

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