Page 56 of The First Chord

“I know, sweetheart, but with Amber you’ve put your heart on the line, too.”

I couldn’t deny it, what would be the point? Besides, I hated liars.

“I don’t know what to do, Al.” I pressed my forehead against the glass. “I feel useless.”

“Please try not to worry,” she replied, and I could hear the emotion in her voice. She loved us all like her sons, and if any of us were hurting she felt it as sharply as we did. I knew she worried about me the most, though, probably because I was the one who always seemed to be suffering with a painful heart.

“Okay, I’ll try.” The squirrel ran back, and I watched its progress. “But make sure she knows that she can call me at any time. Any hour of the day. I’ll go to her.”

And I would. I knew I would do anything for Amber Fox, I just hoped she didn’t need me for the worst reasons.

CHAPTER26

AMBER

Ididn’t think I’d ever taken such small steps to get somewhere. Tiny little baby steps all the way up to the bus. The luggage store was open, and the bright yellow case made me feel sick. It was Jimmy’s case, the one he’d used forever, the one covered in stickers and black felt-pen doodles.

“Are you okay?” Amelie placed a warm hand on the small of my back. “You know you don’t have to do this.”

I sighed, looking over to the Warrior Creek bus. “I do. I can’t risk him doing something stupid.”

“Hugo won’t let him,” she replied.

I gave her a tight smile, not sure that Hugo could stop Jimmy doing anything. They hadn’t exactly done a huge amount to help me since I’d left him. There’d been the usual words, ‘call us for anything’ but apart from the odd text, I hadn’t heard anything from them. When I’d called to ask if I could stay with her and Hugo for the few days before the tour, she’d asked me to give her an hour or two to check with Hugo. So much for anything at any time.

I couldn’t blame them; Jimmy was pivotal to the success of Blind Devil. They’d all said they wanted to sack him from the band, but as soon as it had been pointed out that he was their big selling point, they quickly decided that maybe he wasn’t so bad.

“Amber!”

I looked over to the bus where Destiny, the tour manager, was standing on the steps. She was wearing her sunglasses, as was normal for her, along with combat shorts, a tight white vest and Doc Marten boots. She might have been tiny in stature, but she was feisty. Everyone was scared of her, even Jimmy. Which was why it was great that she was going to be my ‘bodyguard’.

Waving, I walked over to her, dragging my case behind me. “Hi, Destiny.”

“Leave your case there but bring your other bag, darling. I’ve got us set up in the bedroom.”

I heard Amelie gasp behind me. “Cool your fucking jets, Princess,” Destiny yelled. “You and lover boy will still have your own room, you just don’t have a TV area any longer.”

“No TV area?” Brandon’s head popped up from behind a bush of the manicured gardens of Concepta’s head office. “What the fuck, Amber?”

“Oi.” Destiny pointed a finger at him. “You don’t like it, wanker chops, then get your own fucking transport.” She stomped down the steps and stopped in front of the bush. “If you didn’t have such a tosser for a front man then you wouldn’t be losing your damn TV area. If you had a pair of bollocks between you then you also wouldn’t belosing your damn TV area. Because, my friend,” she said leaning closer to Brandon and the bush, “you and the other two pricks in this band should have sorted him out with a quick knee to the bollocks or a punch in the mouth. Now, finish your wank or whatever it is you’re doing behind there because we leave soon, with or without you.”

“Hang on,” Amelie cried as Destiny turned for the bus, “Hugo isn’t a—”

Destiny swung around to face her. “Yes, he is. You all are for letting him treat Amber like that.” She then turned back to me. “Come on, love, let’s get you settled.”

I exhaled slowly and felt a warm blanket of safety wrap itself around me. Destiny was never nice to anyone, yet she’d just shown me a huge amount of kindness.

“Thank you, Destiny. I really appreciate it.”

“Don’t get used to it, Foxy, I’ll be back to being a cunt in five minutes.”

As she marched off I spotted Ronnie approaching, so quickly chased after her. One confrontation was enough for one morning.

“Amber,” my name was said with a growl, making me wince.

I didn’t want to turn around but had no choice. We were going to be on the bus together for hours and hours over the next few months. It wasn’t like I could get away from him unless I kept myself locked in the bedroom that I shared with Destiny.

“Jimmy,” I ground out, turning with a sigh.

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