Page 66 of The First Chord

“Am I allowed to say a cunt?” I muttered.

Amber sniggered and gave me a sneaky poke in my thigh. “I think you’re a thoroughly vile person,” she said, pulling her shoulders back. “I have no idea why I ever thought otherwise. Maybe I was lonely, maybe I was stupid, maybe both. I have no idea, but what I do know is that you are the biggest mistake of my life. I don’t want to be near you, I don’t want to speak to you, but I do want a divorce. So,” she said with a heavy exhale, “once this tour is over and I don’t have to pretend any more, then I’ll be seeing a solicitor about getting myself free of you.”

Jimmy sneered like it didn’t bother him, but his hands clenching into fists told a different story. I was suddenly on high alert, because if he even took a half step closer to her I’d put him down again. Fuck the fact he was due on stage within the next half hour.

“Listen, Jimmy,” I ground out. “You’re not supposed to be near Amber, but you are supposed to be on stage soon, so I suggest that you go and be where you’re meant to be.”

His gaze snapped to mine. “This is between me and my wife.”

“Ronnie is right, Jimmy.” Amber folded her arms over her chest, and I knew the barriers were starting to go up. The bravery had been chipped away a little, not a lot, but I could sense that it was ebbing.

“Jimmy, I don’t want to have to call Destiny, but I will.” I fished my phone out of my jeans’ pocket and held it up.

I wanted to laugh because Jimmy blanched.

“Well, until this tour is over, you’re still my wife,” he snapped. “But I’ll go, seeing as I’ve got a show to put on.” The twat then winked and left.

As soon as the door closed, I turned to Amber and put a hand to her elbow.

“Are you okay?”

She nodded, her eyes still on the door.

“He’s gone now, and I’ll make sure that Destiny does her damn job and keeps him away from you.”

She turned to me and shook her head. “Please don’t have a go at Destiny. This isn’t her fault. It’s his.”

“His and damn Concepta Records. They should never have made this happen.”

“Yes, well,” she shrugged, “they have, and we can’t change that.”

As we looked at each other, the air became charged, and I could practically hear the buzz of the electricity we were creating. Our eyes searched each other’s faces but when Amber bit her bottom lip, I could see the worry. I didn’t need to create any more for her, so decided to give her some time.

“I need to go and get ready,” I said. “I don’t think he’ll come back, but I can get someone in here if you want me to.”

“No, it’s fine.” As she let her arms drop to her side her shoulders sagged. “You’re right, he won’t come back.”

“Are you sure you’ll be okay?” I desperately wanted to take her into my arms and kiss her again. It wasn’t the time, though, she needed to process the one kiss we’d already had. I couldn’t approach this like other relationships. We couldn’t have our hands all over each other until we fell into bed. I couldn’t take her on a plane somewhere just for a date. Not because she didn’t deserve it, but because it was complicated and problematical. It was important.

“I’ll be fine, honestly,” Amber replied, and finally a small smile touched her lips.

I nodded and gave her the briefest of kisses on her cheek. “I’ll see you back at the hotel?”

“Okay.”

I felt relieved that she wasn’t saying no or telling me that what happened shouldn’t have.

She sat back down. “I’ll wait here for Ali to come and get me. Go and get ready and have an amazing set.”

“I will. And if he comes back, promise you’ll call either me, Ali, or Destiny.”

“I promise.”

With a deep breath I left her there and nothing had felt as painful as my chest did in that moment.

CHAPTER30

AMBER

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