"How come you can make a 'teenage mistake' but I can't?" He huffed.
"Because you're dragging your mistake through adulthood. You put me second and you're still not willing to put me first."
"I could quit after we win. Just get the band on the map and then leave. They'd find another bass guitarist."
"HAVE YOU HEARD YOURSELF?" I stood in the foyer apoplectic. "After you win? You're so fucking sure of yourself. There are another nineteen bands in this competition. And you're telling me that if you do win, you're going to drop the band? I'm not buying it. It would be, 'I'll just do this one tour'." I said in a simpering, whiny voice. "Anyway, I'm going to do my damn best to make sure my band win this competition and that you're left with nothing but regrets, Noah Granger. No contract, no future in music, and certainly no Stacey Williams in your life."
The next thing I knew I was crushed against the wall and if the shock didn't mean I was overpowered, the fact Noah was a vampire certainly did. His body was up close and personal and his mouth was crushing on mine.
And damn my fucking body because it completely betrayed my mind as it quivered under his touch. I couldn't help it. My body remembered how it had felt that night three years ago and it wanted more. My mouth opened and his tongue snuck inside tangling with my own, until finally as I felt his hard length against my stomach, my brain caught up.
"Aaargh." Noah spat as my knee came up. He clutched at his privates. Then I slapped him across the face for good measure.
And of course the two police officers chose that moment to come out of the room they'd been talking to me in. They walked past us both, and as they did one of them said. "Don't leave London, Miss Williams, will you?"
"Kicking someone in the balls does not mean you're responsible for the disappearance of a well- known TV presenter." I yelled, as by this time I’d had enough of everyone.
The police officers didn't even turn around at my outburst. They just carried on out of the building.
"Is everything okay?" Harley made her way towards us.
"Not really." I said honestly, as Noah told her everything was fine.
"Come with me to my private dressing room. You can take a break there away from everyone before you go home or whatever. You can talk or not. It's up to you." She said with a sympathetic smile.
Thank the lord. I needed away from all the people here, away from the police, and away from Noah. Harley was offering me sanctuary and I was taking it because as soon as I got back to the rest of my own band there would be six women asking me a barrage of questions and giving me a headache.
Harley's dressing room was down a private corridor at the back of the auditorium. There was a comfy red velvet sofa; a large dressing table and mirror, with a red velvet stool in front of it; and a rail full of clothes at the far end. There was also a fridge and a trolley full of goodies, plus glasses, mugs, etc. As I walked inside it smelled of Harley's signature perfume, like sherbet.
"I love it in here. I'd never want to leave." I told her, sinking into the luxurious softness of the red sofa and thinking that when I had enough money saved, I needed one for my apartment. Oh, who was I kidding? It would probably cost two months' rent.
"Believe me, luxury only seems luxurious when you're not used to it." Harley said and I noted the sadness in her tone. "I've always wanted to be famous, and now things finally seem to be coming together for me, I'm lonelier than ever, and now I'm being suspected of being behind my co-presenter's disappearance because they think I’d do that to get this gig on my own." She sighed and dropped onto the seat in front of her dressing table.
"They think you're responsible for Dan?"
She shrugged her shoulders. "They didn't accuse me outright, but the underlying tone was that because it was known we didn't get along and that Dan seemed jealous of me, I might have motive." She stood up and opened a bottle of white wine. "Want one?"
"Why not?"
She handed me the glass and sat back down. "So I heard what they said to you about you not leaving London. What was that all about?"
I debated telling Harley for a moment, because what if she had bumped Dan off and then tried to frame me?
You're being utterly ridiculous, I told myself.
"When I was sixteen, the boy I slept with went missing. The police have found this out and so because of that and the fact I'm yet again in the vicinity of someone who's gone missing, I seem to be a prime suspect, or at least, enough that they're trying to mentally push me."
"Well that's ridiculous. You live in London where tons of people go missing. Have you been responsible for all of them?" She took a sip of her wine. "Dan's a twat and he's probably sitting in five-star luxury accommodation somewhere, with a spy camera on me, laughing his head off, and planning his return for the quarter-finals where he'll get all the attention. That's how he is."
I giggled.
"Is it bad I just said that when he could have actually been hurt?" She asked me.
"No. We don't have to like people, do we? I'd find it a lot more insincere if you were doing some dramatic 'oh where is my co-presenter' fawning to the reporters."
"Don't get me wrong, I hope he is okay. I'm not that mean. But he's been super horrible to me and trying to get me fired, so I'm not going to pretend I'm devastated."
"Good for you." I took a large glug of my wine. I wasn't a huge wine drinker, but this was nice. Fruity and smooth. I could see it going down well.
"So, tell me about you and Noah Granger."
My mouth parted in an 'O'.
"I saw him plant one on you and at first it didn't look like you were too disappointed. Then you nailed him in the nuts."
"He's my ex."
Her eyes widened at the potential gossip there. "Ooooohhh."
"From school. I dated him from being fifteen to sixteen. He was a year older. Then he dumped me for his band. The one he's entered the competition with."
"Oh boy. This just got interesting. And do you still like him?"
"Truthfully? I can't deny there's still something between us. But it's not happening. I'm going to do my utmost to win this competition, for my band, my future and for the sheer satisfaction of hurting Noah Granger as much as he hurt me."
"Oh?"
"No contract, no Stacey. Just a heap of regret. That's what Noah's future needs."
"Harsh."
"It's no less than he deserves."
"Well only you know the answer to that, but it'll certainly give me something to stop the boredom setting in. I can watch the real competition now. Noah versus Stacey."
"Glad I can be of entertainment." I said sarcastically. "Anyway, what about you? Got your eye on any of the talent here?"
"Huh. I can't go there. For one thing I'd be accused of giving someone a helping hand, and how do I know if they're trying to score with me to get further in the competition? So, I'll just have to stay my single self for now."
"I never thought of that. That sucks."