‘Still, a few extra hands might not go amiss.’
‘They’re not coming.’
Sally gave an exasperated sigh and raised her hands. ‘I get it, all right.’ She made eye contact with each of them in turn. ‘You want some downtime, you don’t want constant reminders of the outside world and you need to regroup and bond again.’ She linked her fingers to emphasise the point. ‘But having a couple of guys looking out for you isn’t going to get in the way of that. You don’t need to socialise. They’re just there. Just in case.’
‘Sally,’ Spook addressed her patiently. ‘It’s a little house, on a teeny island. There’s barely enough room for the band and associated guests, and there’s no staff besides my housekeeper who delivers the shopping and does a quick tidy round. Nobody visits. Nobody drops by unannounced. By all means, have your guys stay here and if any of us decide to go on a road trip they can tag along, but they’re not setting foot inside my home. Got it?’
‘We’ll see about that,’ Sally spat, her complexion turning a horrid shade of puce. ‘Graham’s not going to be impressed by this.’ She jabbed at the face of her mobile phone and put it to her ear. The dial tone was loud enough that they could all hear it, even over the purr of the motor.
‘Are you sure about this?’ Xane asked, leaning over to address Spook.
‘Do you want ninja squad standing over you?’
‘Course not.’
‘Then let’s end this conversation now, before she puts Graham on speakerphone. Untie us.’
Grinning, Xane released the tether, and Spook took them smoothly away from the quayside.
‘Come back you idiots,’ Sally bellowed, chasing them to the end of the jetty, but then they were in open water and out of her reach. ‘You’re going to get yourselves into all sorts of trouble. Spook, turn back this minute. Spook, do you hear me? I’m not happy about this. Graham will hear about this.’
Spook drowned her voice by revving the engine.
Their manager was over a thousand miles away. Who gave a shit if he didn’t like it?
The island to which they headed was only a few acres across, and sat far enough out on the lake that the quayside they’d left behind resembled something from a scale model. Spook brought the speedboat in to dock at a short stone jetty. At the end of that narrow walkway, a pea-green lawn stretched upward to a traditional wooden house, backed by woodland.
Dani fell into step alongside Spook as they carried the luggage up to the house. ‘So this is home,’ she remarked. ‘It’s so peaceful.’
‘I think “peaceful” might be a relative term. This lot aren’t exactly known for being quiet.’ He tilted his head back towards the rest of the party ambling along behind them. ‘And I dread to think what sort of nonsense they have planned for Xane’s birthday.’
Rock Giant, who was directly behind them, clapped a hand on each of their shoulders and leaned forward between them. ‘Sex, drugs and rock ’n’ roll, obviously.’
‘Not actual drugs?’ Dani gave her lip a nervous nip, while her stomach cramped in fear. She hated the very idea of anything illegal happening. And drugs … drugs were just bad.
Rock Giant squeezed her shoulder. ‘You’re Xane’s drug of choice, anyway, so no need to look so concerned. I didn’t mean it in a literal sense.’
Thank God, her subconscious sighed in relief.
‘Although no doubt he’s going to binge on you all the same. Well, you and the rock-climbing dude.’
Dani glanced back at Xane and Luthor who were walking side by side at the back of the group, their bodies angled towards one another, and stupid smiles eating up their features. They looked sickeningly in love. She tore her gaze away before she let jealousy get the better of her and transform her into a horrid green-eyed monster.
‘Hey, Xane.’ Rock Giant turned so that he was walking back up the hill. ‘Do we get to play pass the parcel at your party?’
When Xane looked up, Rock Giant pulled Dani into an over-affectionate embrace.
‘Keep your filthy hands off her,’ Xane growled.
‘Let go,’ Spook urged Rock Giant, and then hurried her on until they were a few feet ahead.
‘What was that about?’ she asked, confused both by Paul’s overly affectionate manner and Xane’s cussing.
‘Nothing. Paul trying to get a rise out of Xane. It’s what he does when he’s bored. Let it go.’ He scratched his brow. ‘Time to get everyone settled and find Paul something productive to focus on, like making music instead of enemies. It’d be nice to spend at least the first twenty-four hours together without Xane and Paul trying to slaughter one another.’
The two men did snipe at each other a lot, but Dani had always figured that was down to Elspeth’s influence. Maybe the truth was that she only escalated what was already a fairly antagonistic relationship.
‘You’re not going to start working on the new album today though, are you?’
‘We’ll probably just jam for a bit if Ash is up to it once he arrives, and leave the real work for a couple of days.’
By now, they’d reached the gravelled area to the side of the house, and Spook delved in his pocket for his keys. ‘It’s still a bit of a novelty doing this,’ he admitted. ‘I’ve had the place about fourteen months, but I’ve spent less than seven nights here.’
‘How come?’
‘If we’re not touring, we’re in the studio, or doing interviews, or recording videos. Inevitably if I get a few days off it’s easier to chill at my place in England than fly out here. Or if I do get to Sweden, by the time I’ve made the obligatory family visits it’s time to knuckle down to work again.’
‘You make it sound like a standard evil day job.’
‘Except it involves working nights, weekends and living in the public eye.’ He laughed. ‘I wouldn’t change it. Rock Star is an awesome job title.’
Dani found herself laughing along with him.
‘Being a rock-star WAG on the other hand sounds pretty terrible. Urgh!’ She stuck her tongue out. ‘Is that really what I am?’
Having unlocked the door Spook faced her, a smile still inching up the corners of his mouth. ‘Not unless you start dressing in couture and insisting on attending prize ceremonies, charity galas and other red-carpet events so that your picture is never out of the gossip rags.’
‘I don’t much fancy any of that. It was grim enough being hounded by photographers after that stupid video went viral.’
‘Yes, well, you know the solution to that
