Читать книгу The Annie Carter Series Books 1–4 - Jessie Keane - Страница 42

Annie was in Harrods poring over one of the make-up counters when someone grabbed her in a bear hug from behind. She turned and found that her new minder Donny, a Mancunian and as tough as they come, had Kieron Delaney in a headlock. Kieron’s face was turning puce. Annie touched Donny’s steely arm quickly.

‘It’s okay, I know him,’ she said.

Donny let Kieron go. Kieron clutched at his throat and took a deep breath.

‘Fucking hell,’ he gasped.

‘Give us a bit of space, will you?’ Annie told Donny, feeling irritated.

She’d never had a minder before, never wanted one, never needed one. Now Max insisted. She was Max Carter’s woman, she had to have protection day and night. She didn’t like it. Donny doubled as her driver. She had a car at her disposal, but she couldn’t drive, so Donny drove her wherever she wanted to go. Today, she wanted to go shopping and she was already in the heart of Knightsbridge so she wanted to go on foot. Donny had insisted on coming along, and now this. Kieron was getting his breath back. Annie was getting ever more irritated.

‘Sorry,’ she said to Kieron.

‘It’s okay,’ he said, his colour back to normal. He glared at Donny, who gazed impassively back at him from a few yards away.

‘Since when have you had a minder?’ asked Kieron.

Annie shrugged. She didn’t want to go there.

‘You’re looking good,’ said Kieron, regaining his composure. ‘You know, this is sort of romantic, barring the near-death by strangulation.’

‘Pardon?’

‘This is where we first met. You remember? You with your Aunt Celia, me with Orla.’ He looked around. ‘She’s here somewhere, spending like a man with no arms, God bless her. How are you, Annie? Long time no see.’

‘I’m fine,’ said Annie. ‘And you?’

‘Yeah, fine. Busy, you know. Planning another exhibition. Landscapes this time, though. No nudes.’

‘Thank God for that.’

‘Ah, you enjoyed getting into your pelt for me, don’t deny it,’ he twinkled.

‘I hated every minute of it,’ said Annie truthfully.

‘It was a great exhibition.’

‘Did you sell the lot?’

‘Everything! Even the stuff I thought I’d have to hang on my own walls.’

Annie laughed. Kieron thought how beautiful she was, exquisitely groomed and seeming almost to glow. But it was a lost opportunity. He had heard from Redmond that she had some sort of serious romantic involvement now. When pressed, Redmond had said that he’d heard Annie was involved with her sister’s husband. Sure, hadn’t Kieron always suspected that particular fire was still smouldering away? So she was with Max Carter now. He’d missed his chance with her. His taste for playing the light-hearted joker had backfired on him. He was mad as hell about it, if you wanted the truth.

‘I heard,’ he said carefully, ‘that you have a boyfriend now.’

‘That could be the case,’ said Annie reluctantly.

‘I also heard that it’s Max Carter.’

Annie shrugged.

‘I heard he’s keeping you, actually,’ said Kieron, growing annoyed at her evasiveness.

‘I have an apartment on Park Street,’ said Annie.

‘Right, right.’ Kieron felt furious now. He had expected better from her somehow. He knew how much she loved her sister. How the fuck could she do a thing like this to the poor cow? ‘And how many banks did he have to rob to pay for that?’ he asked her.

Annie’s smile faded. She turned on her heel and started to walk away. Kieron grabbed her arm. Donny was there in a flash and grabbed his.

‘Fuck it,’ said Kieron, wincing. ‘Sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. Don’t just walk off, I’m sorry.’

‘It’s okay, Donny,’ said Annie, and once again Donny dropped him like an obedient attack hound.

‘Jeez, that hurt,’ said Kieron, rubbing his arm.

‘No more than you deserved,’ said Annie, as Donny moved away again.

‘I’m just surprised, that’s all. Fuck it, I’m more than that. I’m appalled.’

‘I love him, Kieron.’

‘He’s married to your sister,’ said Kieron.

‘The marriage is dead.’

‘Oh, come on! They all say that, don’t they? My wife doesn’t understand me, we don’t sleep together any more, we have separate rooms, poor little me, won’t you let me jump your bones?’

‘Donny,’ said Annie, ‘hit him. Hit him hard.’

Donny lumbered over. Kieron backed off. The customers milled around them, getting worried about all the aggro.

‘No, stop.’ Annie shook her head. ‘I didn’t mean that. Sorry, Donny.’

Donny subsided.

‘Yeah, you great tame gorilla, give us some space here,’ said Kieron, braver now that Annie had given Donny the hard word.

‘You’ve got no right to comment on my personal life,’ said Annie.

‘I know, I know.’

‘Don’t ever do that again.’

‘I won’t. I was just …’ Kieron hesitated. He didn’t know what he’d been intending to say. That he’d been disappointed in her? Or jealous as fuck of Max bloody Carter?

‘You were just concerned for me, I know,’ said Annie.

Or that, thought Kieron, maybe he’d been intending to say that. Whatever, it was too late now. She was committed elsewhere. Still, it galled him, niggled at him like a rash he had to scratch.

‘Hello?’

It was Orla, gliding over, her green eyes bright with curiosity as she looked between Kieron and Annie. She smiled and held out a hand. Annie clocked the minder, ten paces behind her. She saw Donny clocking him too.

‘Annie Bailey! It’s good to see you again,’ said Orla.

Annie shook Orla’s warm, dry hand in greeting.

‘I saw Kieron’s portrait of you, it’s wonderful.’

‘That’s down to the talent of the artist,’ said Annie.

‘And the beauty of the sitter, I’m sure,’ said Orla graciously. ‘Are you well, Annie?’

Annie was starkly reminded of Redmond when Orla said that. Cool, polite Redmond. They were startlingly alike. She rather missed Redmond’s weekly phone calls. She hoped Dolly was nice to him when he phoned and minded her language a bit.

‘I’m very well. And you?’

‘Ah, fine. We ought to be getting along, Kieron, if you’re ready?’

‘Yeah, sure.’ Kieron took one last lingering look at Annie. ‘Goodbye then Annie. It was nice to see you, if slightly painful.’

He grinned at her and she grinned back. His arm ached, just a bit. His heart ached too, quite a lot. But maybe he was still in with a chance.