Her Song

26 - The First Rule of Fight Club

**Kim**

"Kim! Wait! Just stop for a minute!"

Head down I kept on plowing forward. I wasn't stopping for anyone, not even my sister. The exit was in sight and I was just a few steps from freedom. Once I was on the street I just had to hope that one of the cars we'd organised for the band would be lurking nearby. Alas my escape was foiled when Minty managed to catch my elbow just as I was about to disappear into the night like a ghost.

Melodramatic? Me? Never!

"Minty, please," I begged. I couldn't have this conversation with her. Not when I had questions of my own to ask her. Like what the hell was she doing with that utter cock Tricky Williams? I absolutely did not want to discuss the information overload that Tricky had dumped on us. And I sure as shit did not want to discuss the feelings of wretched insecurity that Tricky's revelations had inspired in me. It shouldn't matter that Van had an unfaithful, lying ex. But it did. Because that ex had been pregnant and according to Tricky she'd made Van think the baby was his.

The thought that kept floating to the top of the swirling mass of confusion was that Van hadn't made a move on me until he knew I was pregnant. Tricky claimed that I looked like Van's ex, I didn't know how true that was but I couldn't help but think that maybe I was a substitute for her. Knowing that it was a ridiculous idea didn't mean I could stop it from popping into my head on a constant loop. I was a mess. I knew I was a mess and I needed to leave so my mess didn't explode into the mother of all messes all over this club.

"Come home with me. To Daddy's apartment. I know you're not staying there and you haven't for a while but your room is always ready." Just for a moment my flighty little sister gave me a glimpse of the sincerity that lurked beneath her immaculately groomed, superficial exterior. It was so not the time. I didn't need the reminder that I'd all but turned my back on my family.

"I have a hotel room Minty. A very nice one."

"But it's not your home is it?" Damn her she was right but I'd never admit to her that my father's New York apartment was one of the two places that did feel like home to me. That and his Buckinghamshire estate, both properties he'd owned prior to my birth and properties he continued to own. Other homes had come and gone but those two had remained consistent.

Avoiding her questions I said, "I'm surprised that you're staying there. There's no way Dad's in New York."

"Why?" She wrinkled her perfect nose.

I sighed. "Because I can't believe that you're letting Tricky Williams run loose in a Park Avenue penthouse that's why. And if Dad was there he'd have tossed him out on the street."

Minty rolled her eyes. "He's not that bad. Nothing I can't handle."

I wanted to slap some sense into her but I was just so tired and overwhelmed. I had my own problems and didn't have the energy to focus on the inevitable epic fail that was sure to be Minty and Tricky's relationship.

"Minty," I choked out wriggling my arm free of her grasp. "I need to go." And now there were people between me and the exit. I wanted to push my way through them but couldn't bear the thought of having to interact with people enough to offer the brief apology required for pushing past them. I found myself blinking rapidly as I struggled to suppress my impending tears. I shoved a hand over my eyes, not that it would hold back the tears but it might suffice to hide the disaster that was likely to be my eye make-up. I'd been in a rush to get ready and instead of waiting for Van to finish with his miracle product I'd just made do with my crappy old mascara.

A hand clasped my shoulder and a warm voice spoke in my ear. "Kim, honey. Are you okay?" I turned and buried myself in the kindness of Gray's embrace. "Let's get you home," he murmured softly. And the floodgates opened because a hotel wasn't home. My sister had already offered to take me home and I'd turned her down. My home had been invaded by an arsehole with a bad attitude and a grudge who'd already ruined my night and just possibly my relationship as well. And no doubt if he had his way he'd ruin my sister as well.