Pleasure Island by Anna-Lou Weatherley Read Free Book Online Page A

off until I have them all in my possession.’ Aki’s pasted-on smile remained in perfect tact as she spoke.
    â€˜Bit drastic, isn’t it?’ Rupert chipped in, though he duly obliged, throwing his iPhone in the bag as he undid his Breitling.
    â€˜Just a safety precaution, sir, at Mr McKenzie’s request, you understand.’
    â€˜What is this, the Third Reich?’ Rupert muttered under his breath, snatching Angelika’s phone from the small, drop-down table, and tossing it inside the bag after his own. ‘My wife doesn’t wear a watch, do you, darling? Doesn’t like anything too tight around the wrist,’ he whispered loudly, ‘she was a convict in a previous life.’
    Aki’s smile remained unchanged as Angelika bristled. Rupert liked to make jokes at her expense, subtle putdowns that he passed off as humour. She supposed it was harmless to an outsider’s ear, little more than a husband’s banter, but over the years it had become damaging.
    â€˜I don’t wear a watch either,’ Joshua remarked as if imparting such knowledge would somehow be of benefit or indeed interest to anyone. ‘I’ve met some awesome people through asking them the time.’
    He grinned and Angelika smiled at him. She’d read about Joshua Jones and his band, The Dope-a-somethings or the other. They had just secured a record deal with Sony and were set to become the next big thing. He looked much younger in the flesh than all those paps shots she’d seen of him and Mia together. His fair skin was smooth as a baby’s and his wide, green eyes had an innocence about them that belied the whole rock-star image. It was little wonder the press had dubbed Mia a cradle snatcher. Jesus, he looked about twelve years old.
    Belongings collected, Aki turned to the seated guests.
    â€˜I trust you will have a comfortable flight. I am here to fulfil your every request as best I can, so please do let me know if here is anything I can get you should you so wish.’
    â€˜Yes, I wish you could get me off this fucking plane right now!’ Mia piped up from her seat. She was absolutely fuming, shaking she was so incensed. Thanks to that treacherous old bastard Bailey, she was now sharing confined space with a man who had helped practically destroy her life and career. And that was even before she got to McKenzie. Moreover, according to Bailey, there was absolutely bollock-all she could do about it.
    â€˜You signed the contract, Mia,’ her agent had advised during the tense phone call that had just taken place between them, finally managing to squeeze a word through her high pitched shrieking. ‘It clearly states that you’re obliged to go or else pay a forfeit of one million dollars.’ It had been enough to silence her almost immediately.
    â€˜Did you know about this?’ she had asked, her voice a low growl through clenched teeth? ‘Were you aware that Rupert Deyton would be here. Because if I find out …’
    â€˜I swear to you,’ Bailey had cut in, wondering which fate would be worse, Mia discovering the truth or disobeying McKenzie’s orders. Talk about rocks and hard places, ‘I had no idea who the other guests would be.’
    Mia had had chose to cut him off without so much as a goodbye. She would deal with Bailey when she got back. First things first she would need to tackle Deyton.
    â€˜Well, well, well, if it isn’t my learned friend,’ Mia had said as she’d come face to face with him on the concourse.
    â€˜Mia,’ Rupert Deyton had reluctantly acknowledged her. She’d looked at him with such contempt that it had practically altered her entire appearance. ‘What an … unexpected surprise, I take it you’re also one of … one of McKenzie’s special guests.’
    â€˜Unparalleled levels of deduction, Sherlock.’ The sarcasm had dripped from Mia’s voice like poison.