Page 44 of Before the Encore

Madison hurried inside, closed the door, and let out a breath. An obnoxiously large white bathroom greeted her, with shiny gold accents and an enormous bath that could bathe a bear.

This was weird. Bonnie asked her back here, which usually meant one thing in Madison’s book—she said they could go in the sauna together for god’s sake. Everyone knows those hot and steamy rooms are a cesspit for horny thoughts and feelings. And damn, did Madison want to act on them.

But this was Bonnie.

She forced herself to wee, though her lower regions were humming with a stronger desire, then washed her hands. Her reflection stared back at her. Madison knew she pushed Bonnie’s buttons, knew that she pushed her limits and sanity and thoroughly enjoyed doing both. But maybe this was a step too far.

They’d agreed to this fake dating plan to insinuate romantic feelings, but they never said they couldn’t actually act on them. It would make their story more convincing.

Listen to you.

Madison didn’t overthink. She didn’t question. She acted. Clearly, she’d been spending too much time with the pop princess. If she wanted to kiss her, to fuck her on every marble countertop in this enormous house, then she should.

But the line between her eyebrows deepened. It wasn’t as simple as that. Too much was riding on this arrangement, and if the show tonight was any measure, they were on track for the kind of success the band had dreamed about since they were kids. Could she risk jeopardising that over a lay?

Her fingertips found the smooth surface of her iPod. She should leave. Put her music on and drown out the thoughts. Go back to the safety of her hotel room.

So, after another hard stare at herself, she exited the bathroom and returned to the sofas, finding them unoccupied. For a moment, she wondered if she should take this chance to leave, but then she glimpsed the open sliding door leading outside, and curiosity got the better of her.

Moonlight reflected off the still surface of the infinity pool. Far below, the lights of LA life twinkled in the darkness, beckoning Madison back to the city. She enjoyed the busyness, the people. Up here in the mountains, the stillness slipped inside her brain, poking at things that didn’t need poking. Though she had to admit, the view was pretty hard to beat.

Bonnie’s bare toes dangled off the end of an outdoor lounger. Madison moved closer, smiling at Bonnie’s arms stretched up above her head, her face still and thoughtful. Soft moonlight complemented her, and for a few seconds, Madison just admired her.

“You look like you’re about to be sacrificed,” she said finally.

Bonnie’s eyes flicked open, and she laughed. “I love it out here. Join me?”

She should leave, but who was she kidding? With a sigh, she lay down beside her, looking up at the deep indigo sky. Quiet enveloped them, stars twinkling on the horizon. “How you feelin’ now you’ve stuffed yourself with overpriced fish?” she asked.

“Better. Though I wish I got some dorayaki too for pudding.”

The quiet lingered, close but not uncomfortable. A breeze tousled Madison’s hair. Bonnie broke the silence. “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“Why do you always carry that iPod with you?”

Oh. Madison’s chest tightened. Out of all the questions Bonnie could’ve asked, that surprised her. She squashed her expression before realising she couldn’t see her anyway. Both of their heads were tilted back. Somehow, she still felt Bonnie’s gaze heating her.

If you’d have told her months ago, she’d be at Bonnie Bloom’s mansion, about to open up about something so personal, she’d have thought you’d spent three days in the mountains hallucinating on mushrooms. She could blame the weed, though the effects had worn off for her now, but if she were being honest, it was simpler than that. She…wanted Bonnie to know.

She wet her lips, trying to keep her voice neutral. “It was my mum’s.” Her hands found the smooth device clipped to her jeans and let her fingertips trace the buttons. “We, er…we didn’t have a lot growing up. Mum wasn’t exactly in the best state. She’s an alcoholic, so she bounced around jobs a lot, and money was tight.”

She blinked and mentally shrunk back into that terrace house, taking Mum a glass of water and pills to where she’d passed out on the sofa, dark hair obscuring her face. Nudging her awake so Ruby wouldn’t see her like that. The stench of sour booze wrinkling Madison’s nose.

“I’d got used to not having birthday gifts,” she continued. “But on my twelfth birthday, Mum gave me her iPod. It probably sounds stupid, but it was the best present I ever got. I could escape for a while. I could listen to music 24/7…We had a really good day that year.”

Mum and Ruby had baked her a cake: vanilla and jam with sweet frosting, drowned in Jelly Tots and Smarties. Mum let them bunk off school, playing board games and watching old episodes of Friends on TV. But the best part was Mum being present. Sober. It was rarer than unicorn dust.

Madison wet her lips. “It’s habit, I guess, always carrying it with me. But it’s a reminder too. Of where I’ve come from. What I’m doing all of this for. I want Ruby to have everything she needs—a car, a deposit for her own place, fancy sushi because why the hell not? She’s a great kid. She deserves it.”

Bonnie rolled onto her side, squeaking the cushion underneath them, and Madison turned her head, thankful that the darkness hid most of her profile. She didn’t want to see the pity on Bonnie’s face. She wasn’t sure why she told her that at all.

“That sounds difficult,” Bonnie whispered. “Complicated.”

“Yeah.” Madison swallowed, heat creeping up her neck.

Why had she said anything?