AllFreeNovel
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“Fuck off.”
“For the record, I’m all in. Some time at home making music sounds perfect.”
“And Nee?”
“I’m not sure yet. Maybe tomorrow while we’re stuck on the tour bus we can hatch a win Nee backplan.”
“I’ll bring the snacks.”
Charlie walked into the dressing room, clapping his hands loudly. “Right boys, you ready to be Alchemy Myth?”
Moving to stand in a circle, we leaned our heads in together, wrapping our arms around each other like we did before every gig.
“Did you really make out with Dawson, Fox?” Charlie whispered.
“Oh fuck off, the pair of you. Maybe I was wrong… I want to split up immediately.”
“No, you don’t. You love us too much,” I laughed.
“Not as much as you love Dawson.” Charlie puckered his lips, making kissy noises until Fox slapped him hard around the top of the head.
A loud knock sounded on the door, telling us it was time.
Ionee
Archerleftlastnight,and I’d been a wreck ever since. I couldn’t explain it. Nervous butterflies danced in my stomach and my body burned with excess energy. I couldn’t concentrate on anything. I couldn’t sit still, couldn’t sleep. In the end, I’d woken early, cleaned my house from top to bottom, done all my laundry, tried and failed to paint and then, I’d pulled on my jean shorts and vest top over my bikini and walked to the beach.
I realized when I arrived in Miami that the beach was my happy place. I’d spent so much time since then sitting on the sand, watching the waves roll in. Today I didn’t want to sit. I needed to walk and feel the water pooling around my feet.
The beach was heaving as usual; kids playing, couples kissing, kites flying, dogs splashing in and out of the sea. The sun was high in the sky, so when I saw the first flash I thought it was the glare glinting off my sunglasses. Turning my attention back to the waves, I continued walking, my mind wandering to Archer.
Yesterday had been a lot. But I’d come to the conclusion that it was a lot in a good way. Having no memory of my past was weird. Although my doctor and psychiatrist had helped me come to terms with the loss of my memories, having Archer around made it feel less lonely. And that got me thinking… maybe now he’d found me there was no point hiding in a place where I didn’t really know anyone. What was stopping me from returning to England or even choosing somewhere new to live and starting again, but on my terms?
As I was wondering about what I wanted for my future, another flash caught my eye. Then some shouted my name.
“Ionee? Ionee Millar. Is it true that you’re engaged to Archer Walters?
“What?” I looked up, trying to work out who was talking to me.
“Ionee? Look this way,” another voice called out. “How do you feel about the rumors that Archer has secretly been seeing Eliza Paige? Is that why you moved out here? Because he’s cheating on you?”
“Ionee, is Archer moving out here with you? Are you the reason Alchemy Myth is splitting up?”
Out of nowhere, people surrounded me. Cameras flashed and unfamiliar voices yelled my name. Fear spiked in my belly; the idea of a crowd closing in on me stole the breath from my lungs and made the world spin. Suddenly, I felt an arm around my waist, pulling me into what felt like a wall of concrete. I screamed, struggling in their hold, but I wasn’t going anywhere.
“Ionee. I’m a friend of Archer’s,” a thick American accent murmured in my ear. “We all are.” He pointed to the other three men, all dressed in black, close by. “My name is Marshall and I’m going to help you get home safe, okay?”
“How do I know you’re not here to kidnap me and try to sell me to the highest bidder?”
Marshall laughed. “We should have come up with a safe word so you knew Archer sent us. What would you have chosen?” he asked as he steered me forward, shielding me from the cameras and questions.
“Aardvark,” I replied without even having to think.
I felt something pushed into my hand and when I opened my palm, there was a small piece of paper.
You’ll pick Aardvark. Trust that I sent them. Arch x
A lump formed in my throat that had nothing to do with how scared I’d been and everything to do with the fact that Archer might have been right; my head might not remember, but my soul, she knew… she absolutely remembered.
