She didn’t even hear them. She was totally engaged with her quarry. Josh was just emerging from behind the lorry with his lover on his arm. Lesley started shooting again, but she couldn’t get a decent shot of their faces, so she moved on, forging through the crowds. There was traffic all over the place, horns honking, it was mad here in New York City. And then yes, that was it, there was the shot that showed them for what they were. Josh was leaning down and kissing the woman, with her craning her neck up to receive his kiss.

The camera whirred, capturing shot after shot.

Gotcha, gotcha, gotcha!

121

121

‘Hiya, darling,’ said Shauna when she phoned through to Josh at his hotel in New York. She was getting impatient with the whole thing. That fucking Deveney woman had been quiet as the grave for days. What the hell was she paying her for? Meanwhile, Shauna was calling Josh herself, putting out feelers. And she was going to put a rocket up Lesley Deveney’s arse next time she deigned to call.

‘Hi,’ he said.

‘Everything OK?’

‘Yeah, fine. You?’ asked Josh.

He was looking at Claire standing there, wearing just his white shirt, over by the window. It was way too big for her and the sunlight was making the thing transparent. She was so gorgeous.

Won’t be long, he mouthed. She smiled. He felt bad, talking to Shauna with Claire standing right here. Guilty and awkward and pissed off. He hated all this. And again, she’d slipped a note into his case. Love you, babe. He’d dumped it straight away.

‘How are you getting on over there? Training hard?’ asked Shauna.

‘’Course. The fight’s on Friday.’

‘You found a gym all right then, after the other one closed? Or is there one in the hotel?’

‘Yeah, I’m sorted,’ said Josh, getting irritated.

Claire was unbuttoning the shirt, her eyes holding his.

‘Miss you,’ said Shauna.

Ah shit, thought Josh. As soon as this fight was over, that was it. Finished. The kids were just going to have to suck it up.

Claire slipped the shirt off and let it slither to the floor. Naked, gorgeous, she lifted her arms, displaying her fabulously full tits with their shell-pink nipples. All the while, her eyes held his.

Josh watched her and felt himself grow hard as rock. He shook his head at her, but he was smiling.

‘Kids OK?’ he asked. It was all he could think of to say.