‘Okay. So he has some decency. No one ever said he’s a psychopath. But this has to go in. This is his reality. This is how people feel about him and what he did. We can’t ignore it.’ Clover looked back at Matty with her one eye. ‘And Mats – you are not to mention it to Julian. He cannot know it’s going in. He’s already interfering in things enough – fancy dinners, fancier flowers.’

‘He’s being kind!’

‘He’s manipulating us – keeping us on side, and you know it. But we can’t be steered. This film has to be independent.’

‘And is that what this is? Independent?’ Johnny asked suddenly. ‘Or are you just out to set him up?’

Mia’s silvered face in the moonlight flashed through her mind.

‘How would I even do that, Johnny? Showing that fight isn’t telling a lie! It happened. We can’t show something if it didn’t happen, but it did and I’ve got the shiner and the t-shirt to prove it. Johnny, last night confirmed he’s not welcome here – or anywhere. People don’t want him winning medals again.’ She looked back at them both. ‘It’s pure cinema gold. You have to get hold of that fight footage. I don’t care what it takes.’

She sensed the gaze, like a prickle along her back. She turned, looking over her shoulder, and saw Beau peering in through the crack in the doorway.

He pulled himself back, but a fraction too late.

‘Hey, Beau,’ she said, heaving herself up and round. ‘It’s okay. Come in.’

‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to . . . Whoa.’ He couldn’t hide his shock as she lifted her head and he saw the scale of her swollen cheek and bandaged eye, the bruise seeping past the dressing like a shadowy nimbus. ‘Fuck.’

‘It’s honestly fine,’ she said quickly. She felt a peculiar pressure to somehow console others about her appearance. ‘I feel fine.’

He looked unconvinced.

‘The doc’s only keeping me in bed because I’ve got a temperature, otherwise I’d totally be up and about. It’s ridiculous really.’ She saw how awkwardly he hovered by the door. ‘Please come in. Sit. You’re making me nervous.’

‘I don’t want to disturb y—’

‘I’m going out of my mind with boredom. You’d be doing me a kindness, honestly.’

‘. . . Okay.’

He perched at the furthest end and she saw how hesitant he seemed about being here – as if he was going against an order. Crossing enemy lines. ‘Cheer me up. Give me some gossip. What’s going on up there?’

‘Nuthin’,’ he shrugged.

‘Nothing at all?’

He thought for a moment. ‘Well, I’m now top hundred in the Fortnite league.’

She looked at him blankly.

‘It’s a computer game.’

‘Oh . . . You’ve not been riding?’