All That Glitters (8 page)

‘Babes, you look sensational,’ Danny murmured into her ear, as he led Ella through the room. All eyes were on them, and Ella felt a little wobbly. This was her first official event at Danny’s side – they were there to help launch a new range of football boots by Putto, the manufacturer that sponsored Danny – and she felt out of her depth. She plastered on a smile, and quickly looked at her husband. Despite his broad grin and relaxed air, she knew he felt even more uncomfortable than she did. For some reason Danny just hadn’t wanted to come tonight, and Aaron had practically had to force him into a tux and out of the house. Ella didn’t know why.

‘It’s so great that you could both be here!’ chirruped Bailey Brinton, the blonde American PR girl for Putto, the Italian makers of the best football boots in the world. ‘We’ve got loads of photo sessions lined up, and a couple of journalists want to interview you too. Hope that’s okay!’ she said, and Ella knew it wasn’t a question. Danny was paid to rhapsodise about just how great Putto was, and Ella was there to help. It was their job for the evening.

‘It’s good to be here,’ Danny said stiffly, and Ella squeezed his hand. She didn’t quite know what had got into him, and hadn’t ever seen him moody like this. He was normally so cool, and never let anything faze him. Luckily Bailey didn’t notice.

‘We’ve got loads of press here, ranging from the nationals to the football magazines, and we’ve even got a bloggers’ room. We have loads of editors from football and celebrity sites trying on the collection and taking photos of it. Tonight’s going to have awesome coverage everywhere.’

Danny’s grin froze, and then slid slowly into a frown. This time Bailey caught his expression, and she paused uncertainly.

‘It’s going to be brilliant,’ Ella interjected as smoothly as possible, hoping to distract Bailey from the look on her husband’s face. ‘We’re just so excited about the new collection. Danny’s been telling me all about how the boots are made for support and power – although I have to admit most of what he said went over my head.’

‘Yeah, I don’t know much about the boots either. I used to work in music PR in the States, so this stuff is kinda new to me too. I know they have carbon fibre shanks and leather uppers – but don’t ask me what that means,’ she laughed.

Ella grinned at her. Maybe events like these weren’t so bad. As they walked around the exquisite, pre-war ballroom, Ella kept catching the reflection of her and Danny in the black Spanish glass panels around the room. They looked perfect, every inch the glamorous power-couple at an exclusive launch party. The only downside was Danny’s dour expression.

‘What is
wrong
with you?’ Ella asked quietly, after Danny had given monosyllabic answers to a brief interview with someone from the
Mirror
. ‘We should be having an amazing time – you’re the star tonight, after all – but you’re really tense.’

‘I just want to be at home,’ Danny mumbled. ‘There’s an Inter Milan game I really wanted to watch.’

Ella stared at him for a moment. ‘Danny,’ she began, ‘we both know that’s not true. What is it?’

A flash of guilt swept over Danny’s face, but just as he opened his mouth to answer, a man appeared in front of them. He was wearing a beautifully cut Hugo Boss suit, and was gorgeous, with penetrating blue eyes and dark blonde hair. Ella thought he looked a little bit like Daniel Craig mixed with Ewan McGregor, but there was something about him that made him seem slightly cruel, or a little bit hard. Just as Ella was trying to work out what it was she noticed he was staring at her, and even though it was rude to check anyone out so openly, his eyes ran over every curve of Ella’s body. He was undressing her with his eyes and imagining her naked, and Ella could feel his gaze prickling her skin. It instantly turned her on, and she flushed.

‘Sorry to interrupt, but I absolutely had to introduce myself,’ he said charmingly, and he lifted Ella’s hand and kissed it lightly.

‘No need to introduce yourself,’ Danny said as cheerfully as he could. ‘You’re Johnny Cooper, aren’t you?’

Johnny smiled. ‘That’s me. But I’m surprised you recognise me – I wouldn’t think you’d watch daytime TV.’

Ella looked at her husband, and then to Johnny. Come to think of it, he
did
look familiar. As she was checking him out he caught her eye, and her face blazed again. She didn’t normally react this way when she met men. What was wrong with her?

‘I’m at the training ground a lot in the morning, but when I’m in I slump in front of the TV and watch
Cooper’s Kingdom
.’

‘I’m glad you do. I thought the only people who ever watched my show were housewives,’ Johnny replied. ‘And how about you, Ella Riding, do you ever watch
Cooper’s Kingdom
?’ he asked lightly.

Ella shook her head. She knew of the programme as quotes from the celebrity interviews Johnny did often appeared in magazines. But afternoon chat shows weren’t really her thing.

‘Oh, that’s a shame. I was hoping you’d appear on it. I’d love to have you as a guest – really get to know you better.’

His ice-blue eyes bored into hers, and Ella began to feel unsettled. His tone suggested innuendo, but only she had picked up on it. Danny was blithely unaware.

‘That’s a great idea,’ Danny said enthusiastically, as he looked at his wife. ‘Ella would be the perfect fit for your show, and she’d love to do it. She could show off about the work she’s been doing at
Cerise
magazine.’

For some reason Ella – who was already awkward with what she now recognised as unwanted lust – felt irrational anger rising up inside her. How dare Danny offer her up to this man like she was a stupid little girl who could do tricks on a TV show? Danny wasn’t in charge of what she did – or didn’t do –
she
was.

‘I think you’ll have to speak to Aaron Kohle, our agent,’ Ella said as evenly as she could. She knew her reaction was unfounded, but she didn’t like this Johnny Cooper. She hated the way he looked at her as though she were a piece of meat, hardly helped by the way Danny was offering her like a sacrificial lamb. ‘Aaron looks after all my media appearances, and he might not feel your show’s right for us.’

Danny turned to Ella in surprise. ‘Of course he would,’ he remarked, and out of the corner of her eye she could see Johnny smirk. At that moment she hated both men. ‘Aaron’s been talking about getting you on TV, and this would be brilliant for you. It would be a chance to show you’re not just a pretty face.’

Ella took a deep breath, and faced Johnny square on. It took all her strength not to show the instant hate she felt for him. ‘Like I said, speak to Aaron Kohle, and we can discuss it,’ she said. Hopefully Aaron would agree with her, and put Johnny – and Danny – off this idea. She didn’t know why she’d had this almost wanton reaction to him, but she knew Johnny made her feel uncomfortable. She wanted to get away from him, and fast.

‘I’ll do that,’ Johnny said easily, and he reached for Ella’s hand again. This time she moved it away before he could brush his lips against it. ‘Lovely to meet you both.’ He grinned, and both Danny and Ella watched him as he walked away.

‘At least
something
good will come out of tonight,’ Danny muttered, as he dropped his act and let his emotions slump again. ‘That show would be really good for you.’

Ella didn’t know what to say. Maybe it was his swagger, or the way he knew he was good-looking on top of being a talented TV presenter, but he’d caused an immediate reaction in her – one of lust and hate. He was arrogant, over-the-top charming, and clearly rated himself as a ladies’ man.

Ella knew that going on his programme would be a very bad idea.

The rest of the night turned into a champagne-fuelled blur. What seemed like hundreds of people came up to them to make small talk, and as the evening went on Danny’s bad mood started to disappear. Whatever had been bothering him was beginning to drift away, and Ella saw her husband again: the happy, carefree man she adored.

‘Tonight’s going totally well,’ Bailey exclaimed as she bounced up to them, a glass of fizz in her hand. ‘Everyone
loves
the new soccer boots, and my bosses are really happy with the night. We’re going to get loads of exposure.’

Danny smiled at her. This time it was genuine.

‘That’s great,’ he said, and he ran his hands through his hair. ‘We’ve had a brilliant time, haven’t we, Ella?’

Ella nodded, and her violet eyes shone. Once she’d got used to her dress and being the centre of attention she’d had the perfect evening. Not even meeting Johnny Cooper had dampened her spirits.

‘There’s just one more person I’d like you both to meet – he’s been waiting all night to chat with you.’

‘Bring him over,’ Danny said easily, and he put his hand on the small of Ella’s back. The night was nearly over, and it had been a triumph. But then again, of course it had. Everything Ella and Danny touched turned to gold.

‘Danny, I’d like you to meet Sancho Tabora. He’s a celebrity blogger who’s a
massive
fan of yours.’

Sancho stood in front of the couple and stuck out his hand to Danny. His hair was a shade of light purple, he had four days’ worth of stubble on his chin, and he was dressed in a silver suit. He stood out amongst the rest of the men in black tie, and Ella wondered how she’d not spotted him earlier.

‘So good to
finally
meet you,’ Sancho said icily, and he offered his hand to Danny. It hovered in the air for a second longer than was polite before Danny reluctantly took it. Ella took her eyes away from the colourful man standing with Bailey and glanced up at her husband. His face had gone pale, and he was shaking.

‘What was that all about? And who was that Sancho man?’ Ella asked Danny softly as they collapsed on the sofa in their drawing room. Danny had lit the fire, and the room, despite its size, was gorgeously cosy. In contrast Danny was cold and distant.

‘I don’t want to talk about it,’ he said abruptly, and he stared into space, nursing a whisky.

Ella wasn’t having any of it. ‘We’ve got to talk about it,’ she pressed. ‘We’re married, you’re my best friend, and you’re clearly upset about something. Darling, you’re entitled to your privacy, but I want to help. Who is he, and why did you react like that when you were introduced to him?’

Danny put his head in his hands. He was close to tears.

‘He’s a bastard,’ Danny said eventually, his voice full of emotion. ‘He’s a fucking bastard who’s twisted and bitter and won’t leave me alone.’

Ella inhaled sharply. ‘What do you mean?’

‘Everyone knows him as Sancho Tabora, the snarky blogger who’s taken the world by storm and is the UK’s answer to Perez Hilton, but I know him as Steven Turner, who was, until recently, the boyfriend of my first lover . . . and a man who keeps blackmailing me about being gay.’

‘He’s blackmailing you? Are you joking?!’

Danny shook his head. ‘I wish I was. Apart from you, Aaron, Yves, and Mike – my first boyfriend – he’s the only other person who knows I’m gay. And he loves having that power. Mike was my boyfriend after I left school, and when I joined the Kingston United youth squad I told him it was over. Our relationship had reached its natural end, and I didn’t think it was fair to keep him in the closet along with my sexuality. I couldn’t do that to him, so I ended it. He took it pretty badly, but he moved on. And then he started seeing Steven. Sancho. Mike told Steven about me, and he’s been blackmailing me with it.’

Ella considered this for a moment. ‘But babe, you’ve been in the main team for years – why’s he only starting to threaten you now?’

Danny knocked back his whisky. ‘It’s not a new thing,’ he admitted. ‘He’s been blackmailing me ever since I got my first pay packet from the club. You know his website,
SanchosWorld.com
? Well, guess who gave him the money to start it up and employ staff. And guess who paid for that ridiculous suit he was wearing tonight.’

‘But that’s terrible! He has to be stopped! Oh Danny, you poor thing.’ Ella was outraged. She couldn’t believe this had been happening, and for so long. She hated the thought of Danny going through this all by himself.

‘How do you suggest I stop him?’ Danny asked wearily. ‘I can’t do anything about it. I can’t trust the police not to go running to the newspapers, I can’t get a court order to stop him for the same reasons, and even though Aaron’s offered to manage Sancho in return for him calling it quits, he’s refused. Nothing can be done. I just have to live with it.’

‘Isn’t blackmail illegal though?’ Ella asked slowly, and Danny nodded. ‘Surely the newspapers wouldn’t run the story because of that.’

‘It is illegal, but the only way to stop the press from reporting about blackmail cases is to get an order or a PCC request . . . and if I do that I need to out myself to the courts. Which I don’t want to do.’

Ella considered this. ‘But when footballers have affairs they take out super-injunctions to remain anonymous,’ Ella said. ‘Why couldn’t you do something similar?’

‘I thought about it,’ Danny admitted, ‘but I don’t want to risk it. Aaron spoke to our lawyers and they said that we could take out a super-injunction, but because of how the press is right now with all the phone hacking stuff and police backhanders, it may not work. I mean, look at what happened to Ryan Giggs and that sorry mess he got himself into. The last thing I want is people gossiping about me when I’m trying to protect myself.’

Ella considered all of this with a heavy heart. ‘Is that why you were so moody tonight? Because of Sancho?’

Danny nodded. ‘I knew he was going to be there, and I couldn’t stand the thought of coming face-to-face with him. I’d never met him, and I wanted it to stay that way. I knew he was going tonight – he emails me quite a lot, little threatening bits and pieces along with demands for cash – but I thought maybe he hadn’t turned up. That maybe he was too ashamed of how he’s behaved to attend.’

Ella leant back on the sofa and pulled her heels off. She didn’t know what to say, or what to suggest. All she knew was that she could be there for Danny, and she could hold his hand while they tried to figure this out.

Chapter Six