Free No Strings (Broken Strings) by Jo Briggs Page B

would give into their
blackmail.”`
    Grey could feel his eyes growing more and more larger each
time she progressed on with the narrative of her past.
    “Then everything started to spiral, the police became
involved, endless CPS paperwork and a court case. They found the lowlife guilty
of harassment, but they couldn’t prove enough guilt onto my parents about
hiring him although I managed to get a non-contact order for the next five
years.”
    “So they are still roaming free and all that is protecting
you from them giving it another try is some flimsy court order! People break
them every day; I should know I have had to bring enough of them against crazy
fans over the years. Please let me give you a name of someone who can make sure
you are safe.”
    Indi gave him a look of horror. “You mean like a bodyguard,
I seriously don’t need one of those. I can go back to leading a perfectly quiet
life once the dust settles.”
    Grey sighed, he knew he had no right to push his wishes onto
her but seeing how traumatised Freya had been from her own case of harassment
he wanted to protect her from it ever having again, despite Indi already
appearing to be more resilient in her recovery than Freya ever was. Standing
up, he  pulled one of the other chairs on her side of the table closer to where
she remained seated. Clutching at her hand again, he gave her a begging look
that he hoped would work. “Please, Indi just talk to the guy. There are plenty
of less invasive options than a constant bodyguard, but I really want to stress
how much I would feel more at ease if you had some like of layer of
protection.”
    Indi pouted, her eyes looking back into Grey’s as he could
see a varying flicker of emotions flash through the greenness. “Okay, I’m
willing to talk to the guy once.”
    “Thank you.” Grey blew out a
breath of relief; he knew after their holiday was over he wouldn’t be able to
see her until he and his siblings could sort through the trust board mess.
    With only a week remaining until Indi flew back to England,
Grey had decided to surprise her by arranging a first class cabin on a night
train into Florence, leaving that evening.  He thought she would enjoy viewing
the sculptures and paintings in the Accademia and Uffizi Gallery given her interest
in art, as well as the summer music festival in Scandicci
    His bodyguards would accompany them and have a neighbouring
cabin.
    He’d simply told Indi just to pack a bag with enough items
to clothe her for the next five days, and some comfortable shoes, but nothing
more than that.  They were being picked up in an hour by a taxi that would drop
them at the Siracusa train station.
    He was just leaving the villa to collect Indi to head off to
train station when David, his head of security’ face appeared on his mobile
screen.
    He had been avoiding speaking to him directly since he met
Indi nearly two weeks earlier, he knew he would go on about the security risk
of having a holiday fling with someone he hardly knew  and he was not willing
to confess his deeper dreams to be with Indi long term to anyone but her.
    Her light unassuming manner had drawn out more secrets of
his life than he’d thought he would have dared tell her.  He told her about his
private thoughts that he never shared with anyone else, silly stories from his
childhood and carefree days with his friends before the band made it.
    She treated him as simply Grey the person, rather than Grey
Bailey the rock star, allowing her to break through the walls he’d surrounded
himself with for years.   
    He couldn’t get enough of her, and even in front of his
security team, he wouldn’t hold back from the occasional handholding or kiss. 
This behaviour from a guy who didn’t believe in public displays of affection,
combined with his other out of character behaviour, was what had gotten back to
David.
    “Are you sure you should be getting involved with a woman
who might turn around and sell her story of