Chapter 60

Jack

It had been a long time since I'd taken anyone to the island with me other than the band. I remembered one of the last visits. I'd been trying to kick an addiction and gone there to do the worst of the rehab process out of the public eye. It had been a mixed bag, but made it clear I was with the wrong woman.

So many years ago, but it made me feel tense just thinking about it. Some memories weren't worth dwelling on again, but the mind wasn't always so easily controlled.

To try and distract myself from the unpleasant direction of my thoughts, I looked over at Juno. She'd cuddled up against my side, and the warmth of her body against mine was soothing and helped me relax again almost immediately.

Every time I thought I had Juno figured out, she surprised me with another element of her personality or thoughts. It was also clear she was still feeling the effects of the abuse her ex had heaped on her.

It made everything that had happened the night before between us seem all the more meaningful. She'd given me a part of her she'd never trusted to anyone else before.

Just thinking about it made my heart swell. I didn't feel I deserved it, and I knew I'd been short with her while we got ready to go.

While I loved going to the island, I normally went alone, and here I was trying to act as if it was normal to have the rest of the band come too. In truth, I liked the solitude. The chance to escape and be in my own head for a while and think.

Even having Juno coming with me was a big thing. I'd been on edge about it every moment. Until last night. Now, I felt as if I owed it to her. But it didn't stop me being worried either.

Thankfully, the journey to the airport was short, and we quickly met up with Alma and Kai. Alma immediately took Juno's arm and led her over to the small check-in desk we got to use to bypass the normal queues.

The advantage of traveling on our own plane was having no one else in our departure area except others also using their private jets.

Kai didn't seem as happy to see me as Alma was to see Juno, however.

"What's wrong?" I asked as soon as the women were far enough ahead that we wouldn't be overheard.

Kai set his jaw as if he was considering not saying anything.

"Having more of a battle with Juno's agent than I was expecting. Has she said anything to you?"

"No," I replied, an old doubt springing to mind.

"It might be him. I'll talk to her about it," Kai said.

"No. I'll do it. Is he pushing the money angle?"

Kai nodded. "I don't think he understands entirely how it works. Or she doesn't. But yeah. Right now, they're pushing the money angle."

"Leave it to me," I said, instantly feeling like a weight had been added to my shoulders. I didn't need another woman in my life who was only after the money I could make her. There had been too many in the past.

I was about to walk past Kai and catch the girls when he reached out and took my arm.

"Go gently, okay? It doesn't match with Juno in any other way. I don't think she's a gold digger. I think it's her agent, okay? Just ask her to tell him to back down a little, or we're going to get nowhere."

For a moment, I didn't know what to say. I was so tired of not being able to trust someone or know whom to believe.

"I'll ask her if she has any idea what's going on and tell her if she doesn't. But if she is trying to push for the money, I'm not letting her get on that jet."

"Understood," Kai said, finally letting go of me.

I hurried through the airport, trying to at least appear patient with the woman checking passports and documents. I found Juno and Alma sitting in the departure area, their bags on seats, and both of them with drinks.

"Juno, can I have a word for a moment?" I said, reaching for her.

She lifted her eyebrows but came straight over to me. Kai appeared a moment later and ushered Alma to the other side of the room.

"What's wrong, darling?" she said, elongating the last r in a mock upper-class English accent.

I tried to smile, knowing it was an attempt to be sweet on her part, but unable to stand it while I didn't know where she was at with the contracts and the song we'd written.

"Kai tells me your agent is digging his heels in about the song contract. I know it's only fair that you're paid for being involved, but he wants too much, Juno. If we give him everything he's asking, we'd have to not pay other band members what they're worth."

"Oh gosh, no, I don't want that at all. I was only telling him an hour or so ago that I didn't want it to be about the money," Juno replied, her eyes wide, the look of shock on her face genuine. "I was going to bring up this subject too, and then we had to leave, and I forgot. Did Kai say when they last spoke to Harry?"

"No," I replied, feeling a little better. "You really told him to give in on the money front?"

"Of course. Let me send him a quick message and reiterate." Juno pulled out her phone and began typing, saying only that and mentioning that Kai and I were concerned about everyone being able to have their fair share.

As soon as I'd seen enough of the message, I went back to Kai and gave him a positive nod. I felt almost foolish as Alma looked between us, clearly not filled in on what was going on.

"She spoke to her agent just before we left and was already telling him to give in. And she's sending another message now to make sure," I said, the tension that had built up in a short time rushing out of me along with the words. Kai clapped me on the shoulder.

"What did I tell you? It's not her. Apparently, her agent is known for being ruthless while negotiating for her, although he is respectful enough about it. He's probably not used to his clients saying 'don't worry about the money.'"

I nodded, hoping Kai was right, but the quick way Juno had not only denied wanting the money but immediately reassured me that she was already trying to make sure the money was distributed fairly made me feel better about the situation.

As I went back to her, I felt more than a little stupid and grateful that only Kai had picked up on how uneasy I had truly been. I'd almost caused a massive argument over what was clearly nothing because I'd been hurt in the past. Juno deserved to be treated better than that. She didn't deserve my suspicions and fears making me angry at her.

By the time I reached her, she'd sent the message and put her phone away again.

"Thank you, kitten," I said. "Sorry it's such a big thing. Hopefully, it can all be sorted soon."

"Don't worry about it. Contracts are always more back-and-forth than you ever expect them to be. They get signed in the end. I'm sure they'll all be done by the time we're at the island."

I smiled as she reached for me and put her arms around my waist. I did the same as she looked up, having to stand on the ends of her toes to kiss me.

"I can't wait until you see it," I said, hoping she'd like the place more desperately than I'd ever have expected to.