Red Phoenix

worried. Dark heartless monster.
    ‘Humph,’ I said. ‘Of course I’m a dark heartless monster with hidden depths. I’m your Lady. I’m rapidly turning into a smaller version of you.’
    He smiled intensely into my eyes. ‘You say that as if it were a bad thing.’
    ‘You’re damn right it’s a bad thing. I’m my own woman here and the last thing I want to be is another you. I’m me .’
    ‘You are quite extraordinary,’ Ms Kwan whispered.
    ‘I’m going to make you pay me money every time you say that,’ I snapped. ‘I’ll be very wealthy indeed.’
    She smiled, reached into the pocket of her white silk pantsuit, and gave me a gold coin in the traditional round shape with a square hole in the middle. ‘Here, but I think it is a drop in the ocean compared to the riches you already possess.’
    ‘I think you are quite right, Lady.’
    John dropped his head to kiss me and I stopped him with my hand on his chest. ‘John, please. I need to see them. Can we go out and see them right now? I need to prove to myself that they’re still here. I need to see Simone and give her a big hug, right now. Just to make sure.’
    He smiled. ‘Let me help you up.’ He carefully didn’t let go of Ms Kwan’s hand.
    The next morning, our last in Paris, Simone dragged Leo along the Champs-Élysées from the Jardin des Tuileries. I followed, with Michael next to me.
    Michael stopped. We continued walking, but he didn’t catch up. I turned back to see what his problem was. He was staring into the park at the side of the road, his face rigid with emotion.
    I looked in the same direction, and Leo stiffened beside me.
    The Tiger sat on a park bench, smiling and talking to a blonde woman, holding her hand. He put his arm around her shoulders and she leaned into him. She turned and rested her head on his chest, bringing her face into view.
    It was Rhonda.
    Michael stormed towards them.
    The Tiger saw him and grinned, then they both disappeared.
    Michael stood and glared at the park bench, then shook himself and returned to us. ‘Let’s go.’
    ‘You wanna talk about it?’ Leo said softly.
    ‘No,’ Michael said. ‘Let’s get out of here.’
    He called her later that evening, after dinner. We left him alone, but everybody could hear him shouting at her. He still refused to talk about it afterwards.
    After we’d shown the London real estate agent out, John called Michael and Leo to bring Simone down from the top-floor nursery.
    ‘Are we going to the Science Museum now?’ Simone yelled as she clattered down the stairs.
    ‘Yes, we can have lunch there,’ I said.
    ‘Good!’ She threw herself at John. ‘I want the chicken.’
    John lifted her and sat her on his hip. ‘Michael, with us. Leo, you have things to do. Take the rest of the day.’
    Leo was tremendously relieved. ‘My Lord. Where’s the list?’
    ‘On my desk.’
    ‘Buy him some more like this,’ I said, pointing to the black straight-cut jeans and black T-shirt Leo had picked up for John in Paris. ‘He looks like a Chinese rock star on holiday.’
    ‘You like it?’ Leo said, grinning.
    ‘Buy Emma some matching ones,’ John said.
    ‘Oh no. No way. I buy my own clothes.’
    ‘You’ll have to wait until we’re in Paris again for jeans,’ Leo said. ‘I buy the more formal stuff here.’
    ‘Buy anything for me and you are in serious trouble ,’ I said.
    John focused on Leo and spoke silently to him.
    ‘No, you don’t! Out loud!’ I shouted.
    Leo nodded to John, then touched Michael on the arm. ‘Michael, stay close to them and guard them well. I want a good report when I see you later.’
    ‘Don’t you dare buy me anything,’ I growled.
    ‘Come on, Emma, hurry up,’ Simone said. She wriggled out of John’s arms and took my hand. ‘I wanna go to the Science Museum.’

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
    J ohn held one of Simone’s hands, I held the other, and we bounced her along the street to the Science Museum. John sparkled with energy and appeared slightly younger than me, in his late twenties. He really did look like a rock star on holiday wearing his new jeans.
    It felt wonderful to walk together down the leafy Kensington street on a crisp, bright London summer’s day. Michael followed, very quiet.
    When we arrived at the Museum Simone dashed inside, then stopped. ‘Sorry, Daddy.’ She returned to us, took John’s hand, and we entered together.
    After we’d been through just about every display, we had lunch in the new wing with