Hollywood Playboy (Hollywood Royalty 1)

“Well, well, well,” she says, “look at what the cat dragged in all the way from Hollywood.” Her Southern accent coming out. “You aren’t welcome here.”

I shake my head. “I’m not leaving here until I see her,” I finally say. I’ve had about enough. “The past four days have about killed me.” I swallow now. “I just need to see her, to make sure she is okay.”

“She isn’t okay. Nothing about this fucked-up situation will make her feel ‘okay,’ as you put it.” Kellie walks down the stairs, the guy following her. “She hasn’t eaten in four days; her life has been turned upside down,” she says, coming toe-to-toe with me. “I also know you’re the only one who can fix her.” She folds her arms over her chest. “She’s going to be pissed.”

I nod my head. “She has every right to be.”

“I have your word that if she tells you to go, I mean, really tells you to go, that you’ll walk away and get off my fucking property no matter how much it hurts you.”

I don’t want to agree to this. I don’t want to tell her that if she really wants me gone, I’ll go, but I have to. “You have my word.”

“She’s out in the back where she’s been sitting if she isn’t sleeping or crying.” She digs the knife in deeper. “Walk straight out to the back.”

Running up the steps, I swing the door open and make my way through the huge country house, stopping at the door leading outside. She’s sitting in a white Adirondack chair with her feet curled up under her, looking out at the mountains. One look at her and my heart finally starts to beat normally.

I just pray that whatever the outcome, my heart continues to beat and isn’t shattered into a million pieces.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Jessica

Looks like Tyler has tossed out his assistant. Appears she was the one who leaked the story.

I look out into the distance at the snow-capped mountains. The breeze is starting to pick up, so I tuck my feet under me. For four days, if I wasn’t in bed, I was out here. In four days, life as I knew it was over.

The day after I woke up from the nightmare, I drafted my letter of resignation. I wasn’t expecting Stephanie to answer, but she did, and she was actually angry with me for just leaving without notice. My phone never stopped ringing, and at one point, I couldn’t take it and just disconnected the line. There was no reason to have it anymore. I sat outside with Kellie, telling her how I would have to go back and somehow face the music. I heard from Mary who said that she tried to go over to my apartment but at least twenty paparazzi were waiting in the distance. So Kellie did what she knows how to do; she made shit happen. Well, not just Kellie but Brian also; the security firm he works for got me packed and moved out in I think they said twenty-five minutes. Now my stuff is in her garage in Calabasas, waiting for me to figure out where I go next.

Refusing to even think about it, I wrap my hands around my stomach when another cool breeze comes over. This thin sweater and scarf are helping just a bit. I hear the back door open and shut, but I don’t turn around. I’m expecting Kellie to bring me coffee. For the past four days, all she’s been doing is making sure I don’t collapse. She keeps cooking and sending Brian out with food. I hear the crunch of rocks under her feet. “You know, I could get used to the peacefulness here. I think I want to buy a house here.”

“If you give me a chance, I’ll buy you whatever you could possibly want.” I hear his voice and blink my eyes. It can’t be. No one knows I’m here, not even my family. I shake my head, not sure what is going on. Maybe I’m hallucinating. My head turns to the side in slow motion, and his face comes into view. My heart starts beating faster than it ever has. I turn in my seat, and I stand. He doesn’t move, and I look at him, and nothing, nothing is like I thought it was. The memories of him are nothing like the real thing. His eyes are darker than in my memories. “What are you doing here?” My voice shakes while I ask him that question. I try to settle my heartbeat, but it’s like pain ripping through me all over again. The burning now itching my eyes, the tears ready to come again. Today, I went a full three hours without a tear falling.

I look at him. He’s beautiful, but it’s nothing new. After all, he’s Hollywood’s golden boy. “I would have been here earlier if I knew you were here.” I wasn’t ready for the sound of his voice and what it would do.