Hollywood Princess (Hollywood Royalty 2)

“Kellie,” I whisper, my heart starting to speed up.

“Get your fucking hands off me,” she says again, and now everyone springs into action. Tommy and Cori go to her side. Cori stands beside her, and Tommy stands in front of her like a shield. Hunter and Dante stand at mine. Hunter puts one hand on my arm while Dante stands right behind me.

“You’re fired,” Tommy says, and then I look at Kellie.

“What the fuck is going on?” I ask, my voice now louder than it was before.

“Nothing.” She shakes her head, and when she looks at me, I see her eyes glisten over with tears that she blinks away. “It’s not a big deal, man. I’m just riding the wave.” She throws the words in my face. “Now, get the fuck out of here.” She looks at Hunter. “Make sure he isn’t here when I get off that stage.” She turns and walks into the box, which will take her up to the stage.

“Hunter,” Tommy says, but I don’t look at him. My eyes are still on the box that holds her. Now the space empty. “You have your orders.” My eyes now go to Tommy, who glares at me. “You heard her. Get the fuck out of here.” He turns and walks away with Cori by his side.

Her voice now fills the arena as I’m left standing here with Hunter and Dante. Hunter speaks first. “We need to go.” He turns to Dante. “You have this?” he asks him, and he just nods at him.

“I’m not fucking going anywhere,” I tell Hunter. “Not until I explain to her what she heard.”

“Brian,” Hunter says, “she isn’t going to listen to anything you have to say right now.”

“He’s right,” Dante says. “Whatever you tell her right now isn’t going to mean shit.”

“You can’t ask me to just walk away.” I look at Hunter, who just shakes his head.

“I’m giving you an order to stand down and let Dante take over.” Hunter puts his hand up, stopping me from talking. “We need to assess the situation and then come back.”

Dante walks to me, whispering, “I got your woman covered.” I look back at the empty box that is waiting there for her to come back down for her first wardrobe change. I don’t say anything. I just nod my head, knowing that even if I stay, she isn’t going to listen to me. I walk out of the venue, leaving the love of my life.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Kellie

“New Orleans, I’ll leave my heart here,” I tell the crowd, turning and running off the stage. If only they knew the truth. I can’t leave my heart here because it’s shattered into a million little pieces.

When I got out of bed this morning and walked to the door, I grabbed the handle and then listened to him say those words. I thought my legs would give out. I’m just riding the wave. The heat started moving up my neck, and if I “No, I’m good,” he says and then goes to sit down. “I’ll just wait for you two to get settled before I get to bed.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” I tell him when there is a knock on the door. He springs up and walks to the door before I even take a step.

“I’ll handle it,” he tells whoever is at the door, and I wonder for a minute if it’s Brian. Did he come back? But it’s not Brian; it’s my luggage. “I take it all this is yours?” Dante says, and I take the top bag and unzip it to grab my phone. I stop when I see a pink rose on top, and my heart speeds up.

I grab the rose and bring it to my nose when I see the gold paper hanging from the stem. I turn it over and then drop it to the floor when I see what’s written.

Now that he’s gone, it’s just a matter of time until you’re mine.

“Dante,” Cori calls him, and he rushes over, picking up the rose and then reading the message.

“Son of a bitch,” he says and then goes over to the vase of flowers, identical to the single one, and there is another note. He pulls the white envelope out, taking the card out and hissing, “Motherfucker.” He grabs his phone, tossing the card down, and then another knock sounds at the door and he rushes to it.

I walk over to the note, picking it up from the floor, my hand still shaking.

I won’t let him stand in our way. You’ve always been mine.

“Here is the ice cream and fries, but we have to go,” he says, and I look at Cori.

“I’m not going anywhere,” I say. “I’m fucking done with everything!” I shout louder than I intend to, and Dante just looks at me, setting the tray down in the middle of the dining table in the corner. “I’ve had the shittiest day a person can have,” I say. Walking over to the table, I grab the ice cream, pull off the lid, and then grab a spoon. “I woke up this morning thinking I had everything in the world, and just like that, I was forced to see it was a lie.”