by lanie love
****
Downtown Los Angeles
Sage Turner’s Loft
Back in LA now and I am avoiding Adrian Finch like the plague. He has been very professional with me. He hasn't broached the conversation we had in DC, but I know he's just waiting and biding his time until I fall and he gets me right where he wants me.
The time comes sooner than I expected when the doctor calls with some bone crushing news. Dad’s window for effective therapy is closing. His muscles are beginning to atrophy. If therapy isn't started soon, it will no longer be beneficial to him and he’ll be paralyzed for the rest of his life.
I sit in my living room, broken. I think about all of the times my dad has helped me through the years. He sacrificed so much of his life for me, giving so much of himself to raise me. Now, it's my turn to help him. I can't let him down. I sure as hell am not going to let this happen to him, not to Virgil Turner. I pick up the phone and make my call.
“I have a proposition for you. Come over now and we can discuss it,” I say to him then hang up the phone.
****
I check my bank account for the second time this morning, unable to believe he agreed to my terms. One hundred thousand dollars. Adrian Finch agreed to pay me one hundred thousand dollars for just one night.
I call the hospital. Dad will begin his rehab therapy there today until I can make arrangements for him to be moved to LA. The only silver lining to my black cloud is that he is now getting the therapy in time to work. I only pray that there is no irreversible damage and at the very least he will be able to get around and care for himself.
I got an urgent message from JR about an hour ago saying that he needed to talk to me so I head over to his apartment. I'm worried. He hasn't spoken to me since we broke up, so something has to really be wrong.
I arrive at his apartment and ring the doorbell. I'm checking my watch as I wait because I don't want to be late for work. The door swings open. There stands Kelsey wrapped in his bathrobe fresh out of the shower. JR is standing half-dressed behind her. The look on my face at the sight of her must have been very funny because she doesn't even try to hide her laughing at my expense. Oh, great. Just fucking great. This is the last thing I needed to see today. Without a word, I turn and walk away. JR calls after me as he follows me back to my car.
“Sage, hang on a second, please,” he says, walking behind me while putting on his T-shirt.
“Kelsey,” I scream at him as I turn around and stomp my foot. “Out of all the women you can have, you pick that slut?”
“You are a piece of work, you know that. You cheat on me, break up with me, and now you have the nerve to come here and be angry?”
“First of all, I didn't cheat on you to cheat on you.”
“Whatever your stupid reason, I don't care to hear it again,” he yells.
“You called me. You said it was urgent. I thought something was wrong.”
“I didn't expect you to come over. I meant for you to call me,” he shrugs. “Anyway, I got an alert from the bank this morning. There was a deposit in our account. When I checked it, there was a shit load of money in it. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?”
Damn. I forgot we shared accounts. How blind of a fool was I?
“Sorry.”
“It's fine. I let the bank know it's not my account anymore, so the alerts should stop. So, Kent really is generous, huh?”
“What the hell does that supposed to mean?”
“Well, who else can give you that much money?”
“Not that it's any of your damn business anymore, but I haven't seen or heard from Kent since that night at Hollywoodland,” I yell at him. I begin to walk away again and he grabs my arm to swing me back around.
“Wait a minute, if he didn't give you the money, what gives? And don't bullshit me. That's a shit load of money. What the hell is going on?” I tell him everything about my dad's accident, the money, and about what I have to do tonight with Adrian. “You can't be serious, Sage,” he tells me as I walk away.
“Wait. What about Kent? You can ask him for help. I'm no fan of the guy, but—”
“No, I can't go to him now. He's moved on, like you, and besides, I already spent some of the money. I can't back out now,” I begin to walk again.
“Wait, sweethear… Sage, don't do this, please. Let me help you.”
“I've already decided. Look, I’ve got to get to work, JR, I can't be late. I'm sorry about the account and everything else. Just don't worry about me, okay? Go back to Kelsey and be happy, okay, please,” I beg of him and I leave.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Downtown Los Angeles
Wade Plaza
Kent Wade
“Do you have an appointment with a Jacob Riley, sir?” Janet covers the mouthpiece of her headphones to ask me as I hover over her desk to help her with a malfunctioning computer. Where the fuck is Allie when I need her? “He’s causing quite a scene in the lobby.”
I can hear his voice through her headphones. I can tell he’s pissed, but I can’t make out what he’s saying.
“Put him on speaker,” I tell her and she hits the button.
“No, I don't have an appointment, but I'm an old friend of his,” he says. “Just tell him the name is Jacob Riley. It's very urgent that I speak to him about a mutual friend.”
“One moment, sir, I’m checking to see if he is available.” To her credit, Melinda is still being polite and helpful to him. This is the last damn thing I need to deal with today. He has Sage. What the fuck else does he want?
“Melinda, tell him to sit his ass down and wait. I’ll send Collin to take care of him.”
“Um, sir, Mr. Wade asks that you have a seat and he will have someone with you shortly,” she says and I laugh at how she cleaned that up for me as I text Collin to find out what this guy’s problem is.
“Hey, I don’t have a lot of time. Our mutual friend will be at work soon and I’m standing here wasting time with you.”
I frown, wondering what his problem is, until I hear Collin’s voice.
“Mr. Riley, I'm Patrick Collin, Mr. Wade's personal security. He asked me to come and speak with you.”
“Look, will you tell Your Majesty that it is urgent that I speak with him about Sage Turner. She's in trouble and she needs his help,” he yells in frustration.
“Tell Collin to bring him up,” I tell Melinda. What the hell has happened to Sage?
****
“Only Sage Turner would get me to venture into enemy territory to get her help,” he says to himself, walking in. “Look, I want to get this over quick and clear my conscience. I need to talk to you about Sage.”
“Is that what this is all about? You needn't concern yourself with me and Sage any longer. I haven't spoken to her—”
“I know, since the Hollywoodland opening,” he says. I raise an eyebrow as he throws his hands up. “That's not why I'm here. Look, Sage's in trouble.”
“You keep saying that, but I have yet to hear what the issue is.” I motion for him to sit down.
“Okay, see her dad, Virgil Turner, he was recently in a car accident—”
“Car accident?” Jesus Christ. “Is he okay?”
“He has some complications. He needs therapy, expensive therapy. Sage's boss paid her a hundred grand to sleep with him tonight so that she can help her dad. She agreed.” Nothing. I say nothing. I’ve got nothing. “What the hell man? Have you heard a word I said? Sage is about to give it up to some jackass who's—”
“You are her fucking boyfriend. Where the hell were you when all this shit was going on?”
“I'm not her boyfriend. She broke up with me weeks ago,” he says. “I just found out this morning completely by accident. If it wasn't for the bank calling me, I would have never known.”
“She broke up with you,” I ask; I’m sure I’m looking thoroughly confused.
“She didn't tell you? Apparently, she realized that she and I are not righ
t for each other, or some shit,” he adds to save face. “Look, I don't know why she didn't tell you. I don't know why that girl does half the shit she does. She mentioned that you’d moved on so maybe that's why.”
“What? No,” I say, before catching myself.
“So, you do still care about her,” he asks, but I say nothing. “Okay, fine, whatever, but are you just going to sit here while she goes and fucks this Adrian Finch guy for money? Because if that’s the case, then let me know now so I can go and figure out another way to stop this.” I say nothing. “For crying out loud. There's not a lot of time, Man. This shit is going down tonight. Do you know how much fucking pride I had to swallow to come in here and tell you this shit?”
“Will you shut up for five fucking minutes,” I hiss at him.
****
BOA’s Steakhouse
Hollywood, California
Sage Turner
“Thank you, Adrian,” I say as he pulls my chair out for me to sit down. “I don't understand why we're here when we should be at work. People are going to talk.”
“As far as the studio is concerned, we left a little early to meet with a potential whistleblower. No one else matters,” he says as he studies the menu. I take a minute to look around at this overpriced restaurant and frown.
“Why are we here,” I ask.
“Because I like to eat before I fuck, Sage. May as well make it a good meal. I think I’ll have my steak rare,” he says, leering at me and turning my stomach.
“A good meal wasn't part of the deal and neither was dragging me out of work,” I tell him.
“I just paid a hundred thousand dollars for you. I will have you, when I want you,” he says.
“What the hell does that supposed to mean? The deal was one-time,” I remind him.
“Do you really think I'm going to let you go?”
“I'm not giving you a choice. God, I can't believe I was going… what the hell was I thinking?” I get up to leave. “I'll give you your money back Adrian, every penny. I'll find another way. The deal is off.”
“I wouldn't leave if I were you, Sage,” he says and something in the way he says it makes me stop dead in my tracks and sit back down.
He pulls out a thick envelope and throws it at me, I gasp in horror as I examine its contents.
Kent Wade
I can't fucking believe it. I cannot fucking believe that this fucker is in my office telling me that my Sage broke up with him weeks ago. Why didn't she tell me? All these weeks Sage and I could have been together freely, without guilt.
All she's been through with her father and she turns to that fucker, Finch. Fuck. I should have called her. I should have checked. I should have made sure she was okay.
I am a fucking Idiot. Never again, Angel. Never again. I promise her as I call her cell.
“Shit.”
“What’s the matter,” The boyfriend asks me, but I ignore him.
I manage to get a hold of Connie Strong. Apparently, Sage and Finch left about an hour ago for a lunch meeting. I get Bronson Campbell on it, having him look for any hits on Adrian Finch’s credit card after sending him a picture of him and Sage I got from off the internet.
“Collin.” I’m about to tell him to take the rest of the day off. I don't want him involved in what I have to do, but my phone rings. “Wade,” I answer.
“Sir, I got a hit on Finch’s credit card. He’s at BOA’s Steakhouse on Sunset. I’m ten minutes away. What do you want me to do with this guy?”
“Interfere if you have to. Do not let her leave with Finch. I'm on my way,” I tell him before turning to the boyfriend. Let's go.” He along with Collin are in step behind me. “Not you Collin,” I say, stepping onto the elevator
“Sir, it’s not a good idea for you to be without backup,” Collin says, pissed off at being shut out of the action.
“Noted,” I tell him as the doors close.
The boyfriend, correction, the ex-boyfriend, and I race to the restaurant. It pays to have ties to the secret service. From what he can tell from his vantage point, she is not agreeing with whatever Finch is telling her.
Just hang on, Angel. I'm coming for you.
****
BOA’s Steakhouse
Hollywood, California
Sage Turner
Photos. Photos of me in different stages of undress. Photos of me naked. Photos of me draped over a naked man. His face is not shown but I know it’s Adrian. Oh God. I'm going to be sick. I reach for my water and gulp it down in an effort to calm my panic attack and upset stomach.
“When,” I whisper, confused. “How?
“Oh, those weekends we went out together. We didn't exactly say good night at the door,” He skins his teeth at me. It becomes clear. The times I was feeling like shit after going out with him.
“You drugged me,” I say, as more of a realization than a question. And he grins as he cuts into his steak “Did we… did you,” I whisper unable to finish the question.
“Oh, now Sage, you hurt my feelings, honey, I would never do that without your knowledge or consent,” he says.
“Oh my god no,” I say getting up and quickly moving toward the door.
Did I consent? No, I couldn't consent. He drugged me.
Before I could make it through the door Adrian grabs my arm hard and pulls me aside.
“Now think, Sage,” he says as I try to struggle free. He takes his steak knife and presses it into my side. Oh God, he's going to kill me. “What do you think you're going to accomplish by turning me down? Huh? I have everything I need to ruin you before you even get off the ground. Those pictures were tame compared to the others, not to mention that little gem of a video I managed to get done before you passed out. I will have pictures and video of that body of yours plastered on every porn site in this country. I will use every connection. I will taint you for every media company you think of working for. No one will touch you after I'm done. It will be over for you before it even starts.”
“No,” I say, struggling to break free.
“You may as well lay down and die like your father in that hospital bed because that's what's going to happen to him if you don't take this deal. You know that as well as I do. So, what's it going to be, Sage? Is being with me so bad compared to that?”
“No.” I stop struggling against him and resign myself to my fate.
“I knew you were a smart girl. Now, let's go,” he says, grabbing my arm. He keeps the knife at my side as he leads me out the front door of the restaurant.
We make it outside to the walkway when all hell breaks loose. It all happens so fast:
I hear JR and he's arguing with Adrian. I think he yells that Adrian has a knife. He pulls Adrian away from me, but it's happening like it's in slow motion… like I'm trapped in quicksand that I can't move out of. But then I look over and I see Kent. Mr. Wade. He's here.
No. No. He can't be here. I stand frozen with my eyes toward the ground. I dare not look at him. Why? Why is he here? Why is he here with JR?
Kent Wade
Suddenly, the shit hits the fan as we see Adrian Finch leads Sage onto the walkway. Campbell is out of his car and hauling ass over to Sage.
I pull up onto the curb and the ex-boyfriend and I jump out. He heads straight to Finch, pushing him away from Sage. She is now standing still with her head lowered down. She is in a submissive stance and I don't know if it's because of me or whatever it is that that fucker Finch has done to her. I take one look at her and know that something is not right with her.
“Sage,” I approach her slowly but she doesn't acknowledge me. The ex-boyfriend and Finch are going at it while Campbell is trying to gain control of both of them. A crowd has gathered in front of the restaurant and somewhere I hear the threat of the police being called. I need to get my girl out of here. “Sage, come with me,” I ask her gently, holding out my hand to her, but she still doesn't move.
“Sage,” Finch calls her name, making her flinch. Now, I know whatever t
his is, it's because of Finch. What the fuck has that bastard done to her? I look over and see Campbell holding on to the ex-boyfriend to stop him from attacking Finch. “I will ruin you, Sage. I own you. You prick-teasing whore!” He spits the words out at her so viciously, she begins to cry.
“Shut him the fuck up,” I yell and that's all the incentive the ex-boyfriend needs before he punches Campbell, knocking him out cold and then goes for Finch.
“Sage, Angel, let me get you out of here, okay? I need you to come with me,” I tell her, more urgently now because I can hear the sirens in the distance.
“Mr. Wade.” She finally looks up at me with those baby blue eyes and I catch my breath. All the life that was sucked out of me when she left, enters my body with such force, it nearly breaks me. “I can't,” she says, shaking her head. “He has…. he'll hurt me.”
“No, Angel, I won't let him. I promise. Angel, please. Trust me.” I hold out my hand to her again. “Let's go home. Take my hand, Sage, please,” I beg her. Finally, she does. I feel her small warm hand in mine and I grab hold, pulling her into me and holding her tight. I bury my nose in her hair, inhaling deeply, letting her body mold once again into mine.
“I'm never letting you go again. I'm never letting you go; do you hear me?”
About the Author
Lanie Love is a former Southern girl transplanted to the City of Angels.
She’s got a huge heart and a passion for sensual romance.
She loves her mamma hard, and she’s a sucker for an old person with a good story to share. She writes poems, takes pinup pics of Nelson, her adorable cat, and she’s on a lifelong quest to find the perfect red wine/pinot noir to pair with a five-napkin cheeseburger.
Books by Lanie Love
Stand-alones:
Indian Summer:
https://www.amazon.com/Indian-Summer-lanie-love-ebook/dp/B07JBHSSPV/
Baby, It’s Cold Outside:
https://www.amazon.com/Baby-Cold-Outside-Lanie-Love-ebook/dp/B07L18YV31/
Books from the Shattered Lives Series:
