by Ashton Johns
Sitting on my throne after being primped and pampered over by hair and make-up, we were ready to start. There was a drum roll and then some fancy ass classical music was played, which if I remembered correctly from my college days was called ‘Pomp & Circumstance’, and on to the patio walked our host for the evening, Daniel Driscoll. He’d once been a real heavyweight in the TV hosting game, but after hosting an episode of American Rock Star while drunk, he’d been sacked, falling very quickly from grace.
“Hey, everyone,” he smarmed to the camera, flashing glowing white teeth against his orange skin. “How y'all doin’ tonight? So, it’s the big night, ladies and gentlemen. The night that Kade gets to pick his true love…”
It was at that point that I tuned out, dropping my hand down to my side to feel for Brody, my trusted buddy, who I knew would be there, and he was, lifting his head for me to ruffle his ears. I instantly calmed and watched the show playing out in a daze. Daniel introduced all of the ex-contestants, making no mention whatsoever of Daisy’s absence—that much I did notice—and then he explained what would happen. I would pick Jess or Honey and we would date for six months.
The drum roll started again, and out walked the two ladies in question. Jess looked sexy but demure as she sashayed in on black and silver sandals. She was wearing a black, knee length dress that clung to her body but had a killer neckline that was slashed almost to her navel. Her hair was a little fuller than usual and her make-up was smokey eyes with rose pink lips, and she looked really pretty. Then there was Honey, and what could I say about her, other than she looked like a cheap hooker. Her gold dress just about covered both her ass and nipples, and when she turned to wave to her bevvy of blondes, I could see her ass crack. Her shoes were the same color as the dress and would have looked more at home wrapped around a pole in a club. Her hair was even blonder than usual, and her lips were covered in the same red lipstick that she’d used on my body—the lipstick that I now fucking hated. I could not believe she was here in the final two.
Stupidly, I wondered why the public kept voting for her? But then, of course, the vote had probably always been rigged by Meredith who, I was led to believe, was in the gallery directing things, which must have pissed Carson right off.
Finally, Daniel turned to me and gave me my cue.
“Okay, ladies,” I said, forcing a smile. “We’ve had a long journey, but we’re finally here at our destination.”
Fuck, who the hell wrote this fucking shit script, some five-year-old?
“So, before we disembark this train of love, I need to let one last person off.”
As instructed, I paused for effect and for the girls on the patio to ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’. Then a sound like a heartbeat echoed around, adding to the tension. I tried to look contemplative, shaking my head and looking from one girl to another. Finally, Doug, my cameraman gave me the thumbs up. The heartbeat stopped and I stood up.
“Tonight, I evict…” I paused for ten seconds. “…Honey.”
There were gasps from Honey’s ‘blonde gang’, while all the other girls cheered and clapped as a shocked Jess stood with her mouth wide open, seemingly gasping for air. As for Honey, well she really surprised me. She smiled sadly, hugged Jess and then gave me a little wave and blew me a kiss. That was it, and then she walked over to the patio to be engulfed in a group yellow-haired hug. What the hell had happened to her? Had she been given a sedative of some kind?
Looking back at Jess, I smiled and gave her a wink. She was a nice girl, and if I had to be with anyone over the next six months then I was glad it was her.
“Well congratulations, Jess,” Daniel shouted over the melee of noise. “But before I let your prince get his hands on you, there is a little question I need to ask you.”
Jess and I both looked startled. This wasn’t anything that we’d rehearsed or been told was going to happen. Jess looked at me nervously and I shrugged as Daniel slowly walked towards her, always dreading it when they went off script.
“Jess, you know that Kade here is a very rich man,” he said in a serious tone. “And we know you’ve spent a lot of quality time with him over the last six weeks.” He winked at the camera with a stupid grin, hinting at what had gone on in my room, and I really wanted to push the stupid jackass in the pool. Daisy may have been watching, and he wasn’t helping my prospects of winning her back.
“Yes,” Jess whispered, dipping her head to speak into his microphone, obviously forgetting that we were each wearing a radio mic.
“So, if I were to ask you to choose his love or his money, what would you pick?”
“I’m sorry?” she asked, confused.
I, however, wasn’t.
Shit, they were going to let her pick between dating me or taking some money, and I knew they were going to fuck with her. That was why Meredith told me I had to pick Jess. But if she took the money, that worked out for both of us. We wouldn’t have to date. I’d be totally free to go after Daisy, and Jess would have a nice lump sum to help her go after her dream and become an actress. So, what the fuck was the catch?
“You can stick to the plan,” Daniel said sweetly, “and date Kade for the next six months, which may or may not work out, or he will personally give you half a million dollars.”
The gasps from the girls echoed in the stillness of the evening.
“Pick Kade,” Natalie shouted.
“Take the darn money, sugar.” That was Poppy.
Then all the other girls joined in, shouting out their preferred choice. I looked at Jess and something told me that while it wasn’t great for me, she should pick me. Something was really off about this deal. Looking at her, though, I instinctively knew she was going to pick the money. Her lips were turned into a sad smile, and her eyes told me that this was a brilliant offer for both of us.
On that first night, nothing had happened between Jess and me other than a little kissing. We’d realized pretty much straight away that there was just no chemistry there. I’d picked her because she reminded me of Daisy, but she wasn’t her, and I just couldn’t bring myself to try to pretend otherwise. So, I’d taken Jess into the bathroom, turned on the shower to drown out any microphones that might be hidden in my room, and told her everything—well almost everything. I didn’t tell her that I wasn’t rich. I couldn’t risk Meredith finding out that Jess knew and subsequently, kicking her off the show. I did tell her that I really liked Daisy and just couldn’t think of anyone else. Jess sighed with relief because she’d realized, too, that my kisses just didn’t do it for her. It was then that we agreed that whenever I could, if I couldn’t pick Daisy, I’d pick her. I also told her that if she got to the final, she would be my pick. That way, I would be able to see Daisy, and that I’d give her some money. I just hoped that I made some from the show, not being the millionaire that she thought I was. Jess had laughed and said the viewers would realize that Daisy and I were meant to be together and Daisy would be in that final. I hadn’t risked telling her that Daisy would never be allowed to be in the final. Jess didn’t need to know what Meredith was up to, and the more I could keep from her the better. On every night I picked Jess, we played cards and talked until I made a bed on the floor and we fell asleep. I just wished the nights with the other girls had been so easy.
As Jess took a deep breath, my thoughts were suddenly back on the game.
“I’m sorry, Kade,” she said in a timid voice. “But I’m going to take the money.”
My heart sank as I heard Meredith’s distinctive voice cry ‘yes’, realizing that she’d come down from the makeshift gallery in one of the bedrooms to witness this. That ‘yes’ confirmed to me that Jess was indeed about to be stitched up.
With groans and cheers from the ex-contestants, I flopped back onto my throne and waited for the sucker punch. It wasn’t long in coming.
“You definitely choose the money?” Daniel asked.
Jess nodded and glanced over at me before turning her attention back to Daniel.
“O
kay, so Jess chooses the money, folks, but you the viewers have seen Kade here,” he turned and pointed at me, “living in this luxurious house with all its beauty and splendor. You’ve witnessed his household staff waiting on him, and you’ve seen his expensive clothes and the way he lives his life.”
Fuck, I suddenly knew what they were going to do.
I stood up and took a step towards Daniel and Jess, only to feel Carson’s hand on my arm.
“Don’t!” he whispered sharply. “It’s her choice, and if you stop this, Meredith will do what she threatened and more.”
I swung around to see him sneering at me. Gone was the suck up, pouty face he usually pulled when he wanted me to do something. I was no longer of any use. I was back to being Kade Sutton, homeless person.
“What you, and all the viewers don’t know,” Daniel continued, “is that Kade Sutton is not a millionaire playboy…”
He paused as everyone gasped.
“He is, in fact, Kade Sutton, homeless person.”
It was a drop the mic moment. Daniel stepped back, crossed his arms over his chest, and watched as everyone dropped into silence and turned their stares to me.
“Kade?” Jess whispered.
I dropped my head, unable to meet her gaze. I wasn’t ashamed of who I was, but I was ashamed that my friend had been made to look a fool on network television.
The girls all went crazy, crying out words like ‘cheat’, ‘bastard’ and ‘fake’, while I heard Natalie shout, “Way to go, Kade.” I always did like her.
Finally, Jess pulled her shoulders back and walked to Daniel. “That’s okay,” she said. “He’s a really nice guy and I’ll always think of him as a friend.”
My gut twisted for her. She was a sweet kid, but it didn’t matter what she thought of me. There was no way she was going to be getting anything out of this, and I doubted she’d even want my friendship at the end of it. Daniel then confirmed what I suspected.
“The problem is, Jess, you chose Kade’s personal gift, the money, and that means that, unfortunately, you go away from here tonight with nothing.”
“N-nothing?” she stammered.
“Nope, nothing, nada, zilch, zero.” Daniel tried to sound apologetic, but the smug bastard couldn’t contain the little grin on his stupid Botox-filled lips. “Kade, has nothing to give you but that friendship you said you’ll always have. So, Jess, thank you for taking part but we now have to evict you, too.”
The hysteria that broke out was monumental. A couple of girls tried to get to me. The nails were out and ready to do damage, and they had to be held back by two burly security men. Natalie was comforting Jess. Honey and Vanessa were holding court with a couple of other blondes, and definitely cooking up some form of punishment for me. Everyone else was either shouting and pointing at me, or openly laughing at Jess for being so greedy.
“Let’s go, Kade,” Clint said, suddenly appearing at my side. “We need to get you into the house.”
“Clint, I had no idea they were going to do this,” I cried as he and a security guy led me away.
“You say so, Kade,” he growled.
“I swear. I wouldn’t have agreed to this.”
“Just get into the house. Brody, come on guy,” he said, urging Brody to follow us.
“Please, Clint, there are things you don’t know.” I hated that this man had no respect for me. I had so much for him and loved that he’d looked after my girl when she was upset.
Fuck, my girl!
I just hoped that was still possible. She would know that this was Meredith’s doing, and I just hoped that she realized her eviction had been, too.
As Clint silently led me back to the house, I glanced behind to take a final look at the crap going on around me, when movement in the shadows of the gazebo caught my eye.
“Just a second,” I hissed to Clint, and ducked low, moving towards the figures.
Standing behind a trellis that had some overgrowing plant growing up it, I could see that it was Meredith and Honey.
“Here you go,” Meredith said, passing Honey what looked like a check. “Here’s twenty thousand dollars that will go down as household expenses for this place.” She gave a throaty laugh and hugged Honey to her.
“Thanks, Mom,” Honey said, reading the check over Meredith’s shoulder. “I’m just glad it’s over. It’s been an awful nightmare.”
“I know, sweetheart. Now, go before someone notices you’re missing. I’ve lined up an interview for you tomorrow, so lay it on thick about your nights of passion with the homeless guy.”
Honey giggled. “I will, Mom. Don’t you worry. You still have the footage of them?”
“Oh yeah,” Meredith replied. “And I’ll use it if I have to.”
Everything stopped—my heart, the blood running through my veins, time, everything. She’d fucked us all, over and over again, and was going to continue to do so. This nightmare would not end tonight.
Thirty-Nine
Nicholas King
“Oh my God,” my daughter Claudia cried. “I can’t believe it.”
“What’s that, honey?” Elizabeth, my wife, asked, coming into the room and sitting next to me on the sofa.
“That guy on the show I’ve been watching, he’s a homeless guy. He’s not rich at all.”
“He’s sooo hot.” Brittany, Claudia’s friend sighed.
I shook my head, not looking up from my newspaper. “I have no idea why you watch such crap,” I grumbled.
“It’s not crap, Daddy. It’s really cool.”
“What the hell is it called anyway?”
I looked up at the screen to see some poor girl crying into the arms of another.
“’I Wanna Get Laid by Kade’,” Elizabeth said with a sigh. “And before you say anything, you don’t see any sex.”
“I take it you’ve watched every episode with them?” I let out a laugh expecting to see a guilty blush on my beautiful wife’s face. “You damn well like it, don’t you?”
“This is my first viewing,” she protested. “Our daughter never shuts up about it, so thought I’d check it out, seeing as it’s the last episode.”
“She’s the one who said there was no sex then?” I asked wryly. “And you believed her?”
Elizabeth grinned and shrugged.
“Sssh Daddy this is getting interesting,” Claudia cried. “Oh my gosh, Kade doesn’t look happy, does he?”
“My God,” Elizabeth muttered. “He looks like Noah.”
“That’s what I’ve been telling you!” Claudia grumbled. “We said that didn’t we, Brit?”
Not bothering to look at the screen, I mumbled, “Don’t all young men that age look alike? Same damn clothes, same damn hair style. No individuality these days.”
“Well yes honey you’re right, but this is uncanny.” Elizabeth nudged my leg with her foot. “Nick, just look.”
Appeasing my wife, I finally looked up at the screen. She was right, this kid was our son’s double, they could have almost been twins.
“I guess he does,” I responded with surprise.
“He definitely does.” Elizabeth laughed. “I think that’s why Brittany likes the show so much, hey, Brit?”
“Mrs. King!” she gasped, but there was no disguising the blush on her cheeks.
“There’s nothing wrong with having a crush on my son, sweetheart. He’s a good-looking boy.”
“Mom, please don’t talk about Brit and Noah like that.” Claudia grimaced and then moved closer to the TV. “Ooh listen, Daniel’s going to say something.” Claudia shushed us all again.
“So, ladies and gentlemen, I think that we can all agree with the sentiment behind this show; don’t judge a book by its cover. All these women flirted, plotted and tricked just to be the one who was picked to date Kade Sutton, playboy millionaire, when in reality he was actually a homeless man we took from the streets. Kade Sutton, the only son of the late Shelby Sutton.”
As I inhaled sharply, Elizabeth’s head shot
around and she stared at me wide-eyed.
“Oh my God, Nick? Do you think...?”
I didn’t hear anything after that because I didn’t think… I knew.
Forty
Kade Sutton
Clint smuggled Brody and me out of the mansion that night.
The press was already there, braying for their first sighting of the new millionaire couple. Never did they expect to get the information Daniel Dickhead delivered during the final show. Those who had secured a slot close to the live outside TV feeds were being well rewarded for turning up early.
The temptation to expose Meredith and Honey was extreme, but sense kicked in and decided to save that little nugget of information for another time. That bitch Hennessey had shown the lengths to which she was prepared to go to on numerous occasions, and I needed something to fight back with. I’d had enough of laying myself wide open. It was time I did what these fuckers did. I had to fight fire with fire.
After all, I still had to get my money out of her.
And I would. She could go fuck herself if she thought she was screwing me out of a second chance at living a respectable life. How respectable that could be though, after the deception I’d just been a part of, was anyone’s guess.
When I left the house of horror, Brody and I were hustled into the back of a minivan surrounded by kit and equipment. The girls were the unlucky ones. They went in the limos, and it was them who got all the media attention.
Clint was huffing and puffing about how the reaction to the news of me being a poor street dweller had been worse than they’d expected. I knew how he felt. I was still getting over it all, too. When I agreed to do this, I never really thought about the innocent girls who were being duped in front of millions for the entertainment of others. It was cruel. It was a small, simple word but it carried so much depth of feeling and gravity. I knew that what I’d just done was cruel. I’d intentionally hurt a lot of people.
After a couple of hours, Clint pulled up at a house in the ‘burbs somewhere and swung the rear doors open, bathing Brody and me in moonlight. My pal wasn’t one for being cooped up in a moving metal box, so he leapt out with wild abandon and began to search our new surroundings.
