“Yes,” she says, “but I’m not sure why they are here.” She looks from him to me, and then her eyes move to Hunter.
“Well.” He starts talking and then looks down, I’m sure trying to find the words. “We have a situation that …” he trails off, looking at Hunter who clears his throat.
“Tommy called a couple of days ago about a couple of letters that you received.” As Hunter talks, I cross my arms to stop my hands from tapping on the table nervously.
“I get letters all the time,” she says and looks over at the only other girl in the room. “Cori, tell them.”
“This time was different,” Tommy says, turning to her and holding her hand in his. “They were weird, and one of them was delivered to your house, along with a package of roses … one hundred of them, to be exact.”
“Holy shit,” Cori says, sitting up. “Why wasn’t she told?”
“Everyone around you has been on alert, and I didn’t want her nervous,” Tommy starts, trying to prevent the impending hysteria, “but I knew that with you leaving and the tour starting, it was time for me to bring in the specialists.”
“Them?” Kellie whispers, her eyes roaming from Hunter to me.
“It would be safer if one of them was with you twenty-four seven,” Tommy tells her. “We have the tightest security in place for the venues, but we want to make sure you’re just as safe.”
“What does this mean?” she asks. “What does any of this mean?” She looks around the table, waiting for someone to answer her.
“It means that for the next ninety days or until the threats stop, Brian will be your shadow. Where you go, he goes.”
“Really?” She now takes her hand away from Tommy and crosses her arms over her chest. “Even when I sleep?”
“There will be a separate room for him in all the hotels and on the bus,” Tommy assures her.
“What if I say no?” She gets up, propping her hands on the table, and Cori follows. “What if I say it’s not going to happen?”
“Then I’m going to override you,” Tommy says. “You know that I wouldn’t do this if I thought it was nothing.” He gets up now, grabbing her shoulders in his hands. “Do what you need to do, Kellie, and process this however you need to process it, but just know that, regardless, Brian is with you for the next ninety days.”
Chapter Three
Kellie
This can’t be happening, not today. I’m standing here with my mouth pretty much hanging open. And I’m being told that regardless of what I say, this decision has already been made for me. It was already set in stone, and I had no choice but to accept it.
“Fine,” I mumble and turn to walk out of the office. “Cori is going to handle all the details, but if it gets out of hand, I’m pulling the plug.” I reach for the handle of the door but stop when I hear his voice.
“The only time you pull the plug is when I say it’s safe.” I don’t bother answering him, my body shivering when I yank open the door and Cori and I walk out.
“In the car,” I say to Cori when she turns and looks at me, and even though I’m not looking at her, I know she’s asking me a million questions with her eyes. When we get down to the indoor garage, my driver is waiting for me. I smile at him while he holds open my door, and I get in. Once we are on our way out of the garage, I hear Cori.
“At home,” she says, “we need to talk.” I don’t bother answering her; I just nod my head and look out the window. They say traffic is bad in New York, but they lied. Nothing is worse than sitting in the car on I-110 in Los Angeles for hours while people get to their destination. I watch as the cars get fewer and fewer and the houses get bigger and bigger.
When we pull up to the large gate at the entrance of the community, Cori reaches in her purse to push the opener, and the gates swing open on both sides. He drives down the road, and each house has another gate. When I see the wall to my house and the gate open, I’m happy. He parks in the circle driveway, and I look up at my two-story white house with black roof, doors, and window shutters.
I walk up the white marble steps and press in the code to unlock the big black doors. It opens into the grand foyer with a floor of cream-colored marble. The rounding staircase has black iron railings on each side leading upstairs. All you see when you walk into the house are the stairs on both sides, the high ceilings, and the living room right in front of the door.
Making my way into the house, I drop my purse on one of the tables set up against the railing flanked by plush gray single chairs. “I’m starving.” I hear the door close behind me and walk down two steps into the living room until my feet sink into the cream and black plush carpet. The custom oversized beige couches are right in the middle, and a glass coffee table sits between them with a small square box of roses in the middle. On top of the fireplace mantel is where I keep the Oscar, the Grammy, the Tony, and the daytime Emmy. Only a few elite people can boast the EGOT title, and I have to pinch myself that I am in that category. It’s surreal to me when I sit down and stare up at them with my name engraved on them.
Looking at the picture of that moment on the wall on the way to the kitchen, I was so young and green. My gold dress felt like a prom dress, and I had my hair set up with ringlets coming down. It was the best night of my life, or at least I thought it was. That performance on stage got me a call from the casting director who was doing a play, and it was just one win after another. The biggest win was winning best original song at the Oscars this year. It was the win that put me on the EGOT list. Me, a little country girl who just wanted to get married and have kids. When you asked me in school, that would always be my answer. I want to be a mom, and now I have five houses all around the world. A penthouse in New York, the LA mansion I’m currently standing in, a chateau in Paris, a villa in Italy, and my favorite one, the ranch in Montana.
I walk into the dining room with a black marble table and eight big white captain chairs. Three white orchids decorate the table. Around the corner, I walk into my industrial-size kitchen. I didn’t care how the rest of the house was, but I needed a big kitchen because when I have time, I cook for myself. Walking over to the oversized stainless-steel Sub-Zero fridge, I open it and see that Cori has arranged for us to have food today. I grab the platters and put them on the huge island in the middle of the room. The cabinets are all white, but the countertops are a dark gray. I peel off the cover of the platter and see that it’s grilled chicken with grilled vegetables. Turning around, I set the oven and place the food inside. “So,” Cori says, grabbing a stool and sitting down. I look over at her, the sun from outside streaming into the huge bay windows. A round gray table in the middle holds a huge vase and three balls of roses. “Are we discussing that tall drink of milk who walked into the room?”
Taking a sip of water, I say, “Nothing really to tell.” I wave my hand, trying to brush it off, but I know she can read right through me. When I look at her, she is leaning on the island on her elbows with her hands folded in front of her. “Fine.” I shrug. “Remember when I was dating Steve?”
“The bartender?” she asks.
“Yes.” Nodding at her, I continue, “And I had to sneak in to see him.”
“Wait, is he the one who smuggled you in a crate?” Slapping her hand on the island, she starts laughing.
“No, smartass.” Folding my arms over my chest, I roll my eyes. “That was Hunter and Anthony.” Her laughter just gets louder.
“I can’t breathe.” She throws her head back and holds her stomach while she laughs.
“Anyway. One day, he showed up, and well, I had trouble forming two words together.” I think back to the first time we met. I stepped off the private plane, and he was waiting there for me. Standing there leaning back on his black Audi, he was dressed in jeans and a T-shirt. His arms crossed over his chest, his black watch on his wrist making him even more sexy. His hair was blowing a bit in the wind, and his aviator glasses blocked out what he was looking at. I walked down the steps, and my mouth went dry as soon as I s
aw him up close. His cheekbones were defined, his lips perfect. “I walked off the plane, and all he said were two words, ‘You Kellie?’”
“And what?” She shakes her head.
“And nothing. I nodded, and he opened the back door for me, and I got in. The disguise was on the seat, so I put on the black wig and baseball hat while he got in the car. He didn’t say a word to me while he drove me to Steve’s.”
“I’m waiting for the juicy stuff.” She leans back on the stool.
“There is no juicy part. He was there the next few times, and slowly, we started talking. Or it was mostly me asking him questions and him giving one-word answers.”
“But I thought you broke up with Steve a month in?”
“I did, but I would make excuses to go over there, hoping Brian would be working. The last time, I kept him driving around for five hours making excuses, and then I just gave up.”
“Did he know?” she asks me. “I mean, sometimes men can be oblivious if a woman is throwing themselves at them.”
“I think when a woman says, ‘why don’t we go out sometime’ and the man just looks over at you and says nothing, it’s safe to say he knows, and he’s not interested.”
“But he looks at you like he’s about to eat his forbidden fruit.” She gets up, going to the oven and opening it to make sure it is on. “And when Tommy grabbed your hand, the vein in his forehead started bulging.”
“You’re wrong.” I don’t give myself the hope that he might be interested. “I’m his job. He won’t cross that line.” She doesn’t have a chance to answer because the doorbell rings.
“Good timing,” Cori says. Walking to the door, she returns with Ruth, my trainer. “Look who is here.”
I groan when I see her face and the huge smile she’s wearing. “I thought I killed you this morning.” She shakes her head. “Guess not. Go get changed.”
“Great,” I say, walking to my indoor gym. I have windows all on the sides so the sun can come in. The floor is half wood, half foam. I have everything you could have at a gym, even a punching bag. Televisions are set up in two of the corners so I can always see it. I walk to the corner and grab my yoga pants and gym top. Going into the bathroom, I change into my clothes and then walk back into the kitchen as I’m tying my hair on top of my head. “Can we do it outside?”
“Sure,” Ruth answers right away. “Let me get some things, and I’ll meet you out there.”
I grab two water bottles and head out. She pushes me for the next hour, and this time, I really think I’m having a heart attack. When I walk back into the house, Cori is set up at the island with papers everywhere, so I rush up the steps to my bedroom. My bedroom occupies the whole right side of the upstairs, split into two areas. I walk into the double doors that lead to the sitting area, and my feet sink into the plush carpet. I kick off my sneakers. The plush dark brown sofa sits against the wall, facing the wall with the see-through fireplace. Huge floor-to-ceiling windows slide open, and you can step out onto the covered balcony that overlooks the valley and is so peaceful at night. I walk through the arched walkway into the bedroom that has my California king-size bed in the middle of the room. Deciding to splurge on the best bedding I could buy, I wanted sheets as soft as silk, and a duvet cover filled and fluffy like a cloud, and I got it. I turn toward the bathroom, undressing and tossing my clothes into the laundry basket at the side of the front door.
My bathroom has the same marble as the floor downstairs. A makeup vanity between two sinks lines the whole wall. The other side of the room is a separate shower and a bath. Opening the glass shower door, I turn the water on, then grab two white towels from the closet. My shower is a quick five minutes since I don’t have to wash my hair. Wrapping a towel around myself, I head to my walk-in closet. Two walls in this room contain my clothes, from tops to pants to skirts, all separated by color. The other two walls have shelves with my shoes, also sorted by color and style. My white and gold island has drawers for my jewelry and accessories. A huge vase of pink roses sits in the middle, and a classic chandelier hangs over it. After changing into loose joggers and an off-the-shoulder sweater, I walk downstairs, hearing voices and laughter as I approach. I walk into the kitchen, and I stop in my tracks.
“Hey, look who dropped by,” Cori says with a smile plastered on her face. Sitting at my island is the man who is slowly starting to irritate me.
“I was in the neighborhood.” Brian smiles.
Chapter Four
Brian
“Well, that went as well as I thought it would go,” Tommy says when Kellie and Cori march out the door. “I’ll call her later and smooth things out.”
“In order for me to do my job and do it to the best of my ability,” I say, “I need everything from the list of tour dates and cities to the hotels where we will be staying.”
“Yeah,” Tommy says, sitting down. “I can get that and send it to your email.”
“This isn’t going to be easy if she fights my guy the whole way,” Hunter finally says. “He’s one of the best I’ve got. If anyone can keep her safe, it’s him.” I don’t talk for the rest of the meeting. My head spins with all the things we need to do, but it’s all muddled with the fact she was pissed I was the one going with her. If my memory serves me right, the last time she sat in my car and made me drive around for five hours, she said we should go out sometime. I will be the first to admit that maybe not answering didn’t help, but what the hell was I supposed to do? Pull the car over and drag her over to my side of the car and kiss the ever-loving fuck out of her? Negative.
“I just told my secretary to have everything sent over to you,” Tommy says, getting up. Hunter and I do the same as the other men in the room. They didn’t say a word, and I wonder why they were even here. We walk out of the conference room, and Tommy walks with us to the elevator. “Gentlemen,” he says when the ding of the elevator sounds, “I have no doubt she’ll be safe with you.”
I shake his hand and then so does Hunter. We step into the elevator, and Hunter looks over at me. “You sure you’re okay with this?”
I lean back against the elevator wall and look over at him. “Have I ever given you a reason to ask me that?”
He shakes his head right away. “No.” Putting his hands in his pockets, he says, “But then again, you’ve never wanted a client before.”
“I don’t want her,” I say, and now I’m a little pissed. “What have I done to make you think I want her?”
“The look on your face when Tommy touched her hand,” he points out, and I want to kick myself because I thought I had it locked down. “I mean, I’ve never seen the tic of your vein on your forehead.” The elevator dings, and I look up to see we have reached the lobby. “We will meet tomorrow with everyone and go over the list.” I nod to him and walk out, making my way to my car while Hunter goes to his. I get into my Audi and start it. My finger taps against the steering wheel, already knowing what I want to do. Driving down the street, I make my way through the traffic and then the hills. I pull up to the wrought-iron gate and press the little white button on the speaker. A man’s staticky voice answers.
“What can I do for you?” he asks, and I look up to find a video camera also.
“Hey, I have some papers to deliver to Kellie Hudson from the office of Tommy Surray.”
“I don’t have you on the list.” He comes back on.
“Yeah, I know. I was in a meeting with him, and he asked me if I could swing by and deliver it. Like I wanted to come all the way out to the hills in rush hour!” I laugh. “I mean, if you want to come and get the papers and deliver them, you can.”
“Nah,” he says, and the next thing you know, I hear the creaking of the gates opening. I shake my head and make my way down the gated street. I park on the street and walk up to Kellie’s gate, noticing her huge white mansion. The gate is sturdy, and there is no way I can break through it. I look at the side and see that the shrubs have a little space for someone to fit through. Walking over
, I squeeze through to the other side of the gate and let out a curse.
I walk over to the house and ring the doorbell. I don’t even know if she’s home, but I took a chance. The air needs to be cleared, and this is the only time I’m doing this. I hear footsteps coming closer to the door, the locks clinking, and then the door opens. Except it’s not Kellie; it’s the girl Cori.
“Hey,” I say from the outside. “I was wondering if Kellie was home.”
She smiles big and nods. “Yeah, she’s in the shower.” She steps to the side and lets me in. She closes the door behind me and locks it. “You can wait in the kitchen,” she says to me, and I follow her into the house, taking in the high ceilings in the foyer. I scan the pictures on the walls of her during her awards shows. Her face still looks the same as when she started. “Can I get you something to drink?” the woman asks when we get into the kitchen and I see papers all over the island.
“I’ll have a bottle of water if you have one.” I walk over to a stool and sit down on it. She comes back and hands me the water bottle.
Leaning her hip against the counter, she faces me. “You going to tell me why you’re really here?” I take the cap off my water and take a sip. “I hope you know that isn’t liquid courage in that bottle; it’s just H2O.”
Her snarky comment makes me put my head back and laugh. She comes over and sits on her stool in front of her computer, but I don’t have a chance to answer her because Kellie enters the room.
“Hey, look who dropped by,” Cori says with a smile plastered on her face, leaning back in her chair.
“I was in the neighborhood.” I smile at her and take in her appearance. She is wearing loose joggers and a shirt that goes off the shoulder. Her bare feet expose her hot pink toenails.
“You were in the neighborhood?” she asks and walks into the kitchen. “I find that really hard to believe.” Grabbing a plate from one of the cupboards and then opening the oven, she plates her own dinner of chicken and veggies. She looks at Cori. “Do you want some?”
Hollywood Princess Page 2
