To Hell and Back

by Leigha Taylor

  “Somehow she ended up there, Carson. I need you to tell me everything.”

  Carson shakes his head as if it will help clear his mind and takes a deep breath before getting back to his version of events.

  “After I talked to Madeline, I had a couple of hours to kill before I had to meet her at the warehouse. I ordered a pizza and put on a DVD of The Three Stooges. I was just sitting there, eating, when Madeline showed up. I didn’t even let her in. The door was unlocked and she scared the hell out of me by banging it open and stumbling inside. I told her she couldn’t be there, but she was really out of it. She had plenty to say about you and I told her I wouldn’t listen to it.”

  “I meant it when I said I want to know everything, Carson. I want to know what she said, every word of it.”

  “Brie, you don’t need to…”

  “Carson, please.”

  “Fine. When she came in, she was drunk and slurring her words. She asked if you were there…”

  “Carson,” she slurred. “Is she here?” Madeline looked around for any sign of Brie. “Ya know, if I was her, which – ick – I’m glad I’m not, but, if I was, I’d never leave you alone. Doesn’t she take care of you? I tried to get her to leave, you know. Your daddy said to leave you alone, but he’s wrong. I know what you need, Carson Malone. I’m the only one who can take care of you. She’s Wal-Mart and I’m Chanel. You deserve couture.”

  “Madeline,” I growled. “Watch it. Not another word against Brielle. I love her and I will not listen to it.”

  “I’ve told you to call me Maddie,” she dragged out the name as she smiled at me and stepped closer. “My friends say Maddie. You’re my friend. You could be more, but you’re being stupid.”

  “Okay, Maddie, listen. Why don’t we have this talk when you’re feeling a little more in control…?”

  She stepped right up to me and put her finger to my lips. I took a step back, but in the small space, she had me pretty much cornered. “I’m in control now, Car. Vroom! I want to take this Car for a very fast ride,” she giggled. “Let me show you how real women do it. Let me…”

  “Madeline, it’s time to go,” I told her as I reached for my phone. I dialed the car service and asked them to send someone over. “You can’t be here and you can’t talk like this.” I stepped around her to set my phone on the table as she reached for me. In her uncoordinated state, she missed completely and stumbled forward, catching her hand on the corner of a cupboard. She held it up and I could see the small trickle of blood making its way down her palm.

  “Car, baby, I’ve hurt myself. Kiss it for me?”

  “The best I can do is a bandage, Madeline.”

  “Maddie! Maddie, Maddie, Maddie,” she continued in a sing-song voice.

  “Okay, I get it. Maddie. Just stay here while I get a Band-Aid from the bathroom.”

  I should have known that leaving Madeline alone for even a second was a huge mistake, but I underestimated her ability to be manipulative and conniving even through the haze of alcohol. When I emerged from the bathroom, Band-Aid in hand, she was standing in my bedroom. The door was almost fully closed and I couldn’t see anything but darkness through the small opening. I handed Maddie the small fabric strip I’d already unwrapped, but she couldn’t seem to affix it to her palm properly so I took it from her and finished the job myself.

  “Thank you, Carrrrr,” she sang and jumped up, arms around my neck, legs around my waist. The force of her body catapulting into mine knocked me onto the bed. In a matter of seconds, I was sitting there with Madeline still wrapped around me like a deadly boa constrictor. I could smell the alcohol seeping from every pore of her body as she writhed against me. “How about that ride?”

  “Maddie, no. This can’t happen. You need to go home and sleep this off. I don’t want this, and I know you know that. I don’t think you want this, either. I’m just a familiar face. That doesn’t mean we have to be together. Brielle is the woman for me. She…”

  Madeline just laughed and waved away my words as if I were a foolish child. “We both know it’s always been us, Carson. She will never understand you, never understand your life. I know this life, I know you.”

  “Maddie, look. Brie will be back soon. You have to…” I got no further before Madeline’s lips were all over mine; wet, sloppy kisses surprising and repulsing me at the same time. I put my hands on her shoulders to push her back, but I when I heard a small voice asking “why”, I froze in place.

  I looked up in horror to see my angel standing in front of me, taking in this scene. My thoughts raced, she must know how wrong this is. She must understand that I would never do this, never betray her.

  “You told me she was lying,” Brie whispered. “You promised there was no truth to what she said. What was last night about? Is this what the girls’ night out was really for?” She asked with a spooky sort of calm to her voice. “If you wanted me out, you only had to ask.”

  Inside my head, I was screaming “No!” It took a moment for me to react, though, and to call out to her. “Angel…”

  But it was too late. Madeline stood in my way and Brie ran out the door before I could stop her. As I pushed past Madeline, she tried to hold me back, but I yanked her hands from my clothing before running out the door to try to stop Brie from running. I could just see her heading out the front gate of the parking lot as Madeline stumbled out the door after me.

  “Carson!” she yelled. “Carson Malone! You are mine. Do not go after that gold-digging little bitch. I will tell your father all about your little piece of white trash. I’ll tell him he was wrong to warn me to stay away from you. He doesn’t see how badly you need me.”

  I stepped toward her and she finally had the good sense to shut her mouth. I’d never lay my hand on a woman, ever, but I can imagine that in my jumble of emotions, not the least of which was rage, I must have looked pretty menacing. “You can tell my father anything you want, Madeline, as long as you tell him one thing from me. Tell him to go to hell.”

  I heard a car at the gate and turned to see the black Lincoln from the car service pulling into the lot. Madeline opened her mouth to say something, but seemed to think better of it. When the car came to a stop outside the trailer, I didn’t even give the driver a chance to get out before I opened the door and helped Madeline into her seat. I slammed the door and walked away without another glance at the woman who had just tried to ruin my life.

  “That’s it, Brie. That’s everything that happened. After she left, I tried to call you a thousand times. I talked to Daisy and then I called you another hundred times after that. Finally, when Daisy texted me to let me know where you were and that you were safe, I stopped. I wanted to let you rest and think and get some sleep.”

  “Carson, I…” The tears are pouring from my eyes and my breath catches when I try to speak. I’m so mad that Madeline would try again to come between us, but at the same time I’m angry with myself.

  “Carson, I’m so sorry.” I just manage the words between sobs.

  “Brie, Angel, why are you sorry?” He gets out of his chair to crouch beside mine, taking my hand and stroking it. “You’ve done nothing wrong.”

  “I shouldn’t have run, Carson. I should have stayed right there beside you. I’m so very sorry.”

  “Fuck, Angel, if it was me walking into that trailer, I’d have done at least what you did. Hell, any guy who would put his hands on you would be lucky to make it out of there alive. I’d like to think all I’d do is walk away and take time to process things, but, if I’m honest, it would probably get a lot uglier than that. I try not to be an asshole, Brie, but the possessiveness I feel where you’re involved is fierce. My instincts are to protect you first and ask questions later. It would have crushed me to see you in someone else’s arms, Angel, and I’ll never be able to tell you how sorry I am that you had to go through this. Forgive me?”

  “You have nothing to be sorry for, either. Madeline is a conniving bitch, but we’re too strong to let her
break us. I will not let her be the reason I lose the best thing that has ever happened to me.”

  Carson stands and pulls me up beside him. I’m covered in tears and I’m sure my face is a swollen mess, but he doesn’t seem to notice as he kisses me deeply. I’m enjoying the moment, but I pull away when something occurs to me.

  “Carson? Will she still be there when we get back? I don’t think I can stand to see her.”

  “I’ll make sure you don’t have to, Angel.”

  “Then let’s go home.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  Brielle

  I really do understand that Carson didn’t do anything wrong last night, but I’m still disgusted that Madeline was ever here. I pull every last bit of bedding from the mattress and bag it up to be washed. I clean and sanitize the bathroom, the dining room, and pretty much every other surface in the place, even if I know for certain she never touched them. The cleaning frenzy does something good for my soul, gives me a chance to settle down inside my head. The seething anger that boils inside of me every time I think of Madeline needed a constructive place to go. I know that a lot of what she did stemmed from mental issues and alcoholism, but I’ve spent enough time allowing alcohol to take the blame for the bad things in my life. I’m sure that, in time, I’ll forgive her for everything, but I’m just not ready yet.

  I’ve called Daisy and Sara to let them know that Carson and I are fine, and that it’s safe to return to their suite. Tom cancelled the morning schedule since there is no actress to work with at the moment, but there are other scenes scheduled for the afternoon. Carson and I both need to be back on set at two o’clock, giving us another two hours of freedom, even after my cleaning spree.

  Carson is in the bedroom, probably reading the newest murder mystery on his Kindle. I told him I needed some quiet time to myself, and he made himself scarce when we got back. Now that I’m calmer, I’m tired of being away from him. I just spent a long, torturous night without him and I want nothing more than to be as close as possible to him now. I silently strip away every stitch of clothing from my body and step into the bedroom. I smile when I see that Carson has made the bed up again with fresh sheets and pillowcases. He’s wrapped up in his novel, not noticing me until I clear my throat. He takes one look at me and sets the Kindle aside.

  “Angel, we don’t have to…” He begins to protest, but I interrupt him before he gets very far.

  “We never have to, Carson, but I want to. I want to make love to you. I want to lie next to you, touch you, and feel you inside me. Please?”

  “If I ever said no to that, I’d have to have myself committed. Get over here.” He smiles and pats the bed next to him.

  I climb in and we kiss and explore every inch of each other’s bodies before he finally begins moving inside me. He whispers loving sentiments into my ear and it’s the softest, sweetest lovemaking of my life. He slowly sinks into me over and over, hitting the perfect spot repeatedly as we fall over the edge together. Reality is left far beyond our door as we exist only in each other for a short, but incredible, time.

  Carson

  Brie and I walk hand in hand toward the warehouse the next morning. We’re set to meet with Tom and the producers to discuss casting Madeline’s replacement. It’s in our favor that there are so few scenes for this part, but we’re really under the gun to get someone here to start filming.

  The mood was tense yesterday when we arrived back on set. There are no secrets on a movie lot, especially when one of your actors disappears overnight. Brie and I were the subject of quite a few stares and whispered conversations before Tom took control of the situation.

  “She’s gone, people,” he announced to everyone within ear shot. “I know you all want to know what happened, and some of you probably think you already know, but the point is she’s gone. Madeline Young will not be returning to this set, and she will not be appearing in this film. You’ll all learn who her replacement will be as soon as it’s decided and it’s really none of your business beyond that. If we could all focus now and get back to work, I’d appreciate it.”

  We’re all used to Tom addressing us as a group; he is in charge of pretty much everything around here, after all. This time, though, it’s different. The tone of Tom’s voice leaves no question that he means business. The looks and the whispers are non-existent from that point on and things begin to return to some version of normal.

  After weeding through a stack of head shots and contacting various agents to see who is available, we finally decide on Chloe Brooks for the part. We speak with her agent several times over the course of the morning, and she’ll arrive on set sometime tonight.

  I’ve worked with Chloe before; she had a recurring role on the second season of Stonewall High. She’s a cast member on a new series now, but they’re on hiatus for another month, so the timing works out perfectly. Chloe is a sweet, quiet girl who has been dating the same guy since they were in seventh grade. I’ve met him several times and they’re like an adorable old married couple. It’s not at all why we chose her, but it’s another point in her favor, and I think she’s a choice Brie will be happy with.

  Brielle

  I’m a little nervous to meet this new addition to the cast. Carson has assured me all day that this is nothing like the previous situation, but until I meet this girl for myself, I’m not convinced.

  Lucy is picking Chloe and her boyfriend up from the airport right now, and I’m trying to get ready for the small welcome reception Tom has planned. I should be overjoyed that this actress comes complete with a boyfriend of her own, but I still feel the need to look my best. I finally choose a sleeveless yellow shift dress with a skirt that ends just above my knees. It’s tight enough to accentuate my curves without edging into slutty territory. It’s classy and I feel confident in it. Carson laughed when he saw the pile of clothes I’d discarded on the bed, but I shooed him away and continued my obsessive quest to look just right this evening.

  I pair the dress with brown leather wedges and twist my hair into a quick up do, silently thanking Daisy for teaching me this little trick. I’ve just finished when Carson peeks into the bathroom to tell me it’s time to go. He gives a low whistle and tells me that all my primping has paid off before hurrying me out the door with a gentle pat on my ass.

  Tom is keeping this reception low-key, so we only have to go as far as the crew lounge. We’re all assuming Chloe and Cole, I’ve learned the boyfriend’s name, will be exhausted when they get here. It’s not every day you wake up at home, then get a part in a movie, fly from Texas to Pennsylvania, and end up on the set all before you go to bed that night.

  The food is being catered by the same Italian place that made dinner for Carson and I the other night, and I can’t wait to get my hands on more of that bruschetta. A few of the guys from the crew are in a band, so Tom hired them at the last second to perform some of their classic rock while we eat and socialize.

  There are only about fifteen of us here, and this is everyone except the guests of honor. Carson asked Tom about a couple of other cast people we thought might be here, but the director said he didn’t want to overwhelm the poor girl, so he kept the guest list to a minimum. She will be introduced to everyone else tomorrow morning.

  Adam and Kate are among the people attending tonight and I head over to chat with them when Carson and Tom start talking shop. Kate raves about my appearance and gives me a hug. We were both here this afternoon, but there was really no time to talk about any of the personal stuff I’ve been going through.

  “Thank God everything is okay, Brie,” she gushes. “It’s none of my business what really happened, but I heard the rumors just like everyone else and I’m happy to see you two together. The She-Devil is gone and my beloved script is safe.”

  We all laugh, but there is a huge element of truth to what she’s saying.

  “What will you do about all the changes she demanded?” I ask the writers. I know they agonized over each word as they made the changes,
wanting to do what was asked of them while still maintaining the integrity of the story itself.

  “Ditch the whole lot,” Adam answers for both of them. “It was fine the way it was and I’m happy to go back to it.”

  “I do think we might keep one bit, though, don’t you,” Kate turns to him. “I particularly like that one part, how does it go? ‘Perfection is simple. It’s pure, unconditional love. I can’t think of a more perfect thing.’ Yeah, I think we’ll keep that line.”

  “Yeah, that one’s okay,” Adam teases as I beam at them in excitement.

  “Are you serious?” I practically shout. It’s a line I came up with one night when I stayed to go over the changes with them. They’ve been great about listening to my ideas and taking my opinions seriously, but this is the only line I’ve directly contributed to the script. I’m thrilled that they’re keeping it in. I hug them both and excuse myself to tell Carson the news. He’s excited for me and I throw my arms around him, but our celebratory kiss is interrupted by Chloe’s arrival. I stiffen as she walks in, leaning in to Carson possessively. I feel his chest move as he laughs quietly at me.

  Chloe is tiny and beautiful, her dark curly hair pulled back from her face in a casual ponytail. She has on distressed jeans and a Texas A&M sweatshirt, telling me she really wasn’t expecting a welcome party. She doesn’t seem to mind, though, she seems happy to be here. She enters the room hand-in-hand with Cole, who is adorable; he may not be Hollywood sexy, but he’s handsome in his own right. He and Chloe move fluidly around each other, it’s instantly obvious that they are a matched set. I relax as I watch them introduce themselves to Tom, who in turn introduces them to two of the producers. Chloe’s smile is warm and inviting and before I even meet her I begin to relax. The atmosphere in this place is worlds away from what it was like with Madeline here, and I can see I’ve been worrying for nothing.