“I’m taking you home. You shouldn’t drive.” This time it was hot hubby Rob. The senator stood by my side, and the determined look on his face said he wasn’t taking no for an answer.
We drove in silence. The highway was clear and dark. His elbow grazed against me for an instant, then he made sure it didn’t happen again. I stared out the window and hoped he didn’t ask me any questions.
“So what happened back there?”
I pushed my seat back and closed my eyes. “I lost my temper. She’s probably going to sue me or something.”
“A lot of hostility going around these days. Jory told me what happened to Mya at school. Is there anything I can do?”
“No. I wouldn’t want to get you involved. I know you have a lot of clout at Whitherspoon, but this is something I have to deal with.”
We exited, then came to a stoplight. “Were you fighting over your husband?” Robert stared straight ahead. But when the light turned green he still stayed put.
“It’s green,” I said. “And yes, I guess you could say we were fighting over my husband. I’m a complete fool.”
“Complete,” he said before stepping slowly on the gas. “But it’s every man’s fantasy.”
“Really?”
“It’s true.”
“In the last few days I’ve learned more about men than I really wanted to know. Please spare me any more special information.”
“Just one more thing … I wish it was me you were fighting over.”
“Got news for you, I’d go into a ring with Hulk Hogan before I put on the gloves with your wife, Holly.”
He laughed before reaching out and taking my hand. “Stay out of the ring, period. These little hands weren’t meant for boxing.”
By the time we pulled up to my house, we were singing to Marvin Gaye’s greatest hits. Robert sang his part to “Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing.” I clapped before joining in as Tammy Terrell. He did a slight bow. That’s when I saw Jake, his face enraged in the window. When Robert’s head came up he saw my look of shock and turned to see Jake too.
“What the hell … you scared me.” Robert let the window down. “How ya doing, Jake?”
Jake completely ignored him. “Get out of the car.”
“Thank you for the ride home,” I said graciously.
“Anytime.”
“No. See, that’s where you’re wrong. Not anytime. Not ever,” Jake announced.
I jumped out and ran to the other side. “What do you think you’re doing? Ohmigod, this is Jory’s dad.”
“I know who he is.”
I leaned into the window. “I’m so sorry. I’m … please,” I said, hoping Robert knew it was best he left quickly.
He straightened his collar and started his engine. “Take care,” he said to me before driving off.
“I can’t believe you just did that to Jory’s dad.”
“Don’t play that mess with me,” Jake said. “I look out the window and all I see is teeth and gums. You leave here dressed like that, then roll up with that dude. I’m sick of him sniffing around you like I don’t have a clue. I’m not stupid.”
“What you are is a hypocrite. I’m tired,” I said unequivocally. “Tired.” I started walking to the front door.
“How is this about me?”
“Robert drove me home because I had a bathroom brawl with your girlfriend. I’m not even going to say her name because you know damn well who I’m talking about. And if you say her name, I’m going to take this shoe I’m wearing and clock you over the head with it. Tired. Through. Kaput. Finished. We are done doing the blame game. No more accusations. You make some choices and they better be the right ones.”
Jake stood in front of me with an incredulous look on his face. Only when he saw my mouth quiver and scanned the rest of me, did he soften up and pull me in for a gentle hug. “Baby, damn. Damn. Are you all right?”
“I’m tired, you hear me?” I blubbered into his shoulder.
He held me tighter.
I moaned.
“We need to get you to a hospital. You might have a broken rib.”
“No, it’s not. It just feels sore.”
“Baby, I’m sorry.”
“Me too,” I said, making my way into the house and up the stairs slowly. The pain was only beginning. By morning I wouldn’t be able to get out of bed. He scooped me up and carried me. I rested my head on his chest, and wished I’d been better than this. The embarrassment all came rushing back. I wept into my pillow.
The next morning Jake brought me two Advil tablets and water. “Your mom is getting Mya ready for school.”
The sunlight was already bright in the bedroom. I squinted and winced from both the daylight and the pain. “No. I don’t want her going to school today.” I rose up slowly on my elbows. He tucked the pillows underneath me for support. “I’m waiting to hear back from the principal at the school.”
“This is all my fault.”
“No, what those girls did to Mya is not your fault. It’s theirs. Then I’m no better, wrestling in the ladies’ bathroom.”
“What’d she say to make you go off like that?”
“It doesn’t matter. I shouldn’t have reacted that way. I think that guy, that bodyguard, would’ve killed me if Vin hadn’t come in. He’s a bouncer there, moonlighting.” I knew I was babbling. Nervous chatter. My karma checks and balances were weighing heavily on the negative side. I’d never get ahead. The cloud of doom hovering over me refused to go away.
“I guess he was just doing his job.” I was welling up again. “Look at us. What are we, Bobby and Whitney?” I shook my head. “I feel like we sold our souls to the devil. So we have to put up with her for your film career, and the next movie, and the next? It’s not worth it. In Bloom is doing well. We don’t need—”
“We’re supposed to begin shooting on the new film in a few months. But if you want me to pull out, you know I will. I just have to give back the money.”
“How much … I mean, what are our souls worth these days?” I sniffed and patted my wet eyes.
“Two mil. Plus they want me to produce another track. That’s what I was working on yesterday in the studio.”
“Two million dollars?” I folded my arms over my chest, which probably still had the big bodyguard’s imprint. “Who needs a soul when you gotta eat, right?”
“So you’d give me up for a couple of mil, is that what you’re saying?”
I tilted my head and hunched my shoulders. Seriously, his eyes asked.
“I’d never give you up. Not for all the money in the world.”
“Ahuh,” he said before kissing my forehead. “But you have to roll with the punches. You can’t let every little thing printed or caught through a lens make you believe any of that mess is true.”
“The lens caught you nearly butt naked, Jake.”
“Nothing happened. You have to trust me.” He kissed my hand like the deal was done. “So two mil, that’s all I’m worth?”
I shook my head. “You’re priceless.” When he left the room I folded myself back into the fluffy sheets and wished I could start the entire week over. But I knew there was nothing I could do except start right where I was. Move forward. Somehow, get through the next film with Sirena. Somehow, swallow my pride and keep my head high all at the same time. Lofty goals. But I’d have to make it through. It wasn’t about the money. I didn’t want my insecurities to come between Jake and his career.
Tell It to the Mountain
“Hi, Daddy.”
“Hey, you all right?”
“I’m fine.” Sirena gave her standard answer. But Larry could’ve guessed she was hardly fine, because she rarely called him daddy. And even if she did, it was to manipulate him. Either way, he didn’t mind, as long as she called. “I think it’s time I told the truth.”
“Did someone find out?” he asked, assuming that was the only way she’d ever open the door to her past.
“No one found out.”
>
“Then why? Why now? You’ve gone this long.”
“Jake. He deserves to know.”
“So you’re doing this for him. Nothing to do with you, or what you want?” Why did he bother to pose it as a question when it was obviously an accusation? He knew one thing about his daughter: Her need to be famous, to rise to the top, took priority over everything and everyone else. Putting someone else first would be an anomaly, not likely to happen, and if it did, it was by accident.
“I’ve always cared about Jay. I thought he hated me for so long, I stayed out of his life. I never tried to contact him. But last year, seeing him face-to-face, and spending all this time with him, I see he could never hate me. No matter what, there’ll always be the connection between us.”
“I don’t know.” Larry Lassiter exhaled sharply. “I don’t know if this is smart.”
“Well, now who’s the selfish one?” Sirena asked. “You’re always telling me I’m just like my mother, that I don’t do nothing that doesn’t satisfy me first, and now when I want to do the right thing, you’re thinking about your damn self,” she huffed.
“I have always done what you wanted.”
“Because I’ve paid you to do what I wanted. You wouldn’t be taking care of Christopher if I wasn’t paying you.”
“I took that boy as my own from the day he was born. Don’t you tell me I wouldn’t be there for him, money or no money. He knows me as his pop, period. I’m his father.”
“No … Dad. He’s my son.”
“But is he JP’s son? You still don’t know. And now you want to risk him the heartache, coming forward as his mother, and disrupting his life.”
“You have never cared nothing about me. I hate you.” Sirena hung up before he could say more to try and change her mind. She knew what she had to do.
“Leshawn,” she yelled at the top of her lungs.
“Where’s the fire?” Leshawn stood wide-legged at the foot of Sirena’s bed.
“I need a flight to Detroit.”
“You going to see your dad?” she asked, not believing what she was hearing. “Wow, he didn’t really have a heart attack for real this time, did he?”
“No. The man is healthy, too healthy. He’s never going anywhere.” Only then did Sirena realize the truthfulness behind that statement. Her father would never give Christopher up. He’d fight her, and use her own money to do it. “Get me a first-class ticket for tomorrow morning.”
Leshawn still hadn’t moved, waiting for the answer as to why she was going.
“Mind your damn business and get me a flight out of here.”
“But you have the interview tomorrow with Life ’N’ Style magazine.”
“Whatthahell, didn’t I just do an interview with them? Cancel it.”
Leshawn flapped her arms. “You’re in need of some serious anger management.”
“Get out.” She had planning to do. First step was to get Christopher. Second, she’d show that little wifey who held the winning card. Coming after her like some banshee from hell. Miss Venus was in for a real awakening. Jay would see Christopher and know instantly he was their son. Know instantly where he belonged, and to whom.
“So now you’re going to be known for scrapping in the women’s bathroom with ex-lovers’ wives.” Earl stopped short of calling her a few choice names. The embarrassment of the situation made his eyes hurt. He took off his glasses and rubbed the dry itchiness.
“She put her hands on me, first.” Sirena was out of breath, moving through the airport. Nervous about missing her flight to Detroit. The five-inch ankle boots didn’t help. “She is one crazy nutcase. I don’t know how JP puts up with her.”
Earl was thinking the same about his own situation—how much longer he could put up with Sirena. They’d been together for eight months. Men didn’t usually count, but for some reason he’d been marking a calendar, day by day.
“What do you want to do about it?” That’s all he wanted to know. He didn’t have time for the emotional rant. “Now would be a good time to get him off the film we just signed. No harm, no foul.”
“I don’t want him off the film.” She calmed instantly. “That’s not what I want at all.”
“I bet,” Earl sarcastically teased. “What you want is obvious.” He was bitter and not ashamed to show it.
“Oh please, I am telling you, this has nothing to do with me. She’s crazy. She just attached her fingers to my head like some kind of bat out of hell. She’s jealous of me, pure and simple. I tried to explain we were friends, just friends.”
And I’m the tooth fairy, Earl thought.
“Ah sir, you can only go through with two carry-ons.” The security guard had put a hand up to stop Quincy.
“He’s carrying my bags, and his.” Sirena was close behind, nearly bumping into her bodyguard. She turned her attention back to her phone call. “Earl, baby, isn’t there something we can do?”
“Walk away, now. This kind of thing can hurt your career, your reputation. Your fanbase won’t take kindly to you breaking up a marriage.”
“How am I breaking up a marriage? Huh? What do I have to do with their marriage?” She knew she was getting loud. Quincy put up a hand to try and warn her to keep it down.
“I’m looking out for you. I’m just telling you,” Earl said into the phone.
“You’re telling me what, exactly?”
“Leave her alone. Walk away. The box-office numbers are rising every weekend for True Beauty, which is unheard of. You don’t want to bring that crashing down by being the ‘other woman.’ ”
“How am I the other woman when I’m engaged to you?”
“Good question,” he said, and left it at that. He had nothing else to say on the subject. The phone line went dead.
Forty Acres and a Child
Sirena tossed her phone in the tray and waited in line for her pat down. The airport security recognized her as always and would make sure to find an excuse to pull her to the side anyway. Cheap thrills. Female assist, my ass.
The metal detector beeped. “You might want to take off your bracelet,” the wavy-haired man offered. He gave her an approving up-and-down glance.
She rolled her eyes. “Sure, whatever.” She went back through. This time, no beep.
“Bag check,” one of the others yelled from the belt, holding up her brand-new Fendi.
“I’m sick of you nosy people,” she growled. “You want to rummage through my stuff just to say you did.”
Quincy stood by her side. “Calm down, Peacock.” His demeanor was less on edge. He was used to the harassment.
The blue gloves came over carrying her bag. “May I?” he asked as if she had a right to say no. He shoved both hands in and came up with prescription bottles. He held them up one at a time and shook them. “You’ve got quite an arsenal,” the smart-mouthed security guard quipped.
“Is it your damn business? Hurry up before I miss my flight.” She felt a camera or two pointed at her back. Somewhere there’d be a picture, zeroed in on the yellow bottles. Names printed out clear as a bell. Oxycontin, a high-dose pain medication. Vicodin, slightly useless, at least for her system. And Prozac, which she refused to take though it had been prescribed to her on many occasions.
He zipped her purse back up and handed it to her. “Enjoy your flight.”
“Screw you.”
“Peacock, they’re just doing their job.”
“Yeah, but they only want to do their job when they think it’s going to garner a little bit of attention. You know how many people got prescriptions in their purse, everybody. But they want to put all my business in the street.”
“Why do you have all that stuff anyway? You don’t use it.” Quincy’s attitude had been adjusted after that old dude nearly broke his head in the ladies’ bathroom. He had calmed down and become a bit more cautious. She hadn’t prepared for him to ask her about the medications.
“My back has been bothering me,” she answered quickly. “Ever sinc
e I got back from New York, you know when I had to sit on the tarmac for four hours … now just the thought of sitting up straight for a three-hour flight makes my back hurt.”
Quincy seemed satisfied. She wasn’t concerned if he believed her or not. He was loyal and would never turn on her. Besides, she hadn’t planned on hurting her father, just giving herself enough time to get Christopher out of school and on a plane. Her father would wake up and have to accept the fact the boy was gone. She was his mother, regardless of what the sealed adoption record said. She would always be his mother.
On the Other Foot
Sirena and JP’s on-screen chemistry was hot. Real hot. Almost too good. Earl could understand how JP’s wife may have lost her cool. Sirena could punch every button, leave fingerprints, and swear it wasn’t her. But Earl never really cared about Sirena’s true personality, only the one on-screen.
“I want her out of the way so JP and I can work together. Isn’t there something you can do?” Sirena had whined when he first answered the phone. “I’ve got to keep her out of my hair.” She paused and waited. “What the hell is so funny?”
Earl Benning normally didn’t laugh. There were few things funny in this world. Here he was still wiping the remnants from his eyes. He’d laughed so hard it brought him to tears. “Keeping her out of your hair …” he sputtered. “That video circulating with you getting your ass whooped … did you see the last seconds where the camera panned down on the weave left behind?” Earl had to straighten himself out. “You need to take care of that.”
“Can you write it in his contract,” she asked, refusing to be swayed from why she’d called in the first place, “saying his wife has to stay clear of me, and him, while he’s working?”
Unheard of. “Sirena. Listen, don’t get involved with him and his wife, or I promise you it’s going to backfire.”
“I’m not … look, fine, but if she makes one derogatory statement about me, or even looks my way, I will have Quincy finish what he started.”
Un-Nappily in Love Page 17
