Front & Center (Book 2 of the Back-Up Series)

by A. m Madden

  “Jeez, he’s back to being grumpy Hunter.”

  “I can’t blame him. He misses Amanda.” I check my appearance and move towards the door. “Ready?”

  “Yep, I love you.”

  I crack the door wide enough to see no one has arrived yet. Two steps out of the bathroom and Hunter scolds, “Knock it off. You’re going to screw everything up if you aren’t careful.”

  “Relax. No one’s here yet.” Jack says, as Hunter paces around the room. “What’s wrong with you?”

  “Nothing.” He snips.

  Jack and I exchange a glance. I walk over to take Hunter’s hand and lead him towards a couch. “Something’s wrong.”

  He nods, with a firm “Yes.”

  “Is it Mandi?”

  “We had a huge fight. She won’t answer her phone.” He abruptly stands and starts pacing again.

  “What about?”

  “She had dinner with her ex.”

  “So?” Jack asks clueless.

  “SO.” He repeats with bulging eyes, like we are totally missing the obvious. “They ended things on good terms. She’s there, I’m here, and I’m not happy about it. I told her so and I told her I didn’t want her seeing him. Things pretty much went down the shitter from there.” He starts pacing again. “What the fuck? If there’s nothing going on, then she would have no problem doing as I asked, right?” he directs his question to me.

  “Hunter, I’m sure nothing is going on. She’s probably upset because she thinks you don’t trust her.” He stares at me as if I just said that last statement in a foreign language.

  “That’s not it.”

  “Did you tell her you do trust her?”

  “No.”

  “Then she probably thinks you don’t.”

  Trey walks over and sits across from us. He points to his crotch and brags, “My balls are still intact and attached.”

  “Fuck off, Trey.”

  “Just sayin’.”

  “Hunter, you need to apologize and tell her you trust her. You could be pushing her right back into his arms.”

  I’ve never seen Hunter look so lost, confused, and sad before. He must really care about Amanda. He also must have upset her, because she isn’t the type to be spiteful.

  With that, the door flings open with the first of our fans to arrive.

  “You’ll call her in the morning and work it out.” I add quietly.

  He nods solemnly. “Thanks, Lei.”

  No sooner do I turn from Hunter than I see a swarm of females around Jack. He looks over at me and smirks.

  Fucking Awesome.

  The first hour of a meet and greet is like a feeding frenzy. Evan and Lizzy left shortly after they arrived, wanting to avoid becoming road kill. Every person in the room wants to be sure they get their pictures, their autographs, their free stuff, before they can actually settle in and enjoy themselves. Once that’s over, a different aura fills the room. As they feel more comfortable, they get downright ballsy.

  I’m standing at the bar, waiting for my Diet Coke, and two guys come up beside me. “Hi, Leila.”

  They flank me on both sides and I turn my head from one to the other. “Hi. You guys having fun?”

  “Yeah, this is awesome. You guys really rocked it tonight. I’m Drew, this is Jason.”

  “Nice to meet you, Drew and Jason.” I take my drink and start to walk away.

  “Wait, can we get a picture?”

  “Sure.”

  Jason steps away, with his phone poised and ready. Drew stands close and wraps an arm around my shoulders. Jack is watching like a hawk from across the room. Once the picture is taken, Drew asks, “I have a bet with my buddies. Would you mind a kiss?”

  “Um. No, I don’t think so. Sorry.”

  “Oh come on. It would mean the world to me. I have a hundred bucks riding on this. They know I have a huge crush on you. Please? Just a peck on the cheek, how’s that?”

  “Um, Ok.”

  Drew stares into the camera and just as I move in to kiss his cheek, he turns and meets my lips with his.

  “What the hell?” I shove him away, and he raises his hands apologetically.

  “Sorry, it was a reflex. Honest.”

  In one swift motion, Jack has his hands wrapped in the guy’s t-shirt and thrusts him up against the wall.

  “Shit, man, it was just a little kiss.”

  “Get the fuck out.” He sneers and then releases him.

  Oscar and Dylan appear immediately. “What happened?”

  “This asshole was just leaving.”

  Jack turns to Jason. “Give me the phone.” Jason wordlessly hands his phone over to Jack. A few seconds later, Jack hands it back.

  Drew suddenly grows some balls and antagonizes Jack. “She’s not yours anymore, dude. Maybe she liked it.”

  Jack grabs Drew’s shirt and pulls back with his fist.

  “Jack, no.” I latch onto his arm, as it’s in mid-air. He looks down and composes himself.

  He releases Drew and snarls, “Get out.”

  Oscar takes Drew’s arm and leads him out of the room. On the way out, Jason looks mortified while Drew looks smug.

  “Bye, Leila. I love you.”

  Jack faces Dylan. “Great, I’m sure that prick will be blabbing about this within the hour.”

  “Don’t worry about it. You just gave him a fantastic story to tell his friends. It would have been a whole different story if you had punched him though.”

  “Yeah, I lost my head for a second.” Jack runs his hand down his face in frustration. “When is this over? I want out.”

  “We’ll wrap it up.” Dylan pats Jack on the back. “Go have a drink.”

  He walks away, leaving me at the bar. The incident changed the mood of the crowd. They are all cognizant of his or her behavior, not wanting to be thrown out as well. Even so, some of the girls still had the audacity to try and solicit Jack. He wasn’t his usual flirty self. He was downright nasty towards them.

  Soon after, Dylan and Will rounded everyone up. “Thanks for coming tonight. The band really appreciates your support.” They waste no time in ushering the crowd out of the room. Once every last person is gone, Dylan shuts the door leaving us alone.

  Jack sits heavily, releasing a burst of breath. “Fuck. I could have easily beaten that motherfucker to a bloody pulp.” He pinches the bridge of his nose, while squeezing his eyes shut.

  I sit next to him and take his hand in mine. “None of us would have let you. Babe, I’m

  sorry.”

  “What for?”

  “I let that asshole convince me to kiss his cheek for a picture.”

  He throws me a stern look and responds, “Yeah, um…don’t do that again.” He bends to kiss me gently and then adds, “Ever.”

  The guys join us on the couches just as Dylan comes back into the room, shutting and locking the door behind him.

  “You ok?”

  “Yep.”

  He pulls up a chair to complete our circle. “Did Leila have a chance to tell you what we found out?”

  Jack remembers what I said earlier. “No, not yet.”

  I move closer and wrap my arms around him as he kisses my cheek. I turn towards Dylan. “Tell him. He needs some good news.”

  “The document Jessa sent you is fake.”

  Jack looks from me to Dylan. “What?”

  “She didn’t use the lab on the letterhead. She sent the samples out in the mail. She could have sent anyone’s samples, claiming it was yours.”

  “So, it’s not mine?”

  “Well, it still could be. But this definitely opens the possibility that it’s not.”

  “That bitch.”

  Someone knocks on the door and Dylan opens it to let Oscar in.

  “You ok?” He repeats Dylan’s words to Jack, as he walks towards us.

  “I’m good.”

  “I know you’re exhausted, but we should go over your meeting tomorrow.”

  “Yeah, ok.” He re
sponds lethargically. I can see how tired he is. All this bullshit has taken its toll on him. When I glance at the rest of our band, I can see it has taken its toll on them as well. It makes me wonder if all rock bands go through crap like this. Is there always some lowlife waiting in the wings, trying to take you down? Is that the price of fame? I want no part of it, if it is.

  Oscar says to the rest of us, “You guys can head out to the hotel. Chuck is a security guard here at the arena. He’ll be escorting you.”

  Hunter stands and stretches. “What a fucking night, huh?”

  I turn to face Jack. “Do you want me to stay?”

  “No, babe. You’re exhausted. Go get some sleep.”

  I kiss him and stand reluctantly. I want to be part of this conversation, but I’d rather not know the specifics. “Good luck. Don’t let her aggravate you. Don’t give her any ammunition. Please.”

  He nods. “I’ll be good. I promise.”

  “I love you.”

  “I love you, too.”

  I walk towards Hunter, and he wraps an arm around my shoulder. He looks back at Jack as we walk out the door and mocks, “I’m just hugging a friend. Don’t hit me.”

  Jack shakes his head and flips him off.

  “Are you ok?” I ask Hunter on our way to the waiting van.

  “No. But I’ll call her and apologize my ass off and then hopefully everything will be good again.”

  “Aren’t relationships fun?” I tease.

  “Why would anyone want to go through all this crap? It’s so not worth it.” Trey puts his two cents in.

  “Shut up, Trey.” Scott says, as we pile into the van. “You have no idea what you are talking about. It is worth it. To have someone by your side, having your back no matter what, who would do anything in the world for you…all fucking worth it.”

  “I’m telling you Trey. One of these days you are going to fall hard, and I can’t wait to be there.” Hunter adds.

  “Yeah, ok. Keep waiting.”

  Hunter and I exchange a glance. “Mark my words.” He whispers to me. I can’t help but wonder if Trey already has fallen hard, and the rejection he received is what hardened his tattooed heart.

  The van is quiet on the short ride to the hotel. Once we each escape to our rooms, I first feel how exhausted I truly am. I thought I would be up pacing all night, worried about Jack seeing Jessa tomorrow. But the minute my head hits the pillow, I’m out.

  Chapter 17 - Jack

  Watching her stroll across the café like she owns the place instantly ignites the rage I’ve been harboring inside. It’s literally smoldering in my chest and slowly creeping to the back of my throat. She looks exactly the same…cold and bitchy. There’s no warmth, no spark, no nothing. What the fuck did I ever see in her?

  Her pregnant belly is clearly visible. She’s smaller than I thought she would be. She’s probably starving the kid to avoid gaining weight. When she reaches my table, she smiles cunningly. I can’t wait to wipe the grin off her face.

  “Hello, Jack.”

  “Jessa.”

  “You look well.” She says, as she takes the seat across from me. Right behind her head I can see Oscar having his lunch while reading the paper. He glances up quickly to make eye contact.

  “What do you want?”

  “Charming as ever, I see.”

  “You’re lucky I’m here. I don’t have time for this or you.”

  “That’s a shame. Because I have a lot to say.”

  “So say it.”

  “What are we going to do about our predicament?” She asks coyly.

  “I don’t know what you mean.”

  “I’m going to be incurring a lot of expenses. I can’t do this alone. You said you would be there financially for the baby. After thinking it through, my pride needs to take a back seat to the welfare of my child.”

  I keep my best poker face on, even though my muscles are coiled as if watching my prey and I am waiting to attack. “What is it you’re looking for?”

  “I feel half now and half after the baby is born would be the best course to take.”

  “And what price tag did you put on your child?”

  She widens her eyes as if insulted. “Our child. This has nothing to do with that. I cannot care for him without your help.”

  “You could, if you got a job.”

  “Are you retracting your offer?”

  “Possibly.”

  She takes in a deep breath, as if she is trying to cage her anger. “I’ve always known you to be a coward. Running away from our relationship was one thing. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised you are now running away from your responsibilities.”

  “I still don’t believe it’s mine. Until I have solid proof, I will not give you one red cent.”

  She leans back and crosses her arms. “You’ll use any excuse you can. I’ve proved you are the father. You can try to deny it, but it is what it is.”

  “Or not.” I pull a copy of the paternity results out from my back pocket and smooth it out on the table. “Let’s talk about your proof.” I level her with my glare. She is doing a fantastic job at keeping her cool, except for the tiny vein that visibly throbs at her temple.

  “So, tell me how this went down.” When she remains silent, I continue. “Ok, I’ll recap and you tell me if I’m right. You walked into,” I look down to read the name of the lab on the letterhead, “Stemcorp. Correct?”

  She rolls her eyes annoyingly as if I’m wasting her time. “You carried my sperm in what, a Tupperware container?”

  When she doesn’t respond, I smile and persist with my scenario. “You walked up to the front desk and asked for a paternity test of the contents? And they complied readily?”

  Now I fold my arms and sit back, waiting for her to speak. When she doesn’t, I add, “I can sit here all day. For this, I don’t mind wasting my time.”

  “What do you want from me?”

  “The truth. I happen to know you cannot order a paternity test like a Happy Meal. So who’s sperm did you send in the mail for your bargain basement results?”

  She sits across from me, mimicking my position and not saying a word.

  “Nothing? Suddenly you are speechless? I thought you had a lot to say?” I lean forward and boast, “I am so onto you. Is it my baby?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Jessa, I want you to tell me the truth right now or I walk out that door. I will contact the police claiming you tried to extort money from me and you falsified this test.”

  She takes in a shaky breath and levels me with her stone cold gaze. “It’s either yours or Danny’s.”

  “Now we are getting somewhere. Why the hell did you get involved with that fucking lunatic?”

  She pauses, probably debating in her head what she should say. I prod her willingly. “I’m warning you…speak or I’m gone.”

  “Max was having a bad time last year. Danny got him hooked on heroin. He owed Danny a lot of money. I paid some of his debt. I thought I could handle Danny and control him. As you know, he is not a bright person. I was buying time until I came up with a better plan.”

  I barely blink. I don’t want to give her an excuse to stop her confession. “After some time, Danny was losing his patience and threatened Max and my mom’s safety.”

  “Why didn’t you go to the police?”

  “He said being in jail would be worth the satisfaction he got from hurting us.”

  “Jesus.”

  “One night, he was high on crack, spewing all the things he wanted to do to you for kicking him out of Devil’s Lair. I told him it was his own fault. He became a raving lunatic. He slapped me around. Not bad enough to send me to the hospital, but just enough to scare the crap out of me. As he was hitting me, he told me he’d do worse if he got his hands on you. The entire time all I could think of was you. I always felt you and I weren’t done yet. I felt we belonged together. I loved you so much. I still do, even if it is unrequited.”

  “You love me
so much, and yet you want to fuck with my life?”

  “I’m helping you.” She ignores my incredulous look and adds, “I derailed him. I convinced him the best way to get back at you was to ruin your life, not take it. The night we ran into each other wasn’t an accident. I planned on sleeping with you and I did. I was also having sex with Danny as well. I figured one of you would get me pregnant.”

  “There’s the Jessa I know.”

  She smirks at my comment. “I knew what I had to do.”

  “So the crap you told me about freezing my sperm?”

  “Didn’t happen. I wish I had thought of it sooner and not when it was too late. I really don’t know if it’s yours or Danny’s. When I did become pregnant, I knew my plan would work. You’d help me financially. I would be tied to you for the rest of our lives. I could get Danny out of my life. Hell, maybe you would even fall back in love with me in the process. You did love me before.”

  “No, I did not.”

  “I feel otherwise.”

  I clench my jaw, feeling my control slipping away.

  “When I came to tell you my happy news, I wasn’t prepared to hear that you had fallen in love since the night we were together. Of all people, you?”

  “Karma’s a bitch, like you.”

  She goes on as if she didn’t hear me. “Danny was livid. He didn’t agree with my plan and wanted me to have an abortion. After he slapped me around some more, I convinced him this baby was his cash ticket. Based on your love confession, I had to revise. I could have easily panicked, but I had too much at stake.”

  “So he knows you are here trying to get money out of me?”

  “It’s the only thing that’s been keeping him patient.”

  “This isn’t good for you. I’m not paying you a penny until I know if this child is mine.”

  “I don’t have a doubt he will hurt me. If I come back without money, he will lose it.”

  “Then hide out and get some help.”

  The ice around Jessa’s heart slowly starts to melt as her eyes well up with tears. But then again, it could be an act. “He’ll find me. You must care about me enough to not want this to happen.”

  “You can’t be serious. I should call the police right now. You tried to ruin my life!” I glance around the café after realizing that I raised my voice. Oscar watches from his table.