Piper: A Last Score Spin Off

by K. L. Shandwick

  Gibson looked at Simon like he was about to say let’s go find the bastard and I crouched in front of Gibson placing my hand on his forearm. “I really love you and Chloe. Melody is my sister for life, but you’ve got to let me make my own decisions. If Simon hurts me, then I accept I’ve been warned.”

  “I’m never gonna hurt you, baby,” Simon muttered immediately.

  “You say that now, Si, and I get that this may be a bit different from how you normally operate, but Piper’s so young and with her background it isn’t the same,” Gibson said, and I knew he was talking from his experience with Chloe. But I wasn’t Chloe and each of our experiences shapes us differently.

  Simon sighed, like he was tired but knew Gibson’s heart was in the right place. “Not in my eyes, Gibson. Yeah, she’s got youth, but she’s an incredible young woman and I’ve had strong feelings about her for a long time.”

  “And you pounced on her at the first opportunity. She’s been here a little over a week for fuck’s sake.”

  “He did no such thing. And not that it’s any of your business, but we haven’t slept together and that’s not because I won’t. Simon’s the one who thinks we need to take it slow to make sure it’s what I want,” I snapped.

  Gibson’s eyes widened, his eyes darting to Simon like he was surprised, and he ran his hands through his hair. It was clear he hated the whole conversation.

  My eyes softened again because as frustrating as the situation was, the man in front of me had sworn to my mom to protect me and I was eternally grateful for having someone who really did care about me the way Chloe and Gibson did.

  “Look,” I said huffing another breath. “Have any of you considered I may be the one to hurt Simon?”

  Gibson’s eyes connected with mine and he looked a little taken aback.

  “Sure, Simon’s a bit older, but maybe that’s what I need. I don’t really connect with people my age. I was so busy staying alive and getting to the end of each week intact, I barely had time to mix with kids my own age. Who’s to say I won’t walk away from Simon at some point? Don’t you see, Gibson, we take chances with our hearts? No one knows what the future holds. All I know is right now I want Simon and he wants me. And I’d really like your blessing with this because I’d hate to have my relationship with your bandmate to be the elephant in the room every time you see one or other of us.”

  “I think on that note you need to apologize to both Piper and Simon and tell them why we’re here,” Chloe said, and I realized I had no clue how they had found out about us.

  Staring at me, then at Simon, Gibson drew a long deep breath. He sighed and glanced directly at Simon. “The papers are running a story. You’re the sugar daddy, Piper’s the budding singer, the slant is the casting couch scenario, and there are photos of you two walking hand in hand across the road to that food shack directly opposite. There’s also one very clear shot of your face driving through the gates in your car with Piper following behind. And you want to know the best part? I’m providing the secure accommodation for you to fuck this peach.”

  “Gibson, that’s enough,” Chloe snapped in disgust. She shook her head. I shook mine in disbelief and lastly Simon sighed heavily and collapsed into the back of the couch.

  “The tabloid running the story contacted Gibson through the PR guys for his comment. Less than an hour later we were in the air on the way here,” Chloe added.

  Suddenly my throat burned with tears and despite my best attempts to swallow them down they fell down my face, bringing Simon to his feet. His eyes burned with concern as he pulled me up to stand and to his chest.

  “That’s it. I’ve tried to be fucking patient with you, Gibson, given what Piper means to you and Chloe, but I’m not gonna sit back and listen to you demean what Piper and I’ve got going on. You and me have known each other long enough to know what a tolerant person I am, but I’m so fucking close to losing my shit with you right now. You need to stop and think for a minute about the effect all of this is having on Piper… and maybe your wife.”

  Gibson looked furious and bit back. “The fact I am here and doing this should tell you how angry I am with you, Si. Piper wanted to do this her way, and I wasn’t convinced she’d have the life skills to deal with all the shit that comes with this industry, but now that she’s here I’m seriously pissed she hasn’t had the space to grow without you charging in and fucking things up.”

  “That part was driven by Thomas, who called me to check on her after Doobie, or Jeff, messed with her. I wouldn’t have gotten in touch so soon.” Simon sighed and pulled me closer.

  “What about her wishes for anonymity? It appears her story isn’t gonna stay private now.”

  “So, I’ll get an injunction against the tabloid bottom feeders,” Simon threatened.

  “For what? You were both seen holding hands for Christ’s sake. They don’t know Piper belongs to us so how are you going to explain the apartment?”

  Simon scratched his beard then smoothed it down. “We say she’s housesitting and she didn’t know whose place it was. She was placed by an agency. I’m sure our guys can sort that part out.”

  “And how do you explain your part in all of this?”

  “You asked me to pick up some personal stuff, and I took her to breakfast because she’s a fan?”

  My heart squeezed at my two protectors trying to find a way to keep my true connection to Gibson and Chloe private, but I’d been foolish to think I could. Besides, I always knew the day would come when people would find out, only I’d hoped it would have been after the album was made.

  “No. I guess I’ll just have to take a hit on staying anonymous.” I shrugged. “At least I got the contract before anyone knew who you were,” I replied. “Let them do their worst. It's gonna come out at some point anyway.”

  “No wait, Piper. What if it doesn’t work out with Simon?” Gibson asked, and Simon scowled.

  “Who says it’s not going to? And anyway, look at Katy Perry and Taylor Swift. They’ve been connected to different guys almost weekly at some point and it hasn’t done their careers any harm,” I offered.

  “You’ve been here a little over a week, Piper. You have no idea the pressures that will come to bear on your relationship when you start touring… when Simon starts touring again. Can you really cope with all that time apart? Accusations and photographs that show something so overwhelming it leaves you with doubts.” His points were valid, and I twisted my lips, hating the thought of that. It’s the one thing I hadn’t really given much consideration, but some couples made it work.

  “No, but like you said, Gibson, I’m twenty. I can only plan so much. There’s no point in being anal about my privacy now my identity is known. I’m already publicly connected to Simon. I’m not ashamed of being with him. I feel proud that he wants to be with me, so I’m not going to hide it.”

  “You’re not prepared for the shit stirring and conjecture they’ll accuse the pair of you of. Or for the wrath of Simon’s fans… and his old flames? They’ll target you, say you got favors from the label and the Layla Hartmann tour. Piper, they’ll credit your success to Simon.”

  “And they’d be wrong. Otto can vouch for that. He has no idea I lived with you or that I’m connected to you, yet. You somehow managed to keep me a secret when the story of Melody hit the press.”

  “That was damage limitation. I had connections, so the story about Melody was contained. What about Colin? You think he’s not going to come after you when he thinks there’s money to be had… when he thinks he can find your mom?”

  I had considered this but I thought it could take years to really get my career going and I was prepared for it to take a long time, if at all. Not every artist hits the charts immediately. I had been ready for the long haul of supporting artists anywhere in the world so the chances of Colin even hearing of me were slim.

  “I’m not the same girl who ran away from that tyrant. After all the therapy and preparation from Chloe and the team I’m str
onger and I have you guys to call on if he turns up.” At the back of my mind I knew he would more than likely find me at some point, but I never figured on it being this soon.

  Gibson pulled me out of Simon’s embrace and into his chest. Love radiated from his body to mine and I could feel the tension in his hard stance. Eventually he sighed, and it sounded like one of resignation.

  “Hurt her again and I’ll fucking kill you, Simon,” he told him. His words were loaded with fierce determination. “You do whatever is necessary to protect her, whatever she needs to keep her safe.”

  Simon eyed Gibson with gratitude in the look he gave him and smiled. “Seriously, dude. I tried to fight these feelings, but when I could see she felt the same…” He sighed again, “Now I have her I’m not letting go. We don’t give a fuck what anyone thinks, but we don’t want to hurt you guys. We only want a chance to see where this takes us.”

  Gibson looked at Chloe and she raised her eyebrow and gave him a small smile, then we watched as he pursed his lips in thought. A few seconds later he nodded reluctantly. “I guess I’ll have to accept this. Unfortunately, there’s now the added pressures from external factors like the press. The only thing in our favor in this situation, is that we’re not touring for the next six months so we can keep a close eye on Piper’s situation and protect her as much as we can.”

  The ‘we’ was the all-important word in what Gibson said. Squeezing his waist, I nuzzled into his chest. “Thanks, Gibson. You don’t know what it means to have you and Chloe behind us,” I said, feeling happy for the first time since they’d arrived.

  I knew instinctively it had to have been Jeff who sold the story because he was the only person who knew about Simon and me apart from Stevie, Simon’s sister, and she’d never have done anything to screw with his happiness.

  “All right. Now that we know what’s coming, it’s time to get ahead of the race,” Chloe offered, and for the following two hours we ate takeout Chinese food and planned the damage limitation to the new revelations we knew were going to cause a shitstorm for both Simon and me.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Instead of cowering away and waiting for the press to pounce, Simon decided we should pre-empt their story by leaving my apartment building together.

  Gibson and Chloe had stayed overnight and remained out of sight because the superintendent for the building had rung to warn us questions from the press were being asked at the gate.

  Simon squeezed my hand. “Relax, baby, let me do the talking. All I want you to do is smile, then we can be on our way. We’re taking my ride for the foreseeable future,” he advised me and for a moment I had to fight against the independence I wanted for the sake of feeling secure.

  Driving up to the gate, I was more than a little shaken by the amount of reporters, photographers, and curious passers-by who had stopped to strain their necks, looking inside our car to see what all the fuss was about.

  My heart pounded, and my legs bounced nervously. Simon leaned over and placed a hand on my knee. The shaking stopped immediately.

  “Breathe, baby, I got you,” he said in a slightly amused tone. At that particular moment he drew up to the gates and they slowly opened.

  Instantly the car was swamped with paparazzi all vying for the best position.

  “Simon, would you care to share your news with us?” one cheeky female reporter shouted, while another poked her phone in his face and I was almost certain she had the recording facility on.

  “Is this Piper?” she asked, not really talking to Simon at all because she was staring straight past him at me. Without waiting for him to reply she continued, “Hi, Piper. Wow… Simon McLennan?” She said it like I wasn’t worthy. “How does it feel to have a famous older man as your boyfriend? I bet you’re very grateful he helped you snag a recording deal.”

  Inside my head, I heard a growl of frustration. I wanted more than anything to respond to her cocky cheap shot, but I did what Simon asked and smiled sweetly instead.

  Simon turned his head away from me to look at her and I could only imagine the look he must have given her when I saw her visibly shrink and back away from the car.

  “Good morning, everyone,” Simon greeted with a gorgeous lazy grin as he looked from left to right. “It’s another gorgeous Santa Monica day. Doesn’t the sunshine make you feel glad to be alive?” He asked them while he slid his hand into mine, squeezed it, and turned to offer me a reassuring smile. For a moment it like there was no one else present but me.

  His gesture sent a message to the world that said, 'Yes, she’s with me', and to me it said, 'This is how you control a hungry mob of reporters'.

  “We don’t have anything to say to you all right now so if you wouldn’t mind moving out of the way, we’re gonna be late for an important appointment.”

  Hitting the electric window button, the tinted glass slid all the way up, effectively shutting them out. Simon’s action abruptly and effectively brought their pursuit of us to a conclusion and sent them the message he was done.

  Edging past them as camera bulbs flashed and camera shutters whirred and clicked—the noise penetrating the car—Simon turned and glanced briefly at me as he slowly made his way forward.

  “You okay?” I gave him a grateful smile because the press gang had gotten nowhere. Stopping briefly to look down the street, Simon put his foot on the gas and steered us out onto the road.

  Once he had made a little distance, he turned toward me again and gave me another easy smile. “You did great, baby,” he cooed. “Anyone stops you and asks about us, all you gotta say is, 'You’d have to talk to Simon about that'.”

  “Music?” he asked, reaching over and turning on the radio. “Free Falling,” by Tom Petty was playing. “I love this song,” he said, turning it up then singing along. His relaxed attitude—bearing in mind what we’d just done—made me smile, but I couldn’t relax because I knew I was facing Otto and the ten thousand questions I knew would play on Otto’s mind.

  Thankfully, everyone’s car and Jeff’s bike were already in place and I was the last to arrive. Whatever we had to say we only had to do it once since all were present. Simon parked, turned off the engine, slid out of the car and rounded the hood to open my door.

  “You’ll be fine. It’ll be fine. No matter what they say, baby, you keep your game face and let none of your feelings out on display.” I glanced nervously at him and nodded.

  “Hey, I’m telling you, it's sweet. Just chill and in a few weeks someone else will be taking the heat,” he told me. Simon’s reassurance was great, but I wasn’t sure I believed they would leave us alone. What’s the worst that could happen? My overactive mind then gave me a long list of what could go wrong, but I wouldn’t allow my thoughts to turn negative.

  “Come on, baby, let’s give them a show,” he advised me, with a playful tone and a smile. Squeezing my hand, he led me toward the studio door and seconds later we were entering the mixing studio.

  Jeff was in the booth and it looked like he was tuning his guitar from what I saw when he looked up. His face looked stunned when he saw Simon with me and when his jaw gaped and snapped shut I figured he’d almost swallowed his tongue that we were fronting this out together.

  I didn’t know him well, but with the face he pulled, I knew intuitively he had been the one who had contacted the press.

  Grunt, bless him, was the most animated I’d ever seen him. Dropping his sticks, he scooted around his drum kit and out of the booth to hug Simon warmly then fist bumped him and muttered, “Respect.” He held up his thumb, forefinger, and pinkie up in a rock salute and looked a little awestruck.

  Simon thanked him. He knew Grunt by reputation and I’d never seen anyone so delighted for being given a bit of praise.

  Grunt returned to the booth to take up his spot behind the drums and looked like he was going to burst while he waited to show off.

  Turning back to me, Simon’s hands slid around my waist and he pulled me into his chest. With his mouth c
lose to my ear he whispered, “Mind if I stick around for a while? I want to hear how you’re doing.”

  I shook my head, “Clear it with Otto,” I told him, out of respect for my boss.

  Simon and Gibson were so used to being welcome everywhere but I wanted him to remember it was Otto’s domain and Simon should give him his place. He gave me one sharp nod indicating he would. “Go get ‘em, Princess,” he said, tipping his chin toward the booth with a cheeky smile and a wink.

  “Don’t call—” Before I could tell him not to call me Princess, he placed his finger across my lips.

  I knew what he was doing. By heating my blood by using the nickname he knew that I’d be bristly with Jeff.

  “Shh. Go do your thing and I’ll sit right here. We gotta show them we’re proud to be together.”

  “I am proud,” I replied, pressing a small kiss to his lips, and I thought how surreal everything was again as I slipped my hand from his and entered into the soundproof booth. The lights dimmed on the production side and Otto gestured for Simon to take a seat next to him and turned his attention to me.

  “Morning, Piper, can we start with the second number on the sheet today? I think that has the least changes we need to make.” He set about flicking switches and sliding tone buttons and turned to look at me. Signaling with his hand in the air he brought it down as the red light lit up over the door indicating we were recording.

  Jeff played the slow intro to the melancholic song, and I launched into a haunting melody that both tested my range and felt emotionally draining.

  A couple of times I glanced at the window where Simon was watching and saw him scrutinizing both Jeff’s musical ability and my performance.

  Closing my eyes, I concentrated on reaching the highest note at the loudest part of the bridge and when I rocked it, I opened my eyes to see both Simon and Otto staring at each other, shaking their heads then grinning.

  Simon turned to look at me, nodded slowly, and placed his hand over his heart. I took that as he was touched by my performance.