by Livia Grant
Ryder grabbed the remote control, stopping the screen on a close-up of Khloe. He hated the worry lines on her brow and the sad terror in her eyes. Those eyes were too beautiful to be clouded with panic. When he resumed the feed, he watched the guard scoop her up and place her into the back seat of the waiting SUV before sliding in next to her. A pang of something impossible to ignore constricted his heart, finally forcing him face it head-on.
Fuck me. Some asshole wants to hurt her, but I'm the only one who gets to hurt Khloe Monroe.
Chapter 9
Khloe watched as tourists walked along looking down at the sidewalk, reading the names of the A-list celebrities who were forever memorialized with stars on the famous Walk of Fame. One day, those pedestrians would be taking their photo next to her star, but tonight, the smoky glass of the slow moving limo protected her from their prying eyes.
They weren't far from the Chinese Theater, the destination of her dreams. She'd been in the historical movie house many times, dreaming of the day she'd get to watch her own film on the mammoth screen.
Tonight would be that night.
She tried not to feel bitter that her stalker had put a damper on what should be one of the best days of her life.
Khloe jumped when a hand caressed her arm gently. She'd been lost in thought and almost forgotten she wasn't alone.
Dean moved to weave their fingers together intimately, but she snapped her hand away from his defensively. She may not have the option of pulling away when they were in public, but in the privacy of her own limo, he could keep his fucking hands to himself.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you," he said.
He was conceited enough to attribute her reclusiveness as fear, when disgust was a closer description.
He babbled on, unaware of her feelings. "I've wanted to tell you how impressed I was with how you handled yourself in the boardroom with Richard yesterday."
Okay, so maybe he was sincerely trying to get back in her good graces.
Dean added, "It gave me a boner."
Or, maybe not.
Khloe glanced at her assistant, Ricky, and found a scowl on his face she wished she could clone.
Within minutes the driver was pulling up in front of the red carpet lining the sidewalk in front of the historic building where their grand opening of Dirty Business would be playing in a few hours.
It was still early by Hollywood standards. The sun pounded down on Hollywood Boulevard making her wish she'd held her ground and insisted that they cancel all red-carpet interviews. By the time she got to the air-conditioned theater, she'd be sweating like a bitch.
"Ricky, make sure there's someone to touch-up my makeup in private after we get inside."
"You got it," he replied, updating the tablet he never went anywhere without.
Trevor stood waiting near the curb, so tall he was a head above the pressing crowd. He'd gone ahead to do a security sweep before her arrival. Her newest and temporary security guard, Darius, had been provided by the studio. He exited the limo first to confer with Trevor. As the door opened, the shouts of fans screaming for Khloe and Dean grew louder, suspecting the stars of the night's premier were behind the thick windows of the luxury vehicle.
Once the door slammed closed behind Darius, Khloe's stomach gurgled in the quiet car, complaining at her constant neglect. At least her elegant floor-length champagne-colored satin gown wasn't as tight as the dress she'd worn at the pre-screening party in NYC. Her days of starving herself combined with the lack of sleep due to worry about her stalker had at least helped her lose a few pounds.
She jumped when fans got close enough to the car to start pounding on the windows, screaming her name. Her heart swelled with gratification. They loved her. They wanted to touch her–talk to her.
And one of them could be the one who wants to hurt me.
The thought turned her empty stomach. She tried to focus on the fact that, unlike in New York, tonight she'd have more people on the red carpet with her whom she trusted. People who would watch her back, refusing to let her psycho fan close enough to hurt her. She relaxed slightly.
When Dean tried to open the door, she stopped him. "Not yet. Not until Trevor opens it."
Dean looked annoyed at not being in charge.
The door finally opened, allowing the rowdy shouts for the stars to surround them.
Trevor leaned into the back of the car, looking serious. "It's showtime." He stared into her eyes. She could see his worry, and something else they hadn't talked about since he'd kissed her. When he glanced at Dean she suspected it was jealousy as he finished, "I'll be right behind you, Khloe."
Dean got out first and turned to help her out of the limo, already playing the role of the doting boyfriend he no longer was.
As they pressed through the throng of fans, she heard Trevor cursing behind her. Anger bubbled inside her. The studio's security should be keeping everyone held back. She felt hands touching her and she fought to stay calm, her public smile plastered on her face as she leaned heavily on Dean to press them through until they finally got far enough up the long sidewalk entrance to get to the secured area. She recognized several of her fans, including the trio of pimple-faced teenagers who'd made the trek across country to see her again in Hollywood. They screamed out to her, but she kept going, only throwing them a small wave.
A long line of media interviews awaited them. In typical fashion, Natalie hadn't done what she'd asked. Bright lights, photographers, microphones and pushy interviewers intent on talking only about her stalker instead of the movie she'd worked so hard on, stood between her and the cool lobby of the building. To his credit, and Trevor's displeasure, Dean didn't leave her side. He supported her when she became unsteady on her feet. They kissed and snuggled like the lovers they no longer were and the cameras loved it. It pissed her off, knowing that the sensationalized photos of her and her cheating ex would be plastered across the Internet and magazine covers, forever memorializing them together.
It was how the game was played in Hollywood.
What felt like an eternity later, she detected the first gust of air-conditioned coolness as they entered the opulent foyer of the theater. Goosebumps sprung up on her damp skin at the sudden change of temperatures, and for once, she was grateful for Dean's arm pulling her closer against him.
A waiter greeted them with tall flutes of expensive champagne. She lived dangerously, drinking one down, filling her empty stomach. The slight buzz it brought was welcome and helped fortify her for the additional interviews and photo ops that waited inside. It also dulled her constant fear that one of the hundreds of people pressing into the foyer was her stalker, intent on getting her alone to do the despicable things he'd described in his notes.
It took them another thirty minutes to finally reach the end of the gauntlet where the director, producers, support personnel and supporting actors from the movie who'd gone ahead of them already mingled, waiting for the two main stars of the film to catch up to them.
She was headed towards the Kaplans to give them a piece of her mind when the studio's coffee runner, Peter, stepped in front of her, this time with a tray full of her favorite treat–chocolate fudge. As if it sensed the nearby temptation, her stomach grumbled.
The young man with the unfortunate acne was near breathless as she approached. "I've been waiting for you, Khloe. I brought your favorite food in the whole wide world. You told me and I remembered!"
The producer's nephew had a way of turning up at the most inopportune times, but considering who his uncle was, Khloe always tried to take a moment to say hello to the young man who wasn't quite dealing with a full deck in life.
"Peter, you shouldn't have. If I eat that much fudge, all of my dresses would stop fitting," she teased as Dean reached out to take one of the biggest pieces from the tray. He must not worry about fitting into his tuxedo.
The look of hatred on Peter's face was alarming. "I made this for Khloe, not for you!" Peter actually reached out to tr
y to snatch the sweet snack away from her ex, but Dean was too fast.
"Chill out there, coffee boy. There's plenty, and anyone who knows her knows she isn't going to eat more than one bite anyway."
Khloe placed a hand on Peter's arm, trying to stop him from making a scene. He calmed immediately, forgetting about the stolen treat to turn a smile towards her instead. "I appreciate you bringing me one of my favorites. You're so thoughtful, but I'm too nervous to eat anything right now. Please save me a piece, and I'll be sure to eat it after the screening, okay?" She gave him a celebrity smile that had him bumbling like the inexperienced novice he was.
"I'll save them all for you, Miss Monroe. I promise."
He leaned closer, invading her personal space until she snatched her hand away from his arm, stepping back to put more distance between them and then chastising herself for acting like everyone she meets was her stalker. She was seriously getting paranoid.
She didn't have time to obsess like normal, though, because she heard a voice she recognized calling out her name from behind her.
"Khloe! Wait up. We want to sit near you in the screening."
She turned, her heart expanding with palpable relief at seeing Chase, Emma and Jaxson approaching. They looked breathtakingly perfect on the red carpet in their tuxedos and flowing gown. Breaking away from Peter and Dean, she rushed towards her friends.
It wasn't until Chase had wrapped her tightly in a bear hug that she realized her error. Tears pricked at her eyes as she allowed the first real feeling of safety she'd felt in weeks wash over her. It was stupid really, but it was as if her body recognized that nothing could hurt her. Not with Chase Cartwright and Jaxson Davidson next to her.
I can't start crying. I'll cause a scene and ruin my makeup.
Chase pulled out of their hug enough to look down into her eyes. She saw his concern as he examined her. Before he could even speak, Jaxson stepped closer on her left and Emma on her right. Seconds later she was wrapped into the six arms of the infamous trio. What they had together was extraordinary and tonight, they were sharing their love with her, their friend. It almost felt like they were wrapping her in an invisible force field that would protect her from any bullshit. Emotional tears streaked down her cheeks.
Dean stumbled forward against her back, unwittingly testing the strength of the protection by trying to pull Khloe out the trio's clutches. "Hey, sweetheart. Maybe you'd better introduce me to your friends. I'd like to know who it is who's trying to move in on my girl."
It was Jaxson who left their embrace, turning to lean closer to Dean, speaking softly so only their small group and Peter could hear his warning.
"She's not your girl any more than she's mine. You gave up the right to call her that the day you fucked Gloria Mining." Jaxson paused to let his words sink in with Dean. "That's right. I know all about it. I also know she's being forced to play out this sick game of star-crossed-lovers for the press. We'll keep your little secret for Khloe's sake, but don't for one minute think you're gonna get back in her good graces. She has enough shit on her plate with the fucking stalker."
Dean moved forward, bumping his chest with Jaxson aggressively until Khloe moved away from Chase to try to break it up. "Guys, not here. Jax, I really do appreciate you protecting me. I'm so glad you guys could come, but please don't make a scene. The press knows who you are. That would only make things worse." She tried to brush away her tears without the press noticing.
She was relieved when Jaxson smiled outwardly while passing along his next threat under this breath. "If I find out you've had anything to do with this stalking business, Reynolds, you're gonna wish you'd never been born. Got it?" He grinned a fake smile while Dean's smile grew comical as he leaned even closer.
"Fuck you, Davidson. Yeah, I know who you are. I don't need to stalk anybody. I can have a dozen women in my bed by midnight if I want it."
It was Chase who stepped up to the other side of Dean to counter, "You have a pretty high opinion of yourself, but until the charade of your romance with Khloe is over, you won't take anyone to your bed, got it? You know damn well your groupies will talk and I won't let you drag Khloe's name through the mud with rumors of cheating, got it?"
Dean growled lowly. "What the hell is it with you guys? Your girl not keeping you happy enough? You got to move in on mine instead."
It was Emma to the rescue when Jaxson and Chase looked like they might deck Dean where he stood. "I think we've had enough chit-chat. Let's all go in and find our seats. I can't wait for the movie to start."
Emma linked her arm with Khloe's and headed towards the theater, pulling her friend along.
"Do you think we should leave them together like that?" Khloe questioned.
The beautiful brunette giggled. "Jax and Chase will come along. They hate it when I get out of their sight, particularly since I'm with you." When Khloe looked at her inquisitively at that remark she added. "They almost left me in D.C. They know you're in danger and don't want me exposed to anything dangerous with your stalker. I had to promise them I wouldn't leave their side."
The women had already passed through the huge entrance to the main theater and were headed down the long, angled aisle towards the VIP section. She tried to pull her new friend to a stop. "Then shouldn't we hold up and wait for them? I mean, I don't want to get you in trouble."
Emma smiled mischievously, continuing to walk. "It's okay. Don't tell the guys, but I kinda like getting into trouble every once in a while, if you know what I mean."
The twinkle in her eye made Khloe's insides do a somersault, realizing her friend was talking about enjoying the kind of punishment scenes she herself had savored playing out with Ryder Helms. No matter how much time she spent obsessing about her few short hours with the sex-god who'd mastered her at a game of roulette, she still couldn't fathom why she'd loved that night so much. The incredible sex she could understand, but the pain... humiliation... debauched kinkiness... submission... those darker emotions she just couldn't reconcile.
The men eventually caught up to them. True to their word, her celebrity friends had the seating arrangement changed around so that Chase sat on her left while Dean took the seat to her right. Only after she was seated did she see Trevor staring at her from the shadows of the theater, watching over her, yes, but she suspected from the scowl on his face that he was about as happy to see Chase and Jaxson as Dean had been.
Edward Rivera stepped to the podium on the stage, spending several minutes thanking those who had helped make the creation of Dirty Business possible, saving his thanks for Dean and Khloe for last. Her heart swelled with pride as they rose to a standing ovation, fans and co-stars pressing in to congratulate them again. From the corner of her eye, she saw Trevor still watching over her, a stony face hiding any emotion.
The crowd settled down, returning to their seats when the lights dimmed and the two-story red-velvet curtains parted to reveal the screen. Khloe held her breath as the opening credits began, the pounding beat of the title song, Dirty Business, filling the theater. Her heart expanded when Chase reached for her hand in the dark theater, linking their fingers in his show of support.
He had really come through for her tonight. She was under no illusion that he had any lingering romantic feelings for her, and honestly was grateful for that. Anyone looking at the threesome next to her knew they were crazy in love with each other and Khloe couldn't be happier for him and Emma. But she trusted Chase and Jaxson and, right now, that was a rare thing in her life. Having them there to support her meant the world.
As the movie started, she let herself get lost in the story. The week before in NYC, she'd spent the pre-release showing picking apart her performance, examining it from every angle to understand how she might have improved each scene. Tonight, she let herself forget it was her on the screen, trying to enjoy the picture as a fan might instead. By the time the lights came up and the credits were rolling, she was trembling with emotion. As the entire theater pushed to their feet
, clapping their approval for the film, Khloe sat frozen in her seat.
It had finally happened. For the first time in her career she felt like she deserved the praise directed her way. Fame could be a poisonous thing. So many people sold their soul to chase it, yet it was slippery, often shining down on those undeserving while eluding those who worked the hardest. She'd been enjoying her own growing fame for the last few years, but until tonight, she'd felt a bit like a fraud. Like she'd achieved the successes she had only because of how she looked or who she knew. She'd never felt quite worthy of the VIP treatment, as if she were simply the actress she was, playing the role of a celebrity.
But tonight she basked in the accolades, feeling vindicated against all of the talking heads who had written Khloe Monroe off as just another pretty face in Hollywood. Relief coursed through her as she allowed herself to acknowledge she had real talent.
Edward Rivera approached her, holding out his hand to pull her to her feet and hug her to him. He spoke quietly against her ear as the applause continued around them. "Thank you, Khloe, for being here tonight. I know it's been hard on you, and I'm sorry for not being more understanding. I'm very pleased with how Dirty Business turned out and thrilled I was able to snag you for Smuggled Dreams before the rest of Hollywood starts knocking on your door offering parts. Don't forget I was the one who gave you your first big shot when you're accepting your Academy Award for best actress." He pulled away, grinning as he winked at her.
His encouraging words bolstered her, giving her the courage to look around at the mammoth room. Those involved with the film's creation congratulated each other on a job well done. Fans in the balcony shouted out to her and Dean. The couple turned and waved to the throngs who would be leaving the theater and spreading the word on how good the film was. Nearby, industry bigwigs and movie critics mingled with dozens of media outlets, giving snippets of quotes for the next day's news programs.
It all felt surreal. She'd looked so forward to this night that now she didn't know what came next. In the commotion of the celebration, she was jostled from person to person, getting moved farther away from Chase, Jaxson, Emma and even Dean. An uneasy feeling settled in her tummy when she didn't recognize anyone surrounding her. She frantically searched the room for Trevor or Darius. Hell she'd be happy to have Ricky or the Kaplans near her. She spotted them all, too far away to comfort her.
