Undone (The Revealed Series)

by Alice Raine

  God, they were relentless!

  ‘Jack! Who’s the lucky lady?’ called another. Randomly, amid all the chaos, the thing that really stuck in my mind was this comment–‘Who’s the lucky lady?’ Seriously? Did being taken to a supermarket get you classed as ‘lucky’? I shook my head in disbelief, stuck close to Jack’s side, and was immensely relieved that I had his hat to hide away underneath.

  ‘Morning, guys...oh, and gals–hi, Jennifer,’ Jack said, acknowledging the one female journalist with a nod. ‘We’re just doing some shopping. No other comments, thanks.’ Jack was so at ease that I found myself in awe of his laid-back attitude to the whole situation I had found myself plunged rather unceremoniously into.

  Once we had pushed through the shifting line of cameras, I released a huge breath and glanced nervously at Jack. ‘Will it always be like this?’ I muttered, decidedly flustered.

  ‘Nah, once we go public there’ll be a few weeks’ interest and then it’ll die down. We’ll become old news. It’s their job – they need a story, that’s all.’ He tugged on the trolley, which had a dodgy wheel, and gave a shrug. ‘They don’t know who you are. Once they get some answers or something to photograph they’ll loosen up.’

  Hmm. That sounded a bit more bearable. Narrowing my eyes, a plan began to form in my mind. It was pretty out there for me, but seeing as I wouldn’t speak to them, maybe I could give them something to photograph...

  Knowing the press were watching as we approached the shop, I took a deep breath and slipped my arm around Jack’s waist. There, photograph that. And did they! Behind me, I heard a flurry of cameras clicking wildly, but Jack paused and smiled, his face glowing with happiness.

  Suddenly overwhelmed with this new confidence, I slid my hand from his waist down into the back pocket of his Levi’s, where it sat happily over his firm bum. I loved his arse. Even knowing that at least four people were watching, I couldn’t help but give a firm squeeze.

  Jack laughed, morphing into a huge grin. He seemed thrilled by my gesture, and reciprocated by lifting his left hand from the trolley handle and swinging it over my shoulder to pull me close to him.

  Managing to steer the trolley one handed, Jack shifted his hand to the rim of my hat, where he tilted it back and dipped down to plant a kiss on my forehead. Wow, the cameras really loved that. I was feeling a giddy buzz of excitement in my stomach from Jack’s affection and the idea that we were caught on camera, but I found myself relieved when he popped my hat back in place with a rueful grin.

  Once we were safely inside the shop, Jack told me that no photographers were allowed inside, and after furtively glancing around, I removed my hat and glasses and placed them in the trolley before running my hands through my hair to fluff it out.

  Glancing up at Jack, I fully expected to see a look of exasperation on his face, but instead I found him smiling at me with that sweet, soft, affectionate smile on his face that I loved. That look spoke volumes about his feelings, but it didn’t scare me like it had when I’d first glimpsed it. Now I loved it.

  ‘Anyone would think it’s you who’s famous, wearing a disguise,’ he remarked with a grin, making my cheeks flush. ‘Right, let’s shop.’

  And just like that, he changed the subject, removing me from the spotlight effortlessly and turning the trolley towards the fruit and vegetable aisle.

  Referring to a handwritten list, Jack gave me a few items to get, which I dutifully set off to collect. As I picked out a cucumber I glanced down the aisle and watched as Jack filled a bag with apples. It was so domestic, and he seemed so at ease, but with his film star looks it made quite an incongruent image. Just then, he looked up from the bag and grinned. ‘Cait, grab a red pepper too, please.’

  I paused, realising it was the first time he had shortened my name. Huh. I wasn’t sure I liked it. He was the only person who ever called me by my full name, and I’d kind of gotten used to it.

  As I continued to pick out the items I’d been charged with finding I couldn’t escape how weird this was. Well, no, actually it wasn’t weird–shopping with Jack was normal, and that’s what made it bizarre. It was normal. We were out together, like a real, non-famous, boring, everyday couple.

  No one was running up asking for his autograph or trying to take my picture. The other shoppers were completely ignoring us. They were simply shopping, buying fruit and bread and coffee, not hiding round corners to avoid cameras or sneaking into cars like naughty teenagers.

  Maybe this would be OK in the end after all. I felt my shoulders relax and I smiled. Maybe he was right, maybe I should just let the press find out who I was. Jack was well protected from Greg, and it would mean we could get our relationship started properly. It was certainly something to consider.

  I wasn’t trying to fool myself, I was sensible enough to know that if I really wanted to try to share my life with Jack Felton, it would never be run-of-the-mill, but at least I wouldn’t feel so exposed all the time.

  After half an hour, I had almost forgotten about the journalists corralled outside. Almost. But as we made our way towards the exit I let out a quiet cry as I glanced out the doors and saw that the small group from earlier had at least doubled in size, no doubt as a result of the press grapevine in downtown L.A.

  Diving into the trolley, I retrieved the hat and glasses and resumed my disguise before we exited into the bright, Hollywood sun. God, this was weird.

  I had taken it upon myself to look after the trolley, perhaps because steering it meant I didn’t have to look too hard at the journalists, but as I came to them, I cleared my throat and let my irritation out. ‘Excuse me, please.’

  I sounded polite, but my words were apparently an invitation to bombard me with questions. Three lousy words, but it was all they needed to dive on me like a free meal.

  ‘Was that an English accent? Are you from the UK?’ I swallowed hard and tried to ignore the hounding as I continued to push the trolley forward.

  ‘Jack! Jack! Do you know each other from home?’ Emerging from the other side without another word, I glanced at Jack.

  ‘I spoke to them. Happy?’ I muttered, decidedly flustered by the encounter.

  Instead of picking up on my annoyance, Jack casually swung an arm around my hips and pulled me towards him so strongly that I–and my trolley–careened into his arms clumsily, no doubt giving the photographers more than enough time to snap another photo of Jack and his ‘mystery girl’.

  Fifty

  Allie

  Apart from running trips to the coffee shop for me, Sean was still opting to remain glued to my side. I’d been in hospital for two-and-a-half days, so we were falling into a bit of a rhythm, but that morning when he returned with my coffee he also had a stack of papers and magazines under one arm.

  Grinning as he lay them out on the bed, he nodded, looking pleased with himself. ‘You’re going to want to see this.’

  After briefly checking out the closest paper, I raised my eyebrows and exchanged a surprised glance with him. He was right. I definitely wanted to see this.

  It was just as well Cait was due to visit, or I’d probably explode with questions. A few seconds later, right on cue, the door opened and, after a policeman briefly poked his head inside to check the room, Cait entered, shutting the door behind her.

  Letting out a breath, she leant against the door, smiling thinly at Sean and I. ‘He’s a nice enough guy, but I’m getting really sick of having a babysitter.’

  I couldn’t help but smile. It had only been two days since the attack and the decision that she should have a police guard, but obviously the novelty was already wearing thin. She’d found Tanya’s presence just about bearable, but clearly she’d been too far in the distance seeing as Greg had managed to get to not only Cait, but me as well. My smile tightened as images of him leaping out from the kitchen sprung to my mind and sent fear crawling over my skin. With a deep breath, I forcefully pushed them aside and focused on the present–we were here and we were safe, that was al
l that mattered.

  Sean frowned, his posture stiffening as he stood up. ‘It’s for your own safety, Cait.’

  Cait sighed and nodded before walking over to join us. ‘Yeah, I know. I’m not going to do anything stupid, don’t worry.’ Pushing her hair off her face she turned to me and narrowed her eyes. ‘So, enough about me. How’s the patient?’

  Shrugging, I smiled at her, trying to hide my excitement about my engagement–the ring was hidden in the bedside drawer. ‘Pretty great, all things considered. My head feels fine, and the stiches in my side don’t itch any more. The painkillers are working well, so I just feel a bit stiff when I move.’

  Glancing at Sean, I grinned and pulled one of the newspapers toward me. Ideally, I would’ve liked to be alone with Cait before starting to dig for gossip, but given Sean’s superglue-like company I didn’t think I’d be able to persuade him to leave the room.

  Clearing my throat, I fingered the paper and opened it to page four. ‘So, you’ve been shopping?’ I asked casually. Cait looked confused, frowning and shaking her head. ‘What do you mean? Was I supposed to bring you something?’

  Instead of replying, I simply held up the page of the newspaper and turned it so Cait could see.

  It seemed to take a second for her to acknowledge what she was seeing, because initially her face remained blank, but then her eyebrows shot up and her mouth popped open as she gasped loudly.

  I glanced at the paper again, smiling at the pictures; there, in all its glory, was a half-page picture collage of Cait and Jack in what appeared to be a supermarket car park. Well, Jack was recognisable, and presumably the brunette with him was Cait. If it wasn’t then he was going to be in big trouble.

  In the main picture they’d been photographed from behind and were arm in arm, with him tilting her hat back and placing a kiss on her forehead. Above the picture was the headline “Jack’s Mystery Girl.”

  ‘Oh my God! They actually put it in the paper!’ Cait blurted, her cheeks turning beetroot red as she ripped the newspaper from my hand and scanned the article.

  Sean chuckled and flicked through the pile to select another magazine. ‘That’s nothing, Cait. You two made the front cover of L.A. Celebrity News,’ he said, handing the glossy magazine across the bed to her.

  ‘Front page?’ squeaked Cait, looking a bit like she was actually going into shock.

  ‘Uh-huh. But they got a different photo,’ I giggled as Cait stared at the cover, which had a similar shot of them walking from behind, but this time instead of showing the kiss it had a close-up of Cait squeezing his bum.

  ‘Oh my God...’ Cait whispered, before flicking her elastic bands several times. ‘The headline...have you seen it?’

  I had to say, it was genius. “Jack’s new girl gets cheeky.” With a lovely arrow pointing to where she was gripping his arse.

  ‘It’s quite imaginative,’ Sean commented, trying to hide the grin from his voice and completely failing.

  ‘How many papers are we in?’ she asked cautiously as she started to look at the titles spread on the bed, which included the L.A. Times, L.A. Daily, L.A. Herald, and of course, Celebrity News Magazine.

  Sean shrugged and grinned teasingly. ‘No idea, these are just the ones they had in the hospital shop.’

  ‘Your arse-grabbing shenanigans have made bigger headlines than Sean and I did when we went to the cinema together!’

  Groaning, Cait grabbed a stack of the papers and sunk into a chair as if her legs could no longer support her body weight.

  After nearly an hour of reading and exchanging the best bits, which were mostly harmless and by Cait’s own admission, quite amusing, Sean threw the last one down in disgust. This particular piece was incredibly derogatory about celebrity lifestyles and the use of fame to find sexual conquests.

  According to Sean, Jack had always been relatively selective about his dating, so I wasn’t sure why they’d chosen to link this to him and Cait, but I could understand why Sean was upset–it was way too close to how he used to live his life. Thinking about his more less than salubrious past made me a little uncomfortable, so focusing on the fact that he was a changed man–not to mention my fiancé–I looked to Cait with an understanding smile, desperately wishing I could tell her about our engagement, but I wouldn’t. I’d honour Sean's wish to keep it to ourselves until he’d spoken to Dad.

  ‘Does this look like me?’ Cait asked, holding up one of the articles that was running with the title “Do you know this woman? Reward, $200.” It was accompanied by a zoomed-in shot of Cait’s side profile with her hat tilted back, but it was blurry and, to be honest, could be just about any woman in L.A. with brown hair.

  ‘Nah. But it’s tempting. $200 could come in quite handy,’ I quipped, which would have certainly earnt me a punch in the arm if I hadn’t been laid up in a hospital bed. It turned out that being poorly had its benefits.

  Cait

  Just as I put the final paper down, my mobile began to ring in my handbag. Pulling it out, I saw Jack’s name and wondered if he’d seen the papers too.

  Wandering to the window, I lifted the phone and answered. ‘Hey.’

  ‘Hi, sweetheart. How are you?’ Jack sounded quiet...no, not quiet...worried. He sounded worried, and I would almost place money on the fact that he had seen the papers and was concerned about my reaction.

  My suspicions were furthered when I heard the rustling of paper in the background, which filled my mind with images of him on a coffee break and having a quick read of the juicy gossip.

  Ignoring his question, I fired one of my own. ‘You seen today’s papers?’ I drawled in a deliberately un-amused tone.

  ‘Um, yeah, I’m looking at one now.’ He paused, the concern in his tone so deep I could picture his grimace. ‘Don’t worry about it, it’ll pass soon enough. Besides, you can’t see who you are.’

  After another moment of silence from my end, Jack spoke rather urgently, ‘Caitlin?’ Now he sounded really worried, so I put him out of his misery.

  ‘Yeah, I’m here. It’s OK, after grabbing your bum yesterday I kinda figured it might make one of the papers. I just didn’t expect it to be such big news...’

  ‘I’ve been single a long time, a hot brunette grabbing my arse is big news to the journos.’ After another pause, Jack cleared his throat. ‘Seeing as the pictures are in the papers, can I get my PR team to release that statement?’

  His words instantly removed my playful smile and instead filled my veins with dread. ‘No!’ My voice came out far harsher than expected, but I had Allie behind me covered in stiches as real-life proof of how insane Greg was. I couldn’t risk putting Jack in hospital. Or worse. ‘Greg stabbed Allie, for fuck’s sake. I don’t want your name linked to me until he’s caught.’

  ‘Caitlin, I have a great security team, I’d be fine–’

  ‘No! Jack, please, just give the police a while longer to find him, please.’

  I heard a heavy sigh down the line, ‘OK, sweetheart. I’ll tell them to hold off on the statement for now.’

  I had a feeling that Jack didn’t want to wait too much longer, so all I could do was pray that the police found Greg before Greg could find us again.

  Fifty-one

  Cait

  Allie’s parents arrived in L.A. the next day, but as she still hadn’t been released, I volunteered to look after them. Along with my police escort, of course, who was already getting on my nerves because he was at my side all the flipping time like a second shadow.

  Looking after Allie’s folks was quite a good distraction for me because Jack was busy making up the shoots he’d missed while in hospital and I was off work at the moment after Di, my manager at the studio, insisted I take a sabbatical.

  I’d told my parents not to visit, but after seeing the emotional reunion between Allie and her parents I was slightly regretting my decision. Perhaps I’d have to see if Jack could take some time off so we could take a trip to the UK. If he wanted to meet my parents, of course.r />
  After becoming a suitably irritable patient, it was finally Allie’s release day. She was allowed home on the condition she take it easy for the next few weeks. As I entered her room I found her being her usual stubborn self and refusing a wheelchair, even though Sean and her parents were trying to argue with her. To her credit, she walked slowly on her way out to the car, but her refusal to take the easy option caused Sean to faff around hilariously. I’d never seen him so on edge; he was like a little girl, and I couldn’t help my grin as he finally sagged against the front door once he’d got her home and inside his house.

  I stood back and allowed Mr and Mrs Shaw to enter while I re-tied my sandal, then stood up to follow them indoors.

  I wouldn’t be kidding if I said the sight that met me in the lounge completely took my breath away.

  ‘Surprise! Happy Birthday!’ In front of me stood our group from the hospital; Sean, Allie, and Mr and Mrs Shaw, but along with them were Mel and Lisa my friends from the studios, then my parents, and Sarah, my other friend from the UK.

  What the heck?!

  I shrieked with joy, and seconds later was bundled into a teary hug by my mum, who was somehow managing to sob and laugh simultaneously. After that followed hugs from Sarah and my dad before I was finally allowed to step back and get some air into my lungs.

  Still amazed at the gathering, I cast Allie a rueful glance and found her grinning with delight. It was clear from her smug smile she had been in on this surprise.

  Linking her arm through mine, she leant into my ear and whispered, ‘We thought we could all do with a happy distraction, I hope you don’t mind the surprise?’

  Shaking my head, I barely managed to contain my grin. ‘No, this is amazing. Just what we needed.’

  Sean strode back into the room with a bottle in one hand and a fistful of champagne flutes in the other. ‘Right, who’d like some fizz?’