“Eric, stop.” I whispered through gritted teeth.
“Daddy! Get this whore out of our house.” Chastity shrieked as he buried her face in her father’s chest.
Eric lifted me off of him and scrambled to pull up his pants. I hastily grabbed my dress off the floor and clumsily pulled it over my head. I discreetly shoved my panties into my purse. “What is going on here young man?” Richard inquired sharply.
“It’s not what it looks like. It was a mistake…an accident.” Eric scrambled to put his shirt on as I gasped in shock and horror.
“Young lady, what is your name?” Richard narrowed his eyes and pursed his lips as he glared at me.
“Giavanna.” I barked out in a tone I didn’t recognize. My eyes began to well up with tears. I was mortified.
“I think I recognize you from television. What a shame. I actually thought you had a bit of talent but turns out you’re just a promiscuous floozy.” I felt my face flush red. Richard gently pushed Chastity out of his embrace. “Sweetheart you go up stairs now. I’ll handle this.” Chastity obediently scurried off without ever once looking in my direction. I was grateful because I didn’t think I could bare to make eye contact with her. “Eric, you know our family has an image to maintain. What do you think would happen if the media found out about this?” Richard gestured at me in disgust. Eric hung his head in silence.
I quickly slipped on my shoes. “I’m just going to go now.” I hastily made my way toward the door. Eric didn’t try to stop me.
“Not so fast young lady.” Richard blocked my path. “As far as you’re concerned anything that happened between you and Eric never happened for the record. I will have my attorney draft a non disclosure agreement immediately. I need you to sign it and return it to the Firm within forty eight hours. Here is the address so you can go pick it up. It will be ready when you get there.” Richard handed me a business card. I was speechless. I couldn’t believe I was being handled as if I was some nameless PR snafu. “And I want to make myself clear Giavanna. If you don’t do exactly as you are told you will never work in this town again. And I mean that. I have more pull than you know so don’t even try to test me. Understood?” My heart sank as I realized that Richard Donovan had the power to single handedly crush my dream of having my own entertainment news show. I choked back tears as one of the most fulfilling days off my life shifted into one of the most devastating.
“Understood, Mr. Donovan.” I tried to keep my voice steady. I turned to face Eric. “Goodbye Eric.”
My lip quivered as I let myself out and headed down the long driveway and outside the gate. I welcomed the two mile walk back to my car. I was hoping it helped clear my head. I silently wept the whole way. I couldn’t believe Eric didn’t stand up for me. And I was devastated that I would never get to bask in his sunshine again. I wondered if he lied about his engagement being arranged. It took me a half hour to get back to my car. I punched in the address of Mr. Donovan’s attorney on my GPS. My mind was cloudy as I navigated my way to the Firm. I couldn’t believe I had to sign a non disclosure agreement. Sometimes I hated Hollywood, especially the Beverly Hills crowd. I tried to freshen up before I entered the elaborate looking office building but I knew I looked a mess. I quickly sat down with an attorney by the name of Albert Powers. He was intimidating. He very curtly explained that the papers I was signing forbid me from saying anything to anyone about what happened with Eric. I quickly signed the papers to get it over with. I felt a lump growing in my throat as I waited for Mr. Powers to make me a copy of the Agreement. I swallowed hard, thanked him for the copy and scurried out of the office.
As soon as I got back to my apartment I got undressed and hoped in the shower. I wanted to wash any remnants of Eric’s presence that was left on my body down the drain forever. When I got out of the shower and changed into my pajamas I blasted my hard rock mix. It featured a lot of Aus Deutschland tracks and several Alpha Deity hits as well. I sang and screamed a long to every song. It was extremely cathartic. I was feeling really wound up and I needed to find away to calm down and get some sleep. I made myself some tea and crawled into bed with my lap top. I watched every Aus Deutschland interview I could find. I was like a teenager drooling over her celebrity crush. Christoff Diemacht Hartmann the lead singer was so dreamy. Watching his interviews helped me to forget about Eric if only for one night. I drifted off into a surprisingly peaceful slumber.
When I woke up I felt numb and disoriented. I was still in shock from the events of last night. As I crawled out of bed I saw my phone flashing. I picked it up and saw three missed texts and a missed call. My heart skipped a beat when I opened the texts. They were all from Eric. Even though part of me wanted nothing to do with him there was another part of me that was excited to hear from him. His texts said. *Giavanna I’m so sorry about what happened. It’s not at all what it looks like. I’m not engaged. Let’s meet up and talk so I can explain.* Although I would have liked for there to have been a reasonable explanation for what happened I couldn’t fathom one that excused Eric’s behavior. As much as it pained me I decided not to respond.
I checked my miss call. It was my agent. She had left a message. My heart practically shattered as I listened to the voicemail. She said I was no longer in the running to audition for the correspondent position. She said the producers were no longer interested in a screen test from me. She didn’t give an explanation. I curled up into fetal position and hid in bed for the entire day. There was no use in being up. My big audition was cancelled and I was too distraught to concentrate on writing articles. I wished that I could lie in Eric’s arms but he was the one who caused my pain. The realization left me feeling conflicted. Eric continued to text me throughout the day but I shut off my phone and ignored him.
***
Over the course of the following two weeks publicists stopped pitching me stories and news outlets stopped accepting my articles. It was terrible. I felt like I was being blackballed from the industry. I had a feeling this was the work of Richard Donovan. It wasn’t fair. I signed the Agreement just as he told me to. And I hadn’t told anyone, not even Amber and Jessie about Eric and I making love. It felt like everything was crashing down before me. I couldn’t find any work. I was too embarrassed to go out to the clubs after what happened on my birthday. And I kept my distance from Amber and Jessie because I didn’t want to answer questions about what was going on with me. Eric continued to call and text and I was proud of myself for consistently ignoring him.
It was a Friday evening and I was in bed with my laptop applying for journalism positions outside of LA. I found an appealing positing for a music magazine in Chicago. I immediately submitted an application. I also had applications pending in Seattle, Portland, New York and Nashville but I was really hoping I got the one in Chicago. I hated to leave my friends in LA but the city and the industry here was ruining me. It was time to start a new chapter in my life. I was interrupted from my thoughts by the sound of something hitting my bedroom window. I visibly jumped. My heart began to race. Is someone breaking in? No not through a second floor window. I glanced over thinking maybe a bird had run into the building but I didn’t see anything. I looked back down at my computer and then I heard something bang against my window again. I hesitantly crawled out of bed and stealthily crept over to the window. I pressed my body against the wall, craned my neck and peeped out so that I could see whoever was out there but they couldn’t see me. My heart skipped a beat and my stomach did somersaults Eric Gadouas was standing outside my window. He looked stunning even though he was just wearing a white t-shirt and blue jeans.
I opened the window and yelled out. “What are you doing? You’re going to break my window! If you break it you buy it.”
Eric cocked his hand to throw another rock but he dropped it after I admonished him. “You ignored all of my calls and texts. This is the only way I knew how to get a hold of you.”
“Well you could have just knocked on the door.”
“I tho
ught throwing rocks at your window would be more romantic.”
I rolled my eyes. “Yes, and more dangerous. I thought you were an intruder. I could have shot you and I probably should have.”
“You own a gun?”
“No, but I’m just saying.” Eric and I both laughed. “Walk around to the door like a sensible person and I’ll let you in.”
“Will do.” Eric smiled.
I rushed down to let him in. All at once I forgot how upset I was with him. The moment I saw his face I immediately leapt into his arms as if we were long lost lovers being reunited for the first time in years. I wanted to stay in his embrace forever.
“I’m so sorry about everything Giavanna. I know I should have told you the Donovans have keys to my place but I didn’t want to scare you away. There is just so much I’ve been dying to say to you.”
“Wait.” I cut him off. “I grabbed him by the hand and led him inside to my sofa. Once we were comfortably seated I gazed into his eyes for a long moment before speaking. “ I need to know the truth. Please be honest with me Eric. Okay?”
“Okay, I swear I will speak only the truth.”
“Alright, I’m trusting you. I need to know if you cheated on Chastity for me.”
“No. Absolutely not. I was telling the truth when I said Chastity and I weren’t together. Our staged engagement is all for show. Even though Chastity and I have an understanding that we are not in a relationship she and Mr. Donovan control my life. I was too embarrassed to tell you this in the beginning but I want to be completely transparent with you. The Donovans fund a lot of my lifestyle. Like I told you Mr. Donovan saw potential in me as an actor and he thought pairing me with his daughter would help her career. He is dead set on getting us in a movie together and he will flip if I mess that up. I haven’t really pushed back on him because being linked to the Donovans has certainly helped my career and it has afforded me a lifestyle that I could have never afforded on my own. But the downfall is they own me. They both saw it as a sign of disrespect that I would be making love out in the open to a woman in their house. And they were worried it would get out to the media so they over reacted.”
My mouth dropped in shock. As a journalist I was an industry insider but I never imagined that the fakeness of Hollywood would go this far. Even though I was disappointed in Eric for selling his soul to the devil part of me empathized with him. But I was still hurt that he failed to defend me when Mr. Donovan confronted me. “ I get it probably more than I should, Eric. But I have to ask why didn’t you stand up for me when we were caught?”
I saw a pang of emotion in Eric’s electric blue eyes. “I am so sorry for that and there is no excuse but that’s why I’m here. I came here to tell you I want to get out from under the Donovans’ reign and be with you…for real this time. If you will be with me I will publicly break off the engagement and tell everyone I’m with you now. Like I told you before I’ve never been this excited about life until I met you. When we made love I not only felt free but I also felt fulfilled for the first time in a long time. I’m willing to give up the mansion, the status and the connections for a chance at something real with you. Whaddya say? Will you be with me?” Eric took my hand in his. His touch was warm.
My lip quivered as my mind raced with a million thoughts. I turned away from his captivating gaze in attempts to access the logical part of my brain. My heart was saying fuck consequences, let’s do this but my head was saying the opposite. I cared about Eric and as much as I wanted him to carry me off into the sunset I couldn’t bear the thought of him sacrificing everything just to be with me. I would never be able to cope with the guilt.
“Eric, I can’t let you do that. In the short time we’ve known each other I have really grown fond of you. I know that we could make each other happy but I also realize how important your career is to you. I can’t allow you to throw it all away not even for…us.” My heart skipped a beat as I realized I was throwing away a chance to create an ‘us’ with Eric.
“That’s very selfless of you Giavanna but nothing would make me happier than to start a life with you. Maybe there is a way we can be together and we can both still have our careers.” I heard the anxiety in his voice. He probably knew just as well as I did that that wasn’t possible.
“As lovely as that sounds I just don’t think it’s possible. I think Richard Donovan has blacklisted me from the industry. I haven’t been able to get any work since he caught us. I think I’m going to leave town.” Eric’s brow furrowed and he swallowed hard.
“ No. The thought of you leaving physically hurts…I feel like this is all my fault. I’m so sorry Giavanna.” Eric pulled me into his arms and caressed my hair. “I had no idea Mr. Donovan was making you lose work. There has to be away I can make it right.”
I crawled into Eric’s lap and rested my head on his shoulder. “It’s okay Eric, I just want to leave quietly and put this all behind me. I think I’m going to start over in Chicago. I applied for a job there.”
“Oh.” Eric’s eyes glistened with emotion.
Eric squeezed me. I held on to him tightly and we sat in silence for several minutes. “Giavanna, I love you.” Eric whispered. “I love you so much that I want to see you happy even if it’s not with me. I’m so sorry I put you through all of this. I hope that one day you can forgive me. If you have to leave I understand. Just know I’ll always care about you.”
I felt my eyes well with tears. I tried to swallow the lump that was growing in my throat. “Eric, I love you too. And as hard as it is I do forgive you. And I don’t regret knowing you. Being with you allowed me to know what it feels like to be fulfilled. I’ll never forget the way you made me feel Eric.”
Eric stroked my cheek with the back of his hand and slowly brought his lips to mine. We kissed each other deeply and passionately knowing it was probably the last time we would ever see each other. “Eric will you stay here and hold me for the rest of the night. I don’t want to let you go quite yet.”
“Yes, anything for you Giavanna.” We laid intertwined on the couch in silence and enjoyed basking in each other’s sunshine for the last time. I was grateful that Eric taught me what it was like to love and be loved in return. And I was proud to have the honor of showing him some things are more important than fortune and fame. I was completely satiated and I was at peace with starting with a clean slate in a new city.
*****
THE END
A Special Invitation
I really appreciate you downloading my book and reading this far. As a special thank you I’d like to invite you to join my list and get FREE hot new romance reads delivered to your inbox. Don’t miss out. Get on this list now by clicking this link!
Thank you for reading my book. Don't forget there is a lot of free bonus content as my gift to you, so continue reading on the next page!
A Special Invitation
I really appreciate you downloading my book and reading this far. As a special thank you I’d like to invite you to join my list and get FREE hot new romance reads delivered to your inbox weekly. Don’t miss out. Get on this list now by clicking this link!
Free Bonus Story
Free Bonus Story # 2
Keep flipping to review this book!
BWWM: Bad Boy Billionaires Box Set (A Bad Boy BWWM Billionaire Collection) Page 63
