“Sure you are,” Tommy said, grinning, “you slammed that suitcase shut on your hand, right on cue.”
Shannon opened her mouth in shock, then laughed, nodding her head.
“You know what? I think I’m going to add that to my acting resume!”
“Can slam things on her hand in a coordinated effort,” Tommy said, putting his hands up as if showcasing the comment on her resume.
“Yeah, yeah, that’s it,” Shannon said, laughing, rolling her eyes and shaking her head.
“Actually, you were doing really great until then,” Cassie said sincerely. “I was convinced, that you were totally freaked that she was going to run. My mom says that’s the way to know if someone’s a good actor.”
Shannon nodded. “Yes, if you can convince people you are who you’re playing.”
“Well,” Cassie said, nodding her head, “I read that book a while back, and you definitely seem like Mary Sebastian to me. So I’d say you have a lot to put on your resume, the hand slamming ability notwithstanding.”
Shannon laughed, nodding. “Well, thank you, that really makes me feel good. I haven’t seen anyone’s reaction to my acting ability.”
“I think you’re well on your way, Shanny,” Allexxiss said, smiling fondly.
Shannon smiled, nodding and sighing. It did feel good to have someone else tell her she really could act. Allexxiss and Cassie started talking, making plans for dinner that evening, planning to meet up with BJ. He seemed to be keeping close tabs on Cassie Roads, but Allexxiss understood why.
“Shannon, what are you doing for dinner?” Allexxiss asked her.
“I, uh,” Shannon stammered, thinking quickly, “I have plans already.”
“You can’t change them?” Cassie asked.
“Uh, no,” Shannon said regretfully, “I’ve kind of had these for a while. But thanks for thinking of me.”
“You’re sure?” Allexxiss asked, surprised.
Shannon rarely had plans as she didn’t really know anyone in town. Often, she and Allexxiss had dinner at a local restaurant. Allexxiss watched as Shannon shrunk back away, walking back over to the set. She noted that Tommy was watching Shannon disappear purposefully too. It made Allexxiss wonder if there was something there, and she made a mental note of Tommy’s interest, hoping she could help Shannon out of her shell once and for all.
Shannon moved off, not wanting to be intrusive. All she could think was, Wow! Cassie was incredibly beautiful; she wondered if Tommy and Cassie were dating, they seemed close. Shannon felt absolutely grotesque in Cassie’s presence. Dinner? With that beautiful girl and her boyfriend? Oh, no, there was a limit to how horrible she wanted to feel about herself in one night. It made her more determined than ever to get back to something resembling normal as soon as the movie was done. It was supposed to be done already! It was slated for release in two weeks, but still the director was playing with a couple of scenes. It had everyone tense, including her.
Tommy watched the dark-haired girl step away. He caught the look of almost longing in her eyes as she looked back at Cassie. He wondered at that. Tommy realized that his lead singer made a lot of other women pale by comparison. And originally, he’d been just as awed by Cassie’s beauty. She was damned near perfect as far as he was concerned. But she was just a friend. They were more like brother and sister, contrary to what Mike had always thought about them.
The next day, Allexxiss caught up with Shannon on her way to the studio.
“So, what was up with that yesterday?” Allexxiss asked. “You never have plans for dinner.”
“Who says I didn’t?” Shannon asked, glancing furtively at Allex.
Allexxiss gave Shannon a pointed look.
“Okay, okay!” Shannon said, throwing her hands up. “You caught me, I didn’t have any plans. I just didn’t want to sit in a restaurant with that gorgeous woman and her handsome boyfriend and look like the slob they brought in off the street.”
“Shannon …” Allexxiss began, shaking her head.
“I know, I know,” Shannon said, knowing the lecture she was about to get; Allexxiss had been after her like a mother hen from day one about her self-esteem.
“I don’t think either Cassie or Tommy think like that, and I don’t think they’re a couple either,” Allex said.
“Are you sure they’re not? They seemed really close. In any case, I think I look terrible,” Shannon said. “I would just have been uncomfortable.” She shrugged. “Maybe when I’m back to my normal size, then I won’t feel so weird.”
“I still think it would be good for you to hang out with some people your own age in this town,” Allexxiss pointed out.
“All the beautiful people?” Shannon asked, grinning.
“Stop that!” Allexxiss said. Then she noticed Shannon’s grin. “You are such a brat, you know that? I should send you home to your parents and have them spank you.”
Shannon laughed, shaking her head.
“Seriously, Shannon,” Allexxiss said, “I think it would do you some good to get some friends in this town that don’t like you for the star thing, but like you for who you are.”
Shannon nodded, thinking Allex wasn’t going to let up on this idea no matter what. It was true, Shannon had only really made friends with Allexxiss since moving to LA. She never had time to meet anyone else. When they were done filming she’d need something else to do, while waiting to see what would happen with the movie. Her agent was already looking for new prospects for her next film, but Shannon had told him that she didn’t want him to get her anything until she was back into shape.
****
The gossip rags, as well as TMZ, had gotten wind of Fast Lane’s recording contract with Badlands and they’d started hounding the band and taking pictures whenever they could catch one of them. They also delved into all of their pasts to see if they could dredge up anything interesting. It was somewhat fun at first, seeing pictures of themselves from junior high and high school, and various quotes from teachers and “family friends” that usually sounded like complete bullshit. Then they’d gotten ahold of Mike’s name, and before long things turned nasty. He claimed that Cassie had slept her way into the contract, and that she was “screwing” BJ Sparks. BJ told them to ignore the mud-slinging.
In the month it took for Cassie to find an apartment, she stayed with Tommy. She’d finally gotten a place in the same complex as Tommy. In the meantime, however, pictures of her and Tommy coming and going from the same apartment showed up, so the comments began about Cassie sleeping with her guitarist too. She hated all of it but did as BJ said and ignored it.
Two weeks after moving into her own apartment, Cassie came home after her studio time. It was late and dark. She never did know what hit her. She was shaken awake by a woman who’d found her lying half in the bushes. Waking up, Cassie was hit first with the blinding headache that had her throwing up a moment after the pain hit. When the violent heaving ceased she sat back bringing her knees up to her chest. She noticed then that the top of her dress was ripped open and the lower half was up around her waist. Her underwear was gone. Fighting back another wave of nausea, she started mentally checking her body. Did she hurt between her legs? Yes, oh fucking Christ, yes she did. She could feel the sticky wetness and a burning pain. Her mind shut off instantly on that account, not wanting to think of what had happened. She shifted around to get her dress down. Fortunately, it was long, almost to her ankles, so it covered her completely. She pulled the top together and tied it in a knot.
“Did you see anyone?” Cassie asked the woman who was standing by wringing her hands nervously.
“No, just you lying there,” the woman said. “I thought you were some homeless person, but then I saw the blood,” she said, pointing to the blood on Cassie’s neck.
Cassie looked down but wasn’t able to see where the woman meant. She reached up and touched the drying blood, pulling back reddened fingers. She wasn’t sure if there was an injury there or not, but she didn’t have
the guts to find out at that point. Whatever it was, it wasn’t bleeding badly so she figured she was okay.
Some other people approached then. Cassie got up unsteadily, making sure her skirt was down.
“Hey, aren’t you Cassie Roads?” asked one young man.
She nodded without even thinking.
“You’re dating BJ Sparks and you live here?” the same man asked.
“I’m not dating BJ Sparks, he’s married, Jesus …” she stammered as it clicked in her head. The last thing she wanted was this reported to the world.
She started walking, and a younger kid caught up to her. He couldn’t have been older than ten.
“I saw who did it,” the boy said, an excited gleam in his eye.
“Yeah?” Cassie said, sounding cynical. “Who?”
“He was kinda tall, with brown hair and he was wearing this camo jacket,” the kid said.
Cassie stopped in her tracks looking down at the boy.
“Did you see what he was driving?” she asked.
“Yeah, he got into a white Honda,” the boy said, seeming thrilled that he knew that too.
Cassie closed her eyes, then nodded. “Thanks, thanks a lot,” she said, reaching into her pocket.
She still had money too. So he hadn’t robbed her. Gee, big surprise there. Bastard! was all she could think as she handed the kid a ten-dollar bill.
It had been Mike. She knew it even before the kid told her about the white Honda. Mike always wore that stupid camo jacket. She’d always hated it. It would figure that he’d wear it to attack her. She hurried to her apartment, feeling the pounding headache start again. She considered going a few doors down to Tommy’s but then the nausea hit again and she threw up over and over. She sat with her back against her tub, she didn’t have the energy to go anywhere. She fell asleep curled up on her bathroom floor.
It was a busy night for the tabloids.
The ringing of Tommy’s phone at eight o’clock the next morning woke him.
“What?” he barked into the receiver.
“Tommy, it’s Greg, the tabloids are saying that Cassie was attacked last night.”
“She what!” Tommy exclaimed. “Never mind, I’ll go check right now.”
“Okay, let me know,” Greg said, sounding worried.
Tommy got up, threw on a shirt and shoes, and headed for Cassie’s apartment. She didn’t answer the door. Finally, Tommy pulled out his keys and unlocked the door.
“Cassie?” he called out, walking through the apartment.
When he checked the bathroom, he saw her lying on the floor.
“Jesus …” Tommy said from the doorway.
He kneeled down and scooped her up in his arms. He walked into her bedroom, and laid her on her bed, looking her over. He immediately noticed dried blood on her thigh where her dress lay partially open.
“Oh, Jesus,” Tommy said, shaking his head.
Cassie woke up, slowly. “Tommy?” she queried.
“Hey,” he said softly, “I’m going to take you to the hospital, okay?”
“Tommy, the reporters …” Cassie began.
“I know, Cassie, but they already have the story. I want to know you’re okay.”
Cassie nodded, and Tommy was able to help her to his truck. As he drove to the hospital, Cassie leaned heavily against the passenger door.
“It was Mike, Tommy,” Cassie said at one point, her eyes filling with tears of anger and humiliation.
Tommy had to grit his teeth to concentrate on his driving. The thoughts of beating Mike to a pulp ran through his head. In the meantime, he knew he needed to get Cassie to the hospital and make sure she was okay.
Just as they took Cassie in, Tommy’s phone rang. It was BJ, he’d seen the news. Tommy told BJ that he was at the hospital with Cassie and BJ said he’d be right down.
Brenden drove down to Cedars Sinai. Walking in the front doors was nearly impossible however; it was four people deep with press. They all jumped at him as he pulled up.
“Christ …” he muttered under his breath.
“Mr. Sparks! Do you know who attacked your Cassie Roads?” one reported screamed at him.
Brenden looked at the woman like she was nuts and asked, “How would I know?”
“Why is she living in such a bad part of town if she’s dating you?” someone else cried out rapid fire.
Brenden didn’t even bother to answer that question, continuing to move toward the hospital doors.
“Was her sleeping with you the reason she got a record deal?” another reporter yelled.
Brenden stopped dead in his tracks, his blue-green eyes narrowing dangerously.
“Who asked that?” he asked, his tone low, his teeth gritted.
No one was willing to confess at that point.
“You fucking people need lives!” he growled and strode inside.
Inside he was met by Tommy.
“How is she?” Brenden asked as Tommy led the way to where Cassie was.
“She’s okay, but BJ …” Tommy said, halting and turning around to look at the other man. “She was raped, and I think he was trying to kill her.”
“He? Who?” Brenden asked, but started shaking his head a moment later. “Mike?”
“Yeah,” Tommy said, nodding.
BJ looked like he was ready to kill someone, but he just nodded. “Let’s go see her.”
BJ and Tommy went into the room they had Cassie in. She was lying on the hospital bed, looking tiny and frail.
Brenden stepped over to the bed, looking her over. She didn’t have many visible bruises, but there was a bandage on her head and her arms were bruised.
“Hey, Cassie,” he said softly, reaching out to touch her cheek.
“BJ …” Cassie began, not sure what to make of him being there, but feeling very vulnerable at that point.
“Rough night, huh?” he asked. His voice had a tinge of humor to it.
Cassie grinned. “You could say that,” she said, nodding.
“What happened?” he asked gently.
She shook her head slowly. “Don’t know,” she said. “I woke up in the bushes with a big nasty headache.”
Brenden took a deep breath, expelling it slowly in an effort to calm himself. “And we know it was Mike?” he asked, glancing over at Tommy.
Tommy nodded. “A kid in the complex saw him, and the car he drives.”
Brenden nodded. “We need to get his ass arrested, Cass,” he told her.
“No,” she said, shaking her head, “I just want it to be over,”
“It won’t be over until he’s behind bars,” Brenden said.
“No,” she said, her voice stronger this time. “I don’t want to go through that. He got what he wanted, now I just want to move on with my life,”
“Cassie …” Brenden pleaded.
“No!” she yelled, wincing at the pain it caused in her head.
“Okay, okay,” he said, touching her cheek. “Calm down, we’ll talk about it later. Just rest now, it’s okay.”
Cassie closed her eyes, grimacing again at the pain. Brenden glanced at Tommy and gestured with his head for Tommy to accompany him out of the room.
“I want this guy,” Brenden said once they were outside.
Tommy nodded, blowing his breath out. “I know some people that’ll kick his ass happily.”
Brenden nodded slowly. “If that’s what it takes.”
“Let’s see how she feels later on,” Tommy said. “She’s just really freaked right now.”
Brenden nodded again. “Yeah. Okay, but I want you to talk to her, okay?”
“You got it, boss,” Tommy said.
The press started on Cassie the day after she was attacked. As was usual in the media, they managed to somehow make the attack about her, and not about the man who had done the crime. The woman that had found her, claimed she’d been wearing a skimpy outfit. Neighbors, who barely knew her, claimed she was always having parties and entertaining men. They made her ou
t to be some horrendous slut. The papers said she’d screwed BJ Sparks to get a record deal for her and her band. Why else would Fast Lane have gotten a record deal so soon after she joined the band?
Cassie was furious at first, not having dealt with being the target of such angry, hateful words. She couldn’t believe that people could lie so horribly and live with themselves. It made her realize that people were willing to do anything to see their names in print. Tommy and the rest of the band were outraged on her behalf.
Brenden told her that she was more than welcome to move into his house until she found a new place. But Cassie wouldn’t do it. He was her boss after all, and her pride won out.
Cassie started receiving hate mail and death threats shortly after that. They were delivered to the apartment complex. Cassie opened the first few envelopes, and read the hateful, angry words telling her what a slut she was, and that maybe if she kept her legs shut someone wouldn’t have thought she was open season. Another message told her she was a hedonistic slut and must pay for her crimes against God. The third one left her shaking as she sank to the floor of her apartment. It outlined how he intended to rape her over and over again, giving her the “fucking” she deserved before he slit her throat and watched her bleed to death.
Tommy found her there an hour later, the letter still in her hands.
“Hey Cass …” he said, walking into her apartment. The door was still open from when she’d walked in. “What’s wrong?” he asked, seeing the horrified expression on her face.
She shook her head slowly, looking like she wanted to be sick. He looked down at the letter in her hand, then gently took it from her.
“Jesus H. Christ,” he muttered, his eyes going to hers.
Her eyes met his, and her lips trembled.
“What have I done?” she asked softly.
“Nothing,” Tommy said vehemently, as he put his arms around her, hugging her close. “Nothing, Cassie, these people are fucking crazy,” he said glancing at the letters she’d dropped. “We’re getting you out of here today.”
In the Fast Lane Page 5
