by Terry Towers
“A few days ago. We didn’t want to ruin your trip so we decided to wait to tell you when you got back,” Jeremy explained. “It’s not like you knowing would change how this is going to play out in the end anyhow.”
Bo sat back in his chair and thrust a hand into his dark hair in agitation. Twenty-five million. What balls that man had to demand that kind of money!
“Well, we’re not paying that alcoholic asshole. No way.”
“We’ve hired an attorney and they’re in negotiations with him and his attorney. He’s supposed to get back to us in a few days.”
“This is bad. Really bad, Bo,” Nadine cut in, her voice chastising. “If the press gets hold of this they’ll have a field day. This is the last thing we needed in addition to Anthony’s not-so-secret drug habit and them thinking we’re having an affair.”
Bo’s eyes narrowed at Nadine. “It wouldn’t surprise me in the least if you planted that photographer at the hotel just to snap that picture.” As the words came out of his mouth the thought that it wasn’t such a crazy idea quickly followed. Would she? He watched her expression and for the briefest of moments he thought he saw a look of guilt flash in her green eyes, but as quickly as the look appeared it was gone and a tight smile appeared on her face.
“That’s ridiculous. Have you forgotten that the band’s success equals more money for me? I’m not going to risk my career for you. You should get over yourself, Bo.” She huffed and leaned back in her chair, taking a sip from her bottle of water. “That picture looks as bad for me as it does for you. I’m being made out as a home-wrecking whore.”
If the shoe fits, he grumbled inwardly, biting his tongue to keep from saying it out loud and starting something he didn’t want to deal with. However, the more he thought about it and the longer he looked into her eyes, he knew it was true. She had planted the photographer. She was the only one who knew where he and Hanna would be and what times; it would have been easy for her to tip the guy off to their house hunt. It seemed stupid of her considering, as she said, it was bad publicity all around, but at the same time…
He looked over at Hanna, who was sitting straight in the chair next to him with a look of worry and guilt in her expression. Was Nadine hoping to push Hanna to her breaking point? Would Nadine stoop to such levels to "win"?
Yeah, she would. He had no doubt about it in the least. Dammit, why did I let them convince me to hire her?
“You’ve been called worse, Nadine,” Anthony commented, mimicking what Bo was
feeling.
Nadine turned to her left to glare at Anthony. “You guys called me to manage the group, asshole. Don’t you forget it!”
Standing, Jeremy spread his hand out palms up. “Look guys, we all need to calm
down. One thing at a time. Right now the pressing issue is Victor. The rest is bullshit that can be figured out later on. I, for one, don’t want to give him one red cent let alone pay him twenty-five million. Focus on the issue at hand.”
Bo sighed and looked over at Hanna and the group began to chatter among
themselves.
Feeling his eyes on her, Hanna turned to face him, gave him a weak smile and
shrugged.
Bo leaned into her and whispered, “We should have made it two weeks…”
~*~*~*~*~*~
By the time the impromptu meeting ended and Hanna was seated in the control room with Nadine and several technicians a headache had begun to form, sending a throbbing pain across her forehead. The last thing she wanted was a confrontation with Nadine so she opted to sit as far from her as possible, not speaking or looking in the other woman’s direction. Out of sight, out of mind – she hoped. Her anxiety was kicking in – hardcore –
and the last thing she wanted was the other woman noticing.
The band began recording and as the day progressed without a word to her from the doppelganger, Hanna began to relax. Periodically, Bo would shoot a smile in her direction. With each look or wink he sent her way, she found herself blushing like a schoolgirl. She’d have thought after the amount of time they’d been together that his effect on her would wear off, but that wasn’t the case and it felt good.
Feeling the effects of several bottles of water, she excused herself, left the control room and made her way toward the bathroom. She made it halfway down the hallway when she heard the door open behind her and the click-clack of heels on the tiled floor.
Ahhh, fuck. Just ignore her, she coached herself and picked up the pace as if the bathroom would be her rescue.
“Hanna. Wait up. We need to have a word.”
Hanna cringed. Here we go.
Taking a deep breath and squaring her shoulders, Hanna spun around to see Nadine pulling a brown envelope out of her purse as she quickly approached.
“What do you want, Nadine?”
“To talk.” Nadine looked around them and motioned for her to follow her into the bathroom.
Heaving a loud sigh, Hanna obliged. Might as well get this over with.
“We need to discuss your future with Bo.”
“I don’t think my future…”
“Just look at the pictures.”
Hanna got a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach as she accepted the envelope with great hesitation. Something about the glimmer of triumph in the other woman’s eyes sent a spike of anxiety through her. With shaky fingers she opened the envelope and gasped.
The first photo was of her completely naked making love to Bo at the house in the pool.
Every inch of her body was exposed to the camera, as she was fucked in several
positions. Her lips formed a large O as it appeared she was hitting her climax.
She glanced up after looking at the first five photos and scowled at the other woman.
“It was you, wasn’t it? You set Bo up!” she growled through clenched teeth. The underlying hint of venom in her voice scared even her, but Nadine seemed undisturbed by it.
“Oh, honey. There’s better pictures. Keep flipping.” She tapped the photo of Hanna being fucked from behind on the steps of the pool, with a perfectly manicured finger.
Fighting the urge to lunge at the other woman and pull the red extensions from her head, she continued to flip and horror began to fill her. The next set was of her at the center. She looked like shit. The pictures appeared to be stills from a security camera mounted on one of the walls of the complex.
“How did you get these?” The horror and rage within her increased, her hands visibly shaking as she gripped the photos.
“Oh honey, you’d be surprised at what a little investigation into someone’s
background and a bit of money can get you.”
“Why? Why would you do this? Bo doesn’t want you. Why?”
“I want you out of the picture. Gone. For good. Finish what Victor was too much of an idiot to do himself.”
Hanna shook her head in disbelief, lifting her eyes from the photos to catch Nadine’s self-satisfied gaze. “What do you have to gain by this? He’ll never want you.”
“My reasons are none of your concern.” She tapped the photos again. “And if I
haven’t been convincing enough in my point, check out the last couple of photos.”
Hanna flipped through until she reached the second-to-last photo. This time it didn’t feature her, but Anthony and some man. “I don’t understand…”
"That’s Gerry Cornell with Anthony. He’s a known drug dealer selling to Anthony."
Dear God! “What is wrong with you? Have you been having us all followed?”
Nadine leaned back against the sink and crossed her arms over her chest, a smug grin on her lips. “Knowledge is power, my dear.”
“And why should I care that you have photos of Anthony? Everyone knows he’s an
addict.”
“See, I think you do care. Anthony is the one who saved you,” she said, spitting the word "saved" as if it were something dirty. “And he’s a fucking junkie dick. Having him o
ut of the group and in jail would be fine by me. But it’s your call. I’d bet even if you decide to brave the media about your little social disorder and those pictures; you won’t allow me to leak these pictures of Anthony to the tabloids and send them to the police.”
Hanna was speechless. Her head was spinning, and her heart thumping rapidly in her chest. But she’d be damned if she’d let Nadine see how badly this was affecting her. No way in hell. Shoving the pictures in her purse, she shot Nadine the nastiest look she could muster given the situation. “Fuck you, Nadine.”
The need to use the bathroom was long forgotten as she headed for the door. She grabbed the handle to pull it open only to be stopped by Nadine placing a hand on the door, keeping it shut.
“You have twenty-four hours to break up with Bo and get your fat ass out of his life or those photos go viral. The story about you being in the looney house. The porn pictures of you and Bo, your fat ass on display for the world to see, and Anthony will be in a shitload of trouble. Don’t think I won’t.”
Spinning around, her hair whipping wildly around her head, Hanna drew her hand
back, formed a fist and without giving it an ounce of thought struck Nadine, making contact with her cheek and spending her spiralling backward and on her ass in the middle of the dirty bathroom floor.
“Whore!” Nadine screeched as she brought her hand up to her cheek. "You have twenty-hour hours, you hear me!"
Without another word Hanna left Nadine seething in the bathroom and exited the
building. She had no idea where she was going, but she needed to get away. She needed time. She needed to think.
Chapter 13
“Hanna, what are you doing here?”
Hanna thrust a hand into her hair and sighed. “Can we talk?”
“Daddy, who is it?” Seconds after the soft, female voice spoke; its owner appeared at Tyson’s side. She looked up at Hanna, her dark eyes surveying every inch before meeting Hanna’s gaze. “Who are you?”
The little girl, who Hanna guessed to be five or six, was absolutely adorable. Her long dark curls were tied up in a ponytail and she appeared to be about ready to go to bed, wearing Mickey Mouse pajamas and carrying a Bugs Bunny plush toy by the ears.
“I’m Hanna. And who are you?” Hanna crouched down and extended her hand to the
little girl. The girl hesitated a moment before taking Hanna’s hand and shaking it firmly.
“I’m Kayla.” She looked up at Tyson and nodded toward him. “That’s my dad. His
name’s Tyson. My mom is Jade.” She held the rabbit up to Hanna's eyes for examination.
"This is Bugs Bunny, I call him Bud."
Hanna grinned as she looked up at Tyson, who shrugged and hugged his petite
daughter to his side. “Kayla, sweetie. Why don’t you head to bed? I’ll be in in a minute.
Okay?”
“Ahhhhh. But dadddddd.” She looked back at Hanna. “You get to stay up!”
Tyson gave his daughter a stern look. “Kayla. Now.”
She huffed, spun around and marched across the living room and into the spare
bedroom.
“That’s my daughter from a previous relationship,” Tyson explained, stepping back and motioning Hanna in. “She’s beginning to form a defiant streak.”
“I didn’t know you had children. Is she the only one?”
“One and only and she’s plenty. I never seem to have enough time for her.”
Hanna frowned, then remembered something. “You were supposed to spend last week with her?”
“It happens.”
A feeling of guilt ran through her as she made her way into the living room and took a seat on the sofa, perching herself on the edge. “I’m really sorry Bo and I…”
Tyson lifted a hand, stopping her. “It’s my job, Hanna. It keeps Kayla and her mother from having to live in a rundown apartment. And as long as I continue working for Bo and the guys she’ll go to college, paid in full. I have to make sacrifices to ensure she has a good life.”
“So when did you and her mother break up?”
Tyson sat back in the armchair across from her and sighed. “Three years ago, maybe.”
His eyes lowered to the brown envelope Hanna had set on her lap. “What’s that?”
Picking up the envelope, she fingered the edges. “Promise me you won’t tell anyone about this.” She waved the envelope in front of him. “You have to promise.”
“I guess… yeah.” Bending forward he reached for the envelope, pulling it from her fingertips. “Where did you get it?”
“Nadine.”
“Ah-huh.” Giving her one more glance he pulled the photos from the envelope.
Hanna lowered her gaze, her cheeks burning, knowing which photos he was looking at.
“I… Ummmm.”
“Keep going.” Keeping her eyes averted from his, she motioned for him to flip
through them.
“Okayyyy.” He flipped through several and paused. Hearing the pause Hanna timidly looked up.
“That set is of a camera from the center I was staying at for a bit.”
“How did she get these?”
“She said when money is involved, I’d be surprised at what information becomes
available.”
“Damn.”
“Yup. Keep going.”
He flipped through a few more until he got to the picture of Anthony with the dealer.
“Why are these in here? What’s with all this?”
Tears welled up in her eyes and she reached into her new, authentic Louis Vuitton monogram purse and pulled out a tissue. “It’s blackmail. Nadine wants me gone and she’s threatening to leak these to the press.”
She chanced a look up, to see his face contort in a look of sheer anger. “The fucking bitch. I’ve always hated her. Never thought she was this low, though.”
“Well, she is.”
“You haven’t shown these to Bo yet?”
Hanna thrust a hand into her long locks. “Nope.”
“Don’t you think you should?”
“And what is he going to do, Tyson? If I tell him, he’ll fire her, and she’ll leak the pictures.”
Tyson laughed a bittersweet laugh. “So what are you going to do? Leave him?”
Several more tears slipped down her cheeks. “What else can I do?”
“Dammit.” Tyson reclined back in the chair, running a hand behind his neck in
frustration. “Can you handle the heat from these pictures if they come out?”
“I don’t know.” She honestly didn’t. For everyone in the world to see her naked and having sex? But that wasn’t even the worst of it. The only people in the world who knew about her social anxiety was her aunt and Tyson. The paparazzi already loved dragging her through the mud. They’d be in all their glory with a story like this. People staring at her, whispering… God only knew the horrible things that would be said, not just about her, but Bo as well. Sure there was the saying that there was no such thing as bad publicity, but wasn’t there a limit to the negativity someone could take?
“Even if I could… What about Anthony? He could go to jail.”
“Yes. No. Maybe. He’d certainly be brought in for questioning.” Placing the photos back in the envelope he set them on the end table beside him, leaned forward and took her hands in his.
Hanna looked down at her hands in his, grateful for the comforting touch, even if it wasn’t Bo’s.
“Let Anthony worry about himself. He's digging his own grave right now. I ask again.
Can. You. Handle. It?”
Closing her eyes, Hanna shook her head; she could feel the panic gripping her body at the thought of people examining those pictures. Her entire body shivered. “I don’t think so.”
Admitting it to him sent a rush of guilt over her. She felt selfish. If she really loved Bo, it wouldn’t matter, right? She’d take the heat and deal with it. She looked down at the envelope, imagining
the contents in her mind’s eye. But it wasn’t just her. It was Anthony. It was the band in general, they’d had so much bad press lately and now they had a massive lawsuit to deal with. And what if they fired Nadine? Another lawsuit? How much could the band afford before they went bust… all because of her?
Maybe she was being melodramatic… maybe not.
Fuck, fuck, fuck. Why can’t they just leave us alone?
“Hanna?”
Hanna looked up at the feel of Tyson squeezing her hands.
“Do you want me to get to the bottom of this? Find out who took the photos and who gave her the photos?”
Hanna gulped down the lump forming in her throat. She didn’t want to break.
Couldn’t break. “I don’t know…”
“Did she give you some sort of timeframe before she released the photos?”
“Twenty-four hours.”
“Don’t do anything rash. Let me think about this tonight and we’ll talk tomorrow.”
“I’m not sure what you’ll be able to do, Tyson. I’m not even sure why I came here.
I’m so confused. And I just needed,” she shrugged, “someone.”
“Oh Hanna...”
Tyson was cut off by knocking at the door. “Ahhh, fuck. Sit tight a minute, okay?” He caught her gaze and didn’t move until she nodded her agreement.
As he answered the door, Hanna snatched the photos from the end table and shoved them in her purse. The last thing she wanted was Kayla finding her porno pictures.
“There you are. Nadine said you felt sick.”
That’s one way of putting it, she mused as she turned to see Bo rushing into the apartment to pull her into his arms.
“I’m okay,” she murmured against his shoulder, taking solace in his warm, hard body next to hers.
“I’ll check on Kayla and give you two a minute.” Tyson closed the door and made his way into Kayla’s room, closing the door firmly behind him.
“What are you doing here?”
