“Reece? Any response?” the journalist prods. “You’re dating sisters.”
“I’m not dating them.” Fuck that’s not right. “I’m not dating Caitlyn. I never dated Caitlyn.” The group sucks in a collective breath. Some start to laugh at my faux pas. Others pull a face of disgust and judgment. Fuck this is getting worse. “Caitlyn and I had a one-time thing, and it didn’t develop.”
“Is this a one-time thing with Madelyn given her history of being in the public eye.”
I lean forward and put my elbows on the table. “Madelyn’s life was put up for public consumption without her authority. Caitlyn and I were consenting adults, and if nothing came of our time together, that’s between she and I. I’m happy to talk to you about anything and everything about my life, my plans and where I go to from here, but the other half of my love life is off limits. Before, the old me - I’m not that person anymore. I think the real me is shining through now, and I don’t want my life up for grabs. Ask me anything you want, just not about her.”
“So you are in love with her? You said your love life … so does that mean you love her?”
All the eyes that were turned down to their phones are now gazing at me. I note that Sean has turned to look at me too. In what better way to be honest with myself than with the world.
“Yeah I do.”
The floor erupts again with shouts, and Hannah steps forward to usher us off the makeshift stage. Deni signals for us to head out of another door to avoid walking past them again. If we waited for them to leave, they never bloody would.
“Thank you all for coming, that concludes our press conference. Please leave your details by the door if you would like to receive any further updates or express interest in a one-on-one interview. Thank you all for coming.”
I pull my phone from my pocket and realise we have been in there for over two hours. Twenty minutes my arse. “That took fucking forever,” Sean spoke my thoughts just as the elevator doors close us in. Fourteen thousand hits on my name. My Pinterest notifications are off the charts with one hundred thousand new followers. I hit Madelyn’s number and send a thousand silent prayers that she answers and lets me talk. I never put two and two together and realised they were sisters. Hell, as bad as it is to admit, this was the first time I was learning Caitlyn’s surname. I need to do some damage control about her sister, pure and simple. “Left it on a high note didn’t you. Can’t believe you though man. Sisters!” The thought makes me cringe. “What? There was a time when you would have boasted about it. She really has done a number on you.”
“I think it’s wonderful,” Deni’s voice comes from behind me. I didn’t even know she was there. She lowers her eyes when I turn to face her, but she lifts her head again to speak. “It’s the stuff that all romantics yearn for. To find that one person that is able to make them want to be a better person. A person that loves them regardless of what they’ve said or done in the past. They judge them for behaviours and actions rather than the words they say.”
I let her words soak in. Sean’s elbow connects with my ribs. “Stop staring.”
“Sorry, I wasn’t staring. I was taking in her words. Deni, you are so right. I need to show her.” I nod, and my phone starts to ring in my hand. Speak of the devil, just the woman I wanted to speak to. How do I tell her that I pretty much outed her when I vowed to keep her hidden?
Chapter Forty-Four
MADELYN
My throat is sore from singing and even though I vowed I wouldn’t turn on the radio, in a moment of weakness, I did.
“Breaking news with the band members of Backbeat making an impromptu appearance at the Regency today, talking about the breakdown of their band, as well as new passions in their lives. We cross to our reporter Lara Turner for the developments.” I’m ashamed to admit that I did smile when I hear his name.
“Thank you, Catherine, yes, it’s been a day of developments considering this band was on the brink of world domination just a few short months ago, and it all fell apart. The lesser known member of the band Sean Gillings married his partner Hannah, while frontman Reece Ashton has coupled up with a woman who is no stranger to media attention.” Oh, fuck you. My knuckles whiten as I grip the steering wheel. “Yes, it appears that Cupid has played a very strange bow with the announcement that he’s dated both Caitlyn and Madelyn Worthrington during an exclusive interview with the girl’s father today on Channel seventeen’s afternoon show.”
My foot stamps hard on the brake, and I grit my teeth as I come to a grinding halt. “What the fuck!”
Did she just say that Reece had dated Caitlyn?
“It seems that the romance between Reece and Caitlyn was more of a fling.”
Yep. That’s what she said. Holy shit. He’s been with my half-sister. He’s been with Caitlyn. My body gives an involuntary shudder, and I try hard to suppress the urge to vomit.
“Both Worthrington girls are known to be very media friendly with Caitlyn better known for the slave trade incidents involving her handbags and Madelyn made her name through the infamous sex tape.” I can’t help but cringe. Even after all these years, it still smarts to hear people talk so openly about something that was proven not to be my doing. “Backbeat’s former manager David Steel—” Fuck face. “Was happy to join us for a quick interview.” Oh, I bet he was. I snarl when David’s voice comes over the airwaves. My fingers sting from rolling my grip on the steering wheel as the space inside the car gets that little bit smaller. I push the door open to allow the stifling air out and the fresh air in.
“This coupling is all for show to garner attention and that Reece couldn’t possibly fall for someone like Madelyn given her background.” And that’s all I can listen to. I throw the door open further in desperation for fresh air. I pawed for the seat belt to release when David’s smarmy voice continued on. “I think it’s a relationship of mutual agreement for publicity rather than an attraction based relationship.”
“MOTHERFUCKER!” I slam the door behind me as I round the rear of the car. “Fucker. Motherfucker, arse puncher, cock face little bitch of a man you are!” He’s forever going to ruin my life. His words manage to plant to the seed of doubt in my mind. Did Reece really tell me the truth? I hate that self-doubt blankets over me so easily. I hate all of this. It’s a constant cloud looming over me, waiting to rain shit all over my life. Caitlyn, I have managed to put a firm boundary around her. For years, I have been her whipping bitch. I have never known any kindness from her and the horribly spiteful things she said to me when the James issue came to hand, had sealed the deal that we could and would never have a relationship.
Stamping my foot on the ground and taking a deep breath while throwing my head back and look up at the sky. “This shit stops today,” I say to the universe. “I am not going to have this fuck knuckle or anyone else have any impact on my life.”
With my new resolve to set the record straight, I took my seat in the car and silenced the radio. I take a deep breath and muster all my courage to face this instead of run while waiting for my phone to connect with Reece’s. I’m about to hang it up when he answers.
“Hey, Madelyn. Where are you?” I squeeze my eyes tight and take another breath to try and calm my racing heart. “Madelyn? God this phone has shit reception. Madelyn? If you can hear me, I’m going to ring you back. Fuck.”
“I’m here.” I finally find my voice but it doesn’t matter, I can’t get a word in.
“This is not how I wanted you to find out, hell, I only found out pretty much as I was walking into the studio that I was being interviewed by your father.”
“He would have found out through the shows’ producers and forced his way to do to that interview. He’s been known to do that before,” I say. “Wish you’d told me which network you were going with and I could have warned you.”
“I feel sick about this Madelyn. I knew this was going to be hard but not like this. I’m sorry that you’re getting attention because of me. Yeah but I can tell that’
s not what you are ringing about. This isn’t like any journalist I know to beat about the bush. Out with it Madelyn. What are you more annoyed about - the fact that I had a pashathon with your sister or that I couldn’t remember it until about four hours ago.”
“The fact that you were with my sister is gross, yes, I know this is going to come off as needy, but I need to know. Are you with me for publicity?” It’s my turn to listen to silence. “Reece?”
“Madelyn, you really have to ask me that?”
I hit my head back on the headrest before speaking and let out a long breath. “It’s just what David said in his interview with this radio network—”
“Okay. Don’t ever and I mean ever, let David speak on my behalf. He’d tell anyone anything to get them to believe him. I’m just heading to reception to make sure there’s a key there for you.”
“Okay.”
“And Madelyn. I am not with you for publicity. A wise woman said to me once ‘if I’m with you - it’s because I want to be with you. I don’t need you, this is because I want you’.”
I smile as my own words are turned against me. “Okay. I’ll see you in a little while. I have been honest with you the whole time. I’m not about to start lying. If you want to know something, ask me. I’ll tell you honestly.”
“Likewise.”
“Okay, well travel safely.”
I press the disconnect button and settle into my seat. Damn David for planting the seed of doubt in my mind. Damn him for undermining the confidence I’d managed to gain. Even though I’ve only been in a handful of relationships, this is the part I’ve hated the most. The uncertainty. The ‘I like you enough to have sex with you, but not sure if I like you the more I learn about you’ stage. Reece hasn’t given me any indication of anything that has been a complete turn-off. In fact, I’m quietly content with how things are moving along. The sex is off the charts hot, and I can’t help but smile when I think of him. But most of all, I love seeing the confidence shine from within him when he achieves something that he puts his mind to.
The word love wasn’t lost on me as I pull the car back onto the road and try to make up for lost ground. I have to say, I have loved seeing Reece move from a manchild to self-sufficient. I laugh out loud at the scenarios he’s been through. If you read about them, you wouldn’t believe them. What makes my stomach flutter even more is that even though the world knows of him, I know the real him. The part that shows he really is super talented, very thoughtful and now, loyal. These are qualities that I hold high in a man.
My phone rings again, and I glance over to see Trent’s name. I press the accept button.
“Hey, big brother. What’s going on?”
“I know you haven’t been listening to the news so I thought I’d fill you in. That fucker Madelyn.”
I can hear the anger rolling off him. “Actually, I did listen to it, and I’ve spoken to Reece, you really should give him a chance.”
“I’m not talking about Reece yet. I’m talking about David. I’ve been on to your lawyer for you, and you need to slap a muzzle on that fucker to stop him from saying anything more.”
“A lawyer? And how am I supposed to pay for that?” I hesitate about pulling off the road again, but I don’t want to lose the distance I put between me and that photographer.
“You don’t. It’s taken care of, but you need to talk to them about it. This guy will continue to hurt your reputation, Madelyn. I’m not going to allow that to keep happening. Dad should have shut him the fuck up a long time ago.”
I know he can’t see me, but I nod in agreement. “You’re right. I think I need to work out a plan of how to deal with this.”
“Well you know I will help you in any way that I can Mads. So, Reece said some things today that have me concerned. Caitlyn out for blood but she’s just as publicity hungry as David.” My hands grip the steering wheel again. He’s right. Trent and I have pretty much removed ourselves from anything other than the bare contact for fear of being included in some kind of autobiography that she was toying with a few years back. She can tell all the secrets of hers that she likes. She threw me under the figurative bus when the tape came out. She told me flat out that she was going to do the same thing to help market her handbags. That’s when I ceased all contact with her. “I think you need to get a publicist Madelyn.”
What the fuck!
“Who would think that I’d have to have a publicist in order to keep my life private. And again, how do you propose that I pay for this publicist?” I cut him off before he can speak again. “And you are not paying for it. You have enough going on as it is.”
“Well, you just came into a little trust fund,” he says.
I shake my head and scoff. “Trust fund? What are you talking about?”
“Promise me not to get pissed.”
“If I have to promise that, you know I’m going to be pissed.”
“Promise me.” I groan and check for traffic around me. I’m getting closer to the city outskirts. “Madelyn?”
“I know I’m going to regret this but fine, I’ll be surly, I’ll be cranky but not pissed. How about that?”
“I sold that picture of Reece driving your car to the highest bidder. You can pay for your lawyer and your publicist. Might only be enough to shut David up and to get you a publicist for a couple of days, but enough to get you set up so you can put this behind you.”
I’m actually speechless at what he’s just told me. A wave of nausea sweeps over me and my hands begin the sweat.
“I know you are going to chew me a new one for this, but it was a legitimate way to deal with this. They were asking for an exclusive photo, so I gave them one. I know you don’t want to think that way, but you wouldn’t even be back in the media if it wasn’t for Reece. So I see it as coming full circle.”
“You would see it from the business side wouldn’t you.”
I pass the sign that says that freeway is up ahead. “I just want to make sure you are looked after. I’m your big brother. It’s my job to protect you.”
“It’s not your job, you just assigned yourself the role.” So I start to do calculations in my head. “So when did you sell that photo?”
“About an hour ago. Saw the money in my account and gave it to them.” Shit. More than likely it’s gone viral. “It’s everywhere, Mads. If Reece is going to have a beef, it’s going to be with me. Not you.”
A sense of dread settles deep in my stomach as I move lanes to get onto the freeway. “Just another thing that this publicist is going to have to sort. It so looks like I’m using him for publicity, not the other way around.”
“No, it doesn’t, Mads.”
“It does. Jesus. I had a plan to have this all sorted, and now you do this. I have to go Trent. Thank you for trying to help but … fuck!”
I hang up in his ear. Could this day get any worse?
When you have a long break from driving in the city, when you have to do it again, it’s not a pleasant experience. Horns honking at me because the speed limit isn’t to their liking and the use of all indicators are abandoned completely. For what was meant to be an impromptu drive to the city to meet up with my boyfriend has now turned into a shit fight while I try and prepare for damage control over Trent’s dealings. Reece hasn’t rung me, and I haven’t made any attempts to speak to him about it. The less I bring it up, the less it looks like I had any involvement in it.
Thankfully, the navigation system tells me the Regency is only another three minutes away. I reach over to the passenger seat and pull on my baseball cap and my sunglasses.
The ache in my legs pulls at my muscles as I get out of the car. It’s the land version of sea legs. Placing my hand on the car for support, the valet takes the keys while handing me a stub. I grab my small overnight bag from the backseat and make my way inside. The Regency certainly is up there when it comes to hotels. Everything is gleaming, shiny and smells like the fresh flowers that are scattered throughout the foyer. I sidle up to th
e reception desk and wait for the concierge to approach.
“Hi. My boyfriend said he’d have a card waiting for me.” I pull off my sunglasses and set them on the shiny black marble desk.
He smiles at me before typing something into the computer between us. “And who is your boyfriend?”
“Mr Ashton. Reece Ashton.”
His hands instantly stop, and he places them palm down on the countertop. “You must be the fifteenth person to try that line. Get out of here before I call security.”
“What? No. I’m really his girlfriend.”
He cocks his head to the side and gives me a head to shoulder appraisal as that’s all he can see. “Honey, look, they were stupid to advertise they were staying here number one. Everyone knows when you’re a mega-rich, famous music star, you use an alias. That boy obviously needs some clues. And number two, his real girlfriend came in here looking like a movie star—” He takes a long gaze from the top of my head and actually leans over the counter to continue his appraisal to my shoes. “—not someone who shops at the thrift store on two dollar Tuesday, about five minutes before you. Nice try Cinderella, this ain’t your love story.”
Real girlfriend? My shaking hand grabs for my sunglasses, and I pick my bag off the ground. “Thank you.” I can’t believe I just thank the man that managed to insult me five times in less than five minutes. “Is it alright if I use a quiet corner to make a phone call?”
“Over there.” Without even looking up, he points to a corner.
I set my bag down but put on my sunglasses and slip into the little alcove to dial Reece’s number.
It rings twice, and his voice crackles through the phone. “Reece?”
“Mad—”
“Reece? I’m downstairs, and they say that someone has already picked up the card. Someone has said they are your girlfriend.”
“Madel—” The line crackles again. “… sold me out … can’t believe this!”
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