Untouchable ~ A Jared Leto/MARS Fanfiction

Chapter Twenty-Four

Shannon drags deeply on the cigarette. Letting out a cloud of smoke, he says, "Either. Both. You've gotten yourself into a helluva jam, and you've got damage control to do. The Echelon—"

"I'm taking legal action for the photos. The team's already on it. Pharrell and I both have filed police reports and they're investigating. But as far as me addressing this publicly?" Jared holds up both hands. "I'm not getting on the socials and feeding more fuel into it." He shakes his head. "What could I say about it, anyway?"

"People want to know who she is," Shannon says, gesturing at me. "People know it wasn't Katia you were banging, and there's a mixed bag of reactions to that. They know she's the same woman from the Cedars photos, and they want to know who she is." His eyes fix on mine again, a glint of accusation in their hazel depths. "The speculations are running rampant, and it's getting nuts."

I wince a little at the word banging, but I glare steadily back at Shannon until he drops his gaze from mine and instead, studies the burning ember on his cigarette.

"Lanie's name isn't going out there, Shannon. For obvious reasons." Jared sighs and rubs his temples, asking quietly, "Does Mom know about this yet? She's probably the only person I haven't heard from."

"I don't know. She's still out east with Linda at that jewelry design thing they're teaching. I doubt it, because if she knew, she'd have let you hear about it. Jesus, Jared, what the fuck were you thinking?" Shannon drags long and deep on his cigarette one final time, and flicks the butt out into the yard.

"Pick that up," Jared says wearily. "Come on, man."

Shannon rolls his eyes and retrieves the smouldering cigarette butt. Stubbing it out on the slate patio floor, he asks,"And this thing about meeting Katia and Ivan tomorrow night. You're not really gonna go, are you?"

Jared shrugs. "I haven't decided not to go."

Shannon scoffs. "What did she say? That if you value your image and career, you'll be there? That she has a surprise for you?" His eyes narrow again. "Sounds like blackmail to me."

"Sure does," I mutter almost inaudibly.

Jared shoots me a sideways glance and grasps my hand. "Yeah, I'm positive that's what she's trying to do. She probably has a wealth of dirt on me but I don't give a fuck. I'm not playing this game with her, no matter what it is she's got. I have something a lot more important to me in my life now, and I'm not going to waste another minute of my time and energy playing these games with her."

Shannon eyes our joined hands and he bites his bottom lip. "Are you two..." he waves his index finger back and forth between us. "I know what happened in the pool, but—is this—you know..." he trails off and gestures helplessly.

"A relationship?" Jared supplies, his eyes sparking with what looks like defiance. "Yeah, Shannon. It is. Lanie and I are together. Don't tell me this takes you by surprise."

Shannon is silent for a moment, just staring at us. "Wow," he says finally. "No, I guess it doesn't. I saw the possibility of it back in Oak Creek Canyon, but I've also watched you stumble your way around with a lot of chicks since Cameron. I'd really gotten to the point where I didn't think..." he trails off again, and rubs his chin. "I didn't think you had it in you anymore."

Jared offers his brother a small smile. "To tell you the truth, Shan, I didn't think I had it in me anymore, either."

Shannon pulls up an Adirondack chair and begins twisting the burned-out cigarette filter between his fingers again. "So, tell me then. What's the point of subjecting yourself and especially Lanie to the two of them if you really don't care what they have to use against you?"