Underneath the Star

Chapter 5

He nodded, and despite her subtlety in getting rid of him, he joined her in the shower. He grabbed the shower gel and squeezed it into his hands before rubbing it between her thighs. "I didn't traumatize you, did I?"

She laughed and then turned to him, pressing her lips against his. "I'm fine, Chris."

"It was a really fucked up thing to do without your consent."

"Agreed," she said, shuddering at the truth in his words. "I've only ever been with one man. For the past seven years, we've always been very careful. And then a month later you came along."

"One month," he repeated. "I had no idea, Melanie."

"Of course not. We just met."

He smirked. "Someone forgot our conversation last night."

"Definitely still remember."

"But one month. I mean, you're just getting out of this relationship. What happened?"

"He cheated. I left."

"You haven't seen him since, right?"

Melanie crossed her arms over her chest and looked away from him. She wanted to hide under the running water and pretend he couldn't see her. "He knows where I am now, and he comes around sometimes, but there's nothing between us. I'll understand if that turns you away from—"

"So, this dick just shows up where you live?"

She rolled her eyes. She didn't want another lecture about Eddy. "It's not a big deal."

"It is," he snapped. He turned off the tap and lifted her chin, forcing her to look at him. "I don't want anything happening to my girl."

She raised a brow. "I'm not your girl."

"Not my girlfriend until you're ready for titles, but you are my girl." He took her hand in his and held it tightly. "So, what's this guy's name so I can take care of it?"

"Chris—"

"What's his name?" he asked sternly.

"Eddy Jones," she whispered to him. "You won't hurt him, right?"

"He hurt you, so why can't I hurt him?"

"Babe," she said, "you're a very public figure. I don't want you getting into any kind of trouble."

"Let me handle it, princess."

Melanie didn't like Christopher getting involved. She didn't even want one of her closest friends involved. But Christopher wasn't as gentle as Lukas. He wouldn't have let it go if she'd asked.

So, she reluctantly nodded and deeply sighed. "Just be careful, and don't do anything stupid."

"I fucking told you Vero wouldn't be happy. She talked mad shit all night about you."

Christopher took a long sip of his beer and casually shrugged his shoulders. "Listen, Jay. I asked you down here for a favor, not to talk about Vero."

"Does this favor have anything to do with your new pastime?"

"Her name's Melanie. Either refer to her as that or keep her out of your mouth."

Jay raised his hands, as if to surrender. "I'm just looking out, man."

"You never gave a fuck before."

"Forget I said anything. What do you need from me?"

"Edward Eddy Jones," Mateo said as the iron door shut behind him. They were in the basement of the old bar he used to own, which had been passed down to his oldest son when he started working for Christopher. They were family, and even though Mateo wasn't his paternal uncle, he always looked out for Christopher and his half brother. So Mateo never hesitated to complete a task that Christopher gave him.

And that included finding the man standing in front of the three men.

"Edward Eddy?" Jay couldn't help but laugh. "If he isn't down here for his name, what other reason do you have?"

"What the fuck do you guys want?" the man spat at them.

Christopher sized him up. Eddy was taller than him. He wasn't as built, but his fitted suit and smaller frame made him look sophisticated. Christopher assumed this man had never had to lift a finger before to earn his status. "I hear you haven't been accepted with welcoming arms by a very lovely woman."

"Look, if it's some money you need, connections, weapons, I got it all."

"For some pretty, rich boy, I thought you'd own a television," Mateo commented. "Does my boy look like he needs any of that shit you're offering?"

"I don't know what you guys want from me then. You got the wrong guy."

"Melanie Rivera," Christopher said, standing from his chair. He walked over to Eddy and stood in front of him. "I don't like you hanging around her place."

"She hired you guys?"

Jay chuckled.

"If she ever sees your face again, I'll know. And the next time you leave this place, you won't be walking out this door without some broken bones." Christopher stepped back to where Jay sat and waited for Eddy to react. He wasn't expecting him to scoff.

"You think I'm scared of you little shits?" Eddy asked rhetorically. "I'm a lawyer with tight connections to the law. One word from me and you're off these streets. We could use less of you people anyway."

Christopher had to bite his tongue. He wasn't a stranger to slurs and the type of people who used them. "Who's going to believe you? For all they know, I'm just some actor who resides in sunny side Cali. If Melanie never sees you again, you won't see me again. You can go now."

Jay waited until Mateo had dragged him out before speaking. "I thought you were done with this shit. You really risked your career for some woman."

Christopher looked away in shame. "I don't sneak away from set just to be alone. I mean, I do, but this is my home."

"We've seen a lot of shit sitting growing up the way we did. Shit that traumatized us both, but this is your home?" Jay scoffed in disbelief. "After all our hard work to get somewhere better, I expected more from you."

"I don't need you telling me this," he said to his friend with the shake of his head. "I just... I don't know, man."