A few days have passed and I've lost count the number of times I've checked my phone waiting to hear from Robby. Any time my phone would charm I was running to check who was texting me. Not that I was getting many texts mind you. Skylar and Lucan continued to keep me in the loop what was happening. Mason was also reaching out more and we talked though what was bothering him.
I was once again back to feeling part of the group. The only person I didn't hear from was Ryder, which I'm not surprised at. I also didn't ask them too many questions about what he was up to because I'm not sure I would be able to handle their answers.
Finally, the day came. Robby was calling my phone. I took a steadying breath before answering.
"Aubree," came his business tone after I said hi. He must still be at work.
"This is Aubree," I answer. "Are we ready?"
"Yes. I got the green light from my boss to continue forward with our plan. How soon do you think you can set a meeting up with Adam?"
"I'm not sure since I haven't spoken with him since leaving the tour. The rumor mill is he is taking a bit of time off before jumping into another tour. I'll text him and let you know."
"Good. As for location any ideas?" He asks I can hear him typing on his computer.
There was only one place I wanted to go where I would feel the most comfortable and I know the owners will help us in any way. "Ever hear of The Hideout?"
"That mom and pop place away from down town?"
"That's the place. I personally know the owners and they will be more than happy to help in any way they can. Plus this is where I would feel the most comfortable and be able to relax."
"Which in turn will not cause him to think something is up. You sure they will be okay with this?" He presses me.
"Don't see why they wouldn't. Let me call them first and if they agree I'll contact Adam and set up the day and time. Then I'll give you call with all the information so you can do whatever you need to set things on your end."
"Sounds good. Talk soon," he then hangs up the phone.
I quickly dial Grandma Rose and fill her in on what has been happening and why we haven't come to see them after the tour. She expressed her concern and her willingness to help me in any way she can. She too wanted everything to go back to normal. All I have left to do was contact Adam to set up the meeting.
I decide the best way to communicate with him was through text messages. Give Robby a paper trail of sorts. For a good fifteen minutes I try to think of the best way to send the first text to Adam. Then I feel so ridicules stressing so much over it. Before I can lose my nerve I sent the text.
Hey Adam how are you? This is Aubree by the way.
After I sent the text I felt so stupid for what I had sent, but at this point there was no way for me to take the text back. I sit on my couch biting my fingernails anxiously awaiting his response. What if he never responds? What if he takes forever to respond? All the worries drift in my thoughts I almost miss the pinging of my cell phone.
Isn't this a pleasant surprise after what happened I was beyond sure I would never hear from you.
I can't believe he actually texted me back. Shaking my head, I enter into the role I need to play even though it all makes my skin crawl. Having to flirt with Adam is something I never wanted to do. I feel as though I'm cheating on Ryder even though logically I understand I'm not. All this is simply a means to an end.
Can't a girl change her mind?
Of course they can, but once you set your mind to something takes a lot to get you to change it. So I wonder Aubree why the sudden text.
Fuck is he onto me already? I hope not.
It has been a few years since we were last together maybe over those years I've learned the pleasure of changing one mind.
Maybe? Pleasure you say. I can still remember all the ways I brought you pleasure.
I throw up in my mouth while writing my next text. Time to try and hook the fish.
I do to. I miss you. The time away from everything has left me with the ability to really think about things and ponder my options. And desire for a different outcome.
A different outcome you say. What kind of different outcome?
This is way too easy almost too easy.
The kind where I picked you over Ryder. I made a mistake Adam.
How I have dreamed of hearing those words from your pretty mouth. Though I have other ideas for your mouth.
Do you have any availability to meet for lunch? I know this place not many people go to. We would basically be alone and then after lunch we could...
I trail off the text message not able to write what I'm meaning, but also hoping he picks up on my meaning without me having to say anything.
I have some free time coming up in the next couple of days we could meet then and talk. Then after we can move onto the after lunch activates.
Adam and I set up an exact time and day for us to meet for lunch. I send him the address of The Hideout hating I'm going to have to share this special place with him, but I don't have much of a choice. We end out conversation with a see you soon.
Next I call Grandma Rose letting her know when I'm meeting with Adam and she promises to have the stage set. Lastly I call Robby and give him all the information. He tells me to meet him at the site two hours before the meeting time. Now all I need to do is sit and wait.
~*~
The day has come for me to confront Adam about everything. Finally I will find out why he did what he did and fingers crossed they are able to press some kind of charges against him. Robby is hoping for information on Mr. Gear he could use against him. I just want all of this to me over.
Skylar sits with me while Robby and his partner for the umpteenth time go over the equipment and my safe words. They are acting as though Adam is public enemy number one. We also discuss the script I should follow, but in the next breath they tell me to feel out what is happening and go with my gut. If I wasn't nervous I am now after all this information that have thrown my way. Too much to remember all at once.
Lucan wanted to be here, but today was his day to babysit Ryder. I could hear in his voice how tired he was of all this shit. According to Lucan Ryder was too messed up from the night before to meet his obligation. Bradly then wanted Lucan to shoot the commercial Ryder was unavailable for, but Lucan being Lucan told him to fuck off. So now Bradly and him are in a massive fight. The company lawyers are involved. Bradly claims Lucan threatened him, which he probably did, and Mr. Gear is backing him.
Dimitri now has to not only give an interview, but also shoot the commercial, which Skylar is pissed about because he will be practically naked surrounded by female models. Mason and Tray were guests on some kind of game show.
Skylar called in sick today hence why she is here and not being dragged elsewhere. Bradly gave her the third degree and threatened to fire her if she called off again. Safe to say between her dealing with Bradly and Dimitri's commercial Skylar is not happy and have the shortest fuse I've ever seen her have.
Skylar is going to stay with Robby and his crew while I go inside. They were here earlier and have a few people stationed inside. Grandma Rose and Pops were beyond accommodating. Going so far as to rearrange some of the restaurant. Grandma Rose said she wanted me safe as possible.
About thirty minutes before Adam was supposed to her here I hop out of the van and walk past my car. Robby wanted my car front and center so Adam knew I was here. Also so Adam didn't become suspicious.
Grandma Rose greats me with a tight smile and leads me to the seating location we has previously selected. I take my seat and sip on the water she brought me. Pops catches my eyes and tilts his head to the side silently asking if I was okay. I offer him a tight smile.
Glancing at my phone I find I still have five minutes till he gets here and more than likely Adam will be running late. I fidget with my straw and glance around the restaurant playing the game spot the cop. I narrow the possibility down to about four people.
At this point Adam strolls in as though he owns the place. Grandma Rose approaches him in her cheerful voice. He shoots her down cold and hard earning a glare from me. Grandma Rose flips him the bird when his back is turned earning a smile from me. I have a feeling someone is going to be spiting in his food.
Adam spots me and a slow smile flows over his lips. Without paying any more attention to Grandma Rose he stalks me. Game on. I force myself into the role I'm supposed to be playing. Robby whispers words of encouragement in my ear and I hear Skylar in the background reminding me I'm not only doing this for myself, but Ryder and the band.
I sit up straighter in my seat feeling like Wander Women. I can do this. I have to do this. My pep talk in my head continues with each step he takes closer to the table. My hands start to tremble so I hide them under the table.
Adam has reached me and remains standing with his arms opened for a hug. He motions for me to come give him a hug. Slowly I stand and wrap my arms around him forcing myself to remain in position longer than I want to. I can feel him breathing in my hair and it weirds me out.
Finally we break away and take out seats across from each other. Adam runs his eyes over my face.
"You've lost weight, but you look good." Make up and the wanders it can do. "Maybe you could lose about five more pounds. Can't have my girlfriend being out shined be all the models throwing themselves at me."
I choke on my water when he says girlfriend. "Excuse me," I ask without thinking. "girlfriend?"
He rolls his eyes. "What are you pissed I didn't ask you out right? Aubree I have no time for games. You wanted to meet and hinted at it being about out relationship. So yes girlfriend."
I go to correct him when Robby's voice says let him call me whatever the fuck he wants to. Remain focused on the task at hand.
"Thank you for agreeing to meet me," I tell Adam glancing at the menu.
Adam nods his head. "Like I said I was shocked you reached out, but so happy you did." He tells me with heat drifting in his eyes.
I set the menu down wanting to get through this as quickly as possible. "Adam can I ask you a question," I ask him leaning in closer and licking my lips.
"Of course," he tells me staring at me breasts peeking out from my shirt.
"Why me?" This question has been on my mind since the very start. "Out of all the women why me?"
He sits back. "Have you seen yourself? You are one of the most beautiful women I've met, but what more your beauty is all natural. Nothing fake about you. The bet was stupid, but it have me an in on getting close to you."
"You could of just talked to me Adam you didn't need a reason."
"But I did. I couldn't let on to the others how smitten I was. When you found out about the bet everything went to shit and I had to save face."
"If I was such a problem why continue to pursue me?" I ask taking a drink of water due to my sudden dry voice. This may be acting, but these were questions I was curious about to.
"I desired to be the one to tame you and as time went on the more independent you became the more I wanted you for myself." He sits back and studies me for a moment. "I have a confession I must admit to if we are going to be moving forward." Grandma Rose starts to head towards out table, but I flick my gaze to her and shake my head no. She reroutes herself.
"What's that," I ask him when he only sits there.
"The reason all those band kept turning you away was because of me. I hated the idea of you working so closely to another male who wasn't me. So I used my pull with Mr. Gear and threatened the others to let you go. I was hoping eventually you would run out of bands and have to return to mine." He eyes take on an evil glint making me happy I have back up.
"Till Steel Wolf. There was nothing Mr. Gear could do to get you away from them. And Lucan," he says Lucan's name with such distain makes me happy he isn't here. "he would not cooperate as the other bands. No instead he stood his ground and told me to do my worse. But I was never able to act because my own band was falling apart. The more fame they got the less mine had."
I soften my face and fake feeling sorry for him, which he eats up. He places his hand up on the table near me and I place mine on his. The second I make contact with his skin all I want to do is take a shower.
"I'm sorry Adam. I wish I could go back and change my reaction. We have wasted so much time."
Grandma Rose pops on at our table and takes our order. As she's walking away she spins around and sticks her tongue out at Adam's back. Pops shakes his head and rolls his eyes. I have to hide my laugher behind a coughing fit.
"Well we are here now."
"I have one more question and please don't get mad because at first I was mad, but then I realized why you did it."
He raises his brow and takes a drink of his water. "Go on."
I soften my voice as much as I can. "Why did you drug me that night?"
He shrugs his shoulders. "I was running out of ideas on how to get you away from Ryder. First I tried with getting that girl to kiss him and for a while I thought my plan worked, but the two of you worked it out." So Adam was the reason behind that chick kissing Ryder. "I was getting desperate to separate the two of you and running out of time. So I saw an opportunity to have Ryder catch us in bed together and not to toot my own horn, but toot toot my planned worked better than I ever thought it would."
"Good Aubree," comes Robby's voice we go him for drugging you, but now I need you to press for Mr. Gear.
Taking a deep breath I ask the next question, but before I can Grandma Rose places my plate, but slams Adams to the table. She stands at the edge of the table with her hands on her hips glaring down her nose at him. "Anything else I can get you," she asks.
"Yeah your manager," Adam says. "I would like to speak to them about your shitty service."
"I'll pass on the message," she says walking away.
We both dig into our food I figure I'd give him a bit of time to eat before I ask more on Mr. Gear. Both of us are almost done when I enter into my next line of questioning.
"You mentioned earlier Mr. Gear was helping to encourage the other bands to drop me. How did you manage that?"
"Oh sweet innocent Aubree. Mr. Gear has been in my back pocket since before you joined the label. He does whatever I tell him to. He is the puppet and I'm the puppet master."
"Really," I question with excitement.
"Yes really," he chuckles. "How do you think I got on tour? Or all those other little things." I shrug my shoulder and lean forward. He runs his finger down my face. "You almost ready to leave. All I've been thinking about is having you under me again." I shudder at the thought in disgust me he takes it to mean something very different.
"Soon," I tell him. "Can you tell me how you got Mr. Gear to be in your pocket?"
Adam studies me for a moment. "I'll tell you if you agree to be my girlfriend."
"Whatever you want," I tell him breathlessly. He smiles as though he has won the war.
"Blackmail. Mr. Gear's sexual taste falls more on the younger side." I sit back in shock, but all the weird looks he use to send me when I was younger make sense or how none of the younger children of my parents friends wanted to me left alone with him.
"How did you find this out," I ask him at the same time Robby told me to press him further.
Adam shrugs his shoulders as though all of this is no big deal. "I caught him one time in his office over a weekend. After that I hired someone to do some digging. I have emails, text messages, videos and picture evidence against him saved on my computer."
I can't hear Adam because Robby is yelling for someone to get a search warrant for Adam's house and computer.
"I'm sorry," I tell Adam. "Can you please repeat what you were saying. I was still getting over the shock of what you said about Mr. Gear. He is actually a friend of my parents and I spent a great deal of time with him."
Adam reaches a comforting hand and places it upon my own. "Of course. How inconsiderate of me. This must all me a shock to you." Numbly I nod my head up and down biting my lip.
"Stall Aubree. Stall," comes Robby's voice in my ear. "I have a search warrant in front of a judge just waiting on a signature." They sure are moving fast on this. "We need to keep him away from the house and unsuspecting till I have what I need."
Adam runs a finger up my arm and to my elbow. "Are you ready to go," he asks glancing down at my empty plate.
Shit. Aubree you have to think of something fast to keep him here longer because going back to my place it out of the question.
Grandma Rose approaches our table. "Can I get you anything else," she asks.
"Just the bill," Adams says.
"On second thought," I interrupt. "Would you happen to have some of that apple cobbler I was hearing about when I walked in?"
Grandma Rose stares at me like I grew two heads. Right as she was about to tell me how I should now apple cobbler is served on Monday Pops jumps in. "Of course. I'll go and get you some now." He sends me a wink dragging Grandma Rose a way from the table. Probably to explain to her the reason behind my order.
Yes I know today isn't Monday, And yes I know they only serve apple cobbler on Monday. My order as my way of tell them I have to stall him. Luckily Pops picked up on what I was putting down.
I pull Adam into a conversation while we wait for the cobbler that is never going to come. About fifteen minutes into our wait time he complains about how long we have been waiting and calls out to Pops.
"What's taking so long? Me and the lady have other plans. If you know what I mean," he asks wiggling an eyebrow and making my skin crawl.
"I put a fresh one in the oven it will only be a few minutes more," Pops calls out to him making Adam pout in his seat.
"Are you sure you really want apply cobbler," he asks me.
"I do," I tell him refraining from saying because I sure as hell don't want you. I drag Adam into another conversation while I wait for the green light from Robby.
Finally the green light shines bright. "We got him. We finally got him. I need you to excuse yourself for the bathroom and once you, Grandma Rose and Pops are out of the way we are will make our move."
I stand from the table and stretch my muscles drawing Grandma Rose and Pops attention this was one of the signs I was about to do something. "I'll be right back nature calls." Me going to the bathroom was another tell for them to make themselves disappear.
Once I was in the bathroom I throw the lock. Not long after I left yelling can be heard from the other side. After about five minutes Robby tells me I can come out of hiding.
When I exit the bathroom they have Adam in handcuffs and are leading him outside. Adam notices me and tries lunging at me yelling you bitch. A weight lifts from my shoulders. It was all finally over.
Now nothing is standing in my and Ryder's way. Till a sobbing Skylar pushes her way though and falls into my arms. She is crying to hard I can't make out a single word she is saying. I lead her to a seat and force her in the chair. I continue to try and get her to calm down.
"Skylar I need you to get ahold of yourself I can't understand you when you are like this."
She takes a few deep breaths and quiets herself enough to be able to talk and the two words she says causes my heart to stop and my blood to freeze. "Ryder's overdosed."
Phew one of the much awaited chapters. Hope I made y'all pleased over what happened to Adam and Mr. Gear. More will be shared of their outcomes in the upcoming chapters. Sorry to leave on such a cliff hanger I'm going to try and write more tomorrow.