The Chain // Fleetwood Mac
It's official. As I sit in the lobby of Char's hotel waiting for her to walk through the door, one thought permeates all the rest:
Who's the stalker now?
Damn. I gave Emily a ton of shit for keeping tabs on headlines about us and here I am waiting in a dark corner like a creeper. To be fair, it's already blasted online that I'm here so if Char's the least bit aware of what the world is saying about us, she knows I'm in town. She should realize I'd come right to her, but I don't even know if she knows I found out where she's staying.
Star Tracker's home page has footage of me getting off a plane in Vegas. Glancing back down at my phone, I let the video play one more time. The image is grainy and dark, considering the late hour I arrived and the fact this camera was more than likely using a mega zoom lens to capture the action. The view gets closer as the camera zeros in on my face and what looks like a scowl plastered on it. Eyes glued to my phone, I shake my head as I watch myself seemingly bark orders at a person who approaches me. The film doesn't tell the true story, though, so the website makes up the rest. It's the assumptions painted as facts burning me up the most.
That I'm pissed Char's cheating on me.
That I'm an entitled Hollywood brat who expects the world to bend to my every demand.
That I'm a jilted boyfriend who tried to manipulate and control the narrative of my relationship with a music executive when said relationship went sour.
That I was just in it to stick it to Curt Wainwright.
The last one makes me laugh, painful though it is. I've never even met Curt other than that one run in at the hotel lobby while we were on tour. And yeah, I'd like nothing more than to stick it to him, but those emotions have less than zero to do with the scowl on my face as I exit the airplane.
I was asking the guy, my driver in Vegas, if he'd been contacted by Clinton's team. Clinton's the one I'm pissed at. The asshole never mentioned they would all be flying to Vegas last night when he gave me the intel on Curt. They were probably already in Vegas for all I know. 30 minutes away by plane and no one bothered to mention it to me. So yeah, I was a little keyed up. I still am.
But that has fuck all to do with my feelings for Char.
I watch the video show me entering the back seat of the black SUV before cutting off completely. Zack used to tell me how stupid it was for celebrities to all drive around in the same dark car with blacked out windows. It was like a calling card telling everyone you passed that someone rich and famous was inside. I felt every inch of the implications as I rode in the celeb-mobile from the airport to the hotel. It felt like every photographer in Vegas was on our tail. This place doesn't have the slick back entrance like my hotel in L.A. No celebrevator to hide in. More pictures and video were taken of me entering the 5-star resort, but lucky for me this place actually hired decent security. I'm safeguarded in the lobby but for how long? I've already been sitting here for 45 minutes, waiting. The time is doing nothing to soothe my angst. I take a few deep breaths before giving into temptation and replaying the video for another look. But it refuses to start back up.
I refresh the browser to bring up the link again but this time the screen where the video had been is now grey. The words 'video no longer available' scroll across the pictureless box.
Clinton. His team must have taken it down. He said they were scrubbing the internet and he wasn't exaggerating. I don't want to know what FCC violations they're committing. There have to be a few. On the other hand, fuck that website for invading my privacy.
The main entrance to the lobby opens up and a handful of people walk in. Leading the pack are obvious bodyguards. I stand up from my corner seat and step into the light of the room just as Char is visible in the middle of the crowd. Her head is down, and some woman's arm is around her shoulder as they rush across the lobby. I don't waste another second making my way over to her. Just as I come alongside them, one of the bodyguards shoulder checks me hard enough that I stumble back.
"Char," I say loud enough for her to hear me. Her head snaps up and I watch as she scans the room. Her eyes land on me, still red with emotion. She looks beat down. Today really took it out of her. As soon as she registers that it's me, that I left my set and flew to her—which must be what she's realizing—her face crumples into a sob.
"Let me through, you big gorilla!" I shove the bodyguard to the side but he's not giving me an inch.
"It's okay," The woman holding Char says. I think it's the same woman that was with Clinton at the tour dinner weeks ago, Colleen. I'd thought she was his ex but turned out to be a friend. "They're together. Let him over."
The fight or flight leaves my body as soon as the guy lets go of my arm. I press in past the others, some assistants and business types who I assume are lawyers, but I could be wrong, and wrap my arms around Char. I'll ask the questions later, when we're alone. But right now, she needs to be supported, not interrogated. Her reasons for leaving me in the dark will be addressed but I'm going to prove to her that she didn't need to shut me out. I want to be here for her, every step of the way.
The entire group surrounding Char and I move as one entity, directing our steps in their chosen direction. I take over the position Colleen had held with my arm wrapped tightly around Char's shoulder. My pulse hits a new level as she huddles into my chest. There's something feral building deep inside of me. I feel her body shake against mine. She's been fucking traumatized by that asshole today and I wasn't here to protect her. I'll unpack the anger I'm feeling toward her so-called team later.
Fuckers.
We're ushered into an open elevator where the majority of the team leaves us with just two of the bodyguards and Colleen. I keep my mouth shut but I can feel the veins bulging in my neck. A dead giveaway that I'm fucking pissed.
Char takes in a shaky breath and my anger is forgotten. "It's okay. I've got you," I whisper into her ear, not letting her out of my hold for a second. The elevator doors open and we're taken down a hallway to an end unit. Colleen goes in first, holding the door for us. The suite looks over the lights of the Vegas strip, bright and blinding in the dark room.
"I'll leave you two alone but let me know if you need anything. I'll have dinner sent up." Colleen exits as quickly as she entered and suddenly it's just Char and I. I resist the urge to start asking the questions I've had since this morning. Instead I walk her to the couch and pull her onto my lap.
"I'm so sorry," Char says, her voice steadier than it was in the elevator.
"For what."
She looks up into my eyes before answering. "For everything."
I shake my head. "Not everything. Don't be sorry that I love you, or that you love me. Don't be sorry that I'm here. Don't be sorry that you're going through it right now. The only thing you should be sorry for is not telling me about today so I could have been there for you. And even that..." I stop. I don't want to be angry. I'm sure there's more to the story than simply keeping up appearances. But I'm frustrated and I don't want to lie.
Char wraps her arms around me tighter. "I'm not sorry for any of that. I'm sorry I've kept my mouth shut about Curt all this time. I'm sorry your name is getting dragged into it. I'm sorry I didn't see him for who he was right from the start."
"Ah, we've been over this, baby. He's the manipulator. You're the person with the good heart. The soul that I love. Do not take any of this on yourself. But I have one question."
She nods, probably knowing what I'm going to ask and ready for me to ask it.
"Were you going to tell me if I hadn't seen it on the news."
I feel her wince.
"So that's a no."
"No, it's not. This whole scenario was stupid. I never should have gone along with it. I felt like I didn't have a choice."
"Elaborate." I rub a hand up and down her back. I must have done some major maturing over the last couple months because there's no way the old me would have been sitting calmly, ready to listen to someone explain why they shut me out. I would have been ranting like a crazy man about douche bags getting away with murder while I'm playing make believe in Hollyweird. Then I would have stuffed my face with shitty pizza rolls and root beer. It was a simpler time.
"Ryan and Seth came up with this plan after they realized you and I were getting close. Of course, they didn't tell me until we had a court date."
"You've had this date on the books? I thought it was some kind of rush job."
"No, I didn't lie about the dates. Originally, we were supposed to appear next month. This was an expedited appearance, but Curt's side is who made the request. Ryan convinced me not to say anything." Char sighs. "He said that Curt's ugly side would come out if you were not in the court room because he'd know he would be able to get to me. It was a set up for Curt. Not for you."
"Okay, but why didn't you tell me the plan. I could have been waiting out in the car or something."
Char leans back, giving me a skeptical eye. "Are you telling me you would have steered clear of the courtroom knowing Curt was blasting me in every way he possibly could? Dragging my name and my past through the mud? Making my brother sound like a homicidal maniac?"
Every word out of her mouth has my fists clenching more. "Is that what he did?" I wondered why she'd been in tears in that photo.
"See." Char points to me, her finger waving up and down my body. "You're ready to throw down just hearing me tell you. There's no way you would have stayed out of the courthouse. Not possible. Ryan told me your alpha side would drive you insane and you'd rush the building ready to take Curt out."
I deflate. "True." I can't deny it. "But you blindsided me with all of this."
"It was a dumb plan even though it worked like a charm. That's the other reason no one but Colleen came. Curt doesn't know her. He saw me walk into court all alone and the look he gave me said it all. Like a feral animal ready to devour its prey."
"Well, I'm here now. You won't be going into court alone next time."
"Next time is tomorrow. It's our turn to present evidence against his claims. He thinks he's pulled ahead by all of his implications today, but we've got a strong case against him."
"I'm going."
Char melts into me. My arms pull her close as we snuggle together on the couch.
"Yeah, that was the other part of Ryan's plan. He knew you'd move mountains to get to me once you found out. And that I'd be walking into court with you by my side no matter what. Plus, everyone else is planning to walk in with us. We'll have an army on our side."
"Please promise that you won't leave me in the dark next time."
"Dear God, there better not be a next time!"
We both laugh that exhausted, life just kicked our asses laugh.
"No, there better not. Once you're divorced, it will be all over."
"Oh, baby." She runs a hand over my cheek. "I'm divorced as of 10 this morning. Curt didn't contest that part."
I look at her, taking her all in. "For real?" She nods.
I pull her in and kiss her, hard. Her arms wrap around my neck as she kisses me back. I lean back just as it's ramping up. "For the record, Ryan's an idiot. Don't listen to him anymore."
"Never."
And then we're kissing again.
So even I was surprised by this one. And I kind of love it! I pictured Jacob sitting in a dark hotel room, spinning his keys on his finger and waiting for Char to enter. But that seemed...too dark for Jacob. So I put him in the lobby. And I made him a little less angry, a little more needing to prove himself because he thinks Char doesn't believe he'll come through for her.
I think the next update will end up being late, FYI. My son is having a big birthday party in our backyard next weekend and it will most likely consume all of my time. But we'll see how the week goes.
The chain came to mind - running in the shadows, damn your love, damn your lies. If you don't love me now, you'll never love me again.
Yikes! Jacob was worried!
Thanks for reading!!