I, Daniel Collins had a shocking announcement to make.
The bachelor life was feening and I had officially relinquished my place in that sort of world and lifestyle—for one exceptional reason.
I was in love with Victoria Singh...again.
I know it was crazy. Outlandish. Completely screwy given the reason for us being 'just friends' this time around for the sake of her current mental state. Not to mention, my 'scandalous' story I still had to write.
But at least I could take care of one of those things.
After our eventful time at the party where all her professional peers pretty much made a mockery of her great and beautiful name, way more than as her ex ever did—like they even truly knew her, I was livid. So much, something in me like a switch just triggered away and off and I was back to being hopelessly devoted to only her.
It was an action of my own doing. A trap I knew I'd fall back into eventually deep down inside, and in the back of my mind. I just didn't want to admit it. After all, under my knowledge she was the one who two timed me.
But now, seeing her so scared, selfless, and a wreck before and after the biggest douche and psychopath I'd ever seen, Jack, walked back into our lives and she explained to me what that criminal did to my sweet and kind woman...I wanted to make him regret the day he ever even looked at her.
I hated him. I hated the ground he walked on. I hated his voice. I hated his face. I hated everything he ever stood for.
I wanted to ring his neck, punish him for all the trouble and pain he had caused making Victoria suffer. Making her seem like she had been the one who was crazy and off the grid because of her own choice, not because of what he enacted and forced her into. The way he raped her!
I could kill the twit myself if I was given the chance to. But for my strong and brave Victoria for even telling me at all...she pleaded for me to not.
Ugh, even just trying to imagine what they appeared to have done and how it all went down made me sick to my stomach as well. It only made it worse finding out she called for me as her rescue...and I wasn't there.
More so than my own troubles and worries, the more I kept receiving letters and phone calls of Nate 'bumping' into Moon again on what seemed like a regular basis nowadays. I just hope he didn't fall off his own grid soon. I couldn't live with myself knowing harm would get to the love of my life and my best friend—both slipping right through my fingers.
I had to take care of it all somehow, but I did have a plan.
One that I wouldn't even need to make up an insane scoop on her, and one that would bring justice to anyone who had been suffering too. This story was my true calling. My ticket to not only a better job, but a way to make a change into this cynical industry. To expose the real world of Hollywood.
All I needed to do now was get it cleared by Atwater, and then I could get all the information I could find. Better yet, we could find.
"Sir, did you get my new piece I wanted to present on your desk this morning?" I asked him, both of us walking into the office.
I just happened to follow him on his quick little bathroom break. Obviously, not me actually going in with him though.
"I sure did Collins! And I'm happy to tell you the answer you may think I won't give you, based on your credible cause for such a change!" He grinned, not making eye contact with me.
Good. That was an incredible sign. That answer would mean I would be able to do exactly what I envisioned. "And the verdict?!" I was enticed.
"No." He simply uttered, without so much of a care.
What?! No! This was absurd now! There was no vital reason for such a harsh rejection. None!
"But sir, you don't understand! That story can be front page news! I can feel it!" I professed. He had to see my point of view in this. It was the only way Jack and Jake could go down.
"Oh I understand exactly! It's the same situation I've seen hundreds of times. But let me take a staggering guess, big fella. You wanted me to give you the job. You begged for the job. But then as time went on, you started to have feelings for your subject—realizing the power of love shines through. Am I right?" He cheerfully spoke.
When not completely. The way he was describing her as some 'subject' didn't sit well with me at all. "None of that matters!" I pleaded.
"Of course it does, because all that it is merely a work of fiction. Things like that don't happen often with regular joes like us. It's 1926! The world has its own and new groove of things now and so do I. You're writing the original story." He explained.
No! This wasn't the answer I wanted to hear. There had to be something else. "What about catching these rapists and criminals?!" I wondered. What could be more newsworthy than that?
Quickly bringing in the confused glances and looks from others around, I ignored them in my best way. Rushing up to me however, Arkins had already been less than thrilled. "Keep your voice down with words like that. People will start to talk."
"Good! I want them to! Someone should. It'll at least bring us closer to bringing those creeps down. Sir, I'm begging you! There are women out there whose voices just want to be heard! What's better than me doing it for them—front page of the news?!" I tried to reason.
"Because I didn't hire you to write a story for a bunch of skirts, Collins! These Jake and Jack fellas aren't up for an award, are they? So no one else cares! Besides, were you there?!" He fired back.
Why did it matter? I was becoming real sick and tired of people throwing that phrase around like it was a frisbee. Someone did care, me! That all that needed to be said.
"No, but-" I started to make him understand.
Calming down, he shrugged lightly. "Then for all we know, it didn't even happen. Your one shot is thinning away."
With that, he just walked away from me like it was nothing. Like I was just blazing some chin music for the thrill of it. I was livid. Stressed. Determined more than ever to make sure my point was going to be made.
And much of Nate's increasing offer from this morning about making another gin drop, was becoming much more tempting than it was, merely twenty four hours ago.
But for right now, if he wanted so much proof like I expected, then fine.
Looks like we had to make another impromptu trip to the one place that started this whole ordeal with Jack Johnson.
'The Hollywood Lounge'.
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"Wait a minute, wait! Ya want us to do what?!" Miss Ivy Hart, the infamous young and kind jazz singer I had just properly met officially spoke in utter disbelief and astonishment.
I knew she would be.
The plan I had just practically wrote overnight, while Nate was snoring his face off in his bedroom was a lot to take in all at once...but I knew it would work.
And after an updated story of a vague version of how even Jack's little brother, Jake was taking part in this cruel game of luring women into a professional gig before attempting to attack them...or in my sweet Victoria's case, succeed in taking full advantage of, I was all for repeating it a hundred times until we got it right.
It was a family affair I see. But not for long. Hopefully.
As her, Levi, Victoria, and even Shelly were present and sitting in front amongst the chairs and tables around—they eyed me attentively at the moment, once the lounge closed for the night.
"Look, I know it sounds risky but we can do it if we just work together and stay focused." I pleaded. "We need proof that these imbeciles are making a mockery of all sides of Hollywood, right? Then I say we band together and get exactly that! All we need to do to start with this whole operation, is a song. One that Levi can write!" I pointed to him. "A song that Ivy can perform." I then gestured to her. "And a once in a lifetime event that can bring in a group of women who have also been a victim of their lies and schemes. Don't you guys see?! If Miss Hart sings a heartfelt song about dealing with this kind of trauma without using her or Victoria's personal experience directly, these women will flock to this joint faster than half off drink sales! From there, they'll hear it and feel as if it's a sign of plea or forthcoming...and come forward, making a statement against Jack and Jake Johnson at the 'Discover Awards' where they'll be at, in front of all their peers!"
"And just how the devil would we do that? I've already told ya that those guys are too powerful for just a few comments and experiences brought up against them." Victoria then wondered, with a cute look of curiosity all over her soft and gentle face, taking off her sunglasses she had on from outside.
God, I wanted to touch her right now more so than ever—wearing a sparkly ensemble that hugged her hourglass figure in all the right ways.
Granted, I'd prefer to see her without anything on from head to toe, but I guess with others around, this little number she was sporting would just have to do.
Although her question was very valid, as I turned to face Shelly—wincing shyly.
"I know...which is why it wouldn't be a few. Shelly, it has to be at least fifty. From my local writing pieces that I usually do, having more experiences the better. It makes us have a solid case on our hands. A way to show to the local authorities that we have more than enough proof than one could possibly find from many angles."
"So why are you looking at me for?! How can I make all these gals come to this joint?" Shelly asked, with her expression with pure confusion. Staring to her knowingly, she finally caught on as Victoria gasped and stared to her too. Shaking her head vigorously however, Shelly wholeheartedly started to disagree. "No! Not happening! You want me to offer booze and a show for no extra charge?!"
"More like no charge at all..." Victoria corrected.
I snapped my finger in agreement with her. It felt amazing and nice, finally seeing us on the same page about a few things again.
Widening her eyes more, Shelly still didn't give up without a fight. "Are ya insane?! I'll lose a whole day's worth of clams! I can't do that!"
"Please Rochelle. If all of what Mr. Collins has said, it surely sounds worth a shot. It makes sense! There would be no other reason. I've been the star of the show for a while now, I think ya can try to take the reins for this one time." Ivy tried to convince.
"W-w-why is this all on me anyway?! Why can't Victoria here do something too? Like offer a free movie ticket to her next picture show! Or dinner with Charlie Chaplin!" Shelly began to point toward her.
That was an even worse idea if the one I presented was so bad. Victoria had too much baggage attached to her name—which was a shame, but true.
"Oh I'm afraid that won't be possible. Apparently now most hate the ground I walk on or love me to the point of selling their houses if I say so for anything. Those statements will be tainted and smeared with my reputation. Really, my influence would be quite biased for this either way..." She explained for herself casually, shrugging.
Instantly, the room went to a cold silence as everyone except me glanced at her in what seemed like shame and for Levi's end, disappointment.
Hey, now that I knew the truth, I had to give the dame where credit was due.
She had a lot to live with on her own for the past several years and didn't know how to control her emotions entirely well. On second thought, not well at all. But that's my gal.
"Oh, don't look at me like that." She defensively let out, crossing her arms shamelessly.
"Anyways!" I snapped the attention back to me. They all followed suit. "What do you guys say? Are you in or out?" I now raised concern.
Ivy sighed, turning to Levi and grinned while nodding. He shortly began to do the same. "Daniel! Ya got a deal!" She shouted happily, jumping up from her chair and holding her hand out.
I chuckled at her sudden perkiness and energy and shook hers, agreeing fully.
"But there's one thing I need to be cleared up on, if you don't mind." Shelly now spoke, with a sly but businesswoman tone—yet still with concern and heartfelt worry. But she did run a business at the end of the day. "I'm sure Miss Singh is prepared to make a generous donation to the bar for the lack of sales this would require, right?"
Staring to her bitterly before smirking and not deciding not to, Victoria simply nodded. "Oh Shelly, Shelly, Shelly. Always a character." She muttered jokingly, taking out her checkbook from her purse book. "Fine. I'll take a pen, please."
Between Ivy, Levi, and Shelly, they began to look around a bit frantically for one nearby but couldn't. Considering he was a songwriter at all hours of the day, I was certain he would have one at least on him.
"Or a crayon..." Victoria shrugged, unsure what was taking so long.
Instantly, Ivy shot her a playful but dirty glare as she turned to Levi and shook her head. "Well, I see where Levi gets his sense of dry humor from sometimes."
Making a longing exchange to each other, Levi and Victoria then broke out into laughter, along with me, Ivy, and Shelly after a minute.
I swear, if they weren't entirely two different races I'd mistake them as close knit siblings rather than just best friends and former co-workers. They learned a lot from each other. I loved that.
"Well! We better get to writin' then! Wouldn't want anything to slip on our hands. We'll have it all done by tomorrow night! Victoria and Danny? Will ya be joining us into making some swanky lyrics until possibly midnight?" Levi offered kindly.
That sounded more fun than what I was about to have.
"Actually, as much as we would love to, we unfortunately can't." Victoria stood up sighing. "I'm scheduled to attend a borefest charity event in a few hours that, according to Eddie, will make me look better for the awards."
"Aww, that's so nice though. Why is it such a bore if it's for charity?" Ivy questioned.
"Because the charity is simply just executive producers, directors, and big shots making more of a quick buck by pretending to give it to an actual foundation—but instead, it goes to their much already loaded pockets." I answered.
Yes, now I had finally caught on to how some things worked in this biz sometimes given with the wrong sort of people. Now I understood why Victoria didn't want to give her things away to just anyone without truly digging them out first.
That kind of professional betrayal was all she knew.
"Is there anything good about showbiz?" Ivy soon wondered, visibly losing faith.
Victoria sighed once more, staring at her and smiled. "There sure is. But don't worry Miss Hart, I've told you I'll take care of it all...soon."
However looking toward Ivy's eyes, she had no idea what that even meant. Neither did I for that matter. She was certainly becoming more of a mystery than I thought I had already unraveled by now.
Walking to the back room of the building, I followed along and we finally made it to where our memorable moment happened—but with more of a positive and good feeling of being back here with her again. The rest went back to their own tasks.
Gazing at her closely though, Victoria suddenly then grabbed the telephone and dialed up a number she seemed to know by heart somehow. I looked at her with bewilderment.
"Hi, is this still Miss Kira Porter's number?" She paused and nodded. "This is Victoria Singh. The gal that helped ya back at that party of Jack Johnson's with that fella who was messing with ya at the bar? Look, I know it's been a while since we spoke, but ya said you'd be able to do me a favor one day. Well, I desperately need that favor now. You are still a music producer, right?" My eyes widened as she smiled and nodded again. "Ah good. Thank ya kindly for understanding then. Listen, I've got a couple of people I'm gonna need ya to check out. Tomorrow night at 'The Hollywood Lounge'. Good. Have a wonderful day." And just like that, she hung up quickly and stared at me like she had no idea why I was looking at her with pure shock. "What?"
With a slight giggle in her voice, I grinned happily—shaking my head. "You're amazing."
Shyly blushing, she shrugged. "That's really sweet of ya to say. But ya don't have to. Really. Like I said before Danny, I'm just done being silent."
Heading out the door and back outside but not too far in leaving me, I gazed at the sexy and riveting woman I wanted to explore every part of her with my mouth right now, a final time and nodded realizing exactly what had just gone down.
The real Victoria Singh had finally returned to me.