A Slow Burning Fire (25 page)

The fame game. Arial was back to walking the fine line between success and selling her soul.

They arrived at the club where Marcus was holding the party. The paparazzi hadn't shown up yet, thankfully. Arial definitely was not ready to face them, which was also part of her motivation for wanting to arrive earlier. As the valet parked the car, she and Lisa walked up to the main entrance. Marcus was waiting at the door to greet her, his gaze roaming over her body and a smirk forming on his face.

“Hey, I'm glad you came. Party is already happening, actually, so you got here at a great time.” He held open the door for her and Lisa to enter.

Arial did so, giving him a polite smile. “See, I told you it wasn't lame to come on time.”

“Never lame,” Marcus said. “My parties have a tendency to go long, so I started inviting everyone over a little earlier so they could enjoy more of the fun.”

She nodded and looked up at a mock starlight night sky. “This place is amazing.” Marble floors and black classic interior. Marcus was a lot swankier than she expected him to be. The music was already playing deeper in the club, and the lights were starting to dim.

His smirk widened into a full grin. “I'll give you a tour later, then.”

“Okay,” she said. Lisa raised her eyebrows, and Arial rolled her eyes.
She always assumes the worst about people.
Besides, Arial was trusting, but she also knew how to hold her own.

Marcus put one hand on the small of Arial's back and used the other to wave for her to follow him deeper into the club. “Come on, party is this way.”

She knew she probably should have pulled away. Marcus was a known player, but it was also natural to be a little more touchy-feely in Hollywood, so she didn't think much of his gesture. In the past, he'd done a lot more than politely lead her around like a good host. On set he'd lean on her, hug her, and poke her, all in the name of friendship. The wary look Lisa was giving her was not one she appreciated much.

****

Bryce waited outside Arial's apartment door. She was out. One of the other residents in the building recognized him from another visit and was kind enough to let him inside when she failed to answer her buzzer. He would have gladly waited at the front door, but being outside of her place was even better. It would make for a much nicer surprise whenever she returned.

He checked his watch, again. The time was nearly nine-thirty in the evening.
I wonder what she's doing.
If she was out to dinner, she should have been back by now. She might have gone to a movie or something with a friend, but he'd already been waiting for at least an hour, almost two. He felt a little like a stalker, standing outside her apartment door, holding a small bouquet of flowers.
But she's supposed to be here. This is not how I was planning for tonight to go.

Sighing, he pulled out his phone and contemplated calling her to see where she had gone.
She told me to wait…
but this is stupid. We should just talk.
He hit dial and chewed on his lower lip, unsure of what her reaction would be to his calling. A smile formed on his lips when he heard her pick up from the other end.

“Hello?” he asked after a long silence had passed. He frowned when there was no reply. “Arial? Are you there?”

Still no answer, but he could hear sounds in the background all the same. Loud music, and a lot of people talking.
A party? That's what it sounds like.
It wasn't a movie or a concert. The ambient noises weren't quite right for either. It did match a party, however, and he wasn't quite sure what to think about that. Ariel didn't do the party scene. Then again, she had been away from everyone for a long time. He’d had the itch to go out and do something more city-like the minute he’d landed in Los Angeles. If he hadn't been so tired and frazzled, he would have found his own adventure.

A party would keep Arial out all night, but that didn't mean he couldn't show up himself. Any party she would have been invited to was one he was most likely welcome at as well. It sounded busy and loud enough where he doubted anyone would notice him anyway. If there was a list, he would make sure to find a way on it. The only problem was, he needed to figure out where the party was. On a weekend night, there were hundreds of them.

He hung up his phone and cringed as he dialed the last person he wanted to talk to — Katie. As he waited for her to answer, he squeezed his eyes shut.

“Bryce? What's up?” Katie asked, and he could hear the same kind of loud noise going on in the background. His heart started to beat a little faster.

“Hey, I was just wondering if you knew about any awesome get-togethers for tonight. I'm back in town and feeling social,” he said, trying to keep things casual and cool. “You always did know where the best hangouts were. You know, the non-trashy kind, and the ones that go until all hours of the night.”

Katie only breathed for a few seconds, and he didn't know what she was thinking, or if he wanted to know. “I'm at Marcus's party with my boyfriend.” He winced at the word, but only because it felt so strange to hear her say it without referencing him.

“Marcus Markae, you mean?”

“Yeah, him. He tends to have some pretty epic gatherings. I wouldn't be weirded-out if you showed up. Just make sure you stay on the other side of the room. It'd be your scene. Drinks, but not as many drunken hussies running around in their underwear. But don't show up in something less than trendy. If I get your name on the list, I don't want to be embarrassed, okay?”

“Thanks.” He paused, debating whether he should ask what he really wanted to know. Taking in a deep breath, he decided it was worth the risk. After all, she was there with her new boyfriend. Why would it be a big deal? “Um… is Arial there?”

Katie laughed. “Oh, I see. That's what this is about. I'd heard rumors of you two having some kind of a tiff at your… thing… in Ohio. One of the paparazzi said she’d left in a hurry and then you two were never found again, and how she hadn’t looked all too happy. You lost her already?”

His jaw clenched. “I just asked if she was there. Do you want to spend time analyzing it or enjoying the night with your
boyfriend
who isn't me? It's not your business what I do or don't do with Arial!”

“Wow, someone is edgy! I guess I can trust a few rumors I hear after all.” She paused. He could hear the swish of liquid, so he assumed she was taking a drink. “Yeah, she's here. I saw her sauntering around in a little red dress by the bar with Marcus not too long ago. The guy is playing her like a fiddle. It's so classic. You better get here fast, or she might not be a good sweet little girl the next time you see her.”

Bryce rolled his eyes.
Arial is smarter than you. She wouldn't fall for his game. I wonder if Katie did, though.
He took a deep breath to keep himself from snapping something off at her in reply. Her blatant disrespect for Arial was grinding on his last nerve. “Thanks for the help.”

“Anytime. I always knew you two were gonna get together. I should have bet on it.” Her tone was bitter, but he didn't care. She didn't have room to talk. He wasn't the one who’d left her for someone else, and she'd made it clear she didn't want to have a future with him either. He knew where Arial was, though, so he couldn't be completely ungrateful.

Glancing down at his outfit, he tried to decide if he should change or not. He had on jeans and the ugly brown and green button-down he'd worn at the fair — his lucky shirt.

“Screw being trendy,” he muttered. Sentimental would go a lot further with Arial than style.

****

Arial was having a better time at the party than she wanted to admit. Dancing the night away, and having an occasional drink, she was the most relaxed she'd been in months, possibly even years.

“Do you want another one?” Marcus shouted over the music. He'd been at her side for most of the night. Only every so often did he leave to go greet some guests. His proximity to her was respectful as well, so she couldn't wait to tell Lisa 'I told you so' later on.

Shaking her head, Arial stepped off the dance floor to find a spot to sit. “I'm good, thank you.” Marcus did ask her that question a lot, and that kind of made her wonder. She sat down and pulled off her heels. All of the dancing was killing her feet.

“Need a break?” Marcus laughed. “Come on, let's go chill over this way. It's a lot quieter, and I won't have to yell to talk to you.”

She nodded and stood, using him momentarily to support herself as she did so. The sudden change in height and angle on her feet messed with her equilibrium. “Thank you,” she said quietly and followed him toward the side of the club. There was a staircase leading up to another floor with private rooms. They weaved their way through the crowd and made their way up.

Marcus unlocked the door with a small key and held the door open for her. “Come on in.”

Arial stepped into the dark room. There was a couch, a private bar, and perfect mood lighting. “Wow.”

“I know the guy who owns the club. We go way back, so I got my own key. It's handy for when I need to get away from the headache-inducing bass.”

“I can see that,” she said.

“Go ahead and have a seat.” He pointed to the couch.

Slowly, Arial walked over and sat down, staying close to the end. “You really know how to throw a party.”

He laughed. “You sure you don't want another drink?”

“I'm sure.”

Smiling, he sat down at the other end of the couch, keeping a comfortable distance from her that helped her to breathe easier. “So how was going back home again? As fun as it looks?”

She detected a hint of sarcasm.

“It was, actually. Sometimes it's nice to get away somewhere quiet for a breather. It's what we're doing now,” she said.

“Wise. I guess it's better to go home and get all that family socializing done as soon as possible instead of heading off to an exotic island out of the country.”

She nodded slowly. “It started as an obligation, but there is something really nice getting out into the fresh air and remembering where you come from. I like to stay real. It helps keep me grounded. Being back there helped me get in touch with a lot of things I thought I'd lost.”

“When I want to get in touch with my feelings, I go up into the mountains. That's some nice fresh air,” Marcus said. He smiled and scratched at his chin. “I'm from a small town, too, you know. It's not quite in the middle of nowhere like where you're from. I don't go back too often, though, because it's not my world anymore. My family and I go on adventures together and bond over seeing the world.”

“That sounds like fun.” But not something her family would go for. Her family wasn't interested in seeing the world the same way she was. They only wanted to spend intimate time with each other, and they were not as enticed by exotic locations.

“Mm-hmm.” He moved closer to her. “You want to know what else would be fun?”

Not so sure I do,
she thought, noticing the way his eyes were glued to her and how his smirk seemed to widen. “I don't know. What else would be fun?”

He laughed. “I think we could be fun. At first I thought that whole being a sweet innocent virgin thing was a gimmick. How many celebrities of the past have tried that angle? I did some digging, and I found it's true. Gotta say, it's pretty hot.”

Her body tensed as he moved even closer. “Thank you, I think.”

“I could teach you things,” he said, picking up her hand and giving it a kiss. “Things about love and adventures and being a woman.”

“You love me? Really? Because we've barely spoken ever since we last worked together,” she said, studying his face.

Marcus laughed. “I haven't been in love for a long time. It'd be a lie to say that I do, but you're exciting to me. You're the adventure.”

“Basically, you're trying to seduce me, aren't you?”

“Basically.”

“You know I'm not interested,” she said. “If you've been doing your digging, you know why I'm waiting. You just said you didn't love me, and I'm not going to be another of your conquests. I'm sure that'll look really nice on your playboy resume. The one guy who was able to take my v-card.”

He shrugged. “You're amazing, smart, and sexy. You can't blame me for wanting to try. Maybe you're a little too smart since you figured me out so easily, but again, the adventure makes it fun. Don't you think? It'd be good for both of us, you know. You're not going to be able to get any serious acting roles if everyone thinks you're a stickler for purity. Producers want talent who are willing to take risks.”

She rolled her eyes and stood up. “I can't believe you went there. Wow, you'll say anything to get in my pants, won't you?”

“What can I say? They're a very nice pair of pants.”

“Thank you for the chat,” she said. “I should get going. It's late back in Ohio, and I haven't quite adjusted.”

****

Bryce arrived at the club. He gave his keys to the valet and walked up the sidewalk to the entrance. The paparazzi were there in full force, snapping his picture and shouting his name. A number of them were asking him questions about what had happened in Ohio between him and Arial. He smiled and waved every so often, but for the most part he kept his head down as he walked through the crowd. Security was keeping the photographers at bay, or he would have been completely swarmed by them.

Inside, the club was just as chaotic. People were everywhere. Marcus threw big parties, apparently. Bryce had no idea how he was going to find Arial in the sea of people, but he would figure it out.
Katie said Arial was wearing red, so that's helpful.

Pushing his way through the crowd, Bryce tried to stay as low-key as possible. There were a number of his peers that he recognized, co-stars and acquaintances that he wouldn't mind catching up with. Overall, they would be nothing but a distraction to him and his quest.

“Hey, Bryce,” Katie's voice said from behind him. Her words were slightly slurred, and he dreaded turning around and talking with her. He did so anyway, determined to be polite.

“Hello,” he said. He swallowed when he saw the tight, low-cut, lime-green dress she wore.
And she had the nerve to talk about Arial looking like a skank?
He had to force a polite smile onto his face.