Celeb Crush (41 page)

Even Kat tries her hand at convincing Luke to back out.  She stands really close to him, her chest brushing against his as she pleads with him.  I’m not near enough to hear what she’s saying to him, but I can see that it’s not working.  He puts both hands on her shoulders, smiling reassuringly.  I don’t know who I want to hit more, so I go outside to take several deep breaths.  If she manages to change his mind when I’ve failed, I’ll be simultaneously relieved and furious.

Everyone’s getting ready to leave when I come back in.  Luke expects me to ride with him, but I refuse.  I wait for Kat to jump at the chance to go with him, but she doesn’t say anything.  Jaymie ends up riding shotgun with Luke in his super amped-up Nissan, and Nate drives me and Kat in Kat’s Mercedes.

“Damn it,” I mutter, glaring at my phone as it continues to ring, unanswered.

“What’s up?” Nate asks, using the rearview mirror to meet my eyes.

“I’m trying to reach Jessica, but she’s not picking up.”  I heave an irritated sigh.  “She must still be pissed at me.”

“For…?”

“Um.  Nothing.”

“Here.”  Kat twists around in her seat and waves her sleek black phone at me.  “You can use my phone to call her.”

Surprised, I take it.  The screen is lit up and already on Jessica’s contact information.  “Why do you have her number?”

“I’ve had it for a while,” she replies casually.  “We have lots of mutual friend.”

“Oh.”

I don’t have any concrete reasons to be suspicious that those two are talking, other than the old adage—the enemy of my enemy is my friend.  Or something like that.

Jessica answers after two short rings.  “Kat,” she greets with a warmth in her voice that I have never known.

“It’s me—Andi.  Don’t hang up!”  I say hurriedly when I hear her snort of disgust.  “Luke’s in trouble.  I need a favor.”

I briefly explain the situation to her and what I need her to do.  When I’m done, she stays quiet for so long that I wonder if she’s just put her phone down somewhere and wandered away.  Just when I’m about to yell for her, she finally speaks.

“He may never forgive you for this,” Jessica warns me.

“I know.  Think you can arrange it in time?”

“Twenty minutes,” she promises, and hangs up on me.

I let out a pent-out breath, my shoulders slumping in relief.  I hand Kat her phone back.

God, I hope this works.

Chapter 34

There are a lot more people here than I expected to be gathered on such short notice.  Easily over a hundred—maybe two hundred people line the sidewalks, or are gathered around the souped-up cars with their hoods popped up.  The smells of exhaust fumes and burning rubber infuse the air from the guys doing donuts and burnouts in the darkened parking lot of an abandoned-looking building.

It’s not as cool as it is in the movies.  While there are some scantily-clad females wandering around (probably attracted by the news that Luke would be here) the majority of attendees are fairly normal-looking guys. 

Nate parks Kat’s Mercedes right up on a sidewalk next to a stop sign.  It’s the only place that’s not boxed in by other cars, so we can make a quick getaway.  I guess the boy hasn’t screwed away all his brain cells.  Good to know.

I spot Luke through the crowds immediately.  He’s half-sitting on the hood of his car, talking to this huge guy named Ronaldo, and a short squat guy with a big scarred bald head and mean snake eyes.  Luke’s guys loosely surround him to keep the groupies away.  One particularly persistent girl is trying to work her way through to him.  She’s wearing nothing but sparkly pasties under her open jeans jacket.  I want to go over there and scold her.  Does her mother know she goes out like that?

“That’s Manslaughter,” Nate says, pointing to the bald guy talking to Luke.

“That’s what I was afraid of,” I say, glancing down at my phone.  “Are they the first ones up?”

Nate’s eyes dart around as he answers me.  “Luke usually races first.  He doesn’t like to risk hanging around for too long when word’s out that he’s here.”

“Oh, my god,” I hear Kat mutter nervously.  She pulls down the bill of the black ball cap over her face.  “There are way too many people here.”

She’s right, and more arrive as we speak.  “Let’s head over,” Nate says, nodding his chin in Luke’s direction.

Just before we reach him, all hell breaks loose.  The night suddenly explodes with flashes of light and obnoxious shouting as people with cameras surge forward out of nowhere.

Chaos ensues.  Luke isn’t the only one who doesn’t want his picture taken.  Turns out that mixing the pushy paparazzi with camera-shy guys who make good money off of illegal activities—is not a good idea.  People shouting things like, “Turn those fucking cameras off!” and “Get the fuck out of the way before I shove that up your ass!” makes me doubt the brilliance of my plan.  It’s not long before violence erupts, and a high trembling voice rises above the melee and announces, “I’m calling the cops!”

“Shit,” Nate says.  He looks from me to Kat.  “Wish me luck girls; I’m going in.”

“Nate—” Kat starts to say warningly, but it’s too late.  Nate dives right into the fray.  He may look like a spoiled rich boy, but he’s pretty tough from hanging out with Luke, and all those near-death experiences.  I watch his progress as he skillfully weaves his way through the fracas to get to Luke.  Nate shouts something in Luke’s ear which makes him shake his head.  But Nate is insistent, gesturing wildly.  Luke glances in our direction, and our eyes meet.  Then he breaks the connection, turning back to Nate.  They exchange something, and then Luke is fighting his way to us.

The second he breaks free of the aggressive crowd, Kat rushes up to him, leaving me to trail after her like a surly handmaiden.  “Are you okay?” she asks anxiously.

She stole my line.  Actually, no.  I was going to hit him. 

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Luke says shortly.  His expression is taut with barely suppressed anger.  “Come on; let’s get you guys out of here.”

He puts one hand on Kat’s back and grabs my hand with his other one, hustling us towards Kat’s SUV.  A menacing voice calls after us, rising above the commotion. 

“Hey, Hollywood!  You’re done in this town, motherfucker!”

Luke’s entire body stiffens as he comes to an abrupt halt.  I squeeze his hand and give it a tug, urging him forward.  The paparazzi are hot on our heels, and it’s like there’s a spotlight shining down with the amount of video cameras trained on us.  Both Kat and I have been recognized, and I distinctly hear the term “ménage a trois” thrown out.  Goosebumps crawl up and down my back as I fight the compulsion to break free and make a run for it.  Luke and Kat walk at a slow and steady pace, keeping their heads down like seasoned celebrities.

I’m sweating and shaking by the time we make it to the Mercedes.  Kat easily nabs the passenger seat, and I silently retreat into the back.  I feel claustrophobic and nauseous—I’m seriously contemplating hurling all over her pristine leather seats.

We’re not out of the woods yet.  The distant sound of sirens pierce through the night air, getting closer and closer—and we’re stuck moving at a snail’s pace, thanks to the assholes standing in front of us blinding us with their camera flashes.  One guy out there keeps singing my name like, “Andi, Andeeeee!  Hey, momma—do you only like famous cocks?”  It freaks me out so bad that I hold my breath and keep my eyes closed, until Luke manages to slip through an opening, and the mayhem is left behind.

“You alright, Andi?” Luke asks from the driver’s seat.

My eyes pop open to see him turned around in his seat, glancing back at me.  I work up a smile to hide my near panic attack.  “I’m fine,” I lie.

Then my text message alert goes off in my pocket, making me scream a little.  “Jessica wants us to meet her in the parking lot of Price Pride on Eighteenth and Decatur,” I blurt out after scanning the message.

“Jessica?” Luke repeats, sounding bewildered.  “What the hell is she doing here?”

My eyes accidentally meet Kat’s in the rearview mirror.  I just shrug and mumble incomprehensibly.  Truth is, I’m just as confused as Luke.  Why would Jessica risk catching something by hauling her skinny ass to this side of town?

My anxiety ratchets sky high as we pull into the mostly empty Price Pride parking lot.  Luke expertly swerves into a stall.  He cuts the engine and storms out, slamming the door behind him.  Kat and I exchange another look, and then we both get out after him.

I  keep my distance, watching him casually kick a can halfway across the parking lot.  He raises both hands to run them through his hair, and exhales a quick wordless shout of frustration.

“How the hell do they keep finding me?” he growls, coming back to lean against the car.

“Um.”  I sense now is not the time to tell him about my role in this.  I give an exaggerated shrug.  “Who kno—?”

“It was Andi.”

Fuck. 

Luke shakes his head, looking bewildered.  I glare malevolently at Kat.  I thought we were on the same side here.  Stupid, stupid me.

He focuses on Kat with a short incredulous bark of laughter.  “Why would she...?”

Luke trails off when his gaze slides over to guilty ol’ me.  Comprehension dawns on his face.  “You didn’t,” he says softly.

My heart appears to be pounding in my throat right now.  I want to puke it out and just collapse to the pavement so I don’t have to deal with this.  I hate the way Luke is looking at me right now.  Like I’m about to stab him in the gut.

I take a deep steadying breath before looking him squarely in the eye.  “You’re damn right I did,” I declare self-righteously.

“You called them?”  He’s suddenly towering over me, his glare spitting green fire.  “Why, Andi?!  Why would you do that?!”

“Why the hell do you think?!”  I snap, matching his indignant anger with my own.  “I’m saving you from yourself!  You’re not in any condition to race, and you know it!  You’ve been drinking, Luke.  What are the two rules you have about racing?  Never drive drunk and never drive angry.  Well, right now you're both!"

“I said I’m fine!” he roars back at me.  He slams the palm of his hand down on the SUV’s hood for emphasis.  “God damn it!  Do you even have any idea how badly you fucked things up—not just for me, but for my crew?!  You had no fucking right!”

The harsh bite in his voice leaves me painfully shocked.   Sure, he's yelled at me before—but out of exasperation more than true anger.  And there was always that hint of sex in his eyes.  Now pure violence flows out of him like molten lava.  If I were a guy, he'd definitely take a swing at me.  I almost want him to.  I even think I'd feel better.  He’d really have to pull his punches, though.  I’m pretty tough, but I do have that glass jaw.

“You wanna hit me?” I offer, dropping my arms and jutting my chin out. Luke just shakes his head in disgust, and turns sharply away.  “Go ahead; do it.”

He jams his hands into the front pockets of his jeans.  “Sorry; I’m not into spanking damaged little girls with guilt issues.”  He faces me with a cold smile.  “But if you’re feeling horny, I could probably help you out with that.  After all, the rumors are true:  crazy girls are the hottest fucks.”

At first, I’m too stunned to react; I just stare blindly at him, eyes wide and mouth open.  He thinks I’m crazy?

There is a huge lump in my throat.  I try to talk past it and it takes me several attempts before my voice finally comes out, uncharacteristically quiet and vulnerable.  “Y-you don’t mean that,” I say.  I smile tentatively up at him.  “You’re drunk.  You don’t even know what you’re saying right now.  And I get that you’re mad at me—but I was only trying to help.”

“She’s lying.”

Kat’s voice startles me so bad that I jump in surprise.  I completely forgot her existence.  I flush, mortified to realize that she’s been there the whole time, and witnessed the way he talked to me. 

Wait, what did she just say?

I stare at her but she only has eyes for Luke.  She walks forward until he tears his gaze from me to look at her.  Once she has his full attention, she continues.

“It’s all an act.  She’s been using you this whole time,” Kat declares.  “She admitted it to me tonight.”

“Say what?”  I squawk, truly bewildered.  Where’s she trying to go with this?

“You think this was the first time she’s leaked your location?”  Kat gives an elegant little snort, completely ignoring the fact that I’m standing right there, gaping at her.  “She’s been doing it for a while now.  Ever wonder how the paparazzi seem to find you wherever you go lately?  Wake up!  She doesn’t care about you, Lucas.  She’s nothing but a fame whore.”

My jaw drops open comically.  I turn to Luke.  There’s that hard line between his eyebrows.  His expression is annoyed.  “Cut it out, Kat,” he warns her.  I breathe a sigh of relief.  He doesn’t believe her!  He knows how much I hate the notoriety.

“It’s true!”  She stands right in front of him, pushing her boobs against him yet again.  “She’s not the person you think she is.  She’s been lying to you all along.  Ask her about your mom, Lucas.  About who really gave her the idea to write that book.”