Crossing Lines: A gripping psychological thriller (Behind Closed Doors Book 3) (36 page)

And I, Ashleigh Jordan, am always a professional. Nothing interferes with my bitchy alter ego, Krystal and her diva demands. Nothing. Not even my hatred for Justin.

Liking
him has been a test of biblical proportions. But I’ve managed it, so well, in fact, the rumors ‘leaking’ off set have my fiancé-to-be … um, more than a little concerned. It mildly irritates me. But more importantly, it opens my eyes to my dark side, the one I call 'Krystal.’ Is she really viewed by the world as so evil and so twisted that she would date her sister’s guy?

I’ve only let the rumors continue to circulate because it keeps attention away from what is really going on behind closed doors. But boy, has the world got a shock coming! This time tomorrow I’ll be standing on the red carpet, escorted to the biggest night in television awards by my biggest rival, personally and professionally. I’ll be with the king of entertainment gossip, JT Preston. I’ll be wearing a ring on a specific finger, and if anyone
dares
to ask about it, I’m going to say yes, Krystal Valentina is marrying JT Preston. After fifteen years, I finally get my happily ever after, and with the only guy who’s ever truly been my leading man.

“Ever felt like all your Christmases have come at once?” Justin murmurs, then lowers his head toward mine. I shake my head and move my lips out of his reach, but he’s not fazed by my mistake. “You will,” he ad-libs, threading his fingers through my hair and holding my head still, “if you stop fighting me!”

His mouth slants over my tight lips. He applies a little gentle pressure as he closes his eyes. But I just stiffen in his arms. I watch him, and I wait.
Five … Four … Three … Two … One.

I know I’m supposed to close my eyes. And I know I’m supposed to melt into the kiss. But my body is in full-on rebellion. My stomach heaves. I've finally found the answer to the critics’ raving question: ‘Is there nothing this girl can’t do?’ Well, yes actually, I can’t make out with Justin Ramirez anymore.

I remain as rigid as a board in his arms, my lips still tight and unresponsive. Instead of generating enough heat from this kiss to melt the snow-capped mountains around us, I’m just adding to the blizzard that put us one week behind schedule.
What the hell is wrong with me?

“Cut!” The second the director’s voice booms across set, I leap from Justin’s arms. I put at least six feet between us. “Everyone take five,” the director sighs.

Thank God! I bend down and unclip my boots from my skis. I need to escape. I need five minutes on my own to get my head around this final scene.

“Except you two.” My head snaps up at his orders. I glare at the man as he continues, “I don't know what's going on, Krystal, and frankly I don't care. You should have been replaced when you were unfit to fly out with us!”
Me! I should have been replaced. This movie is nothing without my name attached to it.
“From the hospitalization excuse, and the regular sessions with Dr. Hawthorne, your lack of work ethic, bizarre sleeping routines, and the sheer impossibility to get even the simplest of scenes right, everyone knows you should be back in rehab. You’re not fit to be here!”

“But—”

“I don’t care!” He cuts me straight off. “We've covered the cost of delay after delay, because you can’t do your job right!”

“The same guy who nearly killed my sister put me in hospital, and you
don’t care
!” My shriek lifts about the absent chatter of the rest of the cast and crew. The entire set goes silent and leaves my voice bouncing in the mountains around us. The director stares at me, his mouth hanging open. “That’s right. Krystal Valentina is not fucking invincible!”

My vision mists. If I’d have known the therapy, and the distance from my loved ones, was going to be so hard, I’d have pulled out of this movie altogether. But honestly, I just wanted to get so far away from it all, and Switzerland, and my commitment to this movie, looked like the perfect escape. “So, get your facts right before you start firing accusations!”

“Krystal, I’m sorry!” he sighs, “But please, this is the last scene, and I haven't seen my kids since Christmas. If you can’t do this, I need to know.”

“It’s fine.” I let go of a heavy breath and it shudders through me. “And I'm sorry. Just give me a few minutes to get my head together.”

“Justin, stay with her!”

I wait until the director and the rest of the cast drift away from the set before I look at the reason I can’t do my job.

“Ash—“

”Don't call me that!” I snap. I want to take his head clean off his shoulders for what he did to my sister.

”Why not?” he barks back. “It’s your name, isn't it?”

”Only my friends call me that, and you are not my friend. You are a bug that needs eradicating, and if I’d have known when I agreed to work with you, what I know now, Justin, it wouldn’t be just your career in the graveyard!” I go to turn away but he reaches out and grabs my arm. ”Get your hand off me or I'll break it.”

”This is what he's talking about.” He scowls as he waves a hand at me. ”What the fuck did I do to deserve this?”

”You know exactly what you did.”

”No, I don't!” He stands a little taller. ”Last night you were fine, and now it’s ten freaking a.m. and for the last five hours you’ve been this super bitch who can't bear to stand on the same continent as me. What the hell happened?”

”I know what you did, Justin.” I shake my head. ”My sources finally revealed why you
really
left my sister. How could you do that to her? Did you even love her at all? Or was it just about money, and fame, and becoming Hollywood’s next leading man?” I’m screaming now. “There was no reason to do what you did to my sister. She loved you. She
trusted
you. And
you
destroyed her!”

“I am so sick of having this same argument with you!” His voice now draws the attention of some of the set workers, and I know I have to wrap it up quickly. “She was hardly innocent in all of this. If I recall correctly,
your sister
has a kid nearly as old as this argument. So she was cheating on me!”

“Of course she was, Justin.” I laugh, and it’s spiteful. He’s the reason I had to come back to L.A. He’s the reason I lost everything. I want to hurt him more than I wanted to hurt that bastard who put me in hospital, Wayne Swift. “Because there's just no other explanation, is there?”

“What?”

“That's the funny thing about babies, Justin. They take about nine months to cook. So she's actually even older than this argument!”

“She’s mine?”

“Oh well, give the boy a—wait, what?” I look around the set, making sure we’re not drawing a crowd. “You didn’t know?” When I look back at him, all color has drained from his face. His jaw hangs open in shock and he shakes his head. “Fuck!” I’ve only just gotten my relationship with Mimi back on track, after the disaster that was my escape plan for her and my best friend was battered by Wayne. I don’t believe I’ve done this! I can’t believe he made me do it. “I regret the day my stepfather ever laid eyes on you, Ramirez!”

I push off with my skis, knocking him clear off his feet as I shove past him and take off down the hill.
Shit. What am I going to do? How am I going to tell Mimi?

“Krystal!” He calls after me, and I silently thank him for remembering to keep my secrets under the circumstances. But I pretend I don’t hear him. “Krystal, stop!” He sounds like he's gaining on me, and this is a conversation I can’t have. It’s not my place. I shouldn’t have said anything. He needs to talk to Mimi.

As I approach a bend in the trail, I chance a glance over my shoulder. He is gaining ground. He’s almost caught up with me. I even hear him call out, “Your skis!” The memory of unclipping my skis flashes into my head. I look down.
Shit.
I veer dangerously close to the edge of a hundred-foot drop. “Ash, look out!”

I swivel my hips to accommodate the bend, but of course the movement’s fruitless. The momentum carries my forward. I run out of ground beneath me, and I know, just know, that because I am now finally happy, this is the moment I’m going to die.

Meet Erin Cawood

Firstly, I’d like to thank you for taking the time to read
Crossing Lines
and then for taking the time to find out a little more about me.

Well, I’m a romantic at heart. I’ve been reading and writing romance since my early teens and the discovery of chick-lit in my early twenties brought its own special twist on my writing style.

I do like a lead character that you can really get behind and cheer on every step of the way. Thus, I end up sliding around and sometimes into the darker, edgier side of romantic fiction and taking the path less willingly followed. Of course, that means this isn’t the last you’ve heard from the McKenzie or the Valentina Families. I aim to bring Katrina Valentina’s (Behind Closed Doors Book 4) story to you very soon.

As for me, I live in Leeds, UK with my long suffering partner of thirteen years. I say long suffering for he puts up with my endless hours of sitting at a computer screen writing, and he puts up with me enjoying one of the best Christmas presents he’s ever bought me: a karaoke machine.

I’ve done a wide variety of things in my life. After graduating from university with a degree in New Media I am now a full time digital project coordinator. Before I returned to education I’d worked at a fairground, a convenience store, a public house/restaurant both in the kitchen and waitressing. And I’d spent 8 years as an insurance agent before going into telemarketing in the healthcare industry.

My perfect holiday involves some kind of adventure and I’ve had the best experience ever swimming with dolphins in Mexico! I’ve climbed Mayan pyramids, been near the top of a volcano (thankfully dormant) in Tenerife and taken a Jeep safari through the Dominican mountains, awesome! I've also driven along some death-defying mountains on the Greek Island of Corfu.

But the best thing about being an author is that I get to have some great adventures without even leaving my home and I’ve never been happier than I am with all these characters invading my life. They have wonderful stories to tell and I can’t wait to share them with you.

* * *

Acknowledgments

There are several people I’d like to thank for their help and support during my writing journey.

Firstly my family, for never sugar coating anything and believing the only way someone will improve is by telling them the truth. It may have been hard for you to say some things but I needed to hear them. You have made me a better writer in doing so.

I have a special mention for Deborah Nam-Krane who has not only read and re-read and read Crossing Lines again over the last 3 years, but she’s always there to take away the stresses and strains of life as an author. Her feedback and support have been invaluable.

I’d also like to thank my amazing development editor Annetta Ribken, who has been the most patient and understanding mentor throughout the entire editing process and beyond. As well as my creative team; Book & Project Manager Samantha March, editor Steve Trinward, & proofreader Majanka Verstraete who joined my creative team on short notice and has helped bring Crossing Lines to you in less than ten weeks.

And I can’t forget my partner who still listens to me go on and on and on and… you get the point, about the cast of characters. So much in fact, he could probably write the next book for me (lol!). I wouldn’t be where I am, or who I am without him.

And finally, to my readers. Each and every one of you are important to me, and every email, post on Facebook, @mention on Twitter I receive from you is amazing and brightens my day. So, thank you for getting in touch and keep doing so… I promise to reply. And if you haven't yet got in touch, email me at
[email protected]
,
find me on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/AuthorErinCawood
, and tweet me
@erincawood
. I’d love to hear from you.

Domestic Violence Help and Advice

If you are affected by domestic abuse, or would like further information in the USA visit the
National Domestic Violence Hotline
(www.thehotline.org) or call 1.800.799.SAFE (7233)

If you are affected by domestic abuse, or would like further information in the UK call the National Domestic Violence Helpline 0808 2000 247 Run in partnership between
Women’’s Aid UK
(womensaid.org.uk) &
Refuge
(refuge.org.uk)

If you are affected by domestic abuse, or would like further information in Ireland visit the
Women’s Aid Ireland
(www.womensaid.ie/) or call Women’s Aid free phone helpline 1800 341 900.

For more information and useful websites go to the dedicated page at
erincawood.com