Finding Jordie: Things aren't always what they seem. (The Love Lies Bleeding Series Book 1) (31 page)

“Yeah, sure, thanks.” I managed a weak smile. I wasn’t hungry though. I wanted to throw up, in fact. I guessed the bed made me feel sicker than it should have. I pushed past the nausea, though, with some water and a kickass turkey wrap.

“Hey, before I forget. Do you still have that guy Todd’s number?” I was glad I remembered to ask him. I wanted to talk to Todd today.

“I think so. Why?” He began to look through his phone. I told him about Todd’s mom being the reason he moonlighted in tabloid stuff and my idea to try and help him out a little. He just grinned and cocked his head to one side. “Something, I tell you. Okay, I’ll text you the number.”

“Yeah, yeah, and thank you.” I rolled my eyes at him.

“Speaking of texting, my mom texted me.” His face was stone sober.

“What? What did she say?” I asked, almost in a panic. Our conversation went well I’d thought, but judging by Nathan’s face, I was sadly mistaken.

“That she can’t wait to meet you and Emma.” His face softened and then he let out a laugh. “Gotcha.”

“Jerk!” I balled my napkin up and threw it at him. “You scared me for a second.” He tossed the script back on the table and gave me that sexy as fuck grin that drove me mad.

“I still have twenty minutes, you know.” He slid in next to me.

“Nathan, where?” I asked coyly.

“I’m good with right here.” He took my hand and placed it on the bulge in his pants. “Ya know, christen the trailer with my fiancée?” He chuckled and kissed me.

Turned out the counter in that thing was pretty sturdy.

AFTER DROPPING OFF EMMA
at home, I made my way over to the bar. Todd showed up at three o’clock on the dot. We talked for a few minutes about his mom and Isobel. He was a genuinely nice guy. I felt good about giving him the news and first pictures of my ring. Hopefully it would help him out as much as it helped us out.

“I hid my hand all day to make sure you broke this shit. Don’t disappoint me and make it trashy,” I joked with him.

“I would never, Jordie. Really, thank you both so much. This right here will relieve a lot of financial stress for me. I’m so happy for you two. I’ve covered Nate a lot over the years. I’ve never seen him this happy, and open.”

“So I’ve heard.” I smirked.

“Everything’s been okay lately? No break ins or whatnot?” He stood up to leave.

“Nope, everything’s been relatively quiet.”

“Lucky Nate’s security had a gag order put on that situation so quickly or that would’ve been a paparazzi feeding frenzy.”

“A gag order?” I was confused.

“Oh hell yeah, Nate’s security was on the phone with the police department within ten minutes of finding out about the break in. Must be friendly with some judge out here. Those things can take weeks, you guys had one within minutes.” He gathered his belongings while he told me.

“Thanks, Todd. Tell Isobel hello please. I feel bad I haven’t seen her much lately, I’ve been—busy.” I blushed.

“Jordie, she thinks the world of you. Her mom is flying out here next week for her graduation. She never thought in a million years she’d ever be able to afford that, but she is. She thinks you’re one of the kindest people she knows, and I have to agree.” He smiled and held up his camera.

I walked him to the door to let him out, locked it back up, and made my way to the office. The phone rang, so I picked up my steps a bit to answer it in time. “The Post.”

My stomach sank. I immediately recognized the bad connection and fumbling in the background.

“Hello?” I gritted through my teeth.

Silence.

“I don’t know what it is you want from me, but I’m not going to let you bully me over the phone. In fact, I need to thank you if you had anything to do with my apartment being trashed. Gave me a reason to redecorate,” I said smugly.

“Jorrrrdaaannnnn,” the voice said and laughed almost demonically. “I know you’re scared, as you should be. No amount of security can keep me away from you.” He was the one who was angry that time. “You are
mine
. Do you fucking understand, you deceitful piece of trash?”

I don’t know what came over me at that moment but I just let it all out. “You want me? Come fucking get me, you low-life piece of shit. Be a man, show your face. Don’t hide behind telephone calls and dog cum, you vile excuse for a human being.” My voice cracked and my hands trembled. It was a heady mixture of fear and adrenaline.

He hung up.

“That’s what I thought, fucker. Try and scare me. Not going to happen. I’m far too happy to let this cocksucker ruin my happy days.” I ranted out loud to myself.

I heard a knock at the door.

“Who is it?”

“It’s Charles, Jordie. Is everything all right? I heard you yelling.”

“Yes, it’s fine.” I opened the door to let him in. “I just got another phone call.” I blurted out angrily without thinking.

Charles took out his phone and began to dial.

“Who are you calling?”

“Who else would I be calling? Frank.”

“No, please don’t. The poor guy just began to relax. Let this one slide. It’s just a phone call.”

“What did they say?”

“Same ol’, same ol’. I’m coming for you, blah, blah, blah, really, it’s no big deal.” I was sure to show no signs of being shaken, but inside my guts were twisted. That voice was so menacing.

Charles made no attempt to put his phone away. He held it, still ready to make the call to Frank.

“Please, if I get another one then you can report to him, but things have been so great lately. Please?” I begged him.

“I heard the news this morning. Congrats on the engagement.”

“Thank you.” I smiled.

One glance down at my ring and all the bad stuff drifted away.

Wait, how did he hear this morning?

I guessed Nathan told Frank. Besides, after tomorrow it wouldn’t matter. Todd would break the story and everyone would know.

Just as planned, the next morning Todd’s exclusive made headlines and all hell broke loose again. Paps were out front taking pictures and shouting at us. At least they were polite enough to make a path for me so I could walk Emma to the car for school.

After she was gone I gave Rachel a call. She had fifty questions pertaining to the wheres, whats, whens, whos, and hows of the wedding.

“We just got engaged the other night, Rachel, chill.” I laughed.

“Um, excuse me. In my mind it’s been over a week now, and the Plaza is booked up for two years, so you need...”

“Slow your role, Jennifer Lopez as the Wedding Planner. The Plaza? Are you out of your damn mind? I certainly cannot afford that, and I wouldn’t want a wedding of that magnitude anyway.”

“Afford ashmord! Your first wedding was at a fucking White Castle in Toms River, New Jersey, asshole. You are
so
doing this one right.”

“What are you talking about, Rachel? It was a fairy tale wedding. You tell me, what bride doesn’t want to get married in a castle?” I barely said the words without laughing.

“Oh my god, I fucking hate you.” She laughed hysterically.

“Whatever, seriously, plenty of time, Rach. Plenty of time. We’re in no rush. I don’t think he’s going anywhere anytime soon.”

“Love ya, bitch.”

“Love ya too, hooker.” I hung up and my phone beeped.

*Hey gorgeous, want to come here to avoid the crowd?*

*Yes, please. I’ll be out there in 20.*

*Love you.*

*Love you.*

Surprisingly enough I got on set easily and the guard gave me a pass.

Fancy stuff. It’s laminated, so it must be official.
“All Access Four Forty-Six,” it read with my name under that. He handed me another one for Emma.
She is going to flip when she gets her grubby little hands on this.
Another man walked over and put a sticker on the bottom part of my windshield before he opened the gate. When I got to Nathan’s trailer I walked in, but I didn’t see him. “Babe?” I called out.

“Hello?” That wasn’t Nathan’s voice, that was for sure. The brunette bombshell walked out from the bedroom back there. My stomach sunk and I wanted to puke on her.

“Hi, I’m Rena. You are?” She had the fakest smile plastered across her mug.

Who am I? Stank ho, I’m the one that’s going to knock that pretty little smile off your face if you don’t tell me what the hell you’re doing in here. That’s who I am, bitch.
“Where’s Nathan?” I skipped my less than chipper introduction and went straight to what I actually gave a shit about.

“Oh, Nates?” She swept her hair back dramatically with a smirk. “He was here a moment ago. Guess you
just
missed him.” She glanced around the area with a shit-eating grin.

My phone beeped.
Lucky bitch, I was just about to rip your lips off and feed them to your ass.

*Come to Suite 109 inside building B, I’m there. See you soon. I love you.*

*How long have you been there?*

*Um, a while. Why?*

*Oh, I don’t know, I’m in your trailer and little miss I’m going to rip her fucking face off saunters out from the back somewhere. What the fuck, “Nates”? Never mind, I don’t care, I’m leaving. See you later.*

*Wait, I’ll be right there*

“Everything okay, sweetie?” the brunette said. Sarcasm rang through her voice.

“Oh, everything is great.” I smiled as I brought my left hand up to push my hair behind my shoulder, making sure I flashed my ring. Her eyes widened for a fraction of a second but she composed herself quickly.

“Nathan is on his way back to get me, take me somewhere more—private.” I had no idea if that was actually the plan but I was improvising. The trailer door swung open and slammed into the side of it. There stood Nathan out of breath—and he looked pissed.

“What are you doing in here, Rena?” he spit out through clenched teeth.

“My toilet wasn’t working properly, so I came to use yours. You didn’t answer when I knocked...”

“So you just took it upon yourself to come in and what, upset my fiancée?”

“You know, you really shouldn’t do number two in these bathrooms. That’s probably why yours wasn’t working right. Yup, stops them up all the time.” I smiled, sarcastically sweet. She rolled her eyes and headed for the door so I moved out of her way.

“Thanks, Nates,” she said sweetly as she brushed her hand across his chest when she moved past him. I clenched my fists and locked my jaw.
I’m really going to kill this bitch.

“It’s Nate, thank you.” He plucked her hand away in disgust and his eyes never left mine.

I loosened my grip and unset my jaw.

“Whatever.” She stomped out, slamming the door behind her.

“Bitch,” he mumbled. “Seriously, she’s a pain in the ass.” He took me in his arms and brushed his lips against my forehead. “Hi.”

“Well, that was fun.” I was less than enthusiastic.

“Come with me, I want to show you something.”

We got to suite 109 and once we walked in, his agenda became clear to me. Suite 109 was the studio’s day spa.

“I figured you could use a day of relaxation. Don’t worry about Emma, Frank is picking her up after practice, and then we can meet them for dinner.” He stuck his card in the scanner and put it back in his wallet after it beeped. “All set. What do we want to do first?” He rubbed his hands together like a kid in a candy store.

“You’re the best. You know that? You’re spoiling me.” I tippy toed up to steal a kiss, but when I got back to flat footed the room spun. “I feel sick again.” I swayed. “Where’s the bathroom?” I covered my mouth just in case.
I should have vomited all over that smug bitch when I started to feel nauseous. If I had, then this wouldn’t be cutting into my and Nathan’s alone time.

“Right here.” He ushered me a few feet to the right and took me in the bathroom. He waited for me just outside the stall while I tossed my cookies a few times. When I came out and stood in front of the sink, I caught his expression in the mirror. He looked so concerned. I turned the cold water on splashed my face and rinsed my mouth out.

“It’s nothing. When I saw bitch face in your trailer I started to feel sick. Guess it just didn’t go away. I’m good now.”