Rumor Has It: A Bad Boy Romantic Comedy (2 page)

2

The limo pulled up in front of the hotel. A crowd of people still milled around outside looking bored. Most of the paparazzi had moved on, most likely because- as Theo had said- they knew my schedule. I never returned to the hotel till early afternoon.

“Stop here,” Theo said to the driver. He opened the door and started to get out. I grabbed Theo’s arm. His thick muscle tensed beneath my hand.

“Where are you going?” I asked.

“I’m going to check out the crowd first. I want you to wait five minutes, then get out of the limo and walk into the hotel.”

“But, why?”

I looked out to the waiting crowd. They hadn’t noticed my limo yet, but when they did it would be chaos. My security detail was gone. As far as they knew, I wouldn’t be back until later. Except for Theo, I was on my own.

“Just do it,” he said.

“But-”

Before I could object any further, Theo slipped out of the limo and into the crowd. I watched as he walked around the perimeter of the mob of people. Then I lost sight of him. I pulled out my cell phone and looked at the time.

“Five minutes…” I muttered.

I shook my head and considered calling my security detail to come down and manage the crowd. I started to dial the number of my head of security, then stopped. There was something about Theo that intrigued me. It’s not often someone surprises me. What sort of game was he playing at?

I put my cell phone back into my purse. I waited five minutes, pulled out my compact and checked my hair and makeup. My Glam Squad had spent hours making me look this way. I was relieved to see it was still holding up. I put my compact away, adjust my dress and stepped out of the limo. My foot barely had time to touch the ground before an ear-piercing scream ricocheted through the air. I made eye contact with the source of the banshee yell. A wide-eyed teenage girl was pointing at me.

“It’s Jamie Kelly!” she shrieked.

The entire mob of people ran for me. I considered jumping back into the limo, but it was too late. The door was already shut behind me. The crowd surrounded me quickly. I couldn’t get back into the limo right now if I tried. My only option was to work my way through the crowd and back inside the hotel. I put on my best and brightest smile.

“Hello!”

People pushed magazines with my face on the cover at me. Someone put a pen into my hand. Blindly, I signed everything in front of me. People shouted questions at me. Their words overlapped into a loud cacophony of nonsense.

“Thank you all for coming out to see me,” I said sweetly. “I’m so lucky to have fans like you.”

I had no idea if they could even hear me. It didn’t matter. I had to keep sweet. Crowds like this could be dangerous. They may have looked like a couple dozen harmless teenage girls, but when they get excited, they turn rabid.

Tension rippled through the crowd. One girl elbowed another out of the way. “Hey!” she protested.

The crush of the crowd pushed me back against the limo. Desperately, I looked around for Theo. He was nowhere in sight. I was on my own. I quickly signed three magazine covers in a row, then pushed off the limo into the crowd. I made it five feet before I was stopped. A tiny girl, no older than thirteen, had hold of my hair. She was pulling me back towards her. Her face was twisted with outrage. She held the magazine I’d just signed in her hand. It was different than the others. This one featured my boyfriend Louis with the headline: Sexiest Man of the Year.

“You can’t have him,” she said angrily.

“What?”

“Louis doesn’t belong to you.”

Oh, boy. There was nothing worse than being cornered by one of Louis’s super fans. Girls were obsessed with him. Some of them were down right delusional. They thought of Louis as their boyfriend or husband. In their eyes, I was the mistress who’d stolen the love of their life away from them. In short, they were batshit crazy.

“I don’t want your autograph. Keep it,” she spat at me.

She threw the magazine in my face. The crowd oohed as if a fight was about to break out. Shonda always says that no matter what happens, keep sweet. That’s my brand. It sells magazines and opens movies to blockbuster box office returns.

It would all collapse like a house of cards if people learned the truth: I’m far from America’s Sweetheart. You don’t get to be an A-list actress by playing nice.

I had to keep my temper in check. Several people had cell phones out. They were recording my every move. I had to play this smart. I ignored the angry tween and pushed on. I managed to make it a couple more feet before being stopped by an energetic girl who wanted to take a selfie with me. I leaned in close, smiled and tilted my head to the right. I wanted to make sure she got my good side.

The camera light flashed. Seeing that one girl got a picture, all the other girls now wanted pictures with me too. As they messed around with their cell phones, I saw an opening. For a brief second, the crowd parted. I made a run for it. I leaped through the opening only to come up short. My path to salvation was cut off by a second wave of demanding teenagers. I fell flat on my face. Even if I’d managed to make it through the crown, I wouldn’t have gotten far. My designer stiletto heels were not made for running.

I groaned and pushed myself up from the dirty sidewalk. The crowd oohed and ahhed. Lights flashed as they took photos of my face plant onto the sidewalk. No doubt they’d be all over the gossip sites within the hour. I tried to get up, but people were bending over me- not to help, but to get a better photo.

I managed to get my knee underneath me and push myself up. I lost my shoe in the process. Someone grabbed me by the hair. Another hand grabbed my leg. I felt a hand slide up my skirt. I screamed.

Suddenly, a strong arm was underneath me, lifting me into the air. I resisted at first, then I looked into the face of Theo. He’d scooped me up into his arms.

“Out of the way,” he shouted. His voice was stern and commanding. The soldier in him came out as he gave orders to the crowd. The obeyed him without question.

I turned away from the camera flashes. Hiding my face against Theo’s chest wouldn’t save me from the ruthlessness of the gossip sites, but for the moment, it made me feel safe. I wrapped my arms around Theo’s neck. I clung to him like my life depended on it.

Quickly, he carried me into the hotel. When I looked up, we were in the elevator headed to my penthouse suite. I still clung to him. My hands trembled. To my relief, he didn’t put me down. The elevator doors opened and Theo carried me to my hotel room. I was surprised to see he had a key. Shonda must have given it to him. Did that mean he’d been through my things? I shook the thought away as Theo gently set me down on the couch.

My hair was wild and my hands trembled. I must have looked frightening.

“Stay here. I’ll be right back,” he said.

He didn’t have to worry about me running off anywhere. I was too shaken up to walk. He returned with a first aid kit. Theo kneeled before me and took my leg in hand. It was then I noticed the large scrape across my knee. I hadn’t even felt it. I’d been too frightened by the crowd.

“Why did you leave me alone with them?” I asked as Theo started to clean my wound. “Was
that
the dose of reality you wanted to give me?”

My relief at his presence turned to outrage. “They were a mob. They could have…” I didn’t want to think about what could have happened. “Someone shoved their hand up my skirt.”

Theo looked at me sharply. “Who?” he demanded.

“I didn’t see them. I just felt it.”

I shivered. Theo gritted his teeth. The muscle in jaw twitched. “I’m sorry. I didn’t intend for that to happen. If I’d been there that son of a bitch would be dead.”

“Yeah? Well you weren’t there. You left me to the wolves.”

“I only wanted to show you how quickly things can spiral out of control. You needed to see that your fans can turn violent, even the ones who look harmless.”

“Lesson learned.” I winced as the antiseptic burned my cut. “Ouch! Careful.”

“Don’t be a baby.”

I rolled my eyes. “Do you think that my stalker was in the crowd?”

What if the hand I felt slide up my skirt belonged to him? The thought made my skin crawl.

“No.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“I scouted the area beforehand. Almost everyone in the crowd was young and female. Your stalker is a man.”

“There were men there. I saw them.”

“None that fit the profile.”

“What profile?”

“I told you, it’s my job to catch this guy. The reason why I was hired was because I’m uniquely qualified to find your stalker.”

“What
unique
qualifications do you have?”

He frowned at my tone. I was in no mood for games. I just wanted the truth.

“I told you I was Special Forces. I also spent time working in the intelligence community.”

“Doing what? Spy shit?”

“Yes… spy shit,” he replied sarcastically. “I profiled individuals who may wish harm on the country.”

“You mean terrorists. Did you spend a lot of time in the Middle East?”

“Not since the war. Afterwards, I spent my time profiling domestic terrorists. There are plenty of extremist groups right here in America. They’re all eager to kill the president, or bomb a building.”

“Your profiles stop them?”

“Usually.”

“What do you mean
usually
?”

“The idea is to figure out who these people are before they strike.”

I waited for him to continue but he didn’t. He must have been too late to stop an attack. It would explain why he seemed less than eager to talk about it. My mind raced back over recent terrorist attacks. There hadn’t been any lately. I wondered what happened to make him quit working to stop terrorists.

“So, why do you work with celebrities now? Am I a terrorist target?” He looked at me like I was insane. “What?”

“Nothing.”

“No, tell me what you’re thinking. If you’re going to work for me I want you to be honest.”

“Honestly, celebrities are some of the most vapid, self-absorbed people on the planet. They think the world revolves around them. Terrorists couldn’t care less about you. They want to make political statements. They’re not interested in bombing the People’s Choice Awards, or whatever.”

“Do you think I’m vapid and selfish?” I asked.

Theo gave me a hard look then turned his attention back to bandaging the scrape on my knee.

“I take your silence to be a yes.”

He didn’t respond. I crossed my arms in front of my chest. I’m not vapid or selfish. I just care a lot about my career. There’s no crime in that, is there? I mean, yeah I’m an actress. Being a celebrity is inherently vain and selfish, but that’s not me. I can separate myself from my celebrity brand. Right?

The door to the hotel room opened. Theo jumped up placing himself between me and the intruder. I didn’t know what to do, so I hid behind him. His fists were balled at his sides; his body tense. He looked like a soldier ready to spring into action.

High heels clicked across the floor.

“Oh good, you’re back,” Shonda said as she entered the living room. “Everything okay?”

“Fine, ma’am,” Theo replied.

“Ma’am?” I said sarcastically. They both ignored me.

“Are you two getting along?” Shonda asked.

Theo sighed. “I’m trying to communicate the importance of varying her daily routine to Miss Kelly.”

“Stop calling me Miss Kelly.”

“She has been less than receptive,” he said drily.

“I see.” Shonda leaned against the bar. She drummed her long nails on the counter and gave me ‘the look.’ When Shonda’s pissed, all she has to do is glare at me. It’s like when you’re a little kid and you’re in trouble. All it takes is one look from your mother or father to know you’re dead. Shonda has mastered that look and it has never failed to make me squirm.

“Jamie, you will fully cooperate with Theo. You will follow his instructions.” It wasn’t a question, but that didn’t stop me from opening my mouth to protest. “And,” she said cutting me off before I could argue, “you will follow his directions to the letter. Do you understand? I don’t want to hear about how you snuck off to do whatever. If Theo says ‘jump,’ you say ‘how high?’ Understand?”

“Yes, Shonda.”

“Good. Is there anything I can help you with, Theo?”

“There are a few security changes I’d like to institute.”

“Name it.”

“I want to bring in my people. Her security guards aren’t up to this job. That girl who attacked Miss Kelly last night never should have been allowed to get that close. My guys would have apprehended her before she came within twenty feet.”

“Done,” Shonda replied. “Anything else?”

“Yes, I need to interview Miss Kelly’s boyfriend. It’s important he understands these new security precautions. I’d also like to know if he’s had any threats, or if he’s perhaps noticed a familiar face in the crowd. There’s a good chance he’s seen Miss Kelly’s stalker and didn’t realize it.”