More Than Famous (Famous #2) (39 page)

"We'll see.  You know; I had her
first
," he replied with a smirk.

 Brook gasped and put a hand over her eyes. 

"Fuck, boys!  All this male bonding makes me horny," Wendy scoffed with a smirk.  “If you drip any more testosterone, I’m afraid I’ll grow a dick; so cool it.”

I ignored her, my eyes continuing to bore into David's. "I think I just saw
your life
flash before my eyes," I growled and hoped to hell he got the message.

"David, Cade; please. Can we just get through this?"  Brook shook her head at both of us as her face flushed bright red.

David shrugged slightly before bringing his eyes back to mine. He grabbed her hand that was resting on top of the table and pulled it to his mouth.  He was daring me, challenging me, and fuck if I didn't want to beat that smug expression off of his face.

I felt so jealous and possessive. 
Stop fucking touching her!
I wanted to jump across the table and pull her hand from his
.

Throughout the evening, my eyes were constantly on Brook and David, save for the few times that Wendy managed to draw me into conversation; asking me about my new projects. She wasn't trying to be overly flirtatious, just enough to make the illusion of the “date” real when the waiters came around or the other patrons watched us.

Brook's eyes followed Wendy as much as mine were on David.  Talk about fucking uncomfortable for all of us.  I bloody hated that little bastard and vowed that I would not let the studio force me into this type of situation again. It was beyond unbearable. 

I watched David push her hair back and touch her face over and over and it was all I could do not to fly across the table and rip his bloody head off.  I didn't want to bloody see it.  It did nothing but remind me of the many times I'd suffered through his visits up to Portland during production of the first film.  Brook's eyes found mine and I knew she was silently willing him to stop, her hand slightly pushed him away several times.

My blood pressure was rising and I was drinking way too much, yet barely touching my dinner.  The food tasted like cardboard in my mouth and I had to remind myself that drinking around Wendy wasn't a good idea.  I still couldn’t trust her.  This whole situation was a huge mess and I was reaching the end of my rope with Pinnacle Films.  I was going to call a meeting, and soon. I didn’t give a flying fuck if they ever signed me again.

"Brook, you aren't eating.  Are you okay, luh,-" I stopped myself before I said the word.  I let out a deep, frustrated sigh. I wanted to reach out and touch her, but couldn’t.

She smiled weakly at me.  "As well as you are," she said softly as her hand reached out to touch mine.  It froze in mid-air as she suddenly pulled it back.

Wendy finally put her hand on my arm, "Cade, let's go to the bar at the hotel for while. We'd ask you two to join, but Brook can't yet, right?" 

Brook's face hardened angrily.  Pointing out Brook's underage status was the first slightly bitchy thing Wendy had said all night. 

Okay, so if they couldn't go out, what would they do?  Stay in? Fuck that
!

I felt like my skin was falling off, crawling all over me, I couldn't breathe. It had to be as bad or worse for her. She knew my charade for the evening wasn’t over.

We all stood up to walk outside; David led Brook out ahead of Wendy and I.  His arm was wrapped around her waist and his head dipped to whisper in her ear.  It looked very intimate, and I wanted to throw him across the bloody street.

On the curb, we stood and stared at each other for an uncomfortable moment.  I could read the worry and anxiousness in Brook's expression as her eyes searched mine.  Wendy and David forgotten, we couldn't tear our gazes away from each other.  It was as if gravity pulled me to her, and I wanted to give in.

"Okay, so thanks for coming out.  Cade, Wendy," David nodded to both of us as he hailed a cab.  The cameras were flashing so I could not even hug Brook goodbye.  Her eyes were glassing over as he pushed her toward the cab and she climbed in. 

I felt my chest tighten as I watched him drive off with my girl. Wendy hooked her arm through mine and turned me away to walk down the block in the opposite direction their cab was headed.

As we walked, I pulled my arm from hers.  "I was just trying to make it look real, Cade.  I'm sorry," she said hesitantly.

"No, I understand.  Um, thanks.  I'm sorry, too. I'm a little preoccupied.  I won't be great company tonight."

"That's fine. There’s a band so maybe we'll have fun. You might, if you try." I shoved my hands into the pockets of my jackets and grimaced.

We had a fairly large band of fans and press trailing us down the street and we started to walk faster.  We finally reached our destination and headed straight into the bar area, with the photographers flashing and the fans following us in.

I took my phone out and text Brook immediately.

That was so hard.  Glad it's over.  Please let me know when

you're alone so I can call you. I love you, beautiful girl.

"Cade, come on.  Let's get a drink and talk.  Just talk, okay?" Wendy persisted.

As if I’d let anything else happen
, I thought.

As the night wore on and I had no message from Brook, I became more and more agitated. What the bloody hell was going on?  Wendy found some of the fans more interesting conversationalists than I turned out to be, milling around the bar laughing and talking to everyone.  I moved to a dark corner and kept checking my phone. I wanted to disappear into the background.

I was sick to my stomach, scared and fighting the urge to run right over to Brook's hotel. It was getting harder, by the moment, to stand there when it felt like I wanted to jump out of my bloody skin. I trusted her.  I knew she loved me, but logic fought with the anxiety attack I was having.

I checked my phone again, and let my head drop back as I looked at the ceiling. No message; no call.

"Cade, will you look over here, please?" 

A middle-aged fan wanted to take my picture, and while I was usually very gracious in my attempts to accommodate them, I wasn't in the mood and knew that my misery showed plainly on my face.

I put up my hand.  "Please no pictures... just... not tonight.  Please."  I could see the disappointment rush across the woman’s face, but she nodded and

moved away.  I turned back to the bar and texted Brook again.

Where in bloody hell are you, Brook?  I'm worried now!

An hour later there was still no response, so I made my way over to Wendy. 

"I've got to get out of here.  Stay if you'd like.  I'll send the driver back for you."

She shook her head. "No, I'll come with you now."

More paparazzi looking for photo ops hounded us as we left the bar and piled in the car and again at the hotel as we went inside.  Wendy and I didn't touch as we went into the hotel and then the elevators.  No hand holding, no arm and arm, nothing staged for the pictures.  I had up an invisible wall, and finally, she was starting to respect it.

"Thanks, Wendy.  I'll see you on set."  The elevator stopped on her floor and she turned to speak to me after she stepped out, her hand holding open the door.

"Cade, I really do care about you and didn't mean to hurt you.  I hope you know that."

"Yeah.  Let's just all try to be friends.  Thanks." My voice was flat, dismissive, and emotionless as I reached out to punch my floor button again, hoping she'd get the hint.  "Goodnight."

She moved back and the door shut.  My eyes closed as I contemplated what I wanted to do.

What I wanted to do was run straight to Brook's room.  It was what I absolutely
needed
to do.  I had to, or I'd go insane.

Decision made, I dialed my driver and asked him to meet me in the garage by the stairwell. Screw the studio and their rules about no visits to each other's hotels.  I'd played a puppet enough for one evening.

I PUT THE
key in the slot and waited for the click and green flash before slowly turning the handle so I could ease the door open.  Truthfully, I knew I wouldn't find Brook with David, but maybe she wouldn't be here yet, or she could be sleeping.  I hoped it was the latter.   After all we'd been through, neither one of us should be worried about this evening, but it was still difficult to see her with him. The pain we both dealt with in January and February was still fresh, and emotions were still a bit raw.

The light in the sitting room was casting a low, golden glow showing the open door to the bedroom.  A trail of clothes scattered the floor from the bathroom to where Brook’s suitcase was open on the luggage stand.  My heart relaxed. At least she was here, and she was safe.

Tentatively, I made my way to the bedroom and peeked around the door.  The window curtain was open slightly and the moonlight from outside cast a bluish sheen on the bed. Brook was lying in the center of it dressed in shorts and my white T-shirt.

The covers were messed up like she'd been tossing and turning, bunched up around her shapely legs.  She was on her back with her head turned away; both of her hands up by her face on the pillow, but she was clearly asleep as her chest rose and fell in even rhythm.

I tangibly relaxed and took a deep breath.  I hadn't realized how uptight I was all night.  As my muscles unwound, my legs began to shake. I took a seat in the chair in the corner by the window to take off my shoes.  I let my head fall back for a moment before my gaze was drawn back to watch the sleeping girl in the bed. I pulled my hat off and ran my hands through my hair. It was sweaty and messy.

Minutes passed, maybe hours.  I didn't know how long I sat there watching her beautiful face; listening to her breathe and her soft moans as she changed position.  Her lips parted and she said my name.  My heart leapt inside my chest. I ached to wake her and make love to her for hours. She was so incredibly gorgeous, even in sleep. So soft and inviting, her body called to mine like a siren's song.

A few moments later, something changed.  Brook’s breathing came faster and she began to tremble; her chest heaving, back arching and hands fisting in the blankets. Then, she started to cry in her sleep.  I was frozen in place for a few seconds until she sat straight up; her arms came to rest on her bent knees and her head fell into her hands. She sucked in a ragged breath

"No!  No more!"  Her voice cried out as her body continued to shake.  "No more... I just... ” Her voice softened as she woke up and realized it was a bad dream. “I can't do this anymore." Her low sobs filled the room as she cried into her folded arms.

I wanted to rush to her, but didn't want to startle her. I moved quietly to her side, knelt down beside her and reached out to caress the back of her head.

Her head snapped up out of her arms and she raised her tear-streaked face to look at me.

"Cade.  Oh God, you're here," she breathed as I gathered her closer.  I moved to sit on the bed and pull her onto my lap.  Her arms slid around me, too, as she curled her body into mine.  She was so incredibly loving and so, so trusting.  Protectiveness and love for her flooded through every cell in my body, my heart expanding until I thought it would burst.  I wanted to give her everything I had, and more.

In that moment, I knew with Brook is where I needed to be; always.
With her, around her, inside her... she was where I was home.  She clung to me, still crying softly and as my arms tightened, I knew I'd never be able to let go of her.  Not ever.

"Cade... I can't hide how I feel anymore.  It's too hard.  Jesus, it's too hard... isn't it?"

I turned my face into the curve of her neck as I breathed her in.

"Yes, my love.  It's too bloody hard.  Completely fucking impossible."  I drew back and pushed her hair away from her tear-dampened face so I could kiss her mouth. "I hated every second of tonight."  I kissed her again, my tongue gently sliding and slipping against hers as she opened her mouth to me and moved her lips with mine.

"I was worried when you didn't answer your phone. Why didn't you?"

"I lost the stupid thing.  I was so upset. I knew you'd be wondering and imagining all sorts of unspeakable things."  Her eyes widened as I wiped the tears from her face with the pads of my thumbs. "You were, weren't you?" Her eyes, though still teary, narrowed in mock accusation and the corner of her mouth lifted in a small smirk.

I smiled softly at her. Brook knew me so well.  "Only a little.” I shrugged slightly.  “I know he wants you back, and he'll be resourceful in convincing you, that's all."

She laughed softly through her tears.  "He could be freaking Houdini, and he'll never take me away from you." Her lips were ghosting over mine, teasing as she spoke.  "Never," she placed a kiss on my mouth, "never," she said again before another soft kiss, "never."

That was all the torture I could take as my mouth closed over hers and I pressed her back on the bed, as I began to fulfill the promise I'd made to David at dinner.  To have her body naked against mine, hear my name on her lips would ease the hurt we'd both been exposed to over the course of the evening, soothe the ache in my heart.