Rumor Has It (Limelight) (21 page)

A shiver raced up my spine and my knees trembled. Actually trembled. I’d always thought that weak-kneed stuff was bull. I knew now that it only took a once-in-a-lifetime person to make it happen. I knew Mason was that once-in-a-lifetime person and I’d enjoy being with him while I could. In the end, it’d never last. No one had ever stuck around in my life. I could count on only myself.

I pushed the thought to the back of my mind and walked ahead of Mason down the hallway.

Enjoy it while it lasts.

I couldn’t forget my mantra.

We rolled up to Boulevard3 and my first impression was that it looked unlike any club I’d ever seen. There were large iron gates that opened into a courtyard with a rectangular pool in the centre and canopied open-air rooms running along either side. A few photographers with cameras looked at our car with interest. We’d stopped in front of the club on Sunset Boulevard briefly, but the driver continued past the club and pulled into a parking lot.

I looked out the back window to see the photographers had tried to follow our vehicle into the lot but were being stopped by a security guard.

“Don’t worry. They can’t follow us back here. Amber rented the entire balcony so we can go in the back entrance,” he said, grabbing my hand and giving it a squeeze.

The driver stopped the car near a staircase at the back of the building. Mason helped me out of the car. We walked up the stairway hand in hand. When we reached the top the door opened and I was assaulted with the driving bass from music pumping inside.

Mason shook hands with the bouncer and stopped to have a conversation with him. I couldn’t hear what they were saying over the music but it appeared they knew each other.

The balcony we walked into was really a massive room perched above what I would later learn was the ballroom, where the main dance floor was. I stepped a little closer to the railing between one of the arches to see thousands of bodies pulsing and gyrating to the beat of the music. Blue lights from various points within the massive room washed over everything, but I could tell that without them the room would be primarily white.

The balcony had wood floors and cream couches nestled between various marble coffee tables scattered around the area. There was a bar at one end of the room. The balcony was recessed—probably so the rich who could afford to be up here could maintain some level of privacy.

There were a good number of people in the room. I didn’t recognize most of them but a few stood out as people I’d seen in movies or on TV, which made me uncomfortable. I had no business being in a place like this, with people like this.

My thoughts were interrupted when I was almost bulldozed down by a set of arms that locked around me and squeezed.

“Ellie!” Amber screamed over the music. “I’m so glad you guys came.”

I laughed and gave her an awkward hug back. “Thanks.”

She pulled back, taking in my dress. “You look smokin’ tonight. I’m lucky Mason let you out of his room.” She laughed and I did, too, thinking of the comment he’d made to me as we were leaving. “What can I get you to drink?” she asked.

“Maybe a wine spritzer?”

“Come on. You’re not having a spritzer. That’s for ladies who lunch, and you my friend are definitely not a lady who lunches in that dress.”

“Okay then, surprise me.”

“That I can do.” She scurried away before I could respond and made her way through the crowd of people toward the bar at the far end. She had on a strapless red dress and stood out in the crowd.

She was such a laid back girl it barely registered she was a celebrity when I was around her. Now that I was left alone though the feeling of not belonging was returning. I didn’t know anyone so I wasn’t sure what to do. I’d decided to go back to the door in search of Mason when a set of familiar arms came around my waist.

“You okay?” he asked, nuzzling into my neck.

I nodded. “Who are all these people?”

“People from the industry. Friends of friends.” A girl my age who’d clearly had her chest surgically enhanced to epic proportions walked by in a barely there gold dress. “Gold diggers.”

I chuckled at first because I was sure it was an apt description, then sighed, feeling once again like I didn’t belong.

Mason seemed to be able to read my mind. “Ellie, you’re more exquisite than any of the women in here. Never doubt that.”

I turned in his arms. “I’m not, but I appreciate you saying it anyway.” I got up on my tippy toes to give him a peck and he brought his hand to the back of my neck and pulled me in to deepen the kiss. Our tongues tangled and my lips started to tingle.

“Jeez, you two. Get a room,” Amber shouted as she approached. “I could see your tongue down her throat from the other side of the bar, Mason.” She was carrying a silver tray with an assortment of drinks and shooters on it.

Panic flared at the realization that we were in public. It wasn’t something I was used to thinking about when I was dating someone.

Amber must have seen the alarm on my face. “You don’t have to worry about anyone seeing you up here. I know everyone and anyone I thought would try to sell a picture or give a quote to the damn press wouldn’t be up here. Besides, they can’t see you from below unless you go right up to the edge of the railing so you guys are covered.”

“Thanks, Amber,” I said.

She turned to set the tray down on a nearby table and plucked a couple of shots off it, handing one to both Mason and me before she grabbed one for herself.

“Cheers,” she said clinking both our glasses.

“What is it?” I asked.

Amber rolled her eyes.

“Best just do what she wants, El. She can be relentless,” Mason said with a laugh. That was the first time he’d called me El. The only other person who called me that was Skye. I liked hearing him use it.

I swallowed the shooter, and the liquor burned down into the pit of my belly. Amber and Mason had both taken their shots, too, but apparently I was the only one unaccustomed to liquid fire being poured down my esophagus because they’d had no reaction. Amber grabbed my empty shot glass and set it down on the tray, stifling a laugh.

She picked up a pair of drinks and handed one to Mason and one to me. “Don’t worry, this won’t burn as much.” She gave me her sweetest smile and batted her eyes at me.

“You’re trouble,” I teased her.

“Very perceptive,” Mason added.

She threw her head back and laughed. “All right, I’m going to go mingle for a while before I go out on stage. I’ll see you two later.”

“You’re performing tonight?” Mason asked.

“Yeah, the owner is a friend and he asked, so I said I would.”

“Good luck,” Mason said as she walked away into the crowd.

I took a sip of my drink. Mmmm. This one was good.

“So, do you wanna dance or would you prefer to sit for a bit?” he asked.

“Let’s sit for a bit.” I still wasn’t overly confident around all these celebrities. I normally really enjoyed dancing, but I’d be needing some liquid courage to get out on the dance floor.

Mason led me to an unoccupied loveseat in front of a marble table, a matching loveseat directly across from it. The majority of the room was laid out in front of us from where we sat side-by-side.

We talked and sipped our drinks for a while. I was comfortable when it was only the two of us—when I talked to him I tended to tune out the rest of the room.

An older gentleman in a pair of dark slacks and a button-up shirt approached and leaned down to say something to Mason. He must have known him because he smiled and said something back. I looked around the room while they talked and spotted Amber talking to Deshawn in the far corner. They seemed like they were having an intense conversation but when I caught her eye she smiled easily and raised her drink to me. I returned the smile.

There were a couple of girls dressed scantily not too far from our table. They were obviously checking Mason out; whispering and giggling to each other. The dark-haired girl looked amused but the blonde had predatory eyes on Mason. She flicked her gaze to me and smirked, raising an eyebrow. What the hell was that about? As I studied the rest of the room it was apparent to me just how much female attention Mason commanded. Even women there with a partner would let their gazes wander over to him from time to time, if only to admire the view. Mason seemed oblivious, continuing his conversation with the older gentleman. I did my best to do the same but I imagined the room full of people wondering why Mason was here with me and not some Hollywood starlet.

I sipped my drink and flagged a server down, signaling that I’d like another. The man Mason had been talking to left without being introduced. My insecurities didn’t get to run too wild with that one before Mason leaned over to speak into my ear.

“Sorry for not introducing you. That guy drives me crazy but he’s from my label so I have to talk to him. If I’d introduced you he would have parked himself here for the night…which would have been a shame because then I couldn’t do this.”

He brushed my hair behind my shoulder and ran his tongue lightly along my collarbone. I closed my eyes basking in the sensation. Placing his hand on my cheek he turned my head and kissed me. His lips barely touched mine at first, their smooth surface grazing softly over my own. I wanted more though so I moved to deepen the kiss when I sensed a presence to my left. I opened my eyes while still kissing Mason to find Deshawn sitting on the table in front of us grinning wide. I pulled back from Mason and giggled. Thank God it was dark in the club, maybe my embarrassment wasn’t too obvious.

“Don’t let me stop you,” Deshawn yelled over the music with a smirk.

“Hey, man,” Mason said and leaned forward and did that thing guys do that’s sort-of a hand shake and a hug in one.

“You guys having a good time?” Deshawn asked.

“We were before you interrupted,” Mason said.

“Ignore him,” I said, gripping Mason’s biceps and pushing him sideways playfully.

“That’s what I usually do,” Deshawn said in return. The server came by and dropped my drink off at which point Deshawn grabbed it out of my hand, placed it on the table and replaced it with a shooter he’d brought over. What was it with these people and shooters?

Mason got one next and finally Deshawn picked up his and raised it to make a toast over the loud music. “To getting what we want.” It seemed an odd toast and I looked over to Mason, unsure what to make of it. Apparently what he wanted was some lovin’ because his eyes were heated under half-drawn lids. I gave him a small smile and clinked my shot glass with Deshawn’s and then Mason’s. I swallowed the liquid; thankfully this shot hadn’t been as bad as Amber’s pick.

I was feeling good when I decided to take a trip to the ladies room. “I’ll be right back,” I told the guys.

I wandered off in search of the restroom and found it at the back of the balcony. A pair of girls were giggling as I entered. The room was floor to ceiling marble with wood vanities and granite counters. When I looked at the girls and saw them bent over the counter I stopped short.

They each had rolled bills in their hands and were taking turns snorting white powder off the counter. The bathroom attendant was quite literally looking the other way. I wasn’t a complete angel; I’d been to lots of college parties where people had smoked pot, although I’d never partaken myself, but I’d never seen what I assumed to be cocaine before.

I was shocked that these girls were doing it so openly. Weren’t they worried about being caught? I backed up to leave when one of the girls noticed me and held the rolled bill out to me. “You want to join us?”

“Uh, no thanks.” She shrugged and I bolted. My bathroom trip would have to wait. I hurriedly made my way back to the couch where I’d left Deshawn and Mason. Deshawn still sat on the coffee table. Mason however was engaged in conversation with the blond I’d noticed earlier. She was facing him, draped across the arm of the couch and leaning in toward him.

I checked my irritation. I’m sure this kind of thing happened frequently. I just happened to have a front row seat this time. I stopped my approach a few feet from the couch to see how Mason planned to deal with the situation. I was unable to hear their conversation but when she placed her hand behind his head and began running her fingers along the base of his skull he firmly grabbed her hand and removed it. She was clearly put out by whatever he said after that and I took it as my cue to rejoin the group.

Deshawn saw me approach first and smirked. I took my seat beside Mason and he immediately placed a hand on my thigh.

She huffed and glared at Mason. “I see how it is.”

“Yeah, exactly how I’ve been telling you it is for the past five minutes. Now take the hint.”

She turned to me. “Enjoy it while it lasts,” she said and stormed off into the crowd.

L.A. was beginning to feel like a viper’s nest.

“Sorry, Ellie. I tried to get her to back off.” He squeezed my leg.

“I could see she was persistent.”

“That’s an understatement.”

The three of us sat for a while longer, but I decided it was time to hit the dance floor when one of my favourite Rhianna songs came blaring through the speakers. I turned to Mason. “Would you mind if we danced? I love this song.”