Hollywood Princess

by Madison, Natasha

  “It’ll be fine,” she says. “It’ll be old news by tomorrow morning.” She hands me back my phone, and then I grab my own coffee and walk to the bed to sit next to her.

  “I have to talk to Cori,” she says, getting up. “I’ll be right back.”

  She grabs a shirt and then walks toward Cori’s room, opening the door and then walking in. I google Kellie’s name and find all the pictures that were taken last night. Kellie looks stunning in her black leather pants and lace button-down shirt. A shirt that I tore off her and lays in shreds on the floor next to her pants. One red stiletto is next to the pile of clothes, and the other stiletto is downstairs at the front door.

  We get to the venue at four o’clock where she does the sound check. After that, she hits up the gym and then retreats into her dressing room. She has been really quiet, and I wonder if it’s because the picture in the paper bothers her. “Are you okay?” I ask her, and her eyes look at me.

  “Yeah, I just think I might be coming down with something.” She gets up when it’s eight o’clock and puts on her earpiece, and we walk to the stage.

  The hallways all look the same in every venue with the white cement blocks. We turn the corner, and I look up. I’m surprised to see Dante and Hunter standing there together when we get to the stage. “What the hell are they doing here?” I mumble, and then they look up at me, and we are suddenly joined by Tommy.

  “Hey,” I say when we get close enough to them. They are standing right in front of the stage entrance where Kellie enters. “What are you guys doing here?”

  “Brian,” Hunter says, his voice low, and I look over at him, wondering if something horrible has happened, but he doesn’t say anything else because Kellie now talks.

  “Good, you’re here,” she says to them. “Thank you for doing this on short notice.”

  “Anything for you,” Tommy says, going to her and hugging her, and I look from her to Cori, who just glares at me.

  “What is going on?” My eyes glance at everyone, and then they finally fall on Kellie, but I see something I haven’t seen, emptiness. She blinks once, and then looks over at Hunter, who just nods at her and then she turns to me.

  “You’re being replaced,” she says, her voice not showing any emotion. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a show to do.” She turns to walk away from me, and I reach out to grab her arm. She stops, her eyes going to my hand holding her arm. “Get your fucking hands off me.” The tone of her voice surprises me, but not more than her yanking her arm out of my hand.

  “Kellie,” I whisper, my heart starting to speed up.

  “Get your fucking hands off me,” she says again, and now everyone springs into action. Tommy and Cori go to her side. Cori stands beside her, and Tommy stands in front of her like a shield. Hunter and Dante stand at mine. Hunter puts one hand on my arm while Dante stands right behind me.

  “You’re fired,” Tommy says, and then I look at Kellie.

  “What the fuck is going on?” I ask, my voice now louder than it was before.

  “Nothing.” She shakes her head, and when she looks at me, I see her eyes glisten over with tears that she blinks away. “It’s not a big deal, man. I’m just riding the wave.” She throws the words in my face. “Now, get the fuck out of here.” She looks at Hunter. “Make sure he isn’t here when I get off that stage.” She turns and walks into the box, which will take her up to the stage.

  “Hunter,” Tommy says, but I don’t look at him. My eyes are still on the box that holds her. Now the space empty. “You have your orders.” My eyes now go to Tommy, who glares at me. “You heard her. Get the fuck out of here.” He turns and walks away with Cori by his side.

  Her voice now fills the arena as I’m left standing here with Hunter and Dante. Hunter speaks first. “We need to go.” He turns to Dante. “You have this?” he asks him, and he just nods at him.

  “I’m not fucking going anywhere,” I tell Hunter. “Not until I explain to her what she heard.”

  “Brian,” Hunter says, “she isn’t going to listen to anything you have to say right now.”

  “He’s right,” Dante says. “Whatever you tell her right now isn’t going to mean shit.”

  “You can’t ask me to just walk away.” I look at Hunter, who just shakes his head.

  “I’m giving you an order to stand down and let Dante take over.” Hunter puts his hand up, stopping me from talking. “We need to assess the situation and then come back.”

  Dante walks to me, whispering, “I got your woman covered.” I look back at the empty box that is waiting there for her to come back down for her first wardrobe change. I don’t say anything. I just nod my head, knowing that even if I stay, she isn’t going to listen to me. I walk out of the venue, leaving the love of my life.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Kellie

  “New Orleans, I’ll leave my heart here,” I tell the crowd, turning and running off the stage. If only they knew the truth. I can’t leave my heart here because it’s shattered into a million little pieces.

  When I got out of bed this morning and walked to the door, I grabbed the handle and then listened to him say those words. I thought my legs would give out. I’m just riding the wave. The heat started moving up my neck, and if I “No, I’m good,” he says and then goes to sit down. “I’ll just wait for you two to get settled before I get to bed.”

  “I’m not going anywhere,” I tell him when there is a knock on the door. He springs up and walks to the door before I even take a step.

  “I’ll handle it,” he tells whoever is at the door, and I wonder for a minute if it’s Brian. Did he come back? But it’s not Brian; it’s my luggage. “I take it all this is yours?” Dante says, and I take the top bag and unzip it to grab my phone. I stop when I see a pink rose on top, and my heart speeds up.

  I grab the rose and bring it to my nose when I see the gold paper hanging from the stem. I turn it over and then drop it to the floor when I see what’s written.

  Now that he’s gone, it’s just a matter of time until you’re mine.

  “Dante,” Cori calls him, and he rushes over, picking up the rose and then reading the message.

  “Son of a bitch,” he says and then goes over to the vase of flowers, identical to the single one, and there is another note. He pulls the white envelope out, taking the card out and hissing, “Motherfucker.” He grabs his phone, tossing the card down, and then another knock sounds at the door and he rushes to it.

  I walk over to the note, picking it up from the floor, my hand still shaking.

  I won’t let him stand in our way. You’ve always been mine.

  “Here is the ice cream and fries, but we have to go,” he says, and I look at Cori.

  “I’m not going anywhere,” I say. “I’m fucking done with everything!” I shout louder than I intend to, and Dante just looks at me, setting the tray down in the middle of the dining table in the corner. “I’ve had the shittiest day a person can have,” I say. Walking over to the table, I grab the ice cream, pull off the lid, and then grab a spoon. “I woke up this morning thinking I had everything in the world, and just like that, I was forced to see it was a lie.”

  “It wasn’t a lie,” Dante says, and I glare at him, but he stands his ground. “We need to leave.”

  “I’m not leaving,” I tell him. “I’m staying right here.”

  “Brian has …” he starts to say, and I hold up my hand.

  “I don’t give a shit what Brian has,” I snap at him, and now Cori comes to my side, whispering my name.

  “Maybe it’s a good idea,” she says quietly. “Whatever happened, he would never put you in danger.”

  “Really?” I ask her and then look at Dante who just stares at me. “Because his words hurt me more than any note written on that paper.” I uncover the plate of fries and dip one into the ice cream. “So forgive me if I don’t give a shit what Brian has or doesn’t have.”

  “You can’t honestly believe that,” Dante says
.

  “I believe the words that came out of his mouth. I also believe you are paid to make sure nothing happens to me. I was his meal ticket out, and I’m happy that I know the truth now.”

  Dante throws his head back and laughs. “Meal ticket out? You really don’t have any idea, do you?” The question throws me off, and I just stand here. “Newsflash: all those fucking houses he booked …” I stare at him, waiting for him to finish, but a knock on the door has him stopping. When he returns, the manager of the hotel is with him. “We’ve decided that we aren’t going to move, but we want this floor emptied in the morning and also no one can come up without a special key that I have.”

  He nods his head. “Whatever we can do to help.” He looks at me. “I’m very sorry, Miss Hudson, for all the inconvenience.” I just nod at him and look out the windows at the sunrise. Dante handles the manager, and Cori makes sure everything is in its place. The flowers are disposed of, and when I turn back around, the door is shut again.

  “What did you mean before?” I ask Dante, who is on his phone, his fingers going crazy. “About the houses?” He looks up at me.

  He shakes his head. “Nothing,” he says. “Not my story to tell. You want answers, only one person can give them to you.” I nod at him and walk back to my room where Cori is pacing back and forth.

  “I have to go,” she says and then hangs up. “Tommy wants to cancel the rest of the tour.”

  “No,” I say, getting under the covers. “I just want it over with, and then I’m going to disappear for six months.” My head sinks into the pillow. My eyes are heavy, but I still look out the window.

  “Kellie,” she says softly, sitting on the edge of the bed, “I think you should consider canceling the rest of the tour for your safety … and your sanity.” I look at her, and she stops talking. “I’ll go tell Dante we are going to sleep.”

  She gets up and walks out of the room. My eyes go to the soft glow of the sunrise in the dark morning. I fight sleep, afraid of my dreams. I fight sleep because I know that when I wake up, I’ll still be here, and I’ll still be without him.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Brian

  “When I said we need to assess the situation, I did not mean let’s stalk the fuck out of Kellie,” Hunter says, getting into the Range Rover waiting for us on the tarmac. We just took a private plane from Dallas to New York, the last stop of the tour. Tonight I’m going after her, and nothing will stop me.

  It’s been a week since she sent me away. A week of hell. Anyone would have gone away with their tails tucked between their legs but not me. I got on the plane and went on the tour with her. I just wasn’t the guy out front like Dante was. It also gave me time to go over everything, but all the surveillance videos show nothing. Everything was clean, no fingerprints except hers and mine. I’m now waiting on the amethyst heart lead I got.

  I followed her to Dallas, and she got another flower arrangement this time with a note that said:

  Every day is a step closer to us being together. Only a matter of time, my love.

  Your future husband

  It took Hunter and another security guy to stop me from storming upstairs. The only reason I didn’t get there was because I was on the phone with Dante, and he told me he had the situation under control. He already had the flowers being sent to Rachel so she could take care of trying to get prints off them. And then Cori. Yeah, Cori, after she told me to go fuck myself and hung up on me ten times, she finally let me say more than don’t hang up on me.

  “Did Rachel get anything back from the flowers?” I ask Hunter when I get into the truck, and he just shakes his head. I pull the truck out of the airport and make my way over to the penthouse I borrowed for the week. “I’m taking time off after the tour,” I tell him, and he looks up from his phone. “I don’t know for how long, and I’m sorry to leave you on the spot, but I can’t.” I don’t finish my sentence.

  He smiles and then continues typing on his phone. “We kind of figured that out when you almost put me through a wall after I led you away from her.” I look at him from the side. “You’re lucky I didn’t stab you in your sleep.”

  I laugh. “Like you can sneak up on me,” I tell him. “You wish.”

  “It’s hard to sneak up on someone who hasn’t slept in a week,” he points out. “Dante says they just got to her apartment, and the whole place is full of flowers.”

  The hair stands up on my neck, and he sees that I’m gripping the steering wheel harder than I should, turning my fingers white. “Relax, they are all from her friends and record label, congratulating her on a good tour.”

  He turns his phone, and I see that flowers are scattered throughout her whole apartment. “Those are all from her friends? Are they female friends?” I ask, and he laughs softly, but then looks back at me, and his smiles goes away.

  “Do you want me to ask?” He looks at me, not sure what to do, and I just shake my head. “I don’t know why I suddenly feel like I’m in high school again and I have to pass a note to the girl that says do you like him yes or no?” he says, and then both our phones go off. I look down and see it’s from Dante.

  My eyes are focused on the road. “What does it say?” I ask him, and he looks at me.

  “Apparently, your girl has an itch and needs to go shopping. He says you owe him, and he’s cashing it in next week.” I laugh as I zigzag through traffic and then pull up to the penthouse where the doorman comes out and greets me.

  “Well, if it isn’t Mr. Brian,” he says, and I smile at him. I’ve known him since I was about seven. “Last time I saw you, you had just enlisted.” I nod at him. “Thank you for your service. I take it your father forgave you.”

  “You can say that,” I tell him, smiling. “He gave me the okay to be here, so”—I toss him the keys—“thank you.”

  We walk into the marble lobby, getting into the special elevator that takes you all the way to the three-floor penthouse. I grab my phone and text Cori.

  Me: How is she today?

  She answers right away.

  Cori: She’s the same, ignoring it. She isn’t sleeping even if she pretends she is.

  Me: I’m in New York.

  Cori: I’m not surprised. We are going shopping, and she has dinner with Tommy tonight.

  Me: Keep me posted.

  Cori: I will.

  “So where do I stay?” Hunter asks from the living room. “I can see all of Central Park,” he says, and I look up.

  “The guest floor is through that hallway and down six steps,” I tell him. “I need to get things set up for tomorrow night.”

  “So you really think it’s going to be a good idea to get on the plane with her when she takes off?” My plan is to ambush her while in the air.

  I shrug my shoulders. “She can’t jump out of the plane,” I tell him.

  Turning and walking out, I stop when he says, “But she can throw you out of one.” I have no doubt she probably will, but I’m not letting her go without the biggest fight of her life.

  “I’ve got an errand to run,” I tell him, and he just nods.

  I walk to the store I’m looking for and ring the bell. The door buzzes to let me in. An hour later, I’m walking out of the store with a black box.

  I get back to the penthouse and send Hunter a message that I’m back, and he comes up to meet me. “Rachel is sending over the tape from the hotel. She said she doesn’t see anything, but maybe we will.”

  “This guy is slick, I will give him that. He’s been a ghost this whole time,” I tell him, and he just nods at me.

  He leans into me and whispers, looking around. “You know there is a woman who came to my room and offered me fresh towels.”

  “Yeah,” I say, looking at the email. “There is also a butler who hangs around here somewhere.” I flip through the internet with her name, and she was right. I was very much forgotten the next day. Pedro, the butler, comes in and goes to work organizing our dinner. When I finally get to my room, I collapse
on my bed.

  Me: Is she in bed?

  I text Cori, and she doesn’t get back to me right away. She’s been my saving grace this whole time. When I finally explained to her what happened, she was angry and sad for us. She then stored my name in her phone as Brianna just in case Kellie saw the texts.

  Cori: She cancelled her dinner with Tommy and is lying in bed watching the skyline.

  I put the phone on my chest, then look out my own window at the skyline, wishing I was with her and that she was in my arms. I close my eyes, seeing her face smiling and then laughing. I can still hear her laughter, and with that, I slowly drift off to sleep. In the past week, I’ve slept maybe a couple of hours a night, never really letting myself sleep in case she needed me.

  I open my eyes eight hours later, and I jump out of bed, grabbing my phone and checking to see if I missed anything. I guess knowing that we were going to finally be together, my body let go, and I finally slept.

  There are a couple of emails from Rachel about a possible lead to the amethyst heart that was sent. She is waiting on a reply from one man, and I know it has to be the key.

  Dante sent two texts, both confirming what I already knew—that she is staying in, and the second is a list of things that she will be doing the next day. She has a couple of radio interviews, she is going to be on Good Morning America, and then she will be on The Howard Stern Show.

  I see it’s almost four a.m., and I know I’m not going to be sleeping anytime soon, so I get up and change. Going to the gym, I push my body for a couple of hours, stopping when I get a text from Dante with a picture, and my hands almost snap the phone in my hand.

  Dante: My view does not suck.

  The picture is of Kellie wearing tight white jeans that cup her ass perfectly, the same ass that I bit a week ago. She is wearing a light pink shirt that ties at her neck and goes long to her knees, leaving her whole back open down the middle. Her long hair is piled on top of her head in a huge bun, and she is wearing the same color shoes as the shirt.