by Gina LaManna
“I left my camera there, so don’t worry, you’re covered. Five stars.” Anthony ran his hands up and down my arms. “Now, remember that you can only prepare so much, until you have to let everything go, and trust your training.”
I gulped. “Training? What training?”
“You’ve learned more than you think on the job,” Anthony said, raising a hand and running a thumb lightly across my cheek. “And you’ve got a team behind you.”
“One heck of a team,” I said, smiling up. “Thank you for coming out and helping.”
“I wouldn’t have missed it.” Anthony’s hand slid to the back of my neck, pulling me close.
But just as his lips touched mine, the earbud crackled with Clay’s voice. “Lovebirds, stop that! Lacey’s supposed to be Mack’s date for tonight. Jeesh, lay off the kissing for one minute!”
Anthony’s eyes darkened and his top lip twitched, as if he had a few words to say right back to Clay. But instead, he dropped his hand and straightened his back. “I suppose he’s right. And I’m supposed to walk next to Lizabeth.”
“Will people really believe she’s your date?” I raised my eyebrows. “She’s gotta be, like…double your age. Speaking of, what is your age? And when is your birthday?”
“That is highly classified information.” Anthony winked. “I’m going to head back to the van. It looks like the first of our stars are beginning to arrive.”
I nodded.
But Anthony wasn’t done with his warning. He whispered softly in my ear, “Now I like Mack. He let me drive a really cool car. But if he puts his hands anywhere below here…” Anthony gestured to my waist, “tell him I’m shooting him without warning.”
“Anthony—”
“I already warned him, so he should know.” Anthony turned, looking over his shoulder. “And congratulations, Lace. A few more hours, and I can take you home.”
Home. I liked the sound of that.
“Shall we?” Mack appeared to my left, holding his elbow out, a smile on his face. He and I both waved as Anthony disappeared, Anthony pointing two fingers at his eyes, then turning them towards Mack; the universal I’m watching you signal.
I shook my head, laughing as I slipped my arm through his. “Thanks for all your help with this event. Ignore Anthony, he really likes you.”
“Oh, I know. I like him, too. And don’t worry, it’s my pleasure. Spruces up the old day job.”
“Aren’t you a stunt car driver?”
“Yeah, but that’s the movies. I haven’t gotten in this much real trouble in years.”
“I have a knack for that,” I said, following as he led me towards the line of cars, pulling up and depositing the first rounds of celebrities.
“These are the B- and C-listers, bit parts that got invites,” Mack whispered. “We’ll go after they finish, before the A-listers. Keep as close as possible to Lizabeth.”
I nodded. “Say, I have one more thing I should warn you about, but this is awkward, a little bit…”
“It’s not awkward.” Mack turned to me, his grin bright. “I know what you’re going to say. Anthony already promised to shoot me if my hands drifted anywhere except your arm.”
“Ah.” I gave a quick nod. “And you’re not mad?”
“Mad?” Mack shrugged. “Why would I be? He’s just watching out for you. I can’t blame him, I’d do the same thing.” That same pass of sadness flashed across his face, but before I could ask about the girl who’d put it there, he guided us forward a few more steps in the photo line. I didn’t want photos, but I didn’t think they’d allow us inside without a quick pose in front of the backdrop first.
“Plus, I like the guy,” Mack muttered as we took another step, now next in line for pictures. “I don’t have many friends out here. Too many people sucking up and kissing ass to get a leg up in this town. Not him. Anthony’s blunt. I like that; what you see is what you get.”
I gave him a joking poke on the arm. “Are you guys really becoming friends?”
Mack’s face turned a light shade of red.
“You are!” I punched him lightly on the shoulder. “You guys are best buddies.”
“I just said I like the guy. That doesn’t mean anything.”
“Don’t worry.” I fiddled with the long curls cascading over my shoulder. “You can come and visit anytime. But you guys do have an odd way of showing affection. He’s assaulted and threatened to shoot you, and then you give him the keys to the car. I just don’t understand bromances.”
“I’d have done the same.” Mack tilted his head. “And plus, he has good taste in cars.”
I rolled my eyes.
“Stop those eye rolls,” Clay said over the airwaves. “You guys are up next. And go! Sending Lizabeth and Anthony in after you.”
I cast a quick glance over my shoulder, but Mack nudged me towards the photographers. “Don’t look,” he said. “Eyes forward.”
“I like this,” Meg said. “Mack, you look like a stud in that tux. Anthony, you already know what I think of you all dressed up.”
Mack did look handsome, with his longish hair, and that boyish grin that got him in the pages of magazines despite him being a “behind-the-scenes” sort of guy. His had the roguish look of a cowboy in Hollywood, all trussed up when he was more of a jeans-and-tee sort of guy.
But he still didn’t hold a candle to my Anthony, at least not in my mind. I couldn’t resist sneaking one glance behind us to where Lizabeth happily hooked one arm around Anthony’s, the other arm around her little Poopsie. Tupac the Cat was MIA. Talk about a bad first date.
Harold had made an appearance, too, on the other side of Lizabeth. He blended right in, dressed in a suit that looked exactly like the butler suit he wore every day. I smiled, watching as Harold kissed Lizabeth on the cheek, and then stood like a perfect gentleman, his hands clasped in front of him. Lizabeth giggled, holding Poopsie just a bit closer to her chest.
My gaze shifted back to Anthony. He fit in here, just like he could fit in anywhere. And he looked nice in a black suit, cut to perfection, his kissable cheeks smooth tonight, a fresh haircut…and those eyes – dark eyes filled with a dangerous gleam. When he saw me looking, his lips quirked somewhere between a smile and a smirk, and he winked.
I winked back.
“That wasn’t a wink, Lacey,” Clay said. “That was a blink. A wink is with one eye.”
“It was a wink with both eyes,” I said. “Give me a break.”
“Are you ready?” Mack dipped his head, his voice soft in my ear. “Just smile. I’ll move us along quickly.”
“Watch it,” growled Anthony. “Space bubble.”
Anthony’s gaze simmered, but he couldn’t do anything as Mack and I stepped under the harsh lights of the press.
“Good to see you, Mack,” someone from the crowd called out.
“Been awhile since you let me take your photo,” the cameraman said. “Special occasion, or what?”
Mack looked at me and smiled, his eyes dancing with mischief. “You could say that.”
I opened my mouth to respond, but someone pushed me away first.
“Come back soon, buddy. Bring your pretty lady.” A woman in a fancy white dress shook hands with Mack, guiding him out of the way to make room for the next photo session. She’d already shoved me halfway across the red carpet, her eyes already on the next who’s who for the evening.
“Jeesh, it really is ten seconds in the spotlight, isn’t it?” I said. “They barely let you stop and smile.”
But instead of responding, Mack frowned. “What is she doing here? I thought she already handed Tupac the Sailor off to the special cat handler.”
I turned just in time to see Meg push her way through the line, followed closely by none other than my grandmother.
“Nora?” I called out. “What are you doing here?”
People in the photo line wore murderous expressions on their faces, as if Meg and Nora would steal their designated time in the spotlight.
But nobody would say anything to an old lady, and Nora was throwing elbows like a dirty soccer player.
“Oh, hello, Lacey!” Nora frantically waved in our direction. Then she jumped first in line for the photos. “Our turn. Smile, Meg.”
The two women fit in surprisingly well. Meg’s chic dress and slicked hair, combined with a tasteful dab of makeup put her right up there with any of the other stars jostling for a moment in the spotlight. And even Nora had dressed up, looking quite spry in a neon green pantsuit, along with matching eyeliner and sparkling, tinsel fake eyelashes. If nothing else, she could give Betty White a run for her money.
“Take my picture,” Meg gasped. I now noticed she cradled something in her arms like a baby. “I had to sprint a block to get here in time. Tupac the Cat didn’t want to be a sailor, so we had a last minute change of plans. Is my hair okay?”
“Your hair looks beautiful.” Nora patted Meg on the head. “How are my eyelashes?”
“One of them’s stuck to your forehead, but it looks really pretty there.” Meg grinned. Then, she opened her arms, revealing Tupac the Cat, all dressed up – but not in his sailor costume. A disgruntled man who might be the cat handler stood just out of reach, his hands on his hips. “Isn’t this better? I call him Tupac-the-Cat-the-Batman.” She held up the cat, dressed in a batman mask with a cape clasped around his neck.
Meg beamed at the crowd, while the photographers hovered their fingers over the Click buttons on their cameras. Mack tensed next to me, then I realized he wasn’t tensing, just shaking with laughter.
“Can we get a picture of the whole family?” Nora asked. “It’ll look really nice in our hallway of photos. Take a picture of all of us.”
Mack gave me a shove towards the group photo, but I grabbed his elbow as I stumbled forward. “Oh no you don’t,” I said. “If I’m going, you’re coming with me.”
“Everyone smiling?” Nora grinned as our group clustered together. “All right. Go ahead, Mr. Photographer. And if you could please make sure this gets on the front page, I’ve always wanted my face on the front page. And that’ll look even better hanging up in my hallway.”
The photographer shot a confused glance at the pretty lady in white, who appeared to be directing traffic. Looking mighty exasperated, she snapped at the photographer. “Take their picture, dammit. And then get them out of here. The only one we need is the damn dog.”
“Don’t talk about Poopsie like that.” Lizabeth stepped forward, a hand on her hip. “Apologize.”
The lady in white closed her eyes for a long moment, probably counting to fifty. Or a hundred. Or whatever it would take to calm down for being asked to apologize to a dog named Poopsie.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “Now please take the picture.”
A flurry of flashes exploded on us all.
“Get them out of there,” the lady in white hissed. “Now. Bond is here. We need to get him on the carpet. We’re behind.”
Several ushers approached, pulling each of us in different directions. I blinked, still blinded from the photos. I couldn’t spot Lizabeth in the crowd around me. “Anthony?” I called. “Do you have Lizabeth?”
“Follow me, honey.” A set of arms from one of the employees latched onto my shoulders, guiding me out of the spotlight, in order to make room for the A-listers.
I stumbled forward, trying to glance behind me, but with the onslaught of the fancy limos, everyone got lost in the swelling crowd. I caught a brief flash of Nora’s bright green suit, and I thought I heard a yip from Poopsie, but I couldn’t find anyone else. Meg’s black dress would blend right in with all of the other gowns, while Mack and Anthony looked just like the rest of the men in suits from a distance.
“Thanks,” I said, glancing at the Hispanic employee in yet another suit, guiding me away from the group. “I can take it from here.”
But instead of loosening his grip, his fingers tightened around my shoulders. “I don’t think so,” he said. “Keep walking if you want to keep your friends safe.”
“Stop, I’m not anyone important! I’m just here as security.”
The man didn’t answer, but his nails bit into my skin.
“Please, let me go. What do you need? Maybe I can help you.”
“You can help by shutting your mouth and moving your feet,” he growled. “Those instructions too complicated?”
My heart picked up its pace, thumping hard against my ribs. One of the man’s hands slid around my waist, while the other had a death grip on my bicep. I could possibly get a knee all up in his sensitive areas if I spun around when he wasn’t looking…
“My bodyguard’s watching us,” I lied, hoping he’d turn so I could break free.
“All the reason for you to move faster.” My captor didn’t so much as flinch. He kept his eyes fixed straight ahead, though his voice dropped to a dangerous level.
I closed my mouth.
He gave me a small shake, my feet stumbling as we made our way into the facility. “Do you understand me?”
“Yes,” I said, my voice a murmur among the swishing of dresses, the click of the cameras, the clink of high heels.
“Left here,” he said. “If anyone asks, we’re using the restroom and then going straight back outside.”
I nodded, though my mind went straight to escape options. Restroom. Surely I wouldn’t be the victim of an attempted kidnapping twice in two days, in the same bathroom. The small-ish, stocky man roughly pushed me through the crowd. He wasn’t the same man who’d cornered me yesterday, but I was willing to bet they worked for the same boss. Once again, I didn’t believe in coincidences. And no toilet was that unlucky.
But instead of leading me upstairs to the restroom from yesterday, we made a sharp turn right as soon as we got inside, and I realized he was leading me down a hallway that exited into the alley. I’d scoped out this place well enough that I knew where each and every path led. And this was the same path where Anthony had left his camera. Which meant that Clay should be able to see me soon. I just hoped he’d recognize I was in trouble.
My earbud crackled to life with Clay’s worried voice. “Where’s Lacey? I can’t find her.”
I looked towards my captor, but he didn’t appear to hear the voice inside my ear. Small miracles. Now, if I could just find a way to give Clay a clue...
“She disappeared right after the picture,” Anthony said over the airwaves. “How did we lose her? Is she in the restroom?”
“Not in the restroom…” Clay paused. “Not yet, at least.”
“I thought people were after Lizabeth and Poopsie,” Meg said. “So why are they taking Lacey?”
“Getting her out of the way?” Clay suggested. “Mack, stay close with Lizabeth, got it?”
“On it,” Mack said. “I’ve got Lizabeth, Harold, and Curly safe.”
“Who’s Curly?” Meg asked. “Oh, wait. Poopsie. Sorry, I’m bad with code names. Anyway, I’m in the van with Clay, and I can’t see her either,” Meg said. “She’s got a dress on the color of a fire truck. We should be able to spot her.”
“Why are you taking me to the alley?” I asked loudly, hoping my friends could hear.
“Lacey?” Clay asked. “Why are you going to the alley?”
“Shut up, Clay. Listen,” Anthony said.
I breathed a sigh of relief. Anthony understood, I could feel it. He’d be here in a snap.
“Didn’t I ask you to shut up?” The man shoved me against the wall, and I hit it hard. Hard enough to rattle the earpiece. I shrugged my shoulder, hoping to push it back in my ear without him noticing.
“Get up.” The man’s voice was harsh. “Move. You’ve got two minutes to get in the van waiting outside. If you don’t make it, you’ll end up here on the floor. Not moving.”
I opened my mouth, then snapped it shut. By now, we’d entered into the dark, forgotten little hallway just before the alley. Nobody else was around. It’d be useless to call for help.
“Where are you taking me?” I
asked, hauling myself off the floor. “Whose van is out back, the one in the alley?”
This time, instead of yelling at me to shut up, the man leaned in, his hot breath smelling like day-old burrito. His eyes lit up as he looked at the side of my head. “You little bitch.”
The man reached up a hand and yanked the bud out of my ear so hard that the back of my earring skittered across the floor. I yelped, pressing a hand to my head, eyes watering from the sting.
“You’ve got one minute left. I told you no tricks,” he said. “Get moving. Otherwise we’ll make your friends pay, too.”
With no choices left, I stood up and dragged my feet towards the doorway at the end of the dark hallway. If he hadn’t threatened my team, I would’ve fought. Scratched. Kicked. Screamed. But I couldn’t risk it, for their sakes.
“Open the door,” he said, as I paused at the exit to the alley. “And get in the car. You wait a second longer, and you die.”
I inhaled a long, deep breath as I cast one glance back down the hallway. Where was Anthony? Had we really moved so fast that he hadn’t been able to catch up? Unfortunately, I could no longer hear Clay shouting instructions like a chess master in my ear. What was taking so long?
Exhaling the breath, I pushed the door open. Someone had backed a white van right up to the door. It took me a single step to reach the already open rear doors. I raised a leg to climb inside, but the man behind me gave me a shove, sending me sprawling inside. He slammed the doors shut as my body crashed to a landing against the front seats.
I groaned, pulling my body into a sitting position. But just as I righted myself, the van shot forward, and sent me flying backwards. I sailed into the back doors, and this time, I didn’t bother to get up. This time, I moaned, rolling over, trying to get my bearings. “Where am I?”
I got no response.
Shaking my head, I tried to clear my vision and take stock of my surroundings. Though the outside of the van looked much like Clay’s “baby,” the inside couldn’t have been more different. There were two seats only, the ones up front for a driver and a passenger. The back compartment, where I now lay sprawled, was empty save for garbage bags covering the floor. Which was never a good sign.