Absolutely Famous (Famous Series)

by Heather Leigh

  “Sydney, baby, I’ve been waiting for you,” she says. Something isn’t right with this lady. She smells bad, and her clothes are really old. She pulls me into a hug and starts dragging me toward an old beat up car.

  “Let go of me!” I scream.

  “Don’t talk to your mother that way, Sydney,” she says, smiling at me. Her smile is weird, like she’s not really smiling but twisting her mouth up.

  “You’re not my mother!” I yell, trying to hit her with my tiny hands.

  Suddenly, I’m jerked backwards, my sleeves ripping because her grip on me was so strong.

  “Get on the ground, lady!” Robbie is shoving the scary woman to the pavement, pushing me behind him with his other arm.

  I see the school policeman, Officer John, running towards us with his hand on his belt. Is he going to shoot this lady? Now I’m scared, like maybe I’m going to pee my pants or something.

  Our car screeches to a stop next to me, and our driver Brett jumps out and opens the back door. He picks me up and throws me in as I scream in terror. I look out the window as we speed away and see Officer John kneeling on the crazy lady as she thrashes around on the ground, shrieking for me to come back. Robbie is standing there watching as people from the school office run towards them from the front door of the school.

  Shaking, I realize how much trouble I’ll be in for running away from Robbie. My parents won’t let me go back to school after this, and it’s all my fault. Tears run down my face and soak my white uniform blouse. I don’t want to be homeschooled. Mommy talks about it all the time. She says I can be on the movie sets with her all day and have a private teacher. I don’t want a private teacher! I just want to be normal, .like Amber Clayton. Everyone thinks it’s so cool to that my parents are so famous, I hate it! I hate them!

  ****

  I wake up and have no idea where I am. Shit, that dream seemed so real. I didn’t even remember that day until now. I forgot about the woman who kept trying to get on the campus of my school, and eventually tried to take me. I don’t even know what happened to her after that. I was too young to be involved. I’ll have to ask my mom the next time we speak. Or maybe I shouldn’t, it’s better to just forget it.

  Disoriented, I realize I’m in Drew’s trailer at the studio. I recall lying down on the bed after taking a couple of ibuprofen for my hangover. I must have fallen asleep. Shaking off the nightmare, I get up and walk into the little kitchen and grab a bottle of water out of the mini-fridge. I drink half of the bottle because my mouth is so dry then dig my phone out of my purse.

  I skim through the contacts and dial.

  “Syd? What’s up?”

  “Hey Leah, you packing for London?” I ask my best friend, trying to hide the stress in my voice.

  “A little, I don’t leave until Saturday so I have a few days. Mostly, I’ve been shopping my ass off.”

  “Like you need to do more shopping, if they ever make it an Olympic sport, you’re guaranteed a gold medal.”

  “Yeah, I know,” she laughs. “So, is everything alright?” Suddenly serious, my best friend can hear the worry in my voice.

  “Not really.” I explain the website to Leah, and how since we’ve left New York they always seem to have eerily accurate inside information, even when Drew and I are having conversations alone.

  “You need to tell Drew, Sydney. Something’s not right. Someone is spying on you guys. Are you sure it’s not the muscle-head that follows you everywhere?”

  “I’m positive, Leah. He’s worked with Drew before and there’s never been a peep in the press about anything. This is new. I don’t want to bother Drew with this, Leah. He’s so unbelievably stressed out that it’s going to affect his film. I can’t bring down a 100 million dollar movie production just because I’m paranoid.”

  “Syd, it’s not paranoid if they’re actually spying on you,” she responds sarcastically.

  “No, it’s not up for discussion. I’m not telling him until I’m sure that something is going on. I just wanted to see if you thought it was as strange as I think it is.”

  “Well, it is Syd. I hope you change your mind and tell him though. Call me anytime if you find out more about that website.”

  “Okay Leah, I will. Have a great time in London.”

  “I’m sure I will.” I can hear the suggestive innuendo in her voice and laugh, hanging up the phone.

  Could my life get any weirder?

  Chapter 6

  A week passes without any more stories about me and Drew on CelebCast, so I’m able to start relaxing. We did end up having to switch hotels after the press found out where we were staying. A huge crowd of fans and paparazzi and just plain old weirdoes parked themselves on the sidewalk outside, making it impossible to leave without going through them. Coming and going through the laundry entrance got old fast.

  Two blocks over at the L’Hermitage Hotel, it’s been peaceful and calming. The suite isn’t as big as our old one and doesn’t have a private patio, but I’m satisfied just being away from the hordes of fans and reporters.

  Drew insists that I go to the set every day and hang out in his trailer while he’s working. I don’t argue because I don’t want to stay at the hotel by myself and Drew doesn’t want me going around the city without him until the press backs off.

  I’ve watched some of the filming, but there are so many breaks between each take that I’m going nuts waiting around all day to see twenty seconds of actual acting. Instead, I’ve been sketching design ideas on my iPad.

  Today, however, is Kiera Radcliff’s first day on set. I’m not looking forward to seeing her, or having her anywhere near Drew after what happened at the big launch party at Verve.

  She was the one who told me that my Drew was ‘Andrew Forrester’ superstar. She also acted inappropriate to me when she found out I was at the party with her ex-boyfriend, musician Adam Reynolds. She was jealous that I was on a date with him which was ridiculous, especially since I wasn’t ‘with’ Adam as a romantic date. It was just as friends because my boss forced me to go with him for publicity.

  Drew can’t stand Adam Reynolds. He told me a week after the party that he and Adam have a history of ongoing mutual hatred for each other. Drew wouldn’t give me any details. He just kept saying that Adam is a douche and left it at that.

  When Drew found out that Adam Reynolds wanted to go with me to the launch party at Verve, he was pissed, but couldn’t tell me that he knew Adam since I didn’t know that Drew was a celebrity at the time. He still thinks Adam wants to get in my pants, to which I just roll my eyes.

  After I left the nightclub party, upset because Kiera told me Drew was famous, he and Adam nearly came to blows; something Drew said had been a long time coming.

  My boyfriend, always hot-tempered and quick with the fists.

  Of course, this was all caught by someone on their camera phone and leaked to a gossip site. Kiera stood front and center in the photo, all smug that two of Hollywood’s hottest men were fighting because of her. I’m sure it doesn’t matter to Kiera that they weren’t fighting over her, but rather fighting because of what she said and did.

  I have no idea why I’m doing this to myself, but here I am in Drew’s dressing room waiting for him to head over to the soundstage to film scenes with Kiera. For some masochistic reason, I’ve decided to watch today, probably because I can’t stomach the thought of her alone with Drew.

  “Are you sure you want to do this, Syd?” Drew says to me from his makeup chair where he’s getting the final touches on a bunch of fake scrapes and bruises placed all over his skin.

  Sighing, I respond, “Yes, I’m sure. It will be fine. I’m not worried at all.” I paste a fake smile on my face, determined not to let him see how much she bothers me. I’ve already put him through too much to add yet another burden to his plate, stacked high with shit from my life. Plus, there’s no way I’m talking about this in front of the makeup artist.

  Drew jumps up from the chair and bounds ov
er to me, smiling playfully. “Do I look all messed up?”

  I take in the scabs and black and blue marks on his gorgeous face. “No, you’re just as handsome as ever.”

  He grins and gives me a big kiss. “No one’s as beautiful as you, Syd. Ready?” He extends his hand and helps me up from the couch. Steeling myself for whatever lies beyond this room, I accompany Drew to the set.

  The soundstage is buzzing with activity today. More so than usual it seems. They’ve made one area look just like the inside of a Depression-era home. Another section is a factory floor, and yet another is a reproduction of a small 1920’s speakeasy.

  Out of the corner of my eye I catch sight of a blonde head surrounded by fawning assistants. I think about how very Kiera it seems for her to need people flattering her all day long. Drew heads over to talk to the director, so I grab my usual seat behind the camera crew and settle in, ignoring her.

  It only takes Kiera a few minutes to spot me and walk over, that damn condescending smirk on her face.

  So much for keeping my distance.

  “Hello Sydney, so nice to see you again,” she purrs. I don’t miss the fact that she says the word nice as though she sucked on a lemon.

  I smile at her as genuinely as I can manage. “Hi Kiera, so good to see you again!” No way am I going to let her think that she can get under my skin. Kill her with kindness is my plan for now.

  It works because she seems a little lost for a second, anticipating hostility from me. But, being the actress that she is, she recovers. “You didn’t mention that you were Sydney Tannen or who your parents were when we met.”

  “Yeah, it’s not something I spread around very much.” I wonder where she’s going with this.

  “And here I thought you didn’t recognize me or Adam …” She narrows her eyes at me, “Or that you really didn’t know you were dating Andrew Forrester.” Kiera stands there with her hands on her hips, challenging me.

  I keep my sweet smile on my face. “Well, Kiera, it doesn’t matter what you thought now does it? The fact is that I don’t follow gossip, Hollywood, or other entertainment matters. So whether or not you believe me is irrelevant. And you didn’t tell me who your parents are, so I’m not sure how it’s any of your business who mine are. But it’s really nice of you to be concerned about my wellbeing, thanks for stopping by to see me.” I dismiss her with a polite smile and return to checking my email on my iPhone.

  Kiera huffs and stomps back to her entourage of eager toadies, glaring at me as she sits down in her chair. Great, so much for being civil and keeping the peace. Well, whatever. I can’t worry about Kiera Radcliff’s ego; I have way more important things to worry about besides her.

  Filming goes okay by most standards. They fit in all of the shots that they had on the schedule. Kiera seems to stretch out any scene that she has with Drew that involves touching him or kissing him, smirking at me knowingly in between each take. Drew of course, is oblivious to her games and being the good girlfriend that I am, I keep it to myself and smile for him.

  Bitch.

  Chapter 7

  Drew finally has a day off from filming. It’s his first one in over two weeks, so we’ve decided to go out. It took me a while to convince him that I would be safe, and after a lot of persuading, and some really hot shower sex, he’s taking me out to dinner. A nice dinner, with no disgusting disguises.

  Panic attacks or not, I can’t live my life hiding anymore. I’m not happy with it, Drew’s not happy with it, and it’s not healthy for either of us. Drew is more used to being confined by his fame than I am, but I can tell that even he’s going stir crazy staying inside either the hotel or the studio every waking moment.

  Done getting ready, I walk out of the bedroom and into the living room of our suite. Drew is talking with Steve and our two new bodyguards, Evan and Sal who were both SEALS with Steve.

  Drew looks gorgeous in his light gray suit and white shirt. He didn’t bother with a tie tonight and it makes him that much more attractive, with a bad boy edge. His dark hair is just as messy and sexy as ever, a thick piece hanging over his forehead.

  He just gets more and more gorgeous.

  Drew notices me coming out of the bedroom and he freezes mid-sentence. After a moment, I see him press his lips tightly together and his fists clench at his sides. He whispers something to Steve and the three intimidating men leave the suite.

  “Sydney, you look stunning,” he says as he walks over to me with a predatory gleam in his eye. “Turn around.” Drew voice is husky from my appearance. When he gets within a foot of me, twirling his finger in a circular motion.

  I spin slowly in a circle, letting Drew get a good look at the dress I chose for tonight. It’s a super short, red silk, Saint Laurent with an open back draped down to just above my tailbone. I finish my turn and see a look of pure hunger on Drew’s face.

  “You can’t go out in that,” he whispers. “I’ll have to punch the crap out of any man who looks at you the same way that I’m looking at you right now. You know I don’t share, Sydney.” I notice his fists are still clenched at his sides. All of the screwed up shit that has happened recently has really tested Drew’s tolerance for anyone pulling any bullshit around me.

  “Do you really want me to change?” I ask innocently, leaning in and pressing my lips to his. He winds his arms around me and his hands find my naked back. The electricity from his touch shoots up my spine and makes me shiver against his mouth.

  He groans against me and squeezes his eyes shut. “Yes, but don’t change, baby. You look gorgeous.” He opens his eyes and steps back, the muscles in his jaw flexing as he tries to calm his temper down. “Let’s go before I tear the damn dress off of you and take you against the wall.”

  Hmmm, maybe it’s not just his temper that needs calming down. Drew takes my hand in his and tugs me out the door.

  Dinner at BlueSky Steakhouse is relaxing and fun, even with the scary former Navy SEALS that are surrounding our corner table, buffering us from any intrusion.

  We caused somewhat of a commotion when we arrived, which was pretty embarrassing. I’ll admit that it’s difficult to sneak in anywhere with Drew’s famous face and to some degree, mine. But showing up with three giant, tattooed men in suits in tow? Not a chance in hell that you’re going unnoticed.

  Despite the initial fuss caused by our arrival, we’re able to eat our meal in peace and the waiter assigned to us is nothing but professional. No gushing or odd looks from him all night. The wall of muscle manages to keep fans away and if anyone wanted to take a picture, they’d probably only get half a shot, with Steve’s big head blocking out the other half since he planted himself right in front of our table so he can stare menacingly out on the restaurant. Steve even tried to prevent the chef from stopping by earlier to say hello, but Drew waved him off. He loves talking food with professionals.

  When I move to excuse myself to use the ladies’ room, Drew reacts by jumping to my side. “Steve, take Sydney to the restroom,” he barks, making me flinch back.

  No way am I going to argue with him about this, considering the last time I used a public bathroom I was attacked by a crazy stalker. Plus, he looks stressed enough to snap at any moment.

  Drew helps me out of my chair and then has me follow Steve to the facilities.

  “I’ll just check first, Miss Tannen,” Steve says when we reach the ladies’ room door. What? This is a ridiculous.

  “You can’t be serious, Steve?” Is he really going into the women’s bathroom to look for threats?

  Yes, yes he is.

  He barges right on in and I hear a woman yelp. Steve comes back out less than three seconds later. “You can go in Miss Tannen, it’s all clear.” As he speaks a shaken middle aged woman emerges, red-faced and embarrassed by the intrusion. I smile apologetically at her as she rushes by.

  How embarrassing.

  When I finish and get back to the table to sit down, Drew looks more than just stressed out, he looks livid. His jaw
is tight and his teeth are grinding furiously. His lovely green eyes are hooded by a deep ‘v’ that mars his brow. He stands stiffly to pull out my chair and I sit, unsure what has him so irate.

  “What happened? Is everything okay?” Taking in the anger on Drew’s face, I start nervously looking around for the potential danger.

  Drew sighs and unclenches some as he sits down, realizing that he’s scaring me. “Everything’s fine, Syd. I told you that scrap of a dress would be the death of me,” he growls in a low voice.

  I must look as confused as I feel, because he exhales and explains. “At least half of the men in the restaurant were eye-fucking you as you left, and the other half were eye-fucking you as you came back.”

  I should be mad that he scared the shit out of me simply because he’s jealous, but instead I just grin and reach across the table for his hand. “You’re so sweet, babe. I love you,” I whisper so only he can hear me.

  I see his face soften and his mouth quirks up a little in the corner, trying not to smile back at me. Then his adorable grin breaks through and that delicious dimple appears on his cheek.

  “One day, Sydney. I’m going to go to jail for beating the shit out of someone who looks at you funny,” he kids, shaking his head as he speaks.

  At least, I hope he’s kidding.

  After finishing our almost perfect meal, we exit the restaurant into an unexpected tsunami of paparazzi and fans gathered on the street outside. What the hell? Don’t any of these people have anything better to do than watch us walk?

  “Where did they come from?” I ask.

  Drew stiffens next to me, gripping my hand tight. “Syd, stay close and don’t let go of my hand.” His tone lets me know not to argue. “Someone must have posted our location. God I fucking hate the internet sometimes,” he complains under his breath.

  Steve goes out first, elbowing anyone and everyone out of our way, trying to keep them from touching us. Sal is behind us, preventing people from pushing into us from the back. Evan is positioned next to me, so no one can approach me from the side.