by Reber, Tina
I informed him of my current situation, filling him in on the necessary details about the celebrity I was dating and our unwanted stalker. I showed him a picture of Angelica.
Kyle was very easy to talk to. He told me that he lives just on the other side of Providence in a small town in Massachusetts, so it didn’t take him very long to drive here.
He did an inspection of the pub, familiarizing himself with the layout, security systems, and exits. We ended with a tour of the apartment.
It felt awkward – almost like I was committing a sin – to have Kyle in my apartment. Ryan had hired him, so it wasn’t like I found this totally gorgeous man on my own and invited him up for a cup of coffee, but something still gnawed at my gut. It could only be guilt that tormented me; guilt for allowing my eyes to look at another man. I had to get him out of my apartment – fast.
Several female fans were already waiting outside on my sidewalk, but I wasn’t going to open until Cory and his roommate, Trevor showed up. I introduced the guys to my new bodyguard and filled them in on why Kyle was hired. Cory looked at me oddly and then shook his head. I wondered if he was worried about our stalker, but soon the meaning behind his attitude became more evident when he hand-carried three new cases of beer out to the bar, flexing his arm muscles along the way.
Trevor took a seat at the front door to ID everyone who came into the pub. Sure enough, half a dozen girls walked into the bar. It upset me to see that Ryan’s fans just didn’t know when to quit.
Marie stopped abruptly and gasped when she saw my new bodyguard for the first time. “You are so screwed,” she whispered at me in passing.
Her eyes flickered over at Kyle, who was sitting at the edge of the bar, keeping watch like a hawk.
“I know. Ryan is not going to be happy when he sees him,” I whispered.
“How old is he?” Marie asked.
“He told me he’s twenty nine,” I muttered privately.
“Married?”
I shook my head no.
It was a few minutes after nine when my cell phone played Ryan’s ringtone in my pocket. “He’s home now,” I said to Marie.
Ryan, of course, wanted to meet my new protector. We all met downstairs in the pub kitchen. Just as I had suspected, Ryan morphed from being happy to be home to jealous and pissed in an instant.
I hugged and kissed Ryan quickly when he came through the door. I purposely did this in front of Kyle with the intent to send a message to both men exactly where my loyalties lie. I tucked my fingers into Ryan’s back pocket and held on to him the whole time that we talked to Kyle.
After our meeting, I took Ryan by the hand and we went upstairs to have dinner together in our apartment. He was quiet… too quiet, and I knew him well enough to know why. I stood up and repositioned myself on his lap, straddling him to get his full attention. That made a smile appear on his lips.
I took his face in my hands and kissed him sensually on his cheek. “How was your day?”
“It was all right,” he muttered.
I knew he was lying. I gave him a smirk to let him know I wasn’t buying it.
He pursed his lips. “I kept messing up my lines. I had a hard time concentrating today.” He shook his head in disgust.
My hands massaged his shoulders. “Today is over. Put it behind you. Things will be better tomorrow, you’ll see,” I whispered in his ear.
He gave me a brief smile, his shoulders slumped in defeat. He ran his warm hands over my back.
I found myself getting aroused by trying to get him in a better mood. I nibbled his ear. He let out a pleasurable moan.
His hands slid forward over my ribs; his thumbs rubbed over my breasts. My body instantly tingled from his touch.
“Mr. Christensen,” I murmured on his lips, “your presence is requested in the bedroom.”
He smiled before locking his lips to mine.
Twenty minutes later I resumed my position behind the bar with a smug smile on my face. When I left Ryan, he still had his jeans wrapped around his left ankle and he was lying flat on his back on the bed.
I was pleasantly surprised when Ryan came down to the pub a little while later. He was wearing my tattered Mitchell’s Pub baseball hat and a satisfied grin. It pleased me to see him wearing another one of my possessions.
He took a seat next to Kyle and never took his eyes off of me for the rest of the night. Kyle stopped every girl that stepped up to Ryan and politely asked them to leave Mr. Christensen alone. Kyle also shooed away every girl that was brave enough to approach him as well. I had a new appreciation for my bodyguard. So did Ryan.
The next morning, Kyle arrived exactly as scheduled to drive me to the lawyer. He placed the box of evidence Ryan and I had gathered from our stalker in the trunk of the car before escorting me out of the pub safely. I felt his hand press in my lower back as he held the car door open for me. His cologne was soft and masculine and wrapped my head in confusing thoughts. The paparazzi thoroughly loved the new image in their lenses.
Once I was finished meeting with our new lawyer, Kyle drove me back to the pub and escorted me into the building. The paparazzi were relentless with their aggravating questions, although I think it was apparent to them that Kyle was a bodyguard by the way he shielded me.
Kyle did a safety sweep of the pub, the bathrooms, and my apartment before leaving me alone for the afternoon. He would return before four o’clock when I opened to the public.
After Ryan came home and we had dinner together, I resumed my spot behind the bar. Ryan eventually came downstairs into the pub and sat next to Kyle. My bodyguard was excellent at keeping the unwanted women at bay. Finally Ryan was able to just hang out and drink a beer while watching sports on the big screen… just like a normal person. That still didn’t stop women from taking pictures of him with their camera phones.
Ryan was in mid sentence, telling me a funny story about what Kat did on set this morning, when I noticed a group of women walk into the bar. One particular woman stood out – the one with kinky-curly hair and eyes like the devil.
“Oh my God, Ryan!” I gasped. “She just walked in! Run!” I ordered.
“Kyle! That’s her!” Ryan breathed out as he stood up; his haste caused his barstool to tip back and tangle in his legs. Ryan’s body stumbled backwards into mine. I caught him ineptly in my arms as his off-balance body weight pushed me back into the wall. We both looked on in terror as Angelica made her approach.
She was heading straight for Ryan and me; her eyes never left us. Her skin was sallow and the dark circles under her eyes made her look even more menacing in the dimmed pub lighting. She was on a mission and nothing was going to stop her.
Kyle moved so fast that it was hard to discern his actions. With one precise strike, he placed her in an arm and headlock; a split second later she was face down on the ground. With expert movements, he had her hands restrained behind her back.
“Ryan! Why are you doing this to me?” Angelica cried and screamed. “I love you!” she yelled. “That bitch has brainwashed you! I’m gonna kill her!”
My fingers trembled as I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket and dialed 911.
Ryan was granted the morning off from filming on the day of the court hearing. He put on his suit jacket and I wore my nice dress pants and a cream colored sweater underneath my black suede coat. I knew we’d be photographed and filmed relentlessly. Ryan’s manager arranged to have a security team escort us in and out of the courthouse.
Ryan and I scurried into the large, black SUV that waited for us in the alleyway. Kyle and Mike, our bodyguards, shielded us as we climbed into the vehicle. Directly behind our car was another black SUV with additional security guards. Ryan’s Publicist, Marla, was already seated in the other car.
Reporters, photographers, and fans were lined up outside the courthouse when we arrived. People were shouting and screaming at our car. It was pure chaos.
“Once Team two is in place we will exit,” Mike informed from the fr
ont seat. He pushed his communication earpiece deeper into his ear.
I was sandwiched in the back seat between Ryan and Kyle. Despite how safe I should have felt sitting between these two men, I couldn’t stop myself from trembling.
Kyle sighed then patted and rubbed my forearm to reassure me.
Ryan glared at Kyle’s gesture. He gathered one of my shaking hands in his and raised it to his lips.
“It will be okay, Honey,” Ryan whispered, pulling me closer. “We’ll get through this.”
Reporters attempted to interview us as we exited the car. Ryan and I kept our attention focused on getting through the courthouse doors. Court officers and private security surrounded us as we entered the building. Mike and Kyle, minus their firearms, escorted us to courtroom number three. Not only was Kyle protecting me, today he would also be a witness.
Ryan and I were seated at a large wooden table that faced the raised dark oak bench where the judge would sit. Our attorney was already seated; the box of scary evidence was setting on the floor next to him.
Cory and Marie were seated in the first row behind us. They too were witnesses to Angelica’s threats.
Sitting at the other table across from us was Angelica’s attorney. Our lawyer leaned over and informed us that she would be using the Public Defender’s office to represent her case today.
One male and one female police officer escorted Angelica into the courtroom. She was wearing an orange colored prison outfit and her arms were handcuffed to a chain that wrapped around her waist. Her ankles were shackled. She didn’t look at us when she entered.
Angelica’s hair was all disheveled, sticking out in all directions. The circles under her eyes were deep and purple, making the starkness of her yellow skin even more pronounced.
“All rise!” the court clerk announced. “Court is now in session. The honorable Judge Brian Keller presiding.”
The court proceedings were long and tedious. Our attorney had to present each letter, picture, and package separately and one-by-one they were all entered in as evidence. I even provided a copy of the picture of Angelica grabbing Ryan’s arm when we went to Cal and Kelly’s. That picture of her attack was in every magazine and splattered all over the Internet news.
Our attorney informed us that he had to present every piece of evidence carefully so that Angelica’s actions would be deemed a credible threat to our safety.
Each one of our witnesses was called upon to testify that they indeed heard Angelica threaten to kill me.
Her public defender tried to cross-examine our witnesses, but it did her case no good to do so.
Our attorney played the 911 audio tape recording of my call to police the night she came into the pub. I shuddered, listening to my panicked voice begging for police to come immediately and Angelica’s rant in the background as she threatened to slice me into pieces. I choked into tears while the nightmare of that evening replayed in my thoughts. Ryan squeezed my hand tightly under the table.
We sat and listened as each of her letters was read out loud to the judge. The content of her letters was equally disturbing. This deluded woman actually thought she was rescuing Ryan from the sluts who were ruining his career and stealing his love away from her.
The judge questioned Angelica directly, asking her to explain her behavior.
She looked at Ryan, but he looked away.
“He hid messages in his movie for me. He knew I was smart enough to figure them out. He didn’t want the others to know that he was in love with me,” she whispered. “I just want to protect him, but she made him leave for three days so she could brainwash him.” Angelica pointed at me. “She’s afraid he’s going to leave her for me! That’s why she crawled into his head, like a worm, and turned him against me.”
It was hard to breathe while she spoke. This girl was the poster child for modern day horror movies. She was the reason nightmares existed in the first place.
The judge deliberated with the lawyers and then delivered his verdict. A permanent no contact restraining order was granted and in effect immediately. She was informed that it meant that she could not mail, email, call, text, or send anything. Any attempt to contact either one of us, interfere with us or any member of our families, our friends, and fellow employees would be deemed a violation of the order. She was instructed to remain no less than five hundred yards, or roughly a quarter of a mile away from us at all times. The judge also ordered that she be subjected to a psychiatric evaluation. Another hearing would be scheduled to sentence her for the violation of the temporary restraining order.
“Is that it?” I softly asked our lawyer.
“Yes. She’ll be incarcerated for a while,” he replied. “I will represent you when she is sentenced for the PFA violation. You don’t need to be present for that. I’m sure this was traumatic enough for you.”
Ryan and I received new copies of the permanent restraining order, and with that our day in court was over. Our last hurdle was still ahead of us… getting through the gauntlet of reporters and paparazzi that waited outside the courthouse doors.
Chapter 23 - Celebration
“Do we have to be quiet?” Ryan’s friend Scott asked out loud.
“No. He would be suspicious if the bar was quiet,” I said.
I was glad that we had a separate entrance from the back door to our apartment now. Ryan would never see everyone gathered in the pub until I brought him downstairs. He also would have no reason to look in the guestroom and accidentally see his friends’ suitcases.
Tammy had prepared a lavish buffet of food and desserts and everyone was snacking on the variety of hors d'oeuvres scattered all around the bar. All our friends were here, waiting for the guest of honor to arrive.
I went upstairs to wait for Ryan and was relieved when he finally came through the door. I called Marie quickly to let her know that Ryan was in the building.
“Hi Honey,” he said glumly, giving me an unenthusiastic kiss. I knew why he was sad but I couldn’t ruin the surprise.
“What’s wrong? Are you in a bad mood?” I asked, even though I knew he’d be like this.
“Sort of. Actually I’m pissed. I thought these people were my friends. Cal and Kelly are going to meet us at the restaurant but everyone else had plans or excuses. Even Kat blew me off!”
“I’m sorry.” I tried to be sympathetic.
“Yeah, but… ah, it doesn’t matter.” He threw his keys onto the kitchen the table. I could tell his feelings were hurt. “Tomorrow is our last day of filming. Everyone is going to be leaving. I just thought that we could all get together before…”
I stepped over to him and wrapped my arms around his waist. “I promise that you will have a good time tonight. When we get back from dinner, I have a special birthday surprise for you. You’ll just have to trust me.” I grinned at him.
“Come on… let’s go do a few shots before Mike comes back. I’m planning on getting you all liquored up on your birthday.”
He reluctantly followed me downstairs, grumbling the whole way about how his whacko fans were going to scream when they saw him in the pub. We no longer had our Ryan Christensen fan buffer working for us; Ryan had dismissed Kyle from being my bodyguard as soon as the court proceedings were over and Angelica was locked up.
I ignored his bellyaching and dialed Pete’s number. That was the signal that Ryan was on his way.
“Why do I smell food?” he asked when we stepped into the pub kitchen. I smiled, got behind him, and pushed his hips so he would go through the swing door into the pub.
“Surprise! Happy Birthday!” everyone yelled.
Ryan’s face lit up when he saw all his friends that he thought didn’t care about him were gathered and waiting. Most of the production crew was there as well.
“Okay! You got me!” Ryan admitted. “No wonder everyone had other plans tonight!” He went from person to person, giving out handshakes and hugs. Eventually he noticed his longtime friends, Matt and Scott, standing by the bar.
“Holy shit!” Ryan yelled, giving Matt a manly handshake and hug. “What the? When the hell did you guys get here?”
Ryan’s reaction was exactly how I hoped it would be. He was elated and totally taken by surprise.
“We got here this morning,” Matt informed. “Your lovely girlfriend over there picked us up at the airport.”
“Awe man, it’s good to see ya!” Ryan was hugging Scott now.
I stepped over to Ryan and he wrapped his arm around my shoulder.
“I can’t believe you did all of this!” He gave me a big kiss.
“Happy Birthday, Honey!” I beamed.
“How long are you guys going to be in town?” Ryan asked Matt.
“We leave on Sunday,” Matt stated.
“Awe man, this is too much! I can’t believe this! Where are you staying? Tar, where are they staying?”
“We’re staying with you.” Scott punched him in the arm. “That way we don’t have to drive anywhere to get loaded.”
Ryan looked at me, apparently to get confirmation that Scott was telling the truth.
“Matt and Laura are going to stay in the guest room and Scott is going to couch surf. Their bags are already upstairs. I didn’t see the need for them to stay at a hotel.” I shrugged.
Ryan wrapped his arms around my shoulders to give me a hug. “Thank you,” he whispered in my ear. “I love you so much!”
“Come on birthday boy! Everyone’s been waiting for you. It’s time to get this party started!” I tugged his hand to follow me.
“Cory! Fill em up!” I motioned to the stack of champagne glasses sitting on the bar.
“Wait! I can’t get too wasted tonight. We have final scenes tomorrow,” Ryan informed.
“Did you hear that, Kenneth?” Cal shouted to the director of their movie. “Ryan doesn’t want to get too drunk tonight because he has to work tomorrow.”
Kenneth smiled and laughed out loud. “Actually Ryan, I have a big confession to make. We – ahh – wrapped today. Tomorrow’s call sheet that you have, it’s a fake. You’re the only one who didn’t know that today was the last day on location here.”