“You seem stressed.”
“Probably because you keep watching me.”
“I thought it might be because this is the first visit to Gabe’s house, but it’s because of those messages, isn’t it?”
“What messages?” I replied innocently, although my stomach clenched. How did he know about that? It had to be Viktor. Mama never told Damon anything. I refrained from glaring at the back of Viktor’s head.
“Don’t bullshit me, Chloe. You know what messages I’m talking about. Mama had one of her dramatic episodes when Viktor told her.”
“What? When?”
“When you were away filming a couple of days ago. I could hear her wailing from the other end of the house, so it was pretty hard to ignore. When I went down to see what the deal was she told me about them.”
“Oh.” I was aware Viktor had told Mama because she kept fussing over me like I was some sort of precious, breakable doll.
“Any idea who they’re from?”
“None. It could be anyone.” I didn’t bother to hide my dismay.
“Hey.” Damon reached over and took my hand. “Your first stalker. You must be big-time or something.”
I giggled half-heartedly when what I really wanted to do was cry. “I have to tell Gabe.”
“He doesn’t know?” Damon’s dark eyes widened in surprise.
“No. It’s kind of a downer, so I didn’t want to bring it up. Unlike Johnnie, he’s not comfortable with the whole fame thing. But now I have to so he can take security precautions too.”
“If I was your boyfriend I’d want to know.”
I guess Gabe was kind of my boyfriend, wasn’t he? I’d made it official when I’d kissed him for the whole world to see. Not that I wasn’t happy about it. I was just still new to all this relationship stuff. “So this is the sort of thing you share with your partner then?” I asked.
“Ah, duh. Yeah, of course.”
“Right.”
“Come on, Chloe. Think about it. If he cares for you, he’d want to know.”
“I didn’t want to worry him.”
“You are so different to Mama. You know that, right?”
That made me smile a bit. “Yeah.” My smile faded and I played with stitching on my jeans. “So, if you were in a relationship and your partner hadn’t told you they were in danger, how would you feel?”
“I’d be pissed,” Damon said, and I sighed. He added, “But Gabe’s more laid-back. I’m sure he’ll understand.”
Not about some things. I’d seen his more serious side when he thought Johnnie had taken advantage of me, and again when we spoke about his dyslexia.
Damon squeezed my hand. “I’m sure it will be fine. The only reason for him to be angry is because he’ll be worried about you. He’ll get over that when he realizes you’re safe.”
Wonderful. So as well as having to tell Gabe he needed security, he was probably going to be upset at me keeping something important from him. The silly thing was, it hadn’t been deliberate. I’d tried my best to ignore the first message because I was hoping it wouldn’t happen again. Surely he’d understand that?
GABE’S MALIBU PROPERTY was modest by Hollywood standards, as I’d expected it to be. What I hadn’t expected was for it to be set in the hills. For some reason, I’d thought he’d live close to the beach, but as we wound our way up the driveway sheltered by lush foliage, I discovered why he liked it up here.
It was the views. And the privacy. At this elevation, there was a feeling of being removed from everything. The ocean and Malibu were spread out before us like a giant landscape painting. Up here he’d be able to sit and watch the world go by.
The house was set over two levels and was modern in its design. The concrete walls were painted an ochre color to match the surrounding hills, with full-length windows everywhere to take advantage of the views.
“I like it,” Damon said as Viktor killed the engine. “Very Gabe.”
We trailed after Viktor to the front door and watched him press the doorbell. After a minute and no sign of life, Damon looked at me. “Should we just go in?”
Viktor cleared his throat. “I’ll go in.” If it was unlocked, I had no doubt Gabe would get a stern talking to.
Before he could try it, the door opened and a beautiful, petite Asian woman with a dark bob stood before us. “Chloe, right?”
Her voice was at odds with her appearance and it reminded me of Harry’s gruff communication skills.
“Yes, hi. We’re here to see Gabe.”
“They’re rehearsing. Follow me.” With that, she turned and walked down the hall.
Viktor did not look impressed about the relaxed security and I was left wondering who on earth the woman was. Was she someone who worked for the band? A girlfriend? She hadn’t bothered with introductions.
We followed her through the hall and then down a set of sleek tiled stairs to what I guessed was the garage area.
Damon grinned when the lower level came into view. “Sweet.”
The entire bottom level had been decked out as a recording studio and rehearsal area. We could see the band performing through a large window in the wall like you’d find in a real studio. The Asian woman gestured to some comfortable-looking sofas.
“Make yourself at home. They’ll be done soon.”
She didn’t join us and disappeared upstairs.
Damon shot me a questioning look and I shrugged.
Viktor excused himself as well. Obviously happy we were safe down here, he would undoubtedly case the rest of the place to see how secure it was.
For the next twenty minutes Damon and I sat back and enjoyed the show. Johnnie blew us a kiss when he saw us and the others nodded, but they didn’t stop. Their rehearsal was efficient and they only paused briefly between songs to exchange a few words.
“Everything about them is so tight,” Damon said. “But they make it look so relaxed.”
“That’s a good thing?”
“Hell, yes. It comes from experience and the fact they’ve been together a while. I’d kill to have that sort of cohesion with other musicians. It’s not easy finding the right fit between band members.”
“You and Gabe play well together, don’t you?”
“Yeah, but that’s one-on-one and I think Gabe could get along with almost anyone.”
His opinion mirrored what I’d thought previously.
We sat up straighter when the song finished and the guys lowered their instruments.
“Ready to be a groupie?” Damon asked with a wicked grin.
“Very funny.”
The band came out of the studio and that was when we saw how hot they were. Not good-looking hot—although they were that too—but temperature hot. Particularly Gabe. Sweat made his T-shirt cling to him and his hair was damp near his temples.
“Hey there, Kemp family,” Johnnie said. He’d barely broken a sweat.
“Hey, Johnnie,” Damon said casually, but I knew inside he’d be feeling impossibly shy. “Sounds good.”
“Just good?” Johnnie pretended to look hurt. “I thought we were great.”
Damon shifted from one foot to the other and I knew he was embarrassed and probably struggling for words, so I stepped forward.
“Better than great. Sounds like it’s going to be some tour,” I said.
Gabe walked over to me. “Hi. Sorry I didn’t let you in.” He came to a stop in front of me but glanced down at himself sheepishly. “Sorry, I’d better go get a fresh T-shirt.”
Johnnie slapped him on the back. “I bet Chloe prefers you hot and sweaty, hey Chloe?”
Gabe’s eyes darkened and he shrugged him off. “I’ll go get a fresh T-shirt,” he said again. “Want to join me and I’ll give you a tour of the place?”
Johnnie chortled. “Sure you will. Give her a tour, huh?”
“Shut your face, Johnnie,” Levi said. He’d said it casually, but I detected a hint of weariness in his tone.
“Aw, you’re just jealous be
cause you don’t have a woman here waiting for you.”
For the first time ever, I saw annoyance flicker across Levi’s face. “I don’t see your woman waiting for you.”
“Tina will be upstairs somewhere,” Johnnie replied confidently.
Tina? Was that the woman who had opened the door for us? Was she Johnnie’s girlfriend?
Levi smirked. “I thought her name was Trisha.”
Johnnie shrugged. “Tina, Trisha—they’re all the same, aren’t they?”
OK. Maybe not girlfriend. Perhaps just another plaything in his long line of women.
“You’re such a jerk.” This was from Emilio, quietly putting his bass into a case behind us. It reflected my thoughts exactly.
“The women still love me.”
“I won’t be trying it anytime soon,” Emilio assured him.
“That’s because dudes don’t like to play hard to get,” Levi said. There was an awkward pause and then Levi swore under his breath. “Sorry man.”
They all glanced over at us to see our reaction.
Oh my God. Emilio was gay?
“No way,” Damon whispered while I stood there with my mouth hanging open.
Johnnie sauntered over to Emilio and put an arm around his shoulders. “Yeah, he hides it well, doesn’t he? With all those girls pining after him you’d never know he’d prefer to bend me over that table and—”
“Jesus, Johnnie. Give it a rest will you?” Gabe interrupted, annoyance deepening the lines in his forehead.
“I wouldn’t go for you if you were the last guy on the planet,” Emilio promised Johnnie.
Johnnie held a palm to his chest. “You wound me, man, but I’ve accepted I’m not your type. You like the young ones, like Damon over there, don't you?”
I suddenly found my voice. “How did you know Damon was—” I snapped my mouth shut at Damon’s horrified expression. Oh shit. Shit. What had I just done?
Johnnie’s smile faltered as he looked between us. “Well, I’ll be damned.” He sounded far too overjoyed by my inadvertent admission. “Two of you? Hey, maybe Damon here and Emilio could—”
He was cut off by the sound of Emilio clipping his bass case shut and Gabe shooting him a death stare. Emilio took his time to stand up like we were still all having a normal conversation.
“Johnnie?” he said, his dark eyes hard. “Taylor or whoever the hell she is, is probably waiting for you.”
“Fine! I know when I’m not wanted.” Johnnie gave us one last look and pretended to go off in a huff. I say pretended because it was so overdone it was obvious he wasn’t really annoyed.
Levi blew out a long breath. “Sorry man.”
Emilio shrugged. “I couldn’t care less. It’s the PR team that prefer to keep it under wraps.”
“But that’s not fair!” I protested, and I saw Gabe relax beside me. He seemed happier now Johnnie was gone.
“I’ve never exactly been a man-whore like Johnnie so it’s not really a problem.” He glanced over at Damon who was still frozen to the spot, his face so pale he looked like a ghost in the dim light of the studio. “Relax, man. No one’s going to spill your secret.”
“I’m so sorry, Damon,” I whispered.
I went to reach out and touch his shoulder but he stepped away from me. He shoved a hand roughly through his black bangs. “I need to get some air.”
“No problem.” Emilio gave me a brief look of reassurance and went to Damon’s side. He gestured toward the stairs. “I’ll show you the way.”
Chapter 28
I watched in dismay as Emilio led my brother upstairs. When they were gone, I collapsed onto the sofa.
“I am the worst sister in the entire world,” I announced.
Gabe sat down beside me and Levi balanced on the arm of the sofa opposite.
“How long’s he known?” Gabe asked.
“Since he was about fifteen. I hate the way he acts like he’s ashamed of it.”
Levi cleared his throat. “It doesn’t bother you?”
“No! Why would it? He’s my brother. I just want him to be happy.”
Levi nodded. “It’s tough. Emilio’s a pretty relaxed guy but it hasn’t always been easy for him.”
“His long-term partner broke it off with him just when we hit the big-time,” Gabe explained. “He claimed he couldn’t handle all the attention that came with being in a high-profile relationship.”
“That really sucks,” I said. “I think that’s why Damon prefers to keep it to himself. Because of my family and who we are, if he were to be honest about it, it would become front-page news.”
Levi blew out a breath. “Yeah, you Kemps are pretty good at making headlines.”
My cheeks reddened. “It’s not deliberate.”
Oh boy. This was not the direction I wanted the conversation to go. Oh yeah, and by the way, as well as front-page news I may also have a stalker. I needed to wait until I could get Gabe in private to discuss it.
Levi noticed my discomfort and misread it. “Surely a gorgeous, talented woman like you is used to it? Don’t you like it?”
Gabe threaded his fingers through mine. “She’s not a Kardashian.”
“Thank God for that,” I muttered. I hated it when my celebrity overtook my talent as an actress.
Levi’s mouth curled into a lopsided grin. “Surely all publicity is good publicity?”
“You’ve been hanging around Johnnie for too long,” I accused.
Levi laughed, but it sounded a bit tight. “Yeah, you probably have a point.”
“No one can hang around me too long,” Johnnie announced as he strode back into the room.
“Where’s Tina?” Levi asked.
“Trisha,” Gabe corrected.
Johnnie shrugged. “She left.”
Levi’s eyebrows shot up. “What did you do?”
Johnnie actually looked properly offended for a change, but it didn’t last long and he winked at me. “It must have been my good looks. I can be pretty intimidating.”
“Or your ego,” Levi said.
I doubted it was either of those options. Tina or Trisha or whoever she was didn’t seem like the sort of woman to be intimidated. “Maybe she got a better offer,” I suggested without really thinking.
Johnnie’s eyes darkened. “Not likely. That girl was a publicity piranha.”
“Huh?” I said.
Johnnie shrugged. “You know the type. They just want to be seen with you to boost their own profile.”
“Aw, Johnnie Walsh really does have feelings,” Levi teased.
“It’s true,” snapped Johnnie. “Even Chloe’s mama thought filming me sticking her tongue down her daughter’s throat would get her more publicity.”
The room fell silent and Gabe’s grip on my hand tightened. I stared at Johnnie dumbly.
“What did you say?” Gabe said, his voice dangerously soft.
Levi hopped off the edge of the sofa and advanced on Johnnie. “You did not just say that.”
Johnnie swallowed, his eyes darting between us. For once he didn’t have a smart reply.
I shook off Gabe’s hand and stood up. “You’re a liar.”
Johnnie backed away a few steps. “Now, Chloe, sweetheart, I’m plenty of things but I’m not a liar.”
“Bullshit!” Levi said in disbelief. “Chloe doesn’t need that kind of publicity.”
I felt, rather than saw, Gabe rise from the sofa and come to stand behind me.
“Johnnie,” he said, his voice still quiet. “You’re going to explain this to us right now.”
Johnnie held up his hands and crept back a few more steps now that the three of us were facing him. “All I know is Chloe’s mama is a very convincing woman and I didn’t have the heart to say no.”
“I don’t understand,” I said, because I didn’t. “Are you saying my mother asked you to kiss me? And to film it?” I couldn’t believe I was even asking that question out loud because Mama would never betray me like that. The tremble in
my voice said otherwise.
Johnnie grimaced. “Honestly? I can’t remember her exact words. I was pretty drunk and I just remember her handing me the phone and . . . ”
“She handed you the phone!” That was me shouting, but it didn’t sound like me.
Gabe caught my hand and pulled me back, which was when I realized I’d been about to pounce on Johnnie.
Johnnie’s face was pale and he nodded. “Yeah. Why do you think I wanted that birthday kiss so bad?”
I stumbled backward like I’d been hit and Gabe caught me against his chest. Any other time the contact would have sent my body into a spin but right now I could barely feel anything. Mama had asked Johnnie to film the two of us together?
“But how?” I sputtered. “Where was her phone?” I shot Gabe a desperate look, still unable to believe it. “I didn’t see her phone.” But then, I’d probably been distracted by Johnnie’s unwanted advances.
Gabe held me tightly but his eyes were still on Johnnie. “Answer her.”
Johnnie looked down at his feet. “Your mom seemed keen for you and I to hook up at the beginning of the night, but I didn’t take it too seriously. She struck me as the bossy type and I sort of just forgot about it until she found me wandering the hall looking for Faith . . . you know, after.” He shot me a sheepish look. “Next thing I know she’s handing me her phone and pushing me back into the room saying you’re on your way down there, so I didn’t have time to think, and just hid it in the shelf opposite the bed before you came in,” he admitted.
“Before you asked for the birthday kiss,” I said numbly.
“That was more than a kiss,” Gabe said.
“Yeah,” Levi agreed. “I reckon if Chloe had been any drunker you would have—”
“She told you to have sex with me?” More words coming out of my mouth that I couldn’t make sense of. Please God, let this be some sort of dream.
Johnnie kept his mouth shut but the guilty look he gave me said it all.
“You son of a bitch,” Gabe growled.
He swallowed. “She said it would make a nice birthday present seeing as you’re a virgin and all, but I gotta say, I think the publicity of the two of us together was more important to her. I’m sorry, Chloe.”
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