“No rest for the wicked.”
“I’m not fully wicked, just a little bad.”
“Well, my bad Bombshell, we have to be at the theater in an hour.”
“I’m too old for this.”
“You weren’t complaining last night. Or this morning.”
“I’m not really complaining now,” I say, lifting my head to smile at him.
“Best night of my life, hands down.”
“Same.”
I pull him down to me, and we kiss for several minutes. Sweet and sexy kisses where we sip from each other’s lips and dart our tongues out for small tastes. Neither one of us tries to take the kisses deeper. It’s perfect, and I want to stay right here in this bed with him forever.
“We have to go.”
“I wish we didn’t.”
“We’ll be back here after the show.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
I shower quickly and happily take the coffee and toast Kace hands me before we walk out the door. “Thanks for breakfast.”
“I’d have done more, but I was out of time. There’ll be food backstage when we get there.”
“Trying to keep me fed and happy?”
“You know it.”
I do. Especially this last week, Kace has shown me that he wants to be with me for the long haul. To say I’ve been a mess is an understatement. I really have no control of when and where Chad is going to tell Kace. And I need more memories. Ones like last night. Good memories to hold in the pieces of my heart when it breaks.
“You’re getting quiet on me, love.”
“Just thinking about what to plan for our date tonight.”
“It’s my turn to plan.”
“You want to plan our date?”
“I’ve done it before, and very well if I remember correctly.”
I do remember the night in my apartment that he planned. It was romantic and very, very hot. “It was amazing.”
“Tonight shouldn’t disappoint you, either.”
I would tell him that he’ll never disappoint me, but that would be a lie. Even though I know what’s coming, I’m still going to be disappointed in him. Knowing what his reaction will be doesn’t make it any easier to accept it.
“You’ve already planned?”
“I have.”
“I love you so much, Kace. Please don’t ever forget that.”
“I won’t. You have forever to show me, remember?”
“I remember.”
I kiss him before I start crying. This is different than how we kissed in my bed. I can feel my desperation, and I think maybe he can, too. When we break apart, I look up and meet Nate’s eyes in the rearview mirror. He gives me a sad smile because he knows what’s coming. It seems like everyone but Kace does.
We’ve barely walked into the theater when Vivian runs over to us. “Stella, I need to talk to you.”
“Alright,” I tell her.
“Is everything okay Mom? You look a little frantic.”
“I just need a favor from your girlfriend.”
“I’ll help you if I can,” I say, ignoring the way she almost sneered that last word. Bitch.
“Oh you can. And you will. We both know you will.”
“Be nice, Mom. Stella’s not at your beck and call.” He turns to me. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.”
“I know. You go get ready, and I’ll be there soon to check on you.”
He kisses his mom on the cheek, and then gives me a long, lingering one. “See you soon.”
I smile at him, and then turn to Vivian once he’s gone. “What do you want?”
“It’s not what I want, it’s what Chad wants.”
“I could give two fucks about that little bastard and what he wants.”
“He’s going to tell Kace if we don’t do it.”
“He’s going to tell him, anyway. When are you going to get that?”
“How many times do I have to tell you that as long as he’s happy, he won’t tell?”
“You’re delusional, but what is it you want me to do?”
“He wants us both. Together.”
This woman has lost her mind. “Fuck no. I am not having sex with him. With or without you. And with you is just disgusting. I mean, you’re my boyfriend’s mother.”
“You have to. It won’t be so bad.”
“Are you insane?”
“You know what I can do. You’re not going to let that happen just because you’ve all of a sudden discovered your morals?”
“I’ve always had morals, bitch. And you need to tell your son the truth. I mean, seriously—if Chad wants this now, what’s he going to ask for next?”
“I don’t know, but whatever it is, I’ll give it to him.”
I make my voice softer because fighting with her isn’t working. “Don’t do this to yourself. You’re a good person. I know you are because Kace is a good man and you raised him that way. He will be mad at you for keeping the secret from him, but he’ll forgive you because he loves you. I’m not saying this for me right now. You know my job. I’ve seen and helped countless woman who thought using their body would get them what they want. It never does, in any situation.”
She crumples, then, and I barely have time to catch her and lower us both to the floor. “I know you’re right. But I’m so scared.”
“I’m scared, too. I know I’m going to lose him, and I’m powerless to stop it.”
“I should’ve told him when you begged me to. I also shouldn’t have threatened you.”
“I wish you would’ve told him. It’s too late for me now, though. I’ve known too long. Just promise me that you’ll take care of him. And tell him I love him every day. Even when he doesn’t want to hear it or believe it.”
“I will. I promise. I am so sorry, Stella.”
“I know.”
I stand up and go into the bathroom to fix my makeup the best I can. I need Kace to go out on stage and perform without worrying about me crying. Chad is too much of a fame-whore to tell him before the show, and I want my last couple of hours with the man I love to be happy.
“There you are. I was afraid you wouldn’t make it before I had to go out there,” Kace says as I walk into his dressing room.
“Of course I’m here. I have to give you your nightly good luck kiss, don’t I?”
“Always. And I need my good morning kiss from you every day, too.”
“You’re so fucking sweet.”
“I try.”
“You’re really coming over tonight?”
“Of course I am,” he says with a confused look on his face. “I told you I planned our date. Plus, I promised, and I don’t break my promises.”
“I can’t wait.”
“I love you, Stella. Forever and always. No matter what.”
“I love you, too. No matter what. Don’t forget that.”
“I won’t.”
The lights flash and I give him that nightly kiss before he runs out to drive the teenage girls crazy. Once the door is closed, I sink down to the floor holding my head in my hands. I hear the door open, and then Tegan’s sitting on the floor next to me.
“Vivian called. She said you’re both pretty sure that tonight’s the night Chad is going to tell all.”
“He wanted me to join in on sex with them, and I said no. So yeah, we’re pretty sure.”
“Eww. I may throw up. He’s gross on his own, but to do it with you boyfriend’s mother? That’s just nasty.”
“He’s definitely twisted.”
“Kace may not take it out on you.”
“We both know better than that Teeg. He’s going to be angry at his mom, but she’s his mom. I’m just…well, me.”
“’Well, you’ is pretty damn awesome. Don’t you dare forget that, bestie.”
“Thanks, Teeg.”
I manage to smile and kiss Kace through his wardrobe changes. Tegan stays with me, which makes Wayne happy. He really l
ikes her. And I like him. He’s still a little too forward, but I know he’s not a bad guy when you get past all that.
When the guys come off stage, Kace pushes me against the wall and kisses me senseless. “All I could think about out there was getting back here and taking you home,” he whispers in my ear.
“Can we go now?”
“I wish. I have to do two interviews. But that’s it. I told Marv that I’m not hanging around after those are over.”
It doesn’t work out like that of course. The hotel owner brings some people backstage again. They’re not high rollers this time. The guests are people from Opportunity Village. It’s a local organization that supports those with special needs and even gives them jobs to do so they can feel like they’re part of society. It’s a beautiful organization and when Kace looks over at me, I immediately nod and smile at him. I’d never ask him to leave, or rush them. Even when I know that the longer we stay, the better the chance is that we won’t be going back to my place together. Because I’m pretty sure that’s a promise he won’t keep when Chad tells all.
* * *
Kace
I am without a doubt the luckiest guy on the planet. Probably the whole universe, too. Stella has patiently waited while I spent time with all the guests who are here, even though I said we’d leave a couple of hours ago. When I’ve glanced over at her, though, I’ve noticed that she’s getting a little more freaked out as time passes. Tegan’s even holding her hand now.
As everyone files out, I make my way over to her, sitting on the arm of her chair and kissing her lightly. “Thanks for letting me spend time with everyone.”
“Of course. I’d never take you away from any fans.”
“Even if they were kissing me?”
“You wouldn’t let that happen.”
“No, I wouldn’t.”
“I would,” Wayne says as he walks over. “Would you stop that, Tegan?”
“No. I have no claim on you.”
“We had fun.”
“Yes, we did. I’ll give you that.”
“And I’ll take it.”
“I hate to break this up, but it’s time to go Stella,” Chad says.
What? “She’s not going anywhere with you.”
“Vivian, you didn’t convince her?”
“No, Chad. She won’t do it.”
“You know what that means?”
“Yes. I do.”
Stella is practically breaking my hand, she’s holding it so hard. “What the fuck is going on?”
“There was more on that tape I saw than just sex, Kace. Your mom’s been giving me some good fucks in order to keep me quiet, but since she couldn’t deliver your girlfriend to me, I’m afraid it’s time for me to tell all.”
“You’ve been sleeping with him, Viv?” Marv asks her.
“I had to keep the secret.”
“You slept with him to keep some damn secret?” I’m squeezing Stella’s hand hard now.
“It’s not just one secret, my friend. It’s two. And they’re so big you’ll never recover from them. Just like my sister has never recovered from you.”
“I’m not your friend. So go ahead and spill what you know. I can handle anything.”
“I love you, Kace,” Stella says as she looks up with me with tears in her eyes. Why is she crying?
“Marv’s your dad.”
Chad says it like it’s nothing, breaking me away from my thoughts. I pull away from Stella to stalk over to Marv. “How long have you known?”
“Your mother told me when I found you, Wayne, and Chad in that talent show.”
“And you didn’t think I should know. Neither of you thought I should know?”
“We hadn’t seen each other in years, and I thought Marv was happily married. You and I have always been good with it just being the two of us.”
“You had no right to keep this from me.”
I look down at my mom and see the tears running down her face. I’m angry, really angry. But she’s right. We’ve always been good on our own. She made sure of that. I can’t forget what she’s done for me. I pull her into my arms and hold her tight.
“I’m so sorry.”
“I know, Mom. It’s okay. I mean, it’s not. But I understand. And hey, now I get to have every kid’s dream—my parents together.”
“That’s not going to happen, Son.”
“What do you mean? You said you were divorcing your wife because you’re in love with my mom.”
“Did you not hear that she’s been sleeping with Chad? And me. All to keep you from finding out, even though we all knew he was going to tell you eventually.”
All? Oh my God. That’s when I know. This isn’t just my mom’s secret. This is the secret Stella’s been keeping from me. The one that’s been eating away at her the past couple of weeks. Ainsley would’ve looked at the whole tape before destroying it, and she told her what was on there.
“Stella?”
She closes her eyes when I look at her, and I can see that she’s shaking with the force of the sobs that are wracking her body. “Yes. I knew.”
“You kept this from me?”
“It wasn’t my secret to tell.”
“It wasn’t your secret to tell? Are you fucking kidding me?” I ask her as I push my mom aside and go for her.
I pull her to her feet and shake her. “You could’ve told me. You should’ve told me.”
“I couldn’t.”
“There’s more,” Chad says.
I look over and he looks like the cat who swallowed the fucking canary. What more could there be? I let Stella go, and turn to him with my arms crossed, waiting.
“You were born a twin.”
“No I wasn’t.”
“Oh, you were. Why do you think Brett sounds so similar to you?”
Brett? Our eyes meet, and I see the horror I feel reflected on his face. We do sound the same, and now that I know, I can see it. I can see how we look different, but the same.
“You put me in an orphanage, while you kept Kace? You raised him, while leaving me behind to fend for myself,” he says to my mom. Our mom. “How could you do that to me?”
“I could only take care of one of you. I was barely able to keep Kace fed.”
“So you just threw me away? Why me? What was it about me that was so bad?”
“There was nothing wrong with you. I had to choose and so I just closed my eyes and picked. I thought you’d get adopted right away. You were so beautiful. Both of you were.”
“I wasn’t adopted, though. No one wants a baby who fusses all the time. Or a genius kid who can’t sit still because of all the thoughts running through his head.”
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t know. I swear I thought you’d be fine. Marv found you as soon as he could. And then it all worked out.”
“Except we didn’t know we were brothers. How the hell is that working out for you, Brett?” I ask.
“I don’t even know. I’m glad you’re my brother, but I’m pissed that no one thought we needed to know.”
“Yeah. Me too. I mean, you and I are cool. But our dear sweet parents might as well be dead to me at the moment.”
“You don’t mean that, Kace.”
“But I do, Mom. I really do.”
I’ll calm down, I know I will. I love my mom too much to stay mad at her forever. Marv—I don’t know about. I’ve never been too close to him, and I don’t all of a sudden have feelings of love towards him just because he’s my sperm donor.
The other person who knew—I’m definitely done with her, though. I turn to find Stella curled up on the couch, with Tegan rubbing her back. “You said you loved me.”
“I do. I love you so much,” she says as she stands on wobbly legs.
She still crying and shaking, and I almost go to her. I want to pull her into my arms and tell her that it’s okay. That we’re okay. But we’re not.
“If you loved me, you would’ve told me. This isn’t a matter of national securit
y and no one would’ve been hurt by you telling me. So there was no reason for you to keep this from me. None.”
“I swear to you that I would’ve told you if I could have. I wanted to tell you. You know I’ve been upset these past couple of weeks.”
“And I’ve done everything I could think of to cheer you up and make you feel better. All while you were lying to me.”
“I didn’t lie.”
“You just kept important things for me. That’s just what should happen in a relationship, right? Was it even real to you, or was this just one of your games?”
“You know it was real, Kace.”
“Bullshit. I know nothing when it comes to you. Nothing. You’re a complete stranger, and I can honestly say that I hate you right now, you selfish bitch.”
She gasps and collapses as Tegan catches her. Nate’s on me before I even see him coming. He grabs my neck and raises me off the ground. “I have no problem ending you, little boy. Call her a name—any name—again, and I’ll do it right here in front of your new-found family.”
“Let him go, Nate. Please.”
He does as Stella asks. I rub my neck while I watch him pick her up, carrying her from the room. Tegan gives me a hard look, letting me know that I’m not safe from her, either. I don’t have it in me to give a fuck.
“I want him arrested,” I tell Marv.
“Nate?”
“Chad. I want him arrested for blackmailing me and my mom.”
“Yeah, right,” Chad says with a laugh.
“He’s not kidding, asshole,” Wayne tells him.
“Without me, there’s no Storyside.”
“So the three of us will re-invent ourselves,” Brett says.
Before Chad can argue any further, the off duty police officers we hire for the show enter and read him his rights. Watching him get handcuffed has been the only satisfying part of this evening. He puts up a fight for a minute, but when they tell him he’ll be charged with resisting arrest, the cocky smile falls from his face and his body goes still.
“We need to go away and regroup,” Wayne says when he’s gone.
“The three of you will be great on your own. The fans will follow you,” Marv says.
“And we can make some great music. We should find someplace that’s chill where we can just jam out and won’t get bothered.”
“Well you do have that party in Austin in a few weeks. You promised to sing at that charity event. The one that provides music education for sick kids. You could hide out there,” Marv tells us.
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