“Thank you.” I whisper to him.
He smiles at me, and before I know it, he leans back down to kiss me.
It’s a quick warm kiss, but I don’t push him away, I'm too stunned to do anything.
“I mean it, you’re important to me Rhiannon. You just need to realize it.” he says before he stands up.
I don’t respond, what am I supposed to say to that?
“Okay, thank you Liam. Take care of her.” he warns his security as he closes my door, leaving me alone with his security detail, who I have never met before, yet somehow I feel safe in his presence.
With a gentle tap on the roof of the car, Liam slowly pulls away from Kaleb and takes me home.
Tonight is the night of the première Jase has invited me to. I have mixed emotions about attending this event. Jase came shopping with me, and we got a beautiful dress that will match his tuxedo. I am excited, yet very nervous too. I have never done something so public before, and I don't know what to expect.
Jase is stood on the threshold of my apartment in a black tuxedo. His brown eyes are shining brightly, and he has a mischievous look on his face.
"You look breath taking." he says as his eyes roam my body.
I am wearing a mint green dress. It’s got a very open back. It has thin green straps keeping it together. The straps start at my shoulders, crosses over on the back, then you thread it through the designated spaces beside my breasts, and bring both pieces together, to tie in a little bow at the middle of my back.
It only just coves my ass. It clings to my body, revealing all my curves. I fell in love at first sight, and despite the price tag, I had to have it. Its floor length, but underneath my dress, I have some high mint green strappy stilettos.
My hair is curled, and is hanging loosely down my back.
"Thank you." I respond with a smile, trying to hide my nerves.
"You ready to go?" he asks.
"Yes, I just need to grab my bag." I say, before I turn on my heels and collect my bag of the sofa.
*****
We arrive at the function, and the limo pulls up to the red carpet, after the driver tackled the big crowd. There are reporters, fans, anyone you can imagine. Its daunting having to leave the vehicle and face them all.
"You ready?" Jase asks as he runs his fingers over my palm.
"I think so." I respond feeling uneasy.
He gives me a quick kiss before our driver opens the back door.
Jase steps out, and leans in the car to help me out. He grabs my hand as I unfold my frame from the seats.
The public are going crazy, screaming his name, but his attention is solely on me.
Once I'm stood straight, he tightens his grip on me, and starts the walk up the red carpet, with me hot on his heels.
The press are also going crazy, asking for pictures, and just snapping away with their cameras.
Jase doesn't seem fazed by it, unlike me. I probably look like I have swallowed a nasty bug. He looks like he must have done this numerous times before.
He stops occasionally to greet some of his fans. He poses for photos, sighs a few items, shakes a few hands and even kisses a few cheeks, all while the fans scream for his attention.
Once we reach the end of the red carpet, we have cameras shoved in our faces. I try to hide my shock at having them so close, because there is a sign saying filming is live right behind the camera man.
A presenter comes over to us and greets us, and introduces herself.
"Good evening ladies, and gentleman. Welcome to the première of 'The Lucky Man'. I am Lucy Green, and here with me right now I have Jase Dean, and his lady friend." she says to the cameras.
"Doesn't she need to ask us to do this before introducing us?" I ask quietly to Jase.
"They usually don't at these events. You get used to it." he smiles at me, before the camera is directed in our direction again. I want to say he could have warned me, but I'm not doing it on live TV.
"Jase, it's great to have you tonight. Are you excited to watch the movie with your fans?" Lucy asks him.
"Of course I am. I love seeing people’s reactions first hand. It makes it all worthwhile." he says talking to Lucy.
"Was this an easy one to film?" she asks.
"They're never easy to film." he says seriously, "A lot of work goes in to making movies, more than any of you will ever know."
“We suspected so. A lot of behind the scene work needs to be done.”
“It most certainly does. Are you coming in to watch it tonight Lucy?” Jase asks her.
"Of course. Rumor has it your lady friend is the lady you're doing your latest movie with." she is digging for information.
"Is that a statement or a question?" he asks her.
"A statement, but we would like confirmation from you about it being true or not." she says as the fans go crazy.
"Yes it's true. Rhiannon is with me in my.... Our next movie." he says correcting himself.
“Soooo.... are you two dating?” she asks.
The screams of fans go crazy. Jase smiles at me, before answering. “No comment.”
“Well, all you crazy fans out there, Jase Dean has neither confirmed or denied his relationship status, but judging by that smile, I would say he is firmly off the market.” she says to the cameras.
“Well, Jase and Rhiannon, it was lovely to meet you.” she says turning her attention back to us.
“Was lovely talking to you, but we have to get inside”. he says to the camera, and screaming fans, as he grabs my hand and leads me inside.
*****
We have finished our meal, and Jase is giving a speech for everyone. He looks comfy on the stage, and he is just thanking the people he worked with. I smile seeing him up there enjoying himself.
We sat in and watched the movie, with a lot of excited fans. We were sat in a VIP booth, away from the crowd, while they all enjoyed the movie. A few hundred times the whole room went quiet, and almost every pair of eyes in the room turned to us. Then the ending where I left my character’s short term boyfriend, the whole crowd went crazy. All we heard was roars of sad fans booing the screen like it would change the outcome. I was very thankful for the VIP booth, I’m not sure I would still be in one piece with the upset fans otherwise.
Kaleb has just given his speech and is making his way back to the table. He is wearing a black tuxedo, but his face looks mad. I don’t pay much attention to him, I want to hear what Jase is saying, so I train my eyes back on him on stage.
Once Kaleb reaches us he, he bends down to talk to me.
"Can I see you outside a minute?" he asks me, his tone surprisingly soft and friendly, but his stance suggests he is concealing his true emotions.
I hesitate, he has been damn right cruel to me for weeks and now he is trying to act like nothing has happened. I have avoided him at work for the last week, after my appalling performance. I knew I would have to face him eventually, I just didn’t want it to be here, and I wanted it on my terms, when I was ready. Really, I would have probably put it of forever.
"Don't make me make a scene in here, because you wouldn't like it." he threatens. I see he is back to jackass Kaleb. I knew he was still raging mad with me.
I don't think I could dislike him any more than I do right now, and the feelings I’ve had for him since I started working here, says a lot. I think the only time I haven’t disliked him is the first time I saw him, oh and when I heard his deep, soft, memorizing voice over the phone, I just didn’t anticipate him being a prick.
I look up at him, and notice he is not about to take any more crap from anyone. I look at Jase on stage, and he looks like he is having a great time and I don't want to spoil it for him. I decide I should probably go quietly, that way the crowd stay focused on Jase and not us.
"Rhiannon." Kaleb prompts me, as he brushes blonde hair of his face in a vicious swipe of his hand.
"Okay I'm coming." I whisper as I get up on my shaky feet.
Kaleb looks
around the room, and catches the eye of his security detail, Liam.
They make eye contact as Kaleb shakes his head, indicating the security detail is not needed to follow.
What about if I need him to save me from Kaleb?
Who am I kidding, he kisses Kalebs ass, he would probably side with him, leaving little me on my own.
Kaleb grabs my elbow and I try to shake him off without attracting attention to us. His grip tightens as he snarls in my ear, "Don't bring attention to yourself, and just walk normally".
Fuck sake, I don't know what I have done to piss him off that time, but he is really starting to get me down.
“Let me the fuck go, and I won’t bring attention.” I say trying to pull free again.
“Shut up and just do as you’re told.” he says pulling me through the private function room doors.
Right now, I just want to run home and cry. Stealing a deep breath, he guides me out of the restaurant, and as we walk through the door there is a big crowd of people and reporters gathered there.
"Smile and act normal. Chances are these will be printed in tomorrow's paper." he says as he puts his arm around my waist. The crowds are going crazy shouting his name.
“Kaleb, please just let me go. This won’t look good in the papers tomorrow.” I mutter hoping he can hear me over the crowd.
“You causing a scene would look better will it?” he asks bitterly as he continues to walk and pull me with him.
“This is not how a boss should be seen with an employee, especially when said employee is in a relationship. The papers are going to speculate and spread rumors about us being in a relationship with you now.”
He ignores the crowd, and leads me towards the back of the building where all our vehicles are kept.
He takes me to a big black limo and opens the back door.
"I'm not getting in there." I say feeling brave, and refusing to move. If he wants to be an ass, I can be one too.
"I would like to talk to you without it been printed in tomorrow's paper." he answers back.
"It wouldn't affect you really though would it. Let's face it, I've fucked up somewhere again, heaven knows where, but you're going to over react again, and act like a complete ass." I say having a mini rant at him.
"Get in the fucking car so I can talk to you." he orders.
I start to walk away. I can't deal with him right now. I don’t get far though. He runs up behind me and stops me moving.
"Please," he begs. "I'm not here to complain about your work because that is amazing - I promise." he says confusing me. Now he has me intrigued.
I decide to give in, and climb in the limo. He follows me in and closes the door. Suddenly in this enclosed space, I don't feel very confident.
“Why do you hate me so much?” I ask bravely.
His face instantly drops like I’ve just hit him.
“I don’t hate you.” he responds, “And I’m sorry if I made you think that.”
“Think like that?” I almost shout.
“Will you be quiet, people are still close by.” he says as he glances out the blackened window.
“You have hated on me since the second week I started working for you.” I say deflated.
“I have not hated on you.”
“Yes you have, since me and Jase made a little mistake on set.”
“A little mistake? Is that what you call it?” he asks getting more annoyed. I did notice his expression when I mentioned Jase, and I will bring that up in a minute.
“Yes, it’s nothing drastic. It was a little kiss; we were doing worse than that.” I say trying to get him to see reality.
“You left the script lines, what if the writer didn’t want that in?”
“Then Scarlett would have told us to re-film it. She is the producer.” I say feeling rather brave all of a sudden.
“Your smart mouth isn’t clever.” he says almost at full rage mode.
“It just so happens the writer thought it fitted in.”
“Good, now I have had my second telling off for the same thing, can I go now?” I ask him getting rather bored of the same shit from him.
“No.” he almost shouts pinning my hand down.
“Kaleb, I don’t know what else I can say. I've said sorry about messing up, and you won’t let it drop. What the hell do you want me to do?”
“This isn’t about the stupid fucking kiss, or the fact I caught you having sex in the dressing room.” he shouts, reminding me of my other mistake too.
“I thought you told me not to shout, yet you shout. Talk about double standards.” I spit at him.
“Stop pissing me off then.” he says deadly serious.
“I'm pissing you off? Take a look in the mirror, you're the one over reacting here, not me. Now let me out this damn car.”
“I don’t like it.” he says simply.
“I don’t like it either.” I say referring to being in the car.
“You don’t like what?”
“Being stuck in this damn car with you.” I reply honestly, “My boss is a jerk, and if he doesn’t like it, I will have no choice but to quit.” I say feeling myself tear up, “That’s if he doesn’t fire me first.” I add quietly hoping he won’t hear me.
“I'm not talking about damn work okay.” he says through gritted teeth.
“Then what the hell do you want?” I shout at him.
“YOU!” he shouts back.
Oh shit, I think I want to pass out. I was not expecting that. He can’t do this to me, it’s not fair, and I didn’t ask for it.
“Say something.” he says as I remain silent.
“Rhiannon.” he prompts me, again after I don’t respond.
“This can’t be happening.” I say more to myself.
“I'm sorry, I have these feelings for you, and I can’t describe them.”
“No.” I say pushing him away.
“Rhiannon please?” he begs me.
I sit for a few moments, as I run through it in my head. It all makes sense now. He has been making my life hell because of Jase. He doesn’t want us together.
“I can’t do this. You have made me feel like scum for weeks.”
“I didn’t mean too. I couldn’t stand seeing you with Jase, when I am so desperate to have you.”
“Please don’t do this Kaleb.” I beg.
“I can’t help how I feel. I want what Jase has.” he says like he can just have it.
My tears start to fall.
“You aren’t the first one Jase has done this with. He has done it with others, and they ended up leaving. Rhiannon, I am drawn to you, and I had to step in before Jase hurt you too. Seeing him with you made me see red. I didn’t want you to just be another number to him. I just went about it the wrong way, but I warned Jase not to do it, and he ignored me.” he says trying to defend his actions.
I can’t do this. I can’t be with someone who has treated me like shit. As beautiful as he is, he is damn right nasty. I can’t even think about being with someone who treats people like that.
Why the hell am I even thinking about this? I’m happy with Jase, we're just starting out, and he is kind and loving. Protective, and cute.
I can’t let Kaleb get between this.
Before he has chance to react, I pull away and swing open the limo door.
I am out, and on my feet before he moves. I am half way across the car park when I hear him behind me.
He grabs me arm and stops me moving.
“Rhiannon, please. I didn’t want this either. Don’t leave it like this.” he begs me as he wipes away my tears.
I flinch from his touch, “Leave me alone.” I yell in his face, before I’m making my way back to the restaurant.
“Rhiannon, please don’t do it, don’t go back in there.” he yells as I reach the doorway.
I’m guessing he doesn’t want me to go to Jase, but right now, I don’t give a shit what he wants.
“Please.” he begs once again.
This
grabs the attention of the crowd that is still gathered.
I look at him, towards the crowd, and run back into the restaurant as my tears continue to fall. I see flashes of light, and hear the voices of news reporters, so I know they have just caught that on camera. I can guarantee everything I own, it will be in the papers tomorrow, if it’s not loaded on the websites tonight.
Just as I’m about to run down the hall, Jase steps out the room looking for me I suspect. He sees me running and side steps so he is stood in front of him.
“Rhiannon, what the hell is wrong?” he asks as he takes in my appearance. I take one look at his concerned face, and more tears fall. I don’t know how I feel about what Kaleb has just told me about Jase, he doesn’t seem like that sort of person.
I can’t talk, I just pull free from him, and run around him, and head straight to the ladies’ room.
Once I’m there I lock myself in a cubicle and let my tears fall.
I hear pounding on the bathroom door, followed by shouting.
“Rhiannon?” its Jase.
“I'm not allowed in there, but if you don’t come out and talk I will come in there and barricade the door” he shouts through.
“Rhiannon.” he says as the banging continues.
My head is so confused. I used to like Kaleb, before he was an ass to me, but I only saw him as a boss. Sure he’s attractive, and I’m sure I won’t be the first and last to like him, but he can’t do this to me.
I’m happy with Jase. I can’t possibly hurt him.
With that in mind, I unlock the stall door, and head to the mirror. I take a look at my reflection. I look terrible, my eyes are blood shot, and make up is running all down my face.
I wet a piece of tissue, and wipe away the smudged make up.
Just as I’m freshening up my make-up, Jase walks in.
He looks angry, and I hurt inside knowing I have done that to him. I can’t hurt him anymore, so I decide not to tell him about Kaleb. I will have to deal with this one alone.
“What has happened?” he asks; I can hear the worry in his voice.
“Nothing, I’m okay.” I say trying to convince him by plastering a smile on my face.
“You was not fine just then.” he persists.
“Jase, I said I’m fine, just drop it.” he looks taken back at my harshness. “I'm sorry, I didn’t mean to snap.” I say trying to apologize.
It's My Life (Filming Rhiannon. Book 1) Page 14