by Kay Maree
“I still can’t believe you took the fall for that fucking bastard,” Heidi’s mother continues to bellow.
“What else was I gonna do? If Trent went to jail then his family wouldn’t survive besides, they can’t entirely pinpoint me with any evidence that proved I was the person who’d done the crime.”
What the fuck was I watching? A soap opera about a girl who took the fall for her man… now she was facing jail time and all because Trent aka hunky spunk did a crime but didn’t want to do the time. This shit was so over the top and so dramatic that I was gonna vomit if I watched any more.
“God, what a joke!” I chuckled as I switched the tv off and threw the remote on the coffee table.
“Time for bed mittens,” I remarked picking up the ball of fluff that had been snuggling into me while I watched Deep Blue High. I rolled my eyes just thinking about the whole drama TV series. It was far past my bedtime but of late I’d had the worst sleeping pattern. Clearly my body clock was out of whack or maybe it was because I was essentially on a form of house arrest. Ever since that night, nothing has been the same. I’d been walking around wrapped in bubble wrap and it was starting to piss me off.
I silently groaned as I picked up my cat and headed to my bedroom.
Chapter One
Callie
It wasn’t ever meant to be like this. I was never supposed to hide away from the world but waking up in a hospital bed with little recollection of what had happened to you isn’t fun. It’s scary as fuck, and to be honesty it isn’t what I signed up for.
The life of a Hollywood actor isn’t all glitz and glamour. It isn’t big fancy mansions or flash cars. There’s no shopping day in and day out on Rodeo drive, checking out Calvin Kline or Tiffany’s spending up big on credit cards that you know that you might not be able to pay off.
There’s no Melrose Place, or Beverly Hills 90210 to sooth you into this place, to help transition you into this lifestyle, and this lifestyle isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. The instant I was found, discovered, hauled into a world very much unlike any world I ever thought I’d be living in I never in my wildest dreams expected the outcome that came from wanting. I thought I could remain me, remain unaffected by what this world could bring to the plate and for the most part I’ve managed to stay true to who I am. However, the truth is that you can never remain completely yourself if those around you choose to manipulate, deceive and trick you. This world is full of illusions that are mind-blowingly amazing, they’re concocted to keep you in a state of trance. Hollywood, it’s the face of glitz and glamour of a life like no other when the truth is it’s a beautifully fabricated dream and dreams are often shattered.
This town, L.A it can swallow you whole and chew you up until it no longer likes your taste, you get caught up in it and then one day it all comes crashing down around you.
Dreams, what are they? Dreams are the things each person strives to achieve. My dream was to travel the world, to explore what every corner of the planet had to offer, and my dream began in a city called New York. I was picked, plucked, flung off a New York street, to be exact I was in the upper east side discovering the beauty of walking the concrete streets. An open-ended holiday, with no real return date went from me walking a Manhattan Street to having my world, my life changed in an instant.
There I was sightseeing, exploring what the Big Apple had to give. Time Square, Central Park, Brooklyn… the Statue of Liberty, the remains of what used to be ground zero - where once the ever-towering World Trade Centre once stood. New York, a concrete jungle of dreams, stunningly beautiful and captivating. They say this is the place where dreams are made but I had a sneaking suspicion that it also smashed a lot of people’s big bright futures.
But this isn’t about my holiday, it’s about my shot to fame. My Hollywood career didn’t start with a bang! I never went to acting school, I never studied at some academy of arts, majored in film and TV… no my career….
It started with a kiss…. Xx
Chapter Two
Finn
Here I go again….
I guess I was a sucker for my job. I could never turn an assignment down and it was apparent that this woman needed my help.
The briefing was extensive, supposedly this woman had not only been drugged at a famous individuals party, but she’d had death threat letters, parcels with toxic substances contained inside. Someone or several people didn’t like her, and it was starting to pan out like some Hollywood movie, like The Bodyguard.
Client name: Callie Hart
Client is a well-known Hollywood figure.
She was drugged and dragged into a private room at a party, where no one is entirely sure of what went down, but she was discovered by a woman and taken to the E.R for her safety.
She’d been tested and found that a sedative was used along with some form on narcotic to drug her. Rape test was undertaken and came back negative to any foreign DNA. She remained in hospital for a few days and then was put on bed rest for several days thereafter, doctors’ orders.
Some people are fucking insane. What did they think they’d achieve by drugging this woman? She was a Hollywood sweetheart, a darling on the screen but someone had a vendetta for her. My job, it was to protect her and keep her safe until the culprit was tracked down and brought to justice. This wasn’t going to be easy that much I could tell. She wasn’t stupid, she was just blind to the fact that her security team weren’t the best at their jobs. She needed a 24/7 bodyguard and that was now my task. I was gonna live with her and follow her in a way that wasn’t going to piss her off but wasn’t going to fuck with my own mind.
“Are you sure you want to take this on?” Nivella asked.
“Are you afraid I’m not good for the job?” I voiced.
“Finn, I know you’re perfect for the job but she’s young, beautiful and I know what young and beautiful could do to a man,” Nivella pronounced.
“Do you think she has that much persuasion and influence that she could sway me?” I replied.
“I just know what a case like this involves. I know what it could bring up, especially when… well you understand,” she spoke.
“I get it. She’s a smart, beautiful woman who’s obviously in need of help. She’s a damsel in distress, but I’m not about to get attached or jeopardise my future because of woman.”
“That’s why I ask. Are you sure you want to take this on?” Nivella asked yet again.
The briefing was extensive, detailed… I’d ready it twice and I knew the instant I read her file that it had the potential to bring up some old memories, ones I’d spent a good deal of time quelling. I could see this potentially being a challenge but one I’d ultimately jump on because I never shied away from anything. I didn’t spend years working in the special forces unit to be afraid of risks.
Chapter Three
Callie
The instant I stepped into the room I knew something was up, everyone including my manager Kyle were present and the only time I had this many people in one room staring at me was when I was laying in a hospital bed drugged out because of some sick individual.
Kyle, Hallie, my security team, even the fucking gardener was standing in the dining room. I knew everyone, except for the big burly guy in a tight-fitting designer suit. He piqued my interest but at the same time frightened me slightly. He was tall, had an aura to him that set out a calming effect but also warned me not to mess with him.
“Who the hell is this?” I ask pointing at the extremely tall man. The instant the words left my mouth, Kyle stopped talking and focused in on me.
“Finn Tanner, your new bodyguard,” Kyle announced.
“Why do I need yet another bodyguard?” I murmured.
“Are you kidding me Callie!” he yelled.
Great I was going to receive a lecture I could feel it. He wasn’t impressed with what had happened to me and the instant he was called that night I knew how his brain was ticking over. He
needed to minimize the damage and work hard to see it never happened again.
“Kyle,” I screeched.
“Don’t fucking Kyle me. He’s good at what he does Callie,” he reassured.
I didn’t give two shits if this guy was good at his job or not. I didn’t need a new security team when I already had a crew assigned to protect me and I was gonna make it known to Kyle that I wasn’t impressed with this decision.
“You’re replacing my security?” I groaned.
“Callie, your security team fucked up royally and to be honesty Kane is lucky I didn’t sack him for the shit he let happen on his watch. They couldn’t keep you safe and some sick human being managed to drug you and drag you into a private bedroom at a party that we weren’t permitted to attend. If it wasn’t for Thera finding you and helping you, I’m not sure what would have happened that night.”
“Nothing happened that night,” I said.
“You don’t get it. If something did, it’s not the crazy persons name who is tarnished it’s yours. You’re a Hollywood sweetheart who’s been played upon. So, while you’re under my management there is no way in hell, I’m putting your safety at risk again. This is it; he stays, he looks after you and he is now head of your security team,” Kyle dictated before turning on his heal and walking away.
Fucking hell, he just gave me a verbal ass kicking. He had the final say and he wasn’t going to discuss this any further and apparently this was law, his law but he was going to see it through.
What he said was true, it would be my head on the chopping block. I knew the saying all publicity is good publicity but for someone to target me and ruin my name would kill me. I’d never be able to recover from that; the shame would live with me for forever and I’d already felt enough shame as it was.
“Kyle,” I screeched once again, I hated that he was gonna get the last word in.
“Fucking suck it up princess. He is going to be with you for a long time. He will watch you eat, sleep… he’ll even watch you take a fucking shower if it means you’ll be safe,” he voiced disappearing before I could object to his words.
Fuck me! No way was this man watching me do anything… and I did mean anything.
“Kyle,” I yelled again but it was pointless he was gone and everyone else was clearing out of the room, everyone except for the bodyguard. It was obvious this guy was going to be sticking around.
I continued to groan but more under my breath so he couldn’t hear me, but I bet he could read my body language. I wasn’t going to make this easy for him, if he thought I needed him he was mistakenly wrong.
“You’re the professional?” I said as I turned around from starring at Kyle’s exit and crashed headfirst into his chest. Damn, the guy was rock solid.
“I take my work seriously if that’s what you’re implying by professional,” he voiced, this thick accent rolling off his tongue. It commanded attention and the minute words left his lips, I couldn’t help but be drawn in. My eyes instantly looked up and locked with his. Fuck! They were beautiful, the shade of sky blue yet there was this interesting ring of pale yellow that seeped in. I quickly stepped back and decided it was time to interrogate this man.
“Let me guess, secret service, CIA… KGB?” he had to be a part of some organization like that. I was going with Russian something… the accent was there if not slightly hidden behind his raspy thick British-ness.
“KGB became disbanded in 91, it’s the year 2020… that was almost thirty years ago,” he said.
“Well, you look old,” I snickered.
“Not that it matters darling, but I’m only 5 years older than you,” he remarked.
“And you know my age?” I inquired.
“I know lots of things about you, but that’s beside the point?” His snarky tone laced every word that spilled from his mouth.
“Who do you work for?” I asked once again. He’d tell me, I always got what I wanted, and I could get him to talk.
“I’m ex special forces, darling,” he said the tone in his voice deepening with the word darling as it rolled off his tongue.
Just like that the words sunk in and created the most sensational feeling that raced through me, causing goosebumps to prickle my flesh. I wasn’t sure what it was, but the feeling was glorious but whatever it was could piss off because, no way was I letting my pesky vagina fell anything for this man. Special forces, what woman in a only meant one thing, trouble and it was obvious I didn’t need any more trouble. He was… well he was far sexier than I’d anticipated him to be, but I couldn’t give a shit if he was as hot as freshly baked donuts covered in all that delicious cinnamon sugar… those thoughts, his appealing aura wasn’t happening. He wasn’t staying and no way would he be protecting me.
“Is something wrong?” he asked.
“It’s… nothing. I just know what service men go through when they’re serving the country,” I blabbed.
Alright so it wasn’t the entire truth, more a half truth. The men and woman who served this country in whatever regiment or branch of the forces were heroes. However, it wasn’t what I was thinking. The truth was, if anyone thought of trying to fuck with me, they’d be set for a rude awakening especially with this man around.
With that thought, I stepped around him and walked into the kitchen. My throat had gone dry and I honestly needed something stiff to drink to keep my vagina from wanting to crawl out of my pants and jump the guy that was… well a pain in my ass and he hadn’t really done anything. I couldn’t help but picture aliens, you know when the alien splits open the hosts chest and screeches… ha-ha yeah, I could picture my lady bits doing that to this guy. Clearly, I had a fucked-up mind but thank the lord I hadn’t blabbed this to him, or he’d send me to the nut house.
I had a million thoughts racing through my brain. How on earth was I going to enjoy myself with this fucking lug of a man following me everywhere? Did Kyle even think of the mere fact that I was a public figure, that hiring this guy was only going to draw more attention to myself. There was no way I could simply walk around without having people stare at me.
“Mr Tanner!” I said as I opened the top cupboard, it was full of liquor and I needed it all. I stretched and tried my best to reach up and grab one of the bottles. I was such a fucking short ass bitch or maybe the cupboards were just to damn high. I was going with the later because I’d rather believe I was taller than I really was.
“You can call me Finn,” he answered.
Finn… I liked it. It was raw and sexy as. Fucking hell Callie! You gotta find your dildos and go to town because the truth was sleeping with any guy wasn’t an option but to go and fall into bed with this guy was only going to end in disaster.
I leant up a little more and slightly slipped on the marble flooring almost falling flat on my ass if it wasn’t for the fact that two big hands grabbed me and hoisted me up so I could reach the damned bottle of hard liquor. The instant touch of his fingers on my skin sent my body a little crazy, like and electric current coursing through a power cable. I felt my breath catch in the back of my throat and I knew the light-headedness would start soon… this was far too close for my liking especially when we’d only just been introduced.
“I could have used the step ladder,” I mumbled under my breath as I starred into his big blue eyes. His hands were perfectly positioned on my exposed hips. I was wearing denim short shorts and a singlet top that showed off far too much of my midriff. This was my home after all, and I liked being comfortable but if I’d known about the multiple people invading my space, I may have addressed more professionally.
I wouldn’t have ever dressed this way especially in front of this big lug of a man. He was huge, not to mention fucking gorgeous and this weird tension I could feel between us was starting to irritate me in all the right ways and I couldn’t wait to go out clubbing with some friends and kiss a few boys to relieve this feeling.
“You can let go of me now,” I said… it was mor
e like a demand because I needed some breathing space.
“Next time use the ladder… or ask for help,” he groaned, letting go of me as he stepped away. I watched as he walked off into the direction of Kyles office.
Shit!
Chapter Four
Finn
Bitch! A beautiful bitch but a bitch, nonetheless. This was obviously going to be harder assignment then I thought. This woman needed a good swift ass kicking and maybe that might make her realize exactly how in trouble she potentially was. If I was her manager, I so would have fired those incompetent fuckwits she called her security. It was blatantly obvious they had no fucking idea what to do. They couldn’t even keep her safe inside a Hollywood party.
Speaking of Hollywood, Callie was it. She wasn’t just a woman she was a Tinseltown superstar. She had it all, she could sing, act and it was apparent she had the brains and beauty to go with the title. She knew more than women twice her age. She had investments, her lawyers were the best of the best and yet someone in her circle or close to her had a vendetta and wanted to see her suffer. She wasn’t safe, not while she had….
“She’s gonna make my job hard,” I voiced as I stepped into Kyles office.
“No one said it was ever going to be easy, but I didn’t just hire you to protect her Finn. I need you to scare her into realizing that what’s been happening isn’t a joke. I need you to make sure she grows up. She’s naive about so many things, she likes to see the world through rose coloured glasses. She may seem bitchy but that’s her protective walls kicking in. She’s known as a sweetheart, give her time she’ll warm up to the idea of you,” Kyle voiced.
“Time may not be something she has,” I said.
“You read the files?”
“Nivella gave it to me, you know how I work. I read it twice. What I still can’t understand is why her security wasn’t with her inside that party. If she’s as high profile as you say, then why wasn’t someone with her?”