Untouchable

by Sienna Grant

  “I’d feel safer here anyway.” I nodded in agreement. “Let’s just enjoy the quiet together until you have to leave.”

  Snuggling my face against his chest, his arm tightened around me and he kept me pressed against him. My favourite place to be.

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  The bed was cold as I woke but I pulled the duvet up a little further and snuggled down. It sounded crazy, but I missed Roman already and it’s not been twelve hours since he left.

  Roman’s scent lingered on the pillows. It’s comforting. Inhaling a deep breath in, I pulled it into my lungs as I buried my nose further into the softness. After a few moments of breathing him in, I rolled over, taking my phone from the cabinet beside the bed to see if Roman had sent me a message.

  Holding up the device, I unlocked the screen and hit my messages:

  Good morning baby. Just landed. I know you’re sleeping right now but I wanted to let you know I had a safe flight. I’ll call you later before I go to the shoot.

  Love you, sweetheart.

  Instantly a smile tugged at my lips. It’s weird how I could hear him say every word that he’d written. It was as if he was saying them to me in person. Quickly typing a message out I hit send:

  Good morning. Glad the flight was good. Can’t wait to hear your voice. Missing you already and love you too.

  With the text sent, I jumped out of bed and headed into the shower. Once I’d washed and refreshed, I dressed in some jeans and a jumper. I didn’t have much to do today but go over the photos with Lesley from yesterday at the hospital, and hope the fallout wasn’t too bad after the press conference. I’d wait for Nikki to get here for that though, first, coffee and breakfast.

  Picking up the receiver on the bedside table, I rang down to reception and ordered a pot of coffee and the full breakfast works, seeing as I couldn’t decide what I actually wanted. I just knew I was hungry.

  Dragging the hairbrush through my hair, I scraped it up into a bun, slid my phone into the back pocket of my jeans and went out into the suite. I dropped my arse into the couch. I’m not sure what to do with myself at the moment. Roman wasn’t here, neither was Nikki, although I’m sure she wouldn’t be too long.

  Everywhere I looked there’s a piece of Roman around me. A t-shirt, the headphones he uses when Nikki and I are working so he doesn’t disturb us... then the door knocks, dragging me from my reverie. I jumped up and let room service in.

  Kevin is around and I knew he wouldn’t let anyone up here if they weren’t supposed to be. Though as I open the door, it isn’t waiting staff, it’s Nikki.

  “Oh hey. I wasn’t expecting you yet.” She strode past me, a determined but thunderous look on her face. With a frown settling on my forehead, I wonder what it could be that has her in this mood. ‘What’s wrong?”

  As she dumped her bag on the couch, I noticed a newspaper clenched tightly in her hand. ‘I need to show you this. I really don’t want to, but I have to.”

  Reaching out, I silently demanded the paper from her. I’d been waiting for this, waiting for something anyway.

  The door knocks again, Nikki walked over, pushing to her tiptoes to look out of the peephole. Tugging open the door, she greeted the wait staff with a ‘morning,’ and a second later the trolley was being rolled inside. The paper was still in my hand, but I hadn’t opened it out yet. I heard her thank the waiter, the door closed, and she went straight to the coffee pot. “I’ll grab you some coffee, you’re gonna need it.”

  “What’s going on?”

  “Please, just take a look.”

  While Nikki poured us coffee, I opened out the newspaper. What I saw on the front page though really wasn’t what I wanted to see. It's not the beautifully chiselled face of Roman, no, it’s me. In probably one of the worst pictures of my adult life.

  PUBLICIST BETRAYS BOSS FOR FLING WITH MODEL.

  Paisley Kennedy blatantly flirts with new face of Hugo Boss, Roman Dean, after being sacked from Brantley Press for abusing a non-fraternisation policy.

  “What fucking policy?” Snapping my head to face Nikki, my forehead was tight with the scowl that I assumed had taken over my whole face right now. “I don’t think I ever signed anything. There was never nothing like that because I’ve NEVER mixed business before, Nikki. Please tell me you believe me.” Water welled in my eyes but it all got too much as and as I blinked, the tears fall over the edge of my lids to track down my face. “Why would Brantley do this? “

  “Maybe you should go back through your contract, there would have been something in there. Or maybe he slipped it in there after you signed, it doesn’t matter now.”

  “Maybe I did…?” I shrugged because I just didn’t fucking know.

  “Look, he’s a piece of shit and he knows that you were his star. Now he’s lost you.”

  “Then why would he sack me?”

  She shrugged, “Oh, sweetheart. I’m so sorry he’s done this.”

  Wiping away the wetness from my face, I skimmed through the article. There are more pictures on another page. There’s more of Roman and I in the car; leaving my apartment together; Rhys bundling me in the back of the Range Rover; they’re everywhere. “What the fuck, Nikki? Have you seen all these?”

  “I have.”

  “He’s been watching me, hasn’t he?”

  He even had a picture of me arriving here the night before we went to L.A. I think in my head, but I kept it to myself.

  “It looks like it. I think he wanted the scoop. The Roman Dean exclusive.”

  “But I don’t get it… that means that he gave me the job through false intentions. Did he know about our background, do you think?”

  “It would answer some questions. He’s a journalist, isn’t he? Aren’t they all sneaky?”

  “Hey, only the majority, the small minority are good people, looking to earn a living. To tell the news and the truth, not bullshit their way through a career.” I repeated back to myself what I said to Nikki. He can't have known. Did Gavin do this or was he coaxed?

  “Drink your coffee, babe. No one is going to read this bullshit.”

  “Oh no? People love news, whether it’s the truth or not. What if Roman sees this while he’s in L.A?”

  The tears cascaded down my face as I realised that I’d dragged Roman into a whole boatload of shit he didn’t even ask for.

  She wrapped her arm around my shoulders and brought me into her side, comforting me as I cried. All I could do was cry. There’s nothing else - I was finished. Swiping at my cheeks, I read further down, Brantley went on to say that I planned it all. That I went to him and said I could get him a story. Shutting the two halves of the paper, I slammed it down on the table with a growl and dropped my face into my hands. “I need to speak to Roman.”

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  “You need to take a look at this.”

  Rhys thrust his phone into my face. Struggling to open my eyes, I squinted at the bright white screen that’s right in front of me. Casting a glance at Rhys, I frowned at him and took his phone. I rubbed my eyes to rid them of the sleep that’s clogging them up and read whatever was so important that he had to wake me up for. Paisley's name and non-fraternisation policy are the only things I see. They stuck out like neon beacons.

  “What the fuck is this?” A scowl tugged at my brow, pulling my eyebrows together.

  “Keep reading. It's an article from her old boss. He’s saying that she planned it all, that your relationship is fabricated.”

  “No.” I shook my head at the monotony of it all. “She wouldn’t do that. She hasn’t got a fake bone in her whole fucking body.” Pulling my t-shirt on, I rose from the bed and headed to the window. It was still dark outside, it’s only four am, but now I was awake again. I was surprised I slept anyway, but with shitty jetlag too, it’s even more of a shock.

  Looking at the time here in L.A, I knew the UK would be up and about and at least I could ring Paisley. As I grabbed my phone from the bedside table, I saw a misse
d call from her and a message from Gav. My whole body huffed. I didn’t need his bullshit on top of all this. I leave the message unopened and called Paisley instead, she answered on the first ring and the first thing I realise was how much I’d missed her…

  “Roman. What are you doing awake?” She sighed. Although it seemed like a happy sigh, I could hear the turmoil in her voice.

  “Are you okay, baby?”

  “Not really. I wish you were here.”

  “So, do I, but I will deal with that piece of shit when I land. You just leave it to me.”

  “You've seen it then?”

  “Hell yeah, I have. Rhys has just shown it to me.”

  “Oh God, I haven’t done what he’s said I’ve done, I swear to you, Roman…” the pleading in her voice almost broke me but I steel it for now.

  “And I swear to you that I’m gonna deal with him. Keep your head down and inside the suite, you know how this shit works. I’ll get this shoot done and be home as soon as I can.”

  “Okay.” I heard her sniff back her emotion, “I miss you so much.”

  “Same here. I wish you could have come with me.” Looking at the time again I decided to cut it short. “Baby, I have to go, I need to try and get more sleep, ready for the shoot later. I love you.”

  “I love you. Speak to you later.”

  The call ended and I dropped my phone to the bed before putting my face into my hands and rubbed my weary face and tired eyes. “That bastard needs to look out when I’m back on British soil. Messing with me is bad enough but I won’t let them fuck with her.” I stated angrily to Rhys.

  Rhys slipped his phone into his pocket and nodded. “I know. We’ll sort him out.” I laid back down just as another text came through and Rhys went into his bedroom. Glancing at the screen I saw another from Gav. Instead of ignoring him I opened my messages to find out what he wanted. His first message was about Paisley.

  Have you seen the papers this morning? This is nothing to do with me, just so you know. I’m heading over there now.

  Look Ro, I know I did wrong, but I can explain. Just let me make it up to you and her.

  With a shake of my head, I typed back a message, I couldn’t ignore him forever.

  I’m in L.A on a shoot. I’ll be back in a couple of days, you can explain then, until then, leave Paisley alone.

  Putting my phone on silent I placed it on the side and got back under the sheets. I needed to get some sleep otherwise I was going to look like shit in the morning. I was already worried about Paisley being there without me and add that to no sleep. I’d look like I’d been dragged through a hedge or had a heavy night on the Jack.

  I got through the shoot later that day, but my head was full of Paisley and that bastard Brantley. I still didn’t understand why he’d done this, but I guess I’d find out when I got back, that scumbag was going to fucking wish he’d never even met her, let alone employed her.

  Once I was done with today’s photo shoot, we had a video to do. I was dying to ring Paisley, but I couldn’t until this was over. Sitting before the mirror, I let the hair and makeup lady do her work and tried to rid myself of the stresses that were currently leaving accentuated grooves in my forehead.

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  It’d been two days since Roman went to LA. I’d spoken to him late last night and he told me he was coming home early. He’d spoken to the powers that be at Hugo Boss and said he had some personal issues to tend to, they got him on an earlier flight. I couldn’t have been happier hearing that news. I needed him here.

  Nikki hadn’t left the hotel; she’d stayed with me here. She’d had messages from Gavin, but she’d ignored them. When I asked her why, she said that what he did was unforgivable. At that moment, I knew I had a friend for life.

  The hotel reception had rung through to the suite a few times informing us that someone was downstairs requesting to speak with me or Roman, and Nikki being the bulldog she is, answered very diplomatically that the press could go and screw themselves.

  Ever since the day after the press conference there’d been something in the papers about me. They’re like a dog with a bone and they wouldn’t let it go. If it’s not been about my so-called affair with Roman, it’d been about my poor upbringing and how I had nothing. I could thank bloody Gav for that though. I was so angry. Right now, I wanted to curl up in bed and wish the world would go away. Considering it was my job to deal with journalists, I really couldn’t handle this shit.

  As I flicked through the pages on my phone at today’s delightful articles, I realised just how low they can really go. My mum's name jumped out at me and water soon filled my eyes, brimming with tears that were just waiting to spill over. How dare they use my mum! That was lower than low. I was working for Brantley when I lost my mum to renal failure. I was twenty. It was the hardest time of my life and he was cashing in on it.

  I give in.

  I’m done.

  I fell to the mattress in despair and sobbed, sinking my face into Roman’s pillow. My body felt heavy. I was exhausted and I didn’t want to fight anymore.

  A door opened and closed out in the suite, I assumed it was Nikki. I stayed where I was and let all the hurt out; the sadness, the betrayal. It wept from my pores like a disease.

  I didn’t hear the bedroom door open, but I did feel the strong arms wrap around me and pull me against a chest. A firm chest that had a woodsy scent, one that could only be Roman. Snuggling my cheek against him I held him so tightly, I didn’t want to let him go.

  “Hey… shhhh, I’m here now.”

  I cried harder than before, the sobs wracking my body, it was kind of refreshing, calming even. I'd cried so much that my tears ran into my hair and the loose strands stuck to my face. Roman shifted them away as he stroked it softly.

  “Hey. You need to talk to me baby, because right now I’m ready to cause some harm to someone… and that isn’t going to be good for my image now, is it.”

  Tipping back my head, I met his eyes and tried to smile just as a shudder began to tear through me.

  “Please stop crying and talk to me.”

  “Brant…” my voice hitched again through my sobs, “...Brantley.”

  “What the fuck has he done now? I haven’t seen any news.”

  Pushing myself up from him, I grabbed my phone and passed it to him. With the back of my hand, I swiped away the moisture from my face and pulled in my knees. Wrapping my arms around my bent legs.

  I watched as the expression changed on his gorgeous face. From disbelief to sadness and then to downright anger. He passed my phone back to me and got up from the bed. His hands flexed as they balled into fists at his side and he paced the floor. “That bastard has pushed his fucking luck, Pais. I’m not putting up with this shit, not anymore.”

  “What are you going to do?”

  “I’m gonna teach him some fucking manners.”

  As Roman headed into the bathroom, someone knocked on the door to the suite. I dragged myself up from the bed and headed out to answer it.

  On tiptoes and looked through the peephole like I’d been told to and saw the very person I didn’t want to see again…

  Pushing on the handle and yanking open the door, I cocked a hip. “What do you want?”

  A frown tugged at his eyebrows, “Are you okay?”

  “Oh please, Gavin, like you even fucking care, now what do you want?”

  “I just want to talk, maybe explain…? Just don’t hit me again.” he threw his hands up in front of his face in a defensive stance.

  With a huff I turned away from the door and left Gavin standing there while I shout Roman. He barrelled through the bedroom door and stopped dead when he saw his ‘friend,’ I used that term loosely.

  “Gav?”

  “Ro. Look, I just want to apologise. I made a fucking huge mistake and I’m sorry.”

  “Thing is Gav, it’s not me you need to apologise to.”

  “Paisley,” he turned to me, but I didn’t want to
look at him right now.

  “I just want to make things right, guys…”

  “You want to make things right again?” Roman asked curiously. I had no idea what’s going through his mischievous mind, but something was planning out.

  “Yes, I do.”

  “Okay, I need to do something, but when I’ve done this, we need to talk this through. The three of us.”

  Walking over to me, he closed his hands around my face, caressing my cheeks as his thumbs smoothed over cheekbones, and he kissed me. Pulling him closer, I tried to keep him there, but he pulled away too soon. “I need you to stay here. Don’t answer the phone. I’ll make sure Kevin is around so no-one will get on the floor.”

  “Roman. What are you doing, please don’t do what I think you are…?”

  “No-one, and I mean no-one upsets the woman I love and gets away with it. But be prepared because tomorrow we may need some damage control.”

  With his lips moulded to mine in a soft kiss he pulled away. “Oh, and after this we need to talk, let’s say something has come up.” He brushed the tip of his nose with mine as a crooked smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth before he walked away. Gav followed and shut the door behind him.

  What the fuck was I supposed to do now, just sit here and wait? Nikki joined me on the couch and slipped her arm around my shoulders comforting me. I’m not sure what I’d do without her right now.

  Chapter Forty

  Stepping out of the lift into the parking garage of the hotel, I told Gav to drive. He pressed the fob for his car and I got in. Within seconds we were pulling out of the exit. Feeling him glancing from the road to me, I turned to look at him.

  “Where are we going?”

  “Brantley Press.”