I step off the bed and make my way over to Ben and I hear him say, “Okay I’ll be there as soon as I can. Thanks.”
“Who was that? Where do you have to go?” I rest my head on the bicep of his arm and I take his hand into mine. His scent has become even more alluring than ever before, I lean in and lightly inhale.
“Apparently the health board inspector has stopped in at Chatz and they found some bogus violations, which is ridiculous because I am always keeping up on that stuff. So I need to go back quickly and sign some papers or they will shut me down for a while, which I can’t let happen.”
“Now?” I ask.
“If I go now I can get it all done and hop back on a plan and be back tonight.”
I nod my head and let him gather up his things. Within a minute he is at the door, “Will you be alright here alone?” He asks me, but looks at my torso.
“I will take it easy and not push. I am good. Besides, Jennifer is here in the hotel I will have her come be with me and get ready together.” I tell him.
He pats his pockets to make sure he has his wallet and phone, “As long as you are okay with her after all that shit that went down.”
“Yeah, I am going to talk to her. She was misled, it wasn’t just her fault…”
“Yeah. Just be careful.” He kisses me on the mouth, sweet and I just savor it. “I love you and I will be back as soon as I can. If I am not back by the show, come right back here after.”
“You got it. Good luck and I love you.”
After I close the door behind him I decide to take a nap, I am exhausted and the air conditioner in here is finally getting cool enough for me to feel comfortable. I climb onto the bed, close my eyes and dream about walking down the aisle towards Ben.
My alarm sounds off and I have to get up and make my way to the place where the big concert for Tony is happening. I don’t feel like dressing up, so I just slip on my sneakers, tighten my ponytail and grab my camera bag. I hail a taxi and get to the venue in a flash, I didn’t realize the hotel was so close. Outside of the concert center there are lines of people, waiting to see Tony. It’s insane how popular he had become, an actual overnight success.
I jump out and decide to photograph the crowd. A few groups of young girl had signs, another couple of teens had made t-shits and others were just so darn cute and full of energy that I had to capture this. Even if it doesn’t make the feature I think Tony would enjoy seeing it. That’s the great thing about Tony, he cares. He wants all of his fans to know how grateful he is of them and that makes him so humble.
A group of young women call me out by name, which was a little unnerving. “Hey! You’re Tess right?”
“Um, yeah I am…” I mean what do you say to someone who is a complete stranger, who calls you out?
“Is it true that you are dating Tony Towers?” She asks me.
I shake my head no, “He is free as a bird. I am just the hired help and a friend.” I give the girl a polite smile and start to walk away.
“Can you get us backstage with him?” She yells after me.
I turn and feel a mood swing, “So you can what?”
The two girls look at one another and grin, “You know…”
“To fuck him?” I ask bluntly. The look on their faces are completely worth it. Their jaws drop open and shocked that I just came out and said it like that.
Thrown off she stutters her next few words, “Um…well...uh…”
I turn and look back over my shoulder, “He’s not that kind of guy ladies.” I shake my head at the thought that so many believe that he is a sex crazed rock star.
“Sure, you’re just saying that to keep him for yourself!” She yells.
Feeling cocky, I shake my ass as I walk down the long crowded line and in through the event doors waving my ALL ACCESS pass. Inside I find Tony and Jennifer talking to his rep from Smash Records. “Finally!” The man in the suit gusts once I reach them.
“Sorry, am I late or something?” I can’t help but silently laugh at my own words and inside knowledge.
The guy shakes his head and checks the time on his fancy watch, “No, but you are later than everyone else. Just get to work and start getting shots in.”
He turns and I salute the man making my two friends laugh. “Okay where do we begin?” I ask.
“Well I have already interviewed Tony on how he is feeling and such, so that’s all set. Now I just sit back and write about what I see.” Jennifer rattles off, avoiding eye contact with me.
“Can I talk to you Jennifer?” I nod my head over to an empty corner. I feel like we just need to clear the air. Oddly I am not that mad. Hurt? Yes, but not angry.
She follows me over, before she can speak I start “I just wanted to let you know that I want us to be able to be friends. I know what you did was for a decent enough reason. It wasn’t personal.”
I see her shoulders relax, “Thank you Tess, I really like you and want to be friends too. I know what I did was an awful thing, but…”
“You had to do, what you had to do. I get it, how old is your little one anyways?” I ask her.
She hugs me and in my ear tells me, “He is four and a half and the most amazing thing in my life.”
“I bet you’re an awesome mom.” She waves me off and wipes a tear away from her dark outlined eyes. She really is gorgeous with her big brown eyes and perfectly tanned skin.
“So, who was this Nicole chick anyways?” She asks me, and I remember that neither I nor Ben explained that part to her.
“She is Ben’s ex. They were supposed to get married and she cheated on him. She has been trying to break us up, to get back with him. She doesn’t seem to understand that, that will never happen. She really messed him up. Even when she knows that we are getting married, she is still trying.”
“What the fuck? I am so sorry Tess! If I had known any of that or who she was, then I would have told her where to go.”
I hug her, “I know that, that’s why I am not mad at you.”
“Want me to mess her up?”
I laugh, but then see the look on her face that she is completely serious I stop. “Seriously?” I asks.
She smiles, “You know I could.”
“You most definitely could, but believe me, she is not worth it.”
“But now I feel like total shit.” She says with a pained look on her face, which I don’t understand.
“Why?”
“Well, I may have made a move on Ben when he came here to visit you…” She closes her one eye in fear of what I will do.
My chest clenches, but I have to keep in mind that Ben would never do anything to hurt me and he told me he was never interested in her. “What happened?” I ask.
“I made a move on him and he pushed me away. I was a little tipsy and I didn’t really mean to. I kind of always had a little thing for him, and the fact that he never looked at me twice, turned it into a little game for me. And when I drink I get ballsy. Now, knowing about what you have been going through with his ex I feel like a fucking ass hole.”
“Thank you for telling me. I appreciate your honesty. How about we just start clean and move forward?” I just want to forget all the bad shit that was once again brought on by Nicole. Will it ever truly be over? I don’t know, but I can hope. I don’t think I could handle anymore drama.
I walk around the backstage, finding things to photograph and I find Tony on the phone. I creep up on him and he doesn’t see me behind him, “Thanks Dad, that means a lot to me and don’t worry about not making it here tonight, I understand … Yeah, next time.” He ends the call and turns to find me holding my camera up in his direction. He waves and smiles a cheesy over the top smile. “Well hello Tess.”
I wave back, “Excited?” I ask him, being this is his first solo show.
“I am. Nervous as all fuck, but yeah I am pretty stoked.”
I punch his shoulder, “So your Dad couldn’t make it huh?”
Tony shakes his head and offers me a
tight smile, “Nah, he was too busy at work. It’s all good though, because I am going to be touring on my own here shortly and I am headed that way for a show.”
“No way! That’s great Tony! Congrats!” I jump him for a hug and he spins me around.
He looks down at me before putting me down, “I suppose I can’t persuade you to join me can I?”
Once I am back on my feet I fidget with my shirt, awkward. “Sorry.”
He tucks a loose strand of hair behind my ear, it must have come loose from my ponytail when he spun me. “Look. I know what I did was messed up on the bus, but…”
“What?”
“Fuck, I am glad I did it. I knew it was probably going to be the only kiss I get from you. I really like you Tess, you’re different. There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you.”
“Tony…”
He drops his head and looks up at me through his dark eyelashes and his sexy guy-liner eyes. Tony is a great guy and our talks have been great, sure we have a connection, but I love Ben. “Look Tony, you’re a great guy, really you are. You’re sweet, sexy and talented, but I am with Ben for the long haul. We have a connection that can’t be broken.”
“I understand and I am gentleman enough to back away. I just had to tell you how I felt. If I didn’t I would have always wondered, what if? Can we still be friends?”
I smile, as I feel relieved by his confession. “Of course. Besides I wouldn’t have anyone else tattoo me.”
“How about after the show I hook you up? A thank you gift from me for doing the tour.”
Uh oh.
“Thanks, but no thanks right now. Besides I don’t know what I would get anyways.” Shit, I hope that’s a good enough reason. I can’t tell him or anyone about the baby yet.
He eyes me. Shit. “Everything alright?” He leans in and asks me. “I mean not many people I know would turn down a free tattoo…Oh my God!”
I quickly shush him and put a hand over his mouth, “Shut up! Don’t say or do anything. No one knows.” I am an inch from his face and I am on my tip toes just to get there.
He puts his hands up in surrender, “Okay, I won’t say a word. But, oh my God Tess! How long? Ah, man now I feel like a total mother fucking douche bag! I am so sorry!”
I smile, I am kind of happy I get to talk to someone about it. Sure, I’d prefer it to be my Mom or Erin, but Tony will do. “I am not sure. I just found out not too long ago.”
“Wow, well congrats Tess I am really happy for you and Ben.”
“Thank you, now can you start getting back to work, so I can do my job?” I wink.
He does an awkward air guitar pose and wiggles his tongue, “Take my picture!” He jokes, but I snap one anyways, “Hey!” He laughs and puts his arm around my shoulder and we walk to the side of the stage.
I am not happy about any of this. The last thing I wanted to do was to leave Tess alone in a city like Las Vegas. I mean fuck, so much bloody shit happens there.
“Hey Charles,” I greet my co-owner and bartender. I really don’t give the man enough credit. “So what’s going on with the health inspector? Where are the papers?”
He is getting ready for the Saturday rush and is drying some glasses behind the bar. He stops and gives me a look of total confusion. “What do you mean? And aren’t you supposed to be in Vegas right now?”
“I got a call from the health board saying that an inspector was sent in, because someone made a complaint about the place and I had to come in to sign off on an agreement.” I lean against the bar and wait for him to remember.
Charles tosses the white drying rag in front of me, “Hey man, no one has come in here to inspect a thing. We are up to code one everything.”
I can feel the blood wash from my head, any noises that were happening before are now unheard. My heart starts to pound and my vision goes dark for a moment, then it all comes in. Someone set me up to get me away from Tess.
“Fuck!”
Charles being a good friend that he is asks if I am okay, “Hey, Ben what’s going on? What can I do to help you?” He looks afraid, but of what? That I am going to stroke out or that I am going to trash something in here.
I grab my head of hair and I pull hard, anything to make my vision come back into focus and color to return. I slam my fist down on the bar, making Charles and a few bar patrons to jump. “I got to go, something is up and I need to get back to Tess now!”
I speed to the airport in my GTO, not giving a fuck as to where it gets towed to when I leave it at the entry of the airport, ignoring the man yelling at me that I can’t leave it there. I run to the counter and get the next flight out to Vegas, which leaves in twenty minutes. I run to my gate and call Tess. It rings but no answer. I look at the time and the show is going in full force right now, so either she can’t pick up, because she is busy, she can’t hear it or…
I don’t want to think about the or.
I keep calling, keep texting. I even try Jennifer’s number and nothing. I even have Towers number from Tones and nothing. Everyone must be working.
FUCK!
During the flight I keep trying and keep trying. My leg is bouncing and I keep rubbing my face. I can’t relax. I even snap at the flight attendant by asking how much longer until we land. When she offers me a drink to calm my nerves I snip at her a no thanks. I didn’t mean to upset her, but Jesus Christ!
The plane finally fucking lands and I see a man in a suit getting into a taxi, I pull him back by the shoulder causing him to land on his ass. I jump in and close the door. I snap my destination at the driver, who irritated, rolls his eyes at me. I tell him to go faster and he dishes back my same attitude. I apologize.
I call the three people again and nothing.
Nothing.
When we are pulling up to the concert hall I see a crowed starting to exit. I throw cash at the driver and hop out before he comes to a complete stop. I run to the doors, pushing young women out of my way, some swearing at me and flicking me off as I pass. I shove my way through the back stage, I see Jennifer, “Where the fuck is Tess?” I gust out, out of breath.
“I don’t know the last I saw her she was side stage getting ready to shoot the show.” She crunches her eyebrows, “What’s wrong Ben?”
“I was misled to go home and now she isn’t answering her phone. Where’s Towers?”
“In the green room most likely, come on, I’ll show the way.” She sees my despair and sprints to the green room, me close behind.
We reach the room and she swings it open, he is in there with a group of fans for a meet-n-greet. “Tony!” She waves him over from the crowed. He kisses a girl on the cheek and makes his way over.
“Hey Ben, you made it back.”
I look him dead in the eye and grip his shoulders, “Please tell me you know where Tess is!”
He puts his hands up, “No, I don’t. I assumed she went back to the hotel right after, because she might not be feeling well…” He drifts off from talking. Fucker knows.
“I have been trying to get a hold of her and nothing. I even tried you two. Did you see anyone talking to her, or abruptly disappear?”
They look at one another and shake their heads. Towers face goes pale at the same thought that I am having. Someone has her. “I’ll keep calling her and ask people. Jennifer you do the same!” He instructs her.
“Thank you, the both of you.” I give Towers a nod of approval and a look that says thank you.
Jennifer pulls me over before I start to run out the door, “Do you think Nicole has anything to do with this?” I had no idea she knew about her, but I am guessing Tess filled her in.
“I don’t know, but I wouldn’t put anything past her right now. She has tried many times in the past.” I start making my way out the door again, once I am outside I look up and down the strip. I know our hotel was just down the way.
Just as I am about to make a run for it, Jenn stops me, “Do you know if there is anyone else who would want to hurt her or you?”<
br />
My heart sinks to the floor.
“Wake up, baby doll…”
Who….what….where am I and why does my head hurt so bad? My ears are ringing so badly and my face feels like it is on fire.
Those words. That nickname… No. I try to open my eyes but they feel like they are sealed shut. All I feel is pain in my head. No, no, no…I go to reach for my belly for my baby, I can’t move my arms. I feel rope on my wrists. I finally realize that I am sitting up in a chair.
I feel a fingertip graze my jaw line to my lips. I feel the wet heat from my tears trying to escape this blindfold that I now know that I am wearing. I am afraid to speak, to speak will only acknowledge that this is real, that this is happening to me all over again. Except this time I have a reason to live.
The last thing I remember is heading to the balcony of the concert hall about half way through Tony’s show. After entering the level that’s it, everything is black after that point.
“Dave?” I ask, already knowing the answer. “Where am I?”
He laughs this light, eerie laugh that sends chills through my whole body. “All you need to know is that we are alone and your boyfriend is back in Seattle. He can’t save you this time.”
He yanks off my blindfold and the light in the room is dark, but he has a single table light on. I can’t see twenty feet in front of myself, to even begin to describe where I am. Not that I will be talking to anyone…
“How did you find me?”
“Funny thing about social media, once someone tags you in a few photos, it only leads to more information. Such as a musical tour and a highly advertised event. It wasn’t that hard at all, in fact I would say it all kind of fell into my lap.”
“Why?” I cry.
He steps in front of me and leans in close to my face, “You really need to ask why?”
I suck in a sharp, painful breath, “I didn’t deserve any of the awful things you did and tried to do neither does Ben. You did all of this to yourself!”
He shakes his head with that same creepy grin and traced his finger around my face, down the center of my throat, to the hollow of my neck. I can’t stop the silent tears from falling. This is it. He is going to finally win. His hand dips down into my shirt and I scream. I scream as loud as I fucking can. I cannot let this mother fucker win. I will not let him take everything from me.
Private Affair (The Private Series) Page 19