by Maggie Mundy
Three hours later, everything was done for the day. She grabbed a coffee as Declan came and stood beside her.
“You okay? You look pale. Even Bec can’t hide the fact with makeup. Something wrong?”
“Nothing. Just family troubles. I’ll sort it out.”
“Well, let me know. Cassi will kill me otherwise. You know what a protective mother hen she can be.”
“I’ll be good.” Gemma turned to go back to her room. Brandon was talking to Colin but still glanced her way with an unsettling smirk. Then she saw Julia with Kurt, and an idea started to form in her mind. Julia came over as Kurt went to talk to Declan and his brother, Jack.
“Hi, Gemma. Kurt has been watching you work today and is impressed. I think the chance of being in his next movie is getting stronger by the minute.”
Gemma considered telling Julia about Brandon, but she didn’t want to put her in an awkward position. In any case, there might not be any truth to Brandon’s accusation. She had no intention of putting her mother through hell for nothing. Gemma might not see eye-to-eye with her mom, but she didn’t want her mother’s life messed up because of her.
Kurt walked over, shook her hand, and pecked her on the cheek. Gemma could almost feel Brandon bristle in the background.
“It’s great to see you. I really enjoyed the charity night. Did you buy anything?”
Kurt smiled and leaned close. “Don’t tell anyone, but I was lucky to get one of Audrey’s originals. Gone up in value already. If you like, why don’t you pop over tonight and have a look.”
Gemma hadn’t thought Kurt was interested in her. She wanted to use him to fend off Brandon but didn’t want to have to fight him off as well. Then again, maybe she could get Kurt to get Brandon to back off. He might do it if he held a bit of a flame for her.
“Sorry, Gemma. That was a bit forward of me. Please come over as a friend. I think you and I have more in common than you think. This new project I want to do deals with some complex social issues. I want someone to act in my movie who is as passionate as I am.”
She didn’t want to use him, but if it gave her more time to deal with Brandon then she would go to Kurt’s place. She really hoped she wasn’t getting herself in a worse situation.
****
She was wrong. She was always wrong where men were concerned. Gemma sat on the edge of the couch as Kurt poured some wine. He turned and smiled at her. Gemma smiled back. Since she’d gotten here to his apartment, he’d been trying to steer her toward the bedroom. Why did every man she spoke to automatically think she wanted to have sex? To hell with his movie and his artwork, even if she liked Audrey.
Gemma went cold and held her breath as she watched Kurt drop a pill into one of the wine glasses. She needed to get out of here and fast. She had an inkling Kurt would not be taking no for an answer.
Chapter Four
Mitch took pictures in all sorts of situations, but not many as bad as this one. Ten feet above the ground and perched up a tree. He needed to get some guts as this picture would be worth lots if he could get it. Five grand could pay bills, but it would need to be amazing to get that. Mitch took a deep breath. He fucking hated heights with a passion. His throat went dry as he looked down. The ground gave the impression it was rearing up at him.
Look up, you fool, and stare at the bark of the tree.
His breaths slowed as he watched a bug wiggle its way up the tree trunk. If he kept staring straight ahead at the action in the house, he would be cool. Fuck, nope, he was going to vomit. He was a big guy and yet always struggled to take a step off the ground. Even his sister fixed the antenna on the roof while he held the ladder at their place. Lili still gave him crap about it.
He needed to harden the fuck up and get on with it. The tree provided a perfect shot of Kurt Donner’s balcony and main room beyond. Beggars couldn’t be choosers and he needed the money. If Kurt didn’t pull the curtains, Mitch should get the money shot. He could almost count the dollars he would get for these pics.
Mitch twisted his legs around the branch to stay in position. Like most paparazzi, he dreamed one day he would get the photo. The one he could make enough money on to give up this shitty paparazzi business. But for now, he would have to cope with the fact he would never have kids because his balls were being squashed by a knot on the branch. He wasn’t dad material, anyway. If he ever had a daughter, he’d always be on the lookout for bad guys and beat shit out of them if they hurt her.
Someone moved in the apartment and Mitch aimed his camera. “Yes. Now just move into the limelight for me. You know you want to. I’ll even make sure they spell your name right.”
Kurt moved toward the front window and glanced out. Mitch hoped the branches provided enough camouflage so the prick wouldn’t see him. Mitch always made it a habit to wear black at night so he wouldn’t stick out. He might be tall, but he could blend into the shadows.
He remembered how he had blended into the shadows with Gemma the other week. For some reason, Mitch couldn’t get her off his mind, and wasn’t interested in anyone else. He was an idiot because he would never get close to her again. He needed to stop thinking about her and get his mind back on the job. He loved doing work with the homeless, but he needed money to pay the bills. It wasn’t only about him, but his sister, too.
Mitch thought Kurt, being a big director, would have lived in one of the gated estates. Apart from the wall in front of the tree, the public could get in. Maybe the dickhead wanted it that way. Sometimes stars wanted the paparazzi at their door, especially if they needed the publicity. It worked both ways. Sometimes the rich and famous were so lonely the paps were all they had as an excuse for friends. He had known a couple of paps who had gotten close to stars. It never worked out in the end.
Tongues were wagging as to who the next notch on Kurt’s bedpost would be. As far as Mitch knew, Kurt didn’t have a magical dick, but could give bit parts or more in the next movie he directed. It amounted to the same thing. In Hollywood, it meant he scored. Kurt liked his name in the papers, as long as they spelled it right. It didn’t matter if it was good or bad. Society thought Kurt was pretty good at what he did, so he got the backing and the babes. People didn’t want to upset him in case he stopped them from getting work in the future.
Kurt walked away from the window and toward the bar. He poured some red wine and popped something in one of the glasses. Shit, he was giving the poor woman in there a roofie, and Mitch had the shot. The sleaze brought over two glasses. Kurt’s conquest sat on the couch and Mitch couldn’t see her. She wouldn’t even remember the night. Mitch reached into his pocket to pull out his phone and call the police. He hesitated as he considered how he would explain getting the photo in the first place. It didn’t matter. He couldn’t let this happen to any woman, whether he knew her or not. He would take a couple more pictures for evidence and then get whoever she was out of there. The police could do what they wanted with the pictures.
He clicked his camera and his gut clenched as Kurt’s visitor stood up. What the fuck? Why was Gemma here? He would take pictures of people to make money, but not her. The bills were building up and needed to be paid, but not like this. Not her. After the night in the alleyway, he promised himself he would never take a picture of her and sell it. He needed his head read for being a fool, but he was still standing by the thought.
He didn’t believe in love. He got hurt when he played with fire and he didn’t want to be burned again. Sex with Gemma. He was up for that. At the moment, though, he needed to save her from having sex which she would have no memory of.
Apart from his feelings for his sister, Mitch didn’t get sappy. Well, in the past he hadn’t. It all changed the minute he touched Gemma in the alleyway weeks ago. To be honest, it changed the night of the charity auction when their eyes connected across a room. Like the heat was there under the surface. His whole body had been turned on by her gaze.
Kurt had been after her that night, but Mitch didn’t think Gemma was in
terested in the director. He’d thought she was interested in him, but he was delusional. People like her didn’t want to associate with the likes of him.
His sister would go on about seeing that someone special and it clicking, whatever the hell that meant. Yep, right. It clicked when they saw a bank account or what one could do for them in L.A. Gemma didn’t need him and it made him want her more. It was the age-old thing of wanting what he couldn’t have. He should remember his place at the bottom of the gene pool. Paparazzi were only one step up from the gutter.
The stupid thing was, he hadn’t touched another woman since the night in the alley. What the fuck was that about? He had always liked sex with women, but he didn’t do the relationship thing. Mitch played with himself enough, and recently pictured in his mind having sex with Gemma. Imagining her up against the wall in his bedroom as he pounded her and she screamed for more. Thank goodness, common sense prevailed and stopped him from having sex with her in the alleyway. From the way she had reacted, she would have been more than willing. It would have been great while it lasted and then awkward when she realized what she had done. More importantly, he needed to consider what to do now.
Laughter drew his attention back to the house. Gemma took a sip of the wine and put it down. Kurt laughed as he picked the wine up and offered it back to her again. Asshole. Mitch nearly jumped from the tree, but he looked down, grabbed onto the branch, and nearly dropped his camera. He needed to do baby photos in the future instead of this shit.
Gemma probably wouldn’t remember anything in the morning if she drank the spiked drink. He couldn’t let it happen and live with himself.
Kurt tried again with the wine, but Gemma pushed the glass away. The doped drink splashed all over her breasts. Damn it, Mitch couldn’t hear anything. Gemma shook the wine off her hands as Kurt came back with a towel and wiped her face and then her breasts. She pushed him away, but Kurt persisted.
Kurt grabbed Gemma’s top and ripped it open. Mitch wanted to chop off the prick’s hands for touching her. Mitch, or the police, wouldn’t get there in time, and he needed to do something now to help. Gemma slapped Kurt across the face.
“You go, girl. Feel free to bring your knee up to his balls as well. His sort shouldn’t procreate,” Mitch muttered to himself.
Mitch pulled the branches in front of him apart as much as he could without toppling to the ground. He switched the flash on his camera on and started snapping. Yep. It got Kurt’s attention as the window reflected the bright flash.
Gemma turned and ran as Kurt stared out the window at the tree. Kurt shielded his eyes but Mitch kept snapping.
“Yep, keep looking at me. She’s gone, you excuse for a human being.”
The photos Mitch had were bad enough, but if Kurt had gone further, the photo would have made him lots of money. The problem was if he sold it, he wouldn’t be able to live with himself. For a guy like him, it said a lot. Mitch knew Gemma would never speak to a lower lifeform like him again if he sold it. He couldn’t stand her thinking about him like that. What the hell, he usually didn’t care what anyone apart from Lili thought.
His ankles unlocked from around the branch as he shuffled forward. Mitch reckoned some gremlin had covered the branch with grease as he swiveled around it like a kid on a climbing frame. He instinctively held his camera to his chest to protect it as he hurtled toward the ground.
“Ah, fucking hell.” Pain seared down his right arm from his shoulder that had taken the full force of the landing. His arm was bent at a strange angle and he couldn’t move it as heat wafted over him. He would black out from the pain soon. Where was his camera? It was dark and no one could see him among the bushes, but he needed to leave and get help. Lili would look after him. Had he screamed? He couldn’t remember. He took slow breaths, but didn’t want Gemma to come out and find him like this.
Mitch tried to ignore the pain and used his good arm to help him stand. His legs felt like jelly, but he shuffled around and found his camera and cell phone. The world started to spin again as the pain speared up his arm. He sat back down and leaned against the tree trunk. All he could hope was Gemma had gotten out of there and away. At least some good would come from this mess. He would give her the pictures and let her do what she wanted with them.
Mitch closed his eyes for a moment and took some deep breaths. When he opened his eyes, Gemma was kneeling before him. He must have been hallucinating. She held her hand against his cheek. It was cool, like a chill wind from up the coast. His head wobbled on his shoulder as he thought he would pass out again. At least she was away from that dick.
“Mitch. I heard you groan. Are you okay? Your arm looks all wrong. I’ll call an ambulance.”
“No.” He didn’t want the cops brought into this now she was safe. She wouldn’t want that either. “I know someone at the local hospital who’ll look after me.” Since that night in the lane, he had wanted Gemma to touch him. Truth was he wanted to touch her and adore every part of her body, but right now he thought he would be sick. She was safe, which was important. He had a feeling guys puking all over expensive boots was not much of a turn on.
“My car’s over there. Will you drive me? St. Bart’s Hospital is only four blocks away. I’ll be fine if you get me there.”
She looked at his car and then back at him. Gemma bit her bottom lip.
“Of course, but are you sure? I really think you should get an ambulance. Even in the dim street light you look pale.”
“Yep. I’m sure neither of us wants people to know we were here. The keys are in my jacket pocket.” There was no point beating around the bush.
Gemma went quiet and helped him. She might not have liked it, but it was the truth. He kept taking deep breaths to get through the agony. It was a good job he’d been beaten up in the past and he had a high pain threshold.
She was so small. He put all his weight on her as he stretched his good arm around her shoulder. His legs shook and buckled beneath him again. The tremors extended throughout his body and he was as weak as a kitten. Each step was torture as the pain jolted through him.
She let go of him as he leaned against the car. He pointed to his pocket with his good hand. She found the keys and opened the door. He threw his camera on the back seat and eased himself into the front. There was no way he could wear a seatbelt and he hoped she wouldn’t get stopped by the cops. He put the directions in his phone with his good hand and gave it to Gemma. He needed to close his eyes again and trust she could get him there in one piece.
Gemma sat in the driver’s seat and started up the engine. He saw her glance back at the camera on the back seat. She knew what he did for a living. It was purely a question of time before she asked the obvious. Right now he could only close his eyes and cope with the pain.
Gemma drove to the hospital in silence, which was good because he didn’t know what to say. She parked the car and rushed around to open the door for him. Mitch shook his head as he noticed her ripped top and her lacy bra on show. He could smell the wine that had been spilled on her. He didn’t want people to see her like this. Mitch didn’t really know her but believed she deserved better.
“There’s my hoodie on the back seat. You should cover up.”
Gemma glanced down and then up at him. She looked mortified and he could see tears in her eyes as she bit her bottom lip again. He didn’t want her to feel bad around him. He wanted her to feel safe. Then the pain hit again and he leaned back against the car. He wasn’t sure he would make it inside.
She grabbed the jacket and pulled the zip and the hood up.
“Can you bring my camera?” He glanced around and the place was empty. At least she was safe from other paps for now. He didn’t like leaving his car here though. Some of the other guys knew his plate number.
Gemma reached in and grabbed his phone and camera. He put his good arm around her shoulder as they walked into the Emergency Department. It killed him that she would think badly of him, knowing what kind of pictures would
be on the camera. He’d never had a chance with her anyway. A kiss in a dark alleyway had been simply that. Once he had his arm fixed, he would get her to delete the photos or take them to the police. Whatever she wanted was okay with him. Maybe then she wouldn’t think he was a complete ass because of what he did.
The Emergency Department had a few stragglers sitting around as Gemma helped him approach the triage nurse. The nurse organized a chair for him and said she would contact Lili. A short while later, the nurse took him through to a cubicle and Gemma followed. He should have told Gemma to get a taxi and go home. She should leave before anyone recognized her, but the truth was he wanted her there. She sat outside while they gave him drugs and put his shoulder back in its socket. He lay there, hazy from the sedation, when she came back and in and gave him a crooked smile.
Gemma took his hand in hers like a close friend. She didn’t have to and he appreciated having someone there. The drugs had made him drowsy and he rested his head back against the pillow. She sat there and didn’t say anything, but then again what could she say in the situation? For now, they could pretend they were friends helping each other out.
Chapter Five
Okay, Gemma, why the fuck are you here? So the tall sexy paparazzo dislocated his shoulder. That didn’t explain why she was sitting in this cubicle, thinking her own stomach contents would burst forth from her mouth at the smells and sounds. Plus, Mitch looked so pale she could have thought he was dead. She had seen lots of dead people on set, but they got up and walked away like healthy-looking zombies.
He didn’t look healthy right now. She wasn’t the nurse type and could only cope with fake blood. On set she didn’t get the smell or the people in other cubicles groaning in pain. Every time she heard a strange noise, she grabbed his good hand tighter.
Mitch was a conundrum. He was not what most paparazzi were like. A really hot hipster was how she would describe him, with his long hair pulled up in a man bun. His brown eyes were almost black and she wanted to drown in them when he gazed at her. She had noticed them the first night they met at the charity auction. His normally tanned skin was pale at the moment. There was some Latino blood in him somewhere and it only made him sexier. Mitch also had that stubbly look she thought so racy, not that the poor guy appeared hot now. He woke up and gripped her hand as the pain hit him again. What a pair the two of them were. She couldn’t see how she was being supportive, but at least she was here.