by Maggie Mundy
“You’re not wrong where my mother was concerned, but he’s an old friend and has a girlfriend.”
“So, what happened?”
“My mother was in hospital when I got there and the doctors said it was a mild heart attack. She had her devoted friends and organizers visiting and there didn’t seem much point in being there.”
“I’m sure that’s not true.”
“It is. To be honest, I can’t blame her. I didn’t do what she wanted when I came to live here.”
“So, did you talk to her about what was bothering you?”
“No.”
“Are you going to tell me, because I kind of got the idea that was why I’m here.”
Gemma took a deep breath. She couldn’t avoid the conversation any longer and she didn’t want to.
“The associate producer, Brandon Perser, is the one still bothering me. I told him to get lost, but he says he will tell people about my mother’s infidelity and the fact I’m not my dad’s kid.”
“These things happen these days. If it’s true, your parents are living a lie anyway.”
“My mother’s life is wrapped around her involvement with the church. I’ve a feeling the person who could be my father is one of the clergy. It wouldn’t just affect her.”
“You can’t let this guy do this to you.”
“I know.”
“So, what are you going to do?”
“I want you to be my protector for a while until this blows over, or I can sort something out with my mother. Brandon has power around town, and if I asked this of anyone in the business, he could ruin their careers.”
“Whereas my career is seen as shit by most people, anyway. You know, half the time I get a phone call from a publicist telling me where their client will be. That the star is wearing certain clothes they want seen in the tabloids.”
Gemma knew that was true. “So, are you willing to be my protector?”
“Just your protector, or your fuck buddy as well? I suppose I could take syndicated shoots for a while and maybe your friends won’t want to kill me. I’ll be taking a pay cut and I need the money to pay for my sister.”
“I’ll pay you a weekly retainer to cover what you need. We can draw it up as a contract, but it will be secret.”
Mitch refilled their glasses and clinked his against hers.
“You can have your own room and escort me places when I need you to. When it’s mutual for both of us to share a bedroom, I have no objection. I hope this will blow over in a month or so. My mother should be well by then. I hope you can find something on Brandon to stop him from pestering me.”
“I think we have a deal. Only for the protection as you couldn’t afford me a sex worker.” Mitch laughed.
He was so wrong. No matter what he cost, she would have found the money from somewhere. If not, she would whisk him off to Vegas and marry him to get rid of Brandon. In fact, that didn’t sound such a bad idea.
Chapter Fifteen
Gemma enjoyed waking up with Mitch in her bed. She would love him in it every night if he signed up for their arrangement, but she could understand him wanting to keep some distance and business to the deal.
At times like this, she wished she could get up and cook some wonderful creation for him. The likelihood would be burnt toast. She really should learn to cook but just wasn’t interested. Learning to cook last night had been fun, though. Lots of sex and no food. It would be a fantastic diet. She would just call Mitch whenever she needed to lose a few pounds.
Gemma snuck out of bed and headed for the shower. She needed to get ready for work. It was six and she had to be on set by seven. She walked back out to an empty bed, disappointed not to see his half-naked body there. Gemma dressed and headed to the kitchen where he had the coffee on and was scrambling eggs. She could get used to this.
“So, are you happy to come and live here for a while?” Gemma hoped he was still open to the concept.
“I need to talk to my sister, but I won’t deny I’m open to your suggestion.” He winked at her.
“I have to head to the studio, but call me about moving in tonight. I’ll get some extra keys cut.”
Gemma took a gulp of her coffee and tucked into her eggs. Sex made her hungry and she emptied her plate. Mitch was clearing away the plates when the doorbell rang.
Gemma opened the door to find her friend, Kira Reeves. She was an up and coming star on the show and Gemma had taken her under her wing. Tears streamed down Kira’s face. The two of them were both due on set this morning.
“What’s happened? Come on in.”
Kira followed her in. Gemma noticed Mitch had gone back to the bedroom to presumably leave them in peace. Kira sat down and Gemma grabbed a box of tissues for her. “Spill the beans.”
“I was an idiot. I’ve been having a fling with Brent Saunders.”
Gemma rolled her eyes before she realized what she was doing. It wouldn’t help the situation. Brent was the young handsome husband of one of the most powerful agents in Hollywood. She could not see how this would end well.
“So, I assume you’re here because his wife has found out.”
“She doesn’t know yet. Brent said he was contacted by a magazine saying they had some photos taken of us by that shitty paparazzo called Mitch Lopez. The guy from the magazine said they’re considering publishing them but want to do some deal with Brent. The guy’s daughter wants an agent.”
Gemma’s stomach turned over as Mitch walked back in the room. He must have been standing in the corridor and heard everything because he was heading for the door to the garage.
“What the fuck is that bastard doing here?” Kira screamed.
Gemma followed Mitch. How could she go from fun time to this? She was an idiot and was playing with fire. She was interested in someone who was enemy number one to most of her friends and workmates.
“Mitch, wait.” She touched his arm as he made his way down the steps. He stopped and stared at her hand. She moved it away and wrapped her arms around her abdomen.
“I suppose you heard what she said.”
He shrugged his shoulders. “Yep, I did take the photo. It’s what I do. I sent it in and got paid for it. I have nothing to do with this deal the guy is trying to pull.”
“I may not know you well, but I have already worked out blackmail is not your gig, Mitch. If it was, you could have used a few things on me.”
Mitch stood with his hands in his pockets, staring at the ground. Gemma had a gut feeling she wouldn’t be seeing him again and it hurt more than she expected. When he looked up, his eyes were empty, like he didn’t know her or that they had shared each other’s bodies.
“Get in contact with a security firm and get someone here, or better, move into a gated community. We’re from different worlds and you need to go and look after your friend. I’ll make a call and see if I can help.” Mitch pressed the button for the garage door to open and then turned away to walk to his car.
“I’ll phone,” Gemma called out.
“Don’t.” He said it a low tone. He turned and didn’t look back.
Gemma went back inside. She had never deluded herself as to what Mitch did, but seeing Kira so distraught brought it home more clearly. She glanced at her watch. They would need to leave for the studio soon. Kira had stopped crying and peered at her with bloodshot eyes as she sat back down.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come here, but I didn’t know where else to go.” Kira shook her head. “Are you really with him?”
“We’re friends and I was talking to him about security issues. He’s a big guy and could scare people off if he needed to. I hate to say this, but we need to get to work. I’ll drive and you can tell me what happened on the way.”
It seemed the affair had been going for a month and Gemma was surprised the two of them hadn’t been caught out already.
“So, is this serious? Is Brent going to leave his wife?”
“I thought he loved me, but after last night
I could see he’s petrified she will dump him. He’s used to his standard of living. A new actress on the block won’t cut it. Plus, she could make it so he doesn’t get any more work.”
“First things first. Tell your agent, publicist, and manager in case this goes crazy. Trust me, you’ll live it down. Promise me you’ll stay away from married men though.”
“I will. All I’ve ever wanted was to act and I may have thrown it all away for a tumble in the sack. He wasn’t even that good. I’ve been so stupid.”
“We all make silly choices. Now dry your eyes and get Bec in makeup to do her magic.”
“Thanks, Gemma. You know, when I started on the show people said to be careful around you. I’m glad I didn’t listen.”
“Whoever it was back then was probably right. Trust me, I had my moments and I made lots of mistakes. Mitch saved me when shit could have hit the fan. I know it’s hard to understand in your present situation, but I trust him when he said he’ll try to sort something out.”
The two of them arrived on set and the day went smoothly. No sign of Brandon, which was good. Gemma sent Mitch a text.
I still want you to stay.
He didn’t reply. She would give him until tomorrow, and if there was still no answer, she would contact a security firm. It seemed stupid that Brandon was having such an effect on her life. Somehow, she needed to deal with the past. Gemma wouldn’t let her mom’s life be destroyed even if her mother never knew what had transpired.
Gemma pulled in the driveway and turned off the music. The front door opened as she pushed the key in the lock. Bile came up in her throat as her hands shook. Her cleaning lady must have forgotten to shut the front door. Then again, Shirley came on a Friday. She pushed the door in and walked inside.
“Shirley? Are you there?” The words stuck in her throat as she surveyed the mess that was her living room. The furniture was tipped up and the glass coffee table smashed. The vase was on the floor and the stems of the roses were there but no flowers. Gemma peered down the corridor to see where the petals had gone.
A trail of pink rose petals led to her bedroom. There was something disturbing about using the flowers to lead her in that direction. Her whole body went cold and she shivered. She pushed open the door to her bedroom and screamed at the sight before her. The rose petals led to the bed, which had been ripped to shreds. Torn sheets and feathers covered the room. Gemma grabbed her cell and texted Mitch.
Something’s happened. I need you.
Her hands shook, but she felt frozen to the spot. Please answer. He did.
“What is it, Gemma?”
Just hearing his voice calmed her. “Someone has broken into my house.”
“Where are you now?”
“I’m in the bedroom and everything has been ripped to shreds. I’m scared, Mitch.”
“Get out of there. Sit in your car and lock the doors. Then call the police. You’ll be okay. I’m on my way. Keep talking to me until you get to the car.”
Gemma ran back through the house and down to the garage, and then pressed the button so the garage door would open again. She jumped in the car and locked the door. Mitch hung up and she dialed 911. She had thought Brandon a nuisance, but would he really go this far to get at her? It was probably a coincidence and it was some druggie trying to get money for a fix. For all she knew, the perpetrator could still be in the house.
The cops arrived and Gemma wondered how long it would be before the paparazzi other than Mitch turned up. She wanted him here. She should have phoned Julia, but her first reaction had been to call Mitch. How could she be putting her faith in someone so quickly? She didn’t believe in the whole love-at-first-sight concept even if she lusted after him. It was a trust issue. She really trusted him and hoped he wouldn’t let her down.
The policeman walked into the garage and knocked on her car window. He was white and looked so young he might just have got out of school. His partner looked Hispanic and about her father’s age in his late fifties.
“Gemma Cassini. We had a call from you,” the young cop said.
Gemma got out of the car and glanced around. So far it was just the cop car, but that wouldn’t last.
“You called to say you had a break in,” the older cop said.
Gemma took a deep breath and tried to control the shakes. Would they want her to go back in the house? Because she wasn’t sure she could do it. A car pulled up and she turned to see Mitch get out. Tears came to her eyes as he approached. The cops looked at him with skepticism.
“This is my friend, Mitch. I called him.”
She explained to the cops what she had found and they all made their way inside. Mitch hadn’t said or done anything apart from giving her a hug when he showed up. She wondered if she had made a mistake in calling him. Then he grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze. That one action made her stop on the front steps and look at him.
“I don’t want to go back in there and it’s my home.”
“The cops need you to verify what’s happened. We can go somewhere else afterward. Just stay calm. I’m here with you.”
It was worse than she remembered and she couldn’t walk around like a kid holding onto Mitch’s arm. Yes, the place had been trashed, but the whole rose petal path to the bedroom made her tremble.
‘What the fuck?” came out of Mitch’s mouth.
The cops peered back at him.
“Sorry.”
The four of them made the rounds of the house. As far as she could tell, nothing had been taken. Nothing except her peace of mind. More cops turned up. They took photos of everything and checked for fingerprints. Gemma sat at the counter with Mitch beside her.
“I need to phone my agent, manager, and publicist so they know what’s going on. It won’t take long for this to get out.” Gemma walked out to the back deck and made the calls while Mitch stayed inside. As she chatted to Julia, she saw someone climb the back fence and a flash from a camera go off. When she walked back inside, she could see Mitch over by the front window. He closed the blind and turned back to her.
“Someone just took a picture of me out the back.”
“I know. I was just coming to tell you the police are nearly done when I saw the flash. My fellow paparazzi are out the front along with fans. What do you want to do?”
Gemma grabbed her purse from the counter and shoved her cell phone inside. The policeman came back out before she could say anything.
“We’ve done everything we can for now. If you want to clean up the place, that will be fine,” the older cop said. He stood before her and gave Mitch a once over. “Are you going to be all right, Ms. Cassini?”
“Yes. I’ll be fine.”
“We’ll look into this Brandon Perser and see what his whereabouts were today. We’ll contact you if we get any more information.”
“Thank you.”
The cops left. Gemma took a deep breath and looked at Mitch. “I can’t stay here tonight. I want to go somewhere and get someone to come and clean this up. I don’t feel safe here.”
Mitch took her in his arms and held her close. The strength of his strong body next to her calmed her racing heart. She could be tough at times, but right now she needed his support. When he moved away, he peered down at her and then gently kissed her lips. He could always make her forget the world when he touched her. Then he pulled away.
“It’s going to be rough out there. The guys know there is a story here. I’ll have my arms around you and will get you in your car. Give me the keys. Don’t answer anything. You have been up against the press and fans before.”
“Where are we going?”
“Let’s get in the car and away from here. I believe a hotel with good security would be our best bet. Do you want to grab some clothes or other items?
“No. I can’t go back in that bedroom at the moment. It freaks me out. If I need something, I’ll buy it.”
“Are you ready?” Mitch asked.
“Nope, but delaying it any longer is
not going to make it any better. I’m sorry I’ve pulled you into my mess.”
“Hey. Don’t be sorry. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t want to be. Okay then. Let’s go.”
Mitch placed his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close as they opened the front door.
Chapter Sixteen
Mitch couldn’t have foreseen a year ago that he would be on the receiving end of attention from his own kind. The camera flashes went off as soon as they were out the door. He stood at the top of her front steps with his arm tight around her shoulders and he wasn’t letting go.
The front lawn was lit up with a spotlight aimed at the door. There was even a TV van there with a reporter rushing up the front path, followed by others. Mitch headed toward the car as the reporters and paparazzi closed in on them. The more they pushed and shoved them, the closer he pulled Gemma to him.
“Is it true you’ve been broken into?”
“What’s going on with you and Mitch Lopez? Are you two together? Heard he had fun with you down a dark alley before.”
Mitch recognized the voice and turned to see his so-called friend Ralph. Mitch would get him for that later.
Mitch pulled the car door open and Gemma got in as he fended the others off. He got around to the driver’s side, and when he turned the engine, he tooted the horn. People started to move away as he revved up the engine.
The cameras continued to go off as he reversed down the driveway. He drove away, not sure where they were going but knowing someone would be following them for sure. It was what he would’ve done. He’d been one of those guys pushing and shoving in the past. It stunk.
He made his way onto the freeway and glanced across at Gemma. She hadn’t said a word since she’d gotten in the car. Her arms were wrapped around her waist and she was biting her bottom lip. Her world was flipping upside down and he needed to give her something to grab onto. If he didn’t, his sister would give him hell. She was already telling him Gemma was the best thing that had ever happened to him. Lili was right. He just believed Gemma deserved better.