Gabe

I’ve decided to do a live video on Facebook. No fucking around. Just go live on social media and get it over with.

Julian, Vaughn, and Charly left to give us some privacy while I do this video. Martin left straight after checking Ava’s car and mine. Thankfully, they were clear. He said he’d be in touch as soon as he had something on the bugging devices.

I also spoke to Gil. Told him to scrap the press release. I told him that I was going to do this myself, my way. He’s not too happy with me doing a live video. But it’s not like I’m doing a Q&A session. I’m just going on there, telling my side of the story, and then I’m done.

I also told Gil about the bugs in my apartment. He’s on with the lawyers right now. And I gave him Martin’s contact details, so the lawyers could talk to him directly if needed.

I’m just having a cigarette out on the terrace.

I glance over at the drinks on the table. They’re still there.

I’ve not had anything to drink. I want to do this video with a clear head. But I know I will drink something before the day is out. I can’t not. I just need to watch how much I drink.

And, first thing tomorrow, I’m getting in touch with whomever I need to, to help me kick this habit I have.

I want to be a better man for Ava. I want to be a better man for me. And cleaning my act up is the first step at that. But the cigarettes are definitely not going. For the time being anyway.

Ava suggested that maybe I could talk to someone about my past. About my parents and the way I used to earn money. She thinks it all contributes to my excessive drinking. A way to dull the memories.

I think she’s probably right.

“You ready, baby?” Ava steps out onto the terrace.

“Yeah.” I stub my cigarette out and get to my feet.

When I reach Ava, she takes hold of my hand and leads me inside.

“I’ve got your phone ready to go on Facebook live.”

“Okay.” I sit down on the sofa.

She sits on the coffee table, across from me. “I put Gucci in the kitchen. I didn’t want her jumping in the video or making noise while you did this.”

“She won’t be happy,” I tell Ava.

“I gave her some sliced apples and pears, so that should keep her happy for five minutes.”

God, I can’t believe I’m about to do this.

I swallow down and rub my hands on my thighs.

I’m shitting bricks. I’m man enough to admit that.

I’m about to go on camera and tell the world things I’ve been keeping secret for a very long time. But I don’t have that choice anymore, thanks to that bastard, Digby, and Sandy, his bitch of a sidekick.

“You okay?” Ava reaches over and squeezes my leg.

“Yeah, I’m good. Let’s do this.”

“Okay.” She smiles gently.

She lifts my phone up to video me. “Just tell me when.”

I run my hands through my hair and take a deep breath. “Okay…I’m ready.”

“It’s just counting down. Three…two…one…” She gives me a thumbs-up to tell me I’m live.

Here goes nothing.

“People of Facebook. Hey. I’m sure you know who I am because you’re on my social media page. But, for those of you who don’t, I’m Gabriel Evans. If you’re one of the lucky ones who doesn’t know who I am, well, I’m sure you will soon enough. A news story about me went out last night, and that’s why I am here. Because I want to address the things that have been said about me.

“I could have done the press release stuff. But I didn’t want to hide behind a piece of paper pulled together for me by my publicist. I wanted to talk to you all directly.

“I know what you’ve all read about me in the media over the last day. And I’m not here to deny any of that. It’s true. My parents are in prison. They’re serving time for racketeering, drug trafficking, and murder. But I think the piece of news that has probably shocked and intrigued everyone is that I used to sleep with women for money. That is also true.

“But the truth you’ve been given by the so-called journalist who released this story is a vague representation of what actually happened. There are reasons behind people’s actions, and there were reasons behind my actions. It’s easy to judge based on the initial outlined facts, but when you dig a bit deeper, color in the actual picture with details, those actions begin to make more sense. The story that you first thought you were getting suddenly seems a hell of a lot clearer. A lot more understandable.

“I hope, by telling you the details of my story, you’ll see that, sometimes, when you read something in the media, even though the facts stated are the ‘truth’”—I air-quote the word—“they’re not the whole truth. So, here it is.” I clasp my hands together in front of me and blow out a breath.

“But, before I get started on the details, I firstly want to apologize to my girlfriend, Ava, who is currently standing behind the camera, filming me for you guys.” I look directly at her, our eyes meeting.

“I was led to believe that Ava had betrayed me. That she had recorded a private conversation between us and sold the rights to the story to a vulture of a man who I won’t even give the dignity of naming, but I think you all know who I’m talking about. I blamed her. Yelled at her. And told her to leave our apartment—yeah, I did that. But, in my defense, the evidence against her was strong. The people behind this went to great lengths to make it look like it was Ava who had done this. But it wasn’t Ava.

“She is a victim in this, as much as I am. Our privacy was invaded, and a private conversation between us in our home, detailing events from my past, was recorded without our knowledge, and then Ava was tricked into signing a release form disguised as something else. This might sound far-fetched, but sometimes, the truth is just that—far-fetched. Because we good people would never do something like that, we find it hard to believe that someone would go so far. Believe me when I say, they would. The lengths these people went to, to get this story is fucking scary. And something needs to be done about that, but that’s for my legal team to deal with.

“My past is mine. But, as it’s been made public knowledge, I want to clear some things up. Yes, my parents are in prison. The crimes they committed are in no way a reflection on my brother and me. You can’t choose the family you’re born into. And my brother and I definitely didn’t choose our parents. But having him as my brother is the best thing to come out of it.” I take a breath.

“When our parents were arrested, I was seventeen, months from my eighteenth birthday. My brother was twelve. He was, without a doubt, going to be taken away from me and placed with a family. We were all each other had left. So, we ran. Using what little money I had in my savings, I got us a place, and I landed a job. But the money wasn’t enough. Before I knew it, I was working three jobs and still barely scraping by. I was just paying the bills and feeding us both.

“Then, the chance to get into escorting was presented to me. It was more money, not tons, but it meant I could work one job during the day and escort on nights. Then, after a while, things changed. I was offered money to have sex with a client. A lot of money. I was young. Getting paid to have sex with a hot older woman, more money than I would have made in a month, was a dream come true. So, I did it. And I carried on doing it. The money gave us a better life, and even though it was—is illegal, I don’t regret what I did because it meant that I could give my brother a better life.

“Then, I was lucky, and things changed for me. I got the opportunity to get into acting, and my life got better from that point on.

“I won’t sit here and say I’m proud of what I did. But, if I were put into that situation again, would I do things the same? If it meant keeping a roof over my brother’s head and being able to feed him, then yes. We all do things that we’re not proud of, but when you go to judge me for my decisions in life, think about yourself—what you would do for those you love. And then think about me again and see if your judgment would still be the same.

“So, that’s it. Thank you for listening to me. And I’ll see you guys soon.”

I look at Ava, and she ends the video, holding the phone in her lap.

“How did I do?”

“Amazing. Gabe…that was…perfect. If people don’t understand and love you even more after that, then they must be stupid. The views were into the hundreds of thousands, and the comments were coming through thick and fast. I could barely keep up with them, but they all seemed to be comments of support. There was an awful lot of love hearts flying across the screen.”

“Really?” That picks me up.

“Really.” She smiles.

She comes over and straddles my lap, handing me my phone. “You should take a look, see for yourself.”

“I will. In a minute.” I put the phone on the sofa beside me. “I just want five minutes with my girl.”

I take her face in my hands, bring her to my lips, and kiss her.

“Thank you for being here,” I murmur against her mouth.

She leans back, looking me in the eyes. “Where else would I be?”

“After the way I treated you, I wouldn’t have been surprised if you had never come back to me.” I sigh. “I know I’m difficult and an asshole ninety percent of the time, but I do love you.”

“Ninety percent’s a bit generous. More like ninety-nine-point-nine percent of the time.”

“Funny.”

“I’m a comedian, didn’t you know?” She grins. “You’re being too hard on yourself. Let’s just forget everything that happened and focus on the future. You’ve got a house to build me, remember?”

“Yeah, I do, don’t I?”

She nods.

“I’ll still have to deal with Digby and Sandy though.”

“I know. But we’ll do it together, Gabe.”

“Together sounds pretty fucking good to me.” I tightly band my arm around her, bringing her closer.

“Baaahhh! Baaahhh!”

“Sounds like Gucci’s finished her food.”

I chuckle, and Ava laughs.

“I’ll go let her out.” She gets up from my lap and walks to the kitchen.

The next thing I know, the bundle of fur called Gucci comes flying into the living room. She jumps on the sofa and head-butts me in the arm.

“Jesus, Gucci! Nice to see you, too.”

“Babe, you want a coffee?” Ava calls from the kitchen. “I’m making one.”

“Sure,” I say.

Gucci settles down on the sofa beside me.

I pick my cell up and swipe the screen open.

It’s still on the video. The comments are filling my screen.

I’m reading through them when Ava comes back in the living room. She hands me my coffee and sits on the sofa next to me.

Gucci gets up and climbs over my lap and onto Ava. Then, she sprawls out, stretching across us both.

We chuckle at her.

“What are people saying?” Ava asks.

“That they think I’m awesome.”

“You are.”

I turn my phone off and put it down.

“You okay?” Ava asks me.

I look at her, sitting here beside me with Gucci lying on us, and I know that I’ve never been more okay in my life.

I reach out and cup her cheek with my hand. I press a kiss to her lips. “I’m more than okay,” I tell her. “You’re everything to me, Speedy. You know that, right?”

She presses her hand to mine. “I know. And I hope you know, the same goes for you.”

“I do.” I smile.

And I really do.

I know, with her by my side, everything is going to be just fine.