Chapter 3
Speeding through the Hollywood Hills to get to Max is not something I had planned on doing tonight. I had much better plans with the brunette currently swimming in my pool. Things changed when the SOS call came and his bodyguard and I were on the way in seconds. I knew this was going to be a shit storm, I just had no idea the press would be all over his yard tonight.
The brunette can wait. Hell, I can’t remember her name anyway. I invited my neighbor over, promising a good time and I’m sure he’ll keep her busy while I’m gone.
Pulling into the driveway, I almost laugh. The only press in his yard is that tiny reporter that I’ve had dreams of strangling. She stands in a face-off with Max, toe to toe with his large frame towering over her. There is no intimidation in her posture at all. This chick has balls. I can’t help but respect that. I almost laugh when she sits down at Max’s feet and he looks stunned. She’s refusing to leave so she makes herself comfortable. When he sits down, even his bodyguard chuckles next to me.
Before the car is fully in park, I jump out and race toward the walkway. “Go inside, Max.” I try to stand over the reporter, shielding him. “And you, get up. This horse and pony show is over.”
“Wow. I didn’t realize when you called security that you’d have such a scary bodyguard. You get to be in the band and be all bad and threatening. Multi-tasker. I like it.” Katrina stands up and looks up at me. Brass balls! “Care to comment on the events of the day?”
“Get inside,” I bark at Rachel, who has now joined the chaos. She salutes me, causing Katrina to laugh. “Rachel, I’m not playing. Get your ass inside.”
“Rachel who?” Katrina tries to walk toward Max but I grab her arm. “Let go of me, Chance. I’m not one of your play things you can manhandle.”
“If you were, babe, you’d like being manhandled. Only problem is I try not to bed anything toxic. So, you’re safe."
“Keep telling yourself that’s the reason you won’t bed me.” She straightens her hair and glares at me. There’s something about her that stirs the most primal part of me but I push it aside. This woman is not one to mess with. She could ruin my career in just one night.
“Sweetheart, I think it’s time to leave. There’s nothing left to see here.” I motion for the driveway but she hesitates. “Do you need me to see you out? I’m nothing if not a gentleman.”
She groans. My body is at instant attention. I shift from foot to foot, hoping she doesn’t notice what that sound did to me. I take a deep breath and look away.
“Chance?” She snaps her fingers in my face. “Talk some sense into him. I can tell the story he wants to have told. I can write his side and not what the other reporters will write.”
“Why would you want to do that? You’ve been a pain in our asses for months. Why now?”
She looks away. It’s the first time I’ve seen her show any kind of emotion. “I know something about having a shitty childhood. Starting tomorrow, it’s going to be a feeding frenzy. The press is going to tell whatever story they want. He deserves a chance to show what a piece of shit his dad is and make sure people know he was a victim and not part of the problem.”
The word victim stirs an anger in me I haven’t felt in a long time. “He’s not a victim. Take your recorder and go.”
She shakes her head and leaves without another word. I watch as she walks away. This woman seems so familiar and I can’t help but watch as she climbs into the driver’s seat of a pick-up truck and leaves. She’s gorgeous, regardless of what a bitch she is.
“That bitch!” I throw the newspaper across the kitchen table. “Katrina can kiss my ass.”
“I’m almost afraid to ask.” Last night’s conquest, Julie maybe, sits on the kitchen counter drinking a glass of orange juice. Why is she still here? I’ll let them stay the night. I’m a gentleman that way. And I’m never quite done with them. I may need to use them again. I usually wake them up a few times during the night. But they do not stay for breakfast.
“Isn’t it about time we put that sexy ass of yours into a cab?” I take the juice from her hands. “I’ve got rehearsal and I need to get going.”
“Can I go with you?” For fuck sake, she used baby talk.
“Sorry, doll. Band rehearsal isn’t open to the public. Go get dressed.”
She hops off the counter and slinks toward the stairs. She glances back over her shoulder and winks. I’m over her. She needs to go. I have other things on my mind. I wave her along and sit back down at the table.
“Liquid Regret on the brink of breakup after bombshell about drummer’s true identity.” I can’t read any further. This is bullshit. Every single word is bullshit. She’s the worst kind of reporter. I loathe the paparazzi. And there’s something about her that gets my blood boiling. Offering to help us. What a joke!
Joshua said to ignore the press but I can’t. This woman has gotten under my skin.
“LA Daily. How may I help you?”
“Katrina King Please.” I spit her name like it’s poison in my mouth.
“I’m sorry, Sir. She’s in a meeting. Can I take a message?”
“No you cannot take a message. Get her out of the meeting. This is Lennon Chancellor. She’ll want to talk to me.”
There’s silence on the line and then muffled whispers. That’s right, babe. Get off your ass and go find her. I’m losing patience quickly.
“Katrina King.” Her breathless voice catches me off guard. She must have run to the phone but all I can picture is her underneath me, that voice begging for more. Jesus. What the hell is wrong with me?
“I think you should invest in a fact checker. Doesn’t your gossip rag employ one of those? Or are you just begging to be sued?” I crumple the paper in my fist.
“Are you offering an exclusive or are you just wasting my time with idle threats?”
“Doll, I am never a waste of time. Care to find out?” I smile to myself, hoping she’ll bite.
“I have about five minutes free next Wednesday. You won’t need any longer than that, will you, Chance? You seem like a five-minute kind of guy.”
“Sticks and stones, King. Didn’t anyone ever tell you words can hurt?” I fake a sniffle and she giggles. “For the record, even if it is five minutes, it will be the most amazing five minutes of your life.”
“Listen, Chance, as tingly as that makes me, I’ve got work to do. I have a musician to stalk. If you want to make sure I get the story straight, perhaps you should schedule an appointment with my assistant. I’ll clear my schedule. Short of that, I can’t help you.” She hangs up on me.
“Infuriating woman!” I yell. Julie jumps. I hadn’t heard her come back downstairs. “Sorry.”
“Can I see you again?” She touches the front of my boxers but I’m too angry to care.
“Leave your digits. I’ll call you.”
As she programs her number into my phone, I have a slight pang of guilt. I’ll never call her. She’s gorgeous and one hell of a lay. But my life was decided long ago. There is no room for anyone who is important. I’ll be single forever and no one can change my mind. The day I lost Kat was the day I shut my feelings off.