I love the person I’ve become because I fought to become her. -Kaci Diane
Bellamy
“Where in the bloody hell have you been, missy?” I sneak onto the bus like a teenager who was caught after being out too late with a boy the night before, and Evie sure sounds like a judgmental parent, to be honest.
“I was at the hotel. I thought Rocky would’ve told you, I’m staying with…” I trail off, not really sure how to tell Evie that my half-sister sent me two outlaw bodyguards to watch over me, so I’m not murdered and chopped into little bits by the Cartel. Yeah…I don’t think that would go over too well.
The bus door opens quickly behind me, I hear the heavy combat boots and am instantly relieved to find out it’s Slash and not Butch. “Damn, babycakes, you sure know how to use those itty-bitty legs you’ve got there.”
Evie catches a good look at him, glancing at me, then Slash. “This is who you’re staying with?”
“Well, me and my brother,” he tells her.
“You’ve got a brother…”
“Long story, we’re in an MC. We’re here to watch over this lil’ angel. Basically, I need every sort of security clearance that you can give me, Blondie.”
“We have a security team. Call me Blondie one more time, and I’ll shove my Louis Vuitton so far up your arse, you’ll be screaming for your mum to yank the fucker out.”
“Evie…” I murmur quietly, not wanting to give her more details then I absolutely have to. “Can you please make sure that they get the proper clearance that they need? I need them to be close by…please.”
Evie glares at Slash, but I know that she’ll give in. She always does when I need something. “Fine. I’ll give your tattooed wanker the proper security clearance and make sure the rest of the guys know; but we’ve gotta talk, missy. You rolling out of Summer’s office like that stirred up a little bit of shit, and I’ve heard a nasty rumor that we’ve better get handled as soon as possible.”
“I had to do a bit of damage control yesterday, imagine my surprise when I found out that you stormed out of Summer’s office. She was very offended by your irrational and rude behavior, and personally feels insulted.” Evie accentuates the words, telling me that she knows it’s bull hockey just like I do. “I did what I could, and the only way to make sure she doesn’t slander your name any more is to have a one on one interview with you. Face to face, no limitations on questions, and it will be streaming live on her Facebook page.”
“Why would you agree to that?” I snap, my anger seething out of me. “Why in the world would you agree to that? You know what she did. She is the catalyst for everything horrible that has happened to me. She…she worked with Zac to ruin me!” I scream at Evie like my very life is being threatened. I feel achy, my hands and legs are shaking, and it takes every ounce of me not to walk across the floor and rip her extensions out of her head.
“I did what had to be done. You don’t quite understand that because you don’t deal with this side of the business. It’s my job to do what’s best for you. It is my job to make sure that we not only think about you but your reputation as well. Agreeing to do this on your behalf was a way to shut Summer up, a way to make sure that she didn’t drag your name through the mud yet again.”
“She’s going to drag my name through the mud when you let her do that damn interview!” I yell, tears threatening to pour out of my face.
I hear the bus door open and in comes the cavalry.
“What the hell is going on in here?” Syd asks,
“Miss Perfect is making a damn scene, oh, how I’m so shocked,” I hear Miles say, and it sets me over the edge. Any filter that I had is now gone. There is no fight left in me to handle Miles’ attitude combined with Evie’s actions.
“Shut your fucking mouth before I make sure it stays that way,” Slasher hisses out to Miles. I grab his forearm, and he looks at me, almost as if he’s waiting for an order, for a confirmation to lay it into the dick, or to stop. One look and he knows not to engage, that’s not what I need, nor want right now. To be honest, I just want some damn peace and quiet.
“Care to tell me what the rumor was about, Evie? Or are we just going to talk about that next time?” Evie and I have a love-hate relationship. In my heart, I know that she makes what she believes is the best decisions for me. The only thing is that she isn’t me, so she doesn’t realize how things make me feel. She also doesn’t understand the constant pressure of having to deal with everything I have the last year. My name has been tarnished so much and the only thing that I’m trying to do is build is back up, brick by brick. Needless to say, this isn’t the first time that Evie and I have gotten into a blowout fight. I can guarantee that this won’t be the last, either.
“My friend gave me a heads up that more nudes leaked.”
“What?” I ask, shocked beyond belief. There was no possible way. NO possible way.
“I haven’t seen them yet, but I will within the hour. Did you…”
“No! I didn’t send anyone nude photographs.” I cry out, pacing back and forth.
“Shit, Bell,” Syd mutters.
“You need to see if I have my tattoo,” I tell her, “You have to see. Promise me you’ll look. They…they won’t have the tattoo Ev’. I…Oh my god…I didn’t…I swear to you.”
“I know you didn’t take more photographs. You learned the first time, and honestly, we all know it’s that fucking wanker, Zac, trying to fuck up your lovely career. Wait until I’m through with him, I’m just trying to find a way to tie him to everything, sweets, and once I do, he’ll wish that he never even heard the name Bellamy Mason.” And this, right here, is exactly why Evie is my manager.
She is harsh, a stone-cold bitch, and ruthless as fuck.
She’s what every musician needs in their corner because at the end of the day it’s sink or swim and Evie, boy does she make sure that I fucking swim.
***
“I’m sorry for the way I told you about the interview. I probably could’ve passed along the news a little easier,” Evie chuckles, sitting down next to me on a couch at the venue we’re performing at tonight.
“Being warm and fuzzy has never really been your strong suit,” I admit, laughing next to her. “You know, there’s a reason they call you the shark”
“I’m a great white, bitches!”
“Yeah, you sure as heck are.”
We’re both silent for a moment. This happens every time we get into a spiff, there’s always this weird couple of minutes were neither of us know exactly what to say to the other. I thought that we’d grow out of it, but it continues to happen.
“My source sent me the photos, and you don’t have your tattoo – which I suppose is a good thing, and a bad one. Zac’s doing it again.”
I sigh heavily, knowing that I have to tell Evie about the text. Quickly, before I change my mind I grab my phone, unlock it and go to my messages. Pulling it up quickly I show her the messages. “Why the hell didn’t you tell me about this sooner?”
“I was ashamed, could you really blame me?”
“Yes, I can damn well blame you! This is solid evidence that he threatened you. If he does anything, we can use this in court and he can go to jail for years. This is revenge porn. This isn’t some low charge. This is a felony. He has no fucking clue”
“I don’t want him to leak this, Evie. The photos are one thing, it was so horrible to go through. You know, you saw me crumbling when they came out…. what everyone said about me. What they still continue to say about me every single day. What do you think a video will do? It’ll make it worse. How will my reputation ever recover from something like that?”
“The same way Johnny Depp bounced back after his scandal with Amber. The same way President Clinton survived the affair with Monica. My point is, this kind of shit happens every single day. Your sex tape will not be the worst thing that ever happens, it will only feel that way to you for a time, and then we’ll move on. The important thing is that I know about the situation and we now have a leg up for whenever it does leak. This…right here, is evidence. Solid. Concrete. Evidence.”
“It’s a gun pointed at my head with a loaded bullet, Evie. That’s what that is, and I hate just standing around waiting to get shot.”
“There’s only one answer then, and I highly advise against it.”
“What?”
“Leak it yourself. We can either have full control over what happens, or we can wait for Zac to do it and then press charges against him. Those are your options, and honestly, I’d love to see the bastard suffer for everything that he’s done to you. There aren’t many people I wish would rot in jail, but Zac is one of them, and that little bitch is gonna scream like one in the slammer.”
There’s a light rap on the door and in comes one of the guys. “You realize you’re up in less than 5 right?”
Crap! I jump up off the couch and dart out, following him through every turn, up every stairwell until I’m backstage. I thank goodness that I always make sure I’m changed into the proper attire well before it’s time to sing. As he adjusts my mic, I mentally prepare myself for the very high that I live off of.
The crowd.
The energy.
The hoots and hollers.
At the end of the day, this is who I am. I’m not a victim, or some woman scorned.
I’m Bellamy Frickin’ Mason, super talented bitch.