CHAPTER 30
“That one.” I can’t take my eyes off of Sydney as she assesses herself in the full length mirror that’s been set up in the living room of the villa. She’s wearing a long red dress that hugs every single one of her luscious curves as a stylist flits around her ankles.
She turns and gives me a shy smile, stealing the air from my lungs. The tiny seamstress comes in and whips off the dress when Sydney agrees with my choice then darts back out of the room with a pile of red fabric over her arm.
I get a good look at Sydney standing in her lacy black strapless bra and thong and a pair of tall gold stilettos before she shrugs into a robe. Great, now I have a hard-on.
The stylist takes the rack of rejected dresses and leaves the suite as Sydney sits on the couch to remove the shoes. I drop onto the seat next to her and tuck my hand into the neckline of her robe, needing to feel her soft skin more than I need my next breath.
She swats my hand away playfully, “Drew, stop it.”
God she’s so fucking adorable, I can’t help but laugh. Her smile fades into a frown. She doesn’t think I’ve noticed that something’s up with her today, but I have.
“How are you feeling?” I tilt my head to wait for her answer.
“Fine,” she replies, too quickly to be genuine.
I give her a look that lets her know that I’m well aware that she’s full of shit. She’s probably nervous about the premiere and won’t admit it. Fuck, I’m nervous and I’ve done this dozens of times. I’m not stupid, this is going to be a fucking nightmare, but selfishly, I still want her with me. I want the world to know that she’s mine.
She was perfect this morning with my family, and they lover her, just like I knew they would. Shit, my mom is fucking ecstatic that I’ve finally met someone. Syd could probably have a second head and she’d be happy.
“I’m going to go check on my parents next door, I’ll be right back okay?” I press a small kiss to her wrist, inhaling her sweet floral scent before standing up and leaving. She nods, looking tired. If I stay here with her, I’ll end up trying to coax her into sex and she won’t get any rest. The premiere is going to be exhausting enough, especially since she’s pregnant.
I pass the elderly seamstress, busy at work and duck out of our suite and around the corner. “Drew, come on in,” my dad says when he opens the door to their villa.
“Thanks Dad, I just needed a distraction while they get Sydney’s dress ready.” I step inside and head straight for the bar, grabbing a beer out of the fridge and twisting off the cap.
My dad chuckles, as I flop down on the sofa. “Women, they sure do take forever to get done up.”
I hand him a beer and he joins me in front of the television.
“I heard that Andy!” my mom calls out from the back bedroom.
Dad just rolls his eyes and takes a long drink from his bottle. He mouths ‘high maintenance’ to me and laughs. I can’t help but laugh with him. Shit, I needed this. All of the stress with Syd’s interview and going public today, plus the pregnancy and the fact that she isn’t feeling well… it’s nice to just relax and hang out with my family.
Thirty minutes later, my sister breezes through the room in a gorgeous blue dress. “Daddy, Drew, I’m going next door to get my makeup and hair done. See you in a little while.” Her heels click across the floor and the door shuts behind her.
“See, son? High maintenance.”
We laugh and watch random sports highlights until it’s almost time to go.
“I’d better get back and see if Syd is ready yet.”
“Alright Drew. We’ll see you inside the theater.” My dad stands up with me and puts his hands on my shoulders. “I’m proud of you son. This film, I know it means a lot to you, and Sydney… well, let’s just say I’ve never seen you happier so don’t screw it up, okay?”
It takes me a minute to find my voice. Having heart to hearts, giving me advice, it’s not exactly normal behavior for my dad. “Thanks, Dad. She does make me happy. She’s everything.”
He nods his approval and smiles. “You’re going to shock the hell out of them today with her on your arm, son. Good luck.”
“Yeah, see you there Dad.”
Well, that was one hell of a strange Hallmark-fucking moment for the Forrester men.
Time to go let the vultures pick my carcass clean. At least this time, I’ll have someone I love by my side.
If Rhys doesn’t shut the fuck up soon, I’m going to throttle him. His freaking out over me bringing an actual date on the red carpet is sending Sydney over the edge. I can see it on her face.
She is losing her shit. Half of the time that I glance over at her, she looks like she might throw up. Whether it’s nerves or the pregnancy, or maybe both, I’m not sure. All I know is that Rhys needs to stop worrying out loud about the paparazzi’s potential reaction to Sydney.
Jane and Quentin shoot me sympathetic looks across the back of the limo. Even they can see that Sydney is silently freaking the fuck out. Clueless fucking Rhys, as usual.
Finally, he ends his irritating phone call. I’m about to ream his ass out when he starts flinging directives at me.
“So, we’re the last to arrive. Drew, you get out first, and help Sydney from the limo.” I give him a sharp look. Dumbass! Like I’d leave Sydney behind or some shit. “Then Quentin and I will walk behind you, to make sure you have space and no one gets too close. Jane will walk in front of you to help you get to each reporter that we promised an interview to.”
Then he turns to Sydney, who is probably just about on the verge of passing out she’s so pale. “Sydney, you can join Drew for some or all of the television interviews, it’s your choice …” her eyes widen in horror as he speaks.
Now I’ve had enough.
“She’s staying with me the entire time.” I turn to Sydney to reassure her that I won’t leave her alone. “I don’t want you leaving my side. Not for one second. It’s going to be an absolute shitstorm out there with us together. No way will you be where I can’t see you.”
Rhys starts yammering again, “Drew, it’s up to Sydney …”
Motherfucking Rhys!
“Rhys, it’s not up for fuckin’ discussion! That’s it.”
Sydney takes my hand. Hers is already slick with sweat and we’re still in the car. “I’ll stay with Drew, it’s fine. That’s what I want anyway. I’m too nervous to not be with him.”
Quentin leans in and pats her knee. Don’t fucking touch my girl, ass! Are the two of them deliberately trying to piss me off today?
“You’ll do fine, Sydney. I mean heck, you were literally born to do this!” he says, ignoring the angry glare that I shoot his way.
Before I can yell at either of these dumbasses, the limo glides to a stop in front of the theater. I hear Syd take a deep breath and see her wince out of the corner of my eye. Something isn’t right.
“Are you okay?” I ask her.
She gives me the biggest fake smile I’ve ever seen. “Of course, your fans are waiting babe.”
Shit! I knew something wasn’t right. She isn’t feeling well. I don’t know anything about pregnancy, maybe this is normal. I have no fucking idea. I’m about to tell them to screw the premiere and drive off when someone opens the limo door. It’s too late now, I just have to hope that she’ll tell me if she gets sick.
With one last look at Sydney, I step out of the limo and the huge crowd goes insane. There’s more press here than I thought there’d be. I guess little independent films get the full media treatment when my name is attached to it, along with the great reviews it’s gotten so far. I wave and let my eyes adjust to the bright flashbulbs before turning to help Sydney out of the car.
She swings out and stands up, all long legs and gorgeous body and freezes like a deer in headlights next to me. The pop of the flashes hit her and she visibly flinches back from the onslaught. Fuck!
Pulling her close, I take her hand and squeeze it to reassure her that I’m here with her and won’t let go. “I love you baby, let’s do this.”
I hear Sydney’s name being murmured throughout the crowd of paparazzi and realize that our bubble of privacy has officially been busted. So many people are screaming for us to pose for them that all I can do is wrap my arm around her waist and put on my fake Andrew Forrester smile.
We’re pulled in so many different directions at once, I know that Sydney must be overwhelmed. The paparazzi aren’t making it any easier with their questions, which I specifically refuse to acknowledge.
“Andrew! Does this mean you’re not single anymore?”
“Sydney, are you the redhead from Verve?”
“Did you dump Adam Reynolds for Andrew, Sydney?”
“When’s the wedding?”
Christ, the fucking parasites never stop! Sydney cringes into my side as we approach a group of female fans who are shrieking so loudly, that I fear my ears may start bleeding at any moment. As much as I hate it, I have to let go of Sydney to sign autographs and pose with the fans along the red carpet. They’re all contest winners or something like that.
I return to her side as quickly as I can and grasp her hand. Leaning down so she can hear me, I make sure she’s not falling to pieces. “You doing okay, Syd?”
She doesn’t answer, but smiles and nods in response. Knowing her, I’m sure she doesn’t want anyone to overhear whatever she has to say.
Jane magically reappears at my side and guides us over to our first interview. Shit, it’s with Vicky Lester. I can’t stand speaking to her. She’s a vapid idiot and her questions are about as deep as the layer of makeup on her face.
“Hi Andrew, Sydney. So nice to see you here.” Vicky flicks her blonde hair with a too long fingernail and sticks her microphone up under our noses. I wrap my hand tighter around Sydney’s and pull her closer, trying to alleviate some of her discomfort.
“Great to see you, Vicky.” I give her my Andrew Forrester smile and wait for the bullshit parade to begin.
Vicky doesn’t disappoint, immediately turning to Sydney and asking her questions about her dress, how we met, and that fucker Adam Reynolds. With me standing right fucking here next to her! I don’t realize that I’m squeezing Sydney’s hand too tight until she looks up at me and wriggles her fingers.
Jane rescues us and directs us to continue up the carpet. Syd’s a trooper as we stop to do several more interviews and pose for so many photos that we’ll both probably see flashbulbs every time we close our eyes for a week.
I told Sydney right before we left that I was going to kiss her on the red carpet. She didn’t ask for my reasons why, but I’m sure she knows. I want, no I need everyone to know that she’s mine. No speculation, no rumors, no guessing. Mine. That douchbag Reynolds and the gossip about her being with him may have something to do with my intentions, but ultimately, I would have wanted to claim her publically with or without Reynolds in the picture.
At the end of the carpet, I turn and tug her soft body into mine, using a finger to lift her chin up. I don’t need to be Andrew Forrester for her, just Drew, so I drop the mask. Tuning out everything else, I only see Sydney. Her gorgeous blue eyes glittering under the bright lights, her sweet mouth slightly parted, waiting for me to take it. I tilt down and press my lips to hers, gentle and soft. Until I can get a ring on her finger, I’ll claim her this way, letting everyone know that Sydney Tannen belongs to me.
“Well, well big brother. Nice show.”
I excuse us from our conversation with some of the film crew as Allie and my parents cross the crowded lobby to where I’m standing with Sydney.
“What do you mean?” I ask.
Allie jerks her thumb back to the televisions hanging on the walls around the lobby. “They have the news on, they’re broadcasting the premiere live. Nice lip lock. You’re such a possessive Neanderthal, Drew.”
I bristle at her very accurate description of me.
Sydney’s soft voice surprises me. “It’s okay, Allie. We planned it ahead of time. It’s easier than explaining our relationship to everyone.”
I swivel my head down to look at Sydney, my mouth gaping at her words. Surely Sydney didn’t want to kiss me in public. She’s too private for that. I know she only agreed to make me happy, so for her to justify it to Allie is downright shocking.
The lobby lights blink before Allie can think of a smartass comeback.
“That’s our cue. Mom, Dad, Allie… we’ll see you after.”
“Good luck son,” my dad says as he claps me on the back.
“We’ll meet you out here Drew,” my mom says as I lean down to give her a kiss on her cheek.
“Yep, see you guys later,” Allie chirps. “Sydney, get excited for your first Andrew Forrester movie! You’ll end up joining the ranks of his screaming fangirls soon enough!” She spins on her heel and flounces away before I can manage a sharp retort.
Such a pain in my ass!
“Ready Syd?” I kiss her hand and lead her to our seats.
Sydney wanted to sit in the back of the theater, in case she had to use the bathroom during the movie. It’s just as well, since I hate watching my own films. Being in the back means that people can’t gauge my reaction. I plan on staring at Sydney the entire time anyway. I’m nervous that she’ll freak out during the movie since it’s her first time watching one since she was a kid.
Sydney seems to enjoy herself. In fact, she seems awestruck. Is that possible? For her to see me like that, up on the massive screen, and still love me despite her past? I was tormenting myself with the thought that she may see me for what I am, remind her of everything that was awful about her childhood, and lose her shit when it finally hit her. Now, her face lets me know that if anything, she loves me even more.
The credits roll and the crowd gets to their feet and cheers. Ron Gravitt, my director, makes his way to the front of the theater to speak. I turn to say something to Sydney and see that she’s still sitting, sweat beading on her forehead. What the fuck?
I sit back down and lean in close. “Drew, I need to use the ladies’ room. I’ll meet you in the lobby.”
She moves to stand up and I grab her wrist. Like hell she’s going there by herself looking like this. “I’ll come with you.”
Stubborn as she always is, Syd tries to pull her hand from my grasp. “No, you have to speak next. Five minutes, I’ll see you out front.”
Shit. She’s right, I can’t leave now. Jesus, maybe she just needs to go to the bathroom, but something tells me she’s going to be sick. I should be there with her, to hold her hair back or something.
Frowning, I release her arm and nod. She’s leaving me no choice. I have to speak and she’s clearly in no position to wait for me. Syd gives me a quick kiss on the cheek and hurries out of the theater.
“…And now I’d like to introduce the man who made this film possible. He believed in Joe’s story, fought to get financing, and gave up most of his salary to make it happen, Andrew Forrester!”
Sighing, I get up and join Ron at the front of the room, taking the mike from him and shaking his hand. I see my parents and they’re positively beaming. Allie too. I can tell they’re proud of me, of this movie. They know how hard it was to get this film made.
“I’d like to thank everyone for coming today,” I begin. “Especially Joe Thurgood, the man behind Roger Hillston. The true hero, who fought for this country and went through hell and back to be here today and tell his story.” I nod to Joe, who’s sitting in the third row with his wife.
The theater doors swing open and I glance up to see if Sydney is back from the bathroom. It’s a security guard, with several theater employees surrounding him. They file down the aisle and the man in front whispers something to the studio’s PR chief, Katherine Galloway. Her hand flies to her mouth and her eyes meet mine.
My stomach drops into my feet. Sydney. It has to be about Sydney. When I see Kate stand up and start to make her way towards me, panic floods through my body. I throw the mike to the ground, ignoring the screeching feedback, and dart up the aisle. Kate tries to grab me as I run past, but I shove her aside and keep going.
“Andrew!” I hear her panicked voice as I sprint toward the doors. I feel sick, as if I might throw up or pass out, but the adrenaline rush from the crippling fear keeps me upright and moving.
A guard tries to stop me, but he must see the crazy look in my eyes because he doesn’t lay a hand on me and steps out of my way. It’s a good thing, because there’s no doubt in my mind that I’d lay him out flat.
I shove through the doors and into the lobby and I swear, my life ends at the sight in front of me. Sydney, lying on the floor in a massive pool of blood, her head being cradled by a hysterical girl in a theater uniform as bare-chested male employee presses his blood soaked shirt to her side.
“Drew!” I vaguely register Allie calling out behind me as I reach the spot where my future is slipping away… my life, my love, spilling out onto the hideous patterned carpet of a theater in West Hollywood.
I collapse to my knees and take her from the crying girl, pulling Sydney’s head onto my lap. It rolls to the side, lifeless, her lips white and her eyes half rolled into her head.
“Do something!” I shout. Turning to the girl next to me, I start yelling. “What happened? Who did this to her? What the fuck is going on?”
The girl just keeps sobbing, unable to control her emotions. The shirtless man at Sydney’s side answers for me as he presses the now completely red shirt to her side. “I saw a man, an old man. She came out of the bathroom and he spoke to her. The next thing I knew, she was on the ground with him. I… I didn’t really understand what was going on. Until,” he swallows, “Until I saw the blood.”
Holy fuck. Someone attacked her?
The man continues, “Then I saw Greg, our head usher, grab the man and throw him to the ground… and I knew what had happened.”
“Where?” I croak out, and somehow, the guy knows what I’m asking.
Since his hands are still holding his shirt up to Sydney’s wound, he uses his chin to point across the lobby. That’s when the pieces come together. I see a huge guy wearing a theater blazer kneeling on a thin, disheveled old man, holding his hands behind his back. Rage begins to overtake the terror that I feel. I start to get up, my anger laser focused on the man who is trying to destroy everything I love.
“Drew, no.” Allie’s hand pushes my shoulder down. Her voice hitches in a sob and I only now realize that she’s been kneeling next to me this entire time. “Stay with Sydney, she needs you.”
I tear my eyes from the old man and look over at my sister. Tears are streaming freely down her face. My parents are behind her, my mom crying and clutching onto my dad. This can’t be happening. I nod at Allie and turn back to Sydney. I can’t fucking lose her. I won’t leave her side again.
“Allie, I can’t…” Words fail me. There’s nothing I can say, nothing I can do to fix this. It’s my fucking fault. I knew she was sick, I should have gone with her. I should have let her stay home, safe in bed, away from me and all my shit.
A flurry of activity fills the lobby as the police and paramedics arrive. The medics rush over to Sydney and take over for the guy with the bloody shirt, asking him to repeat what he saw.
I tune most of it out until the end. “…then they found a knife next to her.”
My head snaps up at this information, a new wave of fury and despair washing over me. “Knife? He fucking stabbed her?” I don’t know why I’m surprised, the blood had to come from somewhere, but hearing it makes it real.
“Sir, we need you to move aside so we can treat her,” the medic says to me.
“Fuck that, I’m not moving,” I growl.
“Sir…” he continues.
“Drew, please.” Helpless, I see my mom crouching down next to me. She takes my hand and tugs on it, urging me to my feet. “Let them help her honey.”
“Mom?”
I’m broken. I feel like a kid again, looking to my mother to make the pain go away.
“I know sweetie. You can ride with her, just let them do this.”
Reluctantly, I carefully lay Sydney’s head on the ground and gasp when it lists to the side. I stand up and pull my mom into my arms, or maybe she pulls me into her arms, and silently lose my shit.
The ride to the hospital is terrifying, worse than anything I could have imagined. The two paramedics circle around Sydney continuously, hooking up IV’s, oxygen, electronic monitors, and speak to the hospital through a headset that they each wear.
Every time the ambulance turns or hits a bump, Syd’s head flops to the side, reminding me that the life is literally draining out of her. I want to be pissed when they cut the designer gown and undergarments off and expose her naked body, but I’m not. I don’t give a fuck what they see or do as long as they save her.
In my panic-induced stupor, I’m only able to catch a few words here and there, but it’s enough.
“Stab wound, right upper quadrant…”
“Massive blood loss…”
“Hypovolemic shock…”
“Low O2 sats…”
“Possible miscarriage…”
Miscarriage? Our baby? I can’t take anymore, I’m losing it… here, in the back of a fucking ambulance as the girl I love slips from my grasp. I put my head in my hands and sob.
The hospital is a nightmare. They rushed Sydney away immediately and won’t let me see her, no matter how much I yell and threaten the staff. I’m stuck pacing in the staff break room while my parents and Allie watch me freak the fuck out. They threw us back here after the fucking media vultures showed up at the emergency room. The bastards even had the nerve to try and come inside. When I tried to physically attack someone in the waiting room who was filming me with a cellphone, the charge nurse offered the break room to get us, specifically me, out of their hair.
“Drew, your phone.”
I look up from my pacing to see my mom holding my phone out to me, waiting for me to take it.
“I can’t, Mom.” Speaking about this, to anyone, will fucking break me.
“Drew, it’s someone named Leah. She said she won’t take no for an answer. Son, she’s very upset.”
Leah. I’m so fucking selfish, I didn’t think about calling anyone else.
I take the phone and hold it up to my ear. “Leah?”
“Drew! What’s going on? I’m at the airport with Sydney’s mom. Jane called us and told us Sydney’s been attacked! I saw the news. What the fuck is happening?”
Shit! Her mom! Thank God for Jane. It didn’t even occur to me to call Eva. Her own fucking daughter attacked and she finds out from my assistant.
“Leah,” my voice cracks and I have to swallow down the lump that forms. “I don’t know anything. They took her back, they won’t let me see her.” I pause to take in a shaky breath. “I have no idea what’s going on. I heard something about surgery, maybe.”
“We’re on our way,” she says firmly. “Jane added us to your villa. We’re going to stay with you at the Marquis. You call us the second they tell you something, promise me.” Leah is trying to be strong, but I can hear it in her voice. Her armor cracking just like mine.
“I will, I promise.” I end the call and turn the phone to silent. I can’t take any more calls. Rhys, Quentin, and Jane are somewhere here in the hospital. Probably outside dealing with the media.
The door to the break room opens and I stop dead in my tracks. I didn’t think anything could shock me at this point, but watching a wide-eyed nurse usher in a visibly shaken Reid Tannen, his eyes red and face drawn, shocks the hell out of me.
Me, my sister, my parents, we all gape at the newest addition to the room. No one thinks to speak to him.
Reid gathers himself together first. “I hate to meet you under these circumstances, but you must be Andrew.” He strides over to me and holds out a trembling hand.
“No, I mean yes. Call me Drew, please.” I shake his hand and he shocks me again, pulling me into a hug as he slaps my back.
“I’m Reid. God, I’m glad she has you here with her,” he says gratefully as he releases me. “What’s going on? They wouldn’t tell me anything.”
Well damn. If they won’t tell her father anything, they certainly won’t tell me jack shit. It doesn’t matter, because I can’t seem to do anything but stand there, like an idiot, my mouth hanging open as I’m stunned into silence by his presence.
“We don’t know anything,” my dad says, saving the moment from becoming even more awkward. “Andy Forrester, nice to meet you. This is my wife, Caroline, and my daughter, Allie.”
God, I’m such a useless fuck up. I didn’t even introduce my family. I’m still frozen in place like an incompetent asshole.
“I wish I could say it’s nice to meet you,” Reid says, “but this…” he inhales deeply, struggling to control his emotions. “…this is not the best of situations.”
The door to the break room opens again and a middle-aged man in scrubs steps in, closing the door behind him. His eyes widen for a moment as he takes in Sydney’s father, me, and the three other people in the room, and he composes himself to speak.
“I’m Doctor Sampson, I wanted to give you an update on Miss Tannen’s condition.”
My sister takes my hand in hers and squeezes it and I almost start crying. I’m supposed to be the strong one. Instead, I’m falling to pieces and letting my little sister comfort me.
“Doctor, can I speak to you for a moment? Privately?” I ask, drawing stares from my family and from Sydney’s dad. I face them to explain, “Just one second, I promise.”
They all nod and I step out into the quiet hallway with the doctor.
“Doctor Sampson, my family, they don’t know about the… the pregnancy. Can you keep that part out of it for now? Tell me later in private?”
The doctor’s curious expression smooths out as he comprehends what I’m asking.
“Of course. That’s not a problem. Now, let’s not keep them waiting.”
We go back into the tiny room and I wait to hear what he has to say.
“So, as I was saying, Miss Tannen suffered a stab wound to her right side. The blade hit her liver and a fairly large vessel in it, which is what caused the massive hemorrhaging. She’s currently in surgery to repair that vein. The knife missed her diaphragm and any other major organ. She was given several units of blood and should be out of surgery in a few hours.”
“So, she’ll be okay?” I ask.
The doctor looks at me strangely. “Yes, she should be fine once the surgeon repairs the blood vessel.”
Reid questions the doctor. “Where is she? Can we wait there?”
“Of course, I’ll find someone to take you up to the waiting room.” The doctor gives us a weak smile and leaves the room.