Shatter

I slammed on the brakes. “He’s adopted!”

“Laugh it up now,” Angelica hissed. “Laugh it up now.”

Chapter Nine

Alec

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Nat asked, feeling my forehead for the fiftieth time that afternoon.

I hadn’t been able to bring myself to eat, so I told her I thought I was possibly coming down with something. Just more lies on top of more lies on top of more lies. Damn.

We had spent our free hours watching movies in the room. I didn’t have to pretend to keep throwing up. Each time she asked me if I was okay I felt sicker. And then she started giving me a massage to feel better, which only made it worse. I finally resorted to pretending to sleep the last hour so I could push away the crappy feeling.

I had woken up to Demetri’s text and felt even more like a failure. Could I do nothing right these days?

I nodded and continued the short drive to the new restaurant opening just outside Seaside. “It’s probably just stress.”

Nat’s eyes narrowed. “Alec, no offense, but you’ve dealt with way more stress than a stupid TV show before.”

“Right.” I swallowed the dryness in my throat. “But I didn’t have you. And I can’t—” My voice cracked. I cleared my throat. “I can’t lose you.” And that was the God-honest truth. The crux of the matter. I was so afraid that if I lost her, I’d lose me. Wow, didn’t realize I was that incredibly selfish.

“You won’t.” She rolled her eyes. “Geez, you’re almost as emotional as Demetri these days.”

“Ha ha.” Shit. Even my laugh was fake.

Cameras flashed as we pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant. Nat was used to this part by now. Jump out of the car, make nice with the mean photographers, smile, wave, and say no comment.

I jumped out with her and put a protective arm around her shoulders as I led her quickly into the restaurant.

“Alec! Alec! Are rumors of your split true? Are you hooking up with Angelica Greene?”

My jaw clenched. Nat just laughed, she knew how much I hated Angelica. She just didn’t know how deep that hate went.

“Why hook up with Angelica when I have this?” I pulled Nat as close to me as possible and kissed her head.

She looked up at me adoringly and smiled.

The restaurant was decked out in true Seaside fashion. Huge bay windows lined one half of the restaurant. A bar sat in the middle with hanging glass and seashells.

The lights flickered everywhere giving it a glittery feeling. People were around smiling for the cameras and drinking champagne.

“Alec, Nat, over here!” A camera flashed just as I reached Demetri and pulled him into a hug.

“I’m going to use the bathroom,” Nat whispered in my ear. “I’ll be back.”

I nodded and watched the sway of her hips as she walked away.

Suddenly a demon in the shape of a ridiculously dressed stripper stood in front of me. “She’s nice. Too bad you’re going to break her heart.”

I scowled and grabbed a glass of champagne. “What the hell do you want, Angelica?”

Weaving through the crowds, I waited until we reached the bay windows before turning and glaring at her.

Angelica downed her glass as I finished mine. She reached for two new glasses and handed me one. I took it begrudgingly and waited. “Well?”

“Come on, Alec. Be reasonable.” Her hand moved to my cheek as her fingers touched my lips. I tried to jerk away, but it was like I was frozen in terror. “She doesn’t belong in this world. Our world.”

I smirked. “Neither do prostitutes, yet here you are.”

“Funny. Sounds like you’ve been hanging out with Demetri too much. Your jokes are just as bad as his.”

“Are we done?” My eyes began scanning the room for Nat.

“Never.” Angelica snapped gaining my attention once again. “We won’t be done. Not now, not until I say we’re done. And you and I have some business to deal with, don’t we?”

“I wouldn’t sleep with you then, what makes you think I’m going to sleep with you now? What makes you think I’m going to throw my entire life out the window? You want money? I’ll give you money. You want people to love you? Fine. I’ll help make you loveable. But that’s it. Why can’t you just drop it? What do you have to gain by ruining my life?”

Angelica shrugged. Her glossy black hair may as well have been Medusa’s snakes. The woman was pure evil. “Never scorn a woman, Alec. That’s your first lesson.”

“And my second?”

She leaned in. Her body nearly touching mine as her lips grazed my ear. “You should be more careful whose hotel room you go into… as well as who may see you leave it.”

I swear I almost broke the champagne flute as I clenched my fists and told myself it wasn’t right to hit a chick, even though I had my doubts about Angelica. She was possessed. It was the only explanation.

“Remember the timeline, Alec. You’ve got until the end of filming until I break my silence. Especially considering you’ve turned down the last offer. Not that it would have worked anyway.”

I swore and drank the rest of my champagne. The party went on around me, but everything seemed hollow — dead.

“You know I can’t say a damn thing.” I licked my lips. “I promised her I’d protect her. I gave her my word that if the media caught wind, I’d keep my silence and let it play out. If I tell the truth then it will ruin her, it will ruin him, I can’t do that.”