Chapter Two
APOLLO
Ishouldn't have given her my address. Even though she doesn't know who I am, if she tells anyone about what happened, most people could work out who I am with a decent enough description.
So how the hell didn't she recognize me? This is a small town but how could anyone be that out of touch with pop culture?
And I still can’t get over her nickname for me. Spaceman. If she hadn’t been so calm, I’d say she’d been lying about knowing who I am. If I’d had the time, I would have asked how she came up with it. For now, I’m just chalking it up to coincidence.
I grin unlocking the door to my hole-in-the-wall apartment.
I could have reveled in her ignorance all day. The first person I’ve been that close to, for that long, that didn't fall all over themselves giving me praise I worked my ass off to earn but have since grown tired of. Watching her go through a gamut of emotions before it was over. Even fear. And the sadistic asshole inside of me liked that one a lot more than I like to admit. Or maybe it was just the idea of seeing her helpless. Because I could stand to see her helpless to me in other ways. Namely, under me, while I ravish her on any number of surfaces.
I fall, limbs spread on the couch facing the window that overlooks Main Street wishing to hell I could have met Lily sooner. With the paparazzi showing up, I’ll have to get out of here. It won’t be long before they find me. Greasy mother fuckers.
After digging out of my jeans pocket the burner phone Oliver picked up for me when I rented this place from him, I dial my agent.
She doesn’t answer.
Goddammit.
All I wanted was some real food. Just a turkey sandwich and mint chocolate ice cream. It’s been over a week since I’ve had a decent meal. Been living off of canned soup and toast since Blue and Oliver’s baby was born. Oliver refuses to leave their side, even for a second. Certainly not long enough to do my grocery shopping like he had been for the last year.
A year.
How did it take them this long to find me? Why now?
I redial my agent.
No answer.
Fuck.
This is the longest I’ve ever evaded the press. It helps that, before today, I only left this apartment once. The night I should have met Lily. Oliver had talked me into going to his friend’s party to meet her. Turned out to be a terrible idea. Ended up getting my ass kicked by the biggest motherfucker I’ve ever seen in my life. For hugging his girlfriend.
And that wasn’t long after I arrived. Over ten months ago. If anyone I’d met that night gave me up, the paparazzi would have found me ages ago.
I’m on my feet pacing behind my couch, my blood boiling with impatience, as I redial again.
“Who tipped off the fucking mosquitoes?” I yell at my agent when she finally picks up. The woman has been texting and calling nonstop for over a month since I finally gave in and sent her a picture of how well the scar from my split lip had healed. She’s desperate to get me back to work. Desperate for a paycheck is more like it. Not desperate enough to be there when I need her. Which is bullshit. She should know better. She needs me way more than I need her.
Admittedly not the best agent in the world. She only has the clients she does because they want to be signed with the same agent Apollo Christiansen is signed with. But I’m only still with her because she knows too much. Pretty sure she’d sell me out in a heartbeat if I ever left her for another agency. But I don’t need her if I decide I’m done. And she doesn’t know how close I am to being done. If she did, she’d either be sucking up to me to keep me around or ruin me. Maybe I should just let her. Or ruin myself.
I’m so tired of it all. The life. Slowing down this last year has been nice. If a little lonely. That could change though. If Lily decides to show up. She's my reason to stay in Towering Pines as long as I possibly can. The reason I’ve been looking for.
“It was bound to happen eventually. You know that. I can’t believe it’s takenthislong,” she says.
“Do something about it.”
“What?”
“Get rid of them. Tell them I’m in the mountains. On the other side of the fucking planet. Mars. I don’t care. Just get them away fromhere.”
“Fine, but then you have to take the opportunity after they’re gone to get backhere. Shooting starts next month. Less than six weeks. If you’re not back, you’ll be in breach of contract. They’ll recast. You’ve been out of the limelight too long. You’re losing your shine.”
“I haven’t even been gone a year. College kids take a year off all the fucking time. Why can’t I?” I pace down the hallway toward my bedroom.
“First off, you’re not a college kid. Second, you were only supposed to be gone a couple of months.” She lowers her voice. “Then you had to go and get your face all fucked up. But it’s healed now. A little work on your nose—.”
