AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Paparazzi ambushed me at work, taking pictures, yelling questions—humiliating questions. They wouldn’t leave. My manager had to call the cops. I’m not sure, but I think I lost my job at the coffee shop. While I was holed up in the back room, I called my roommate, and she said I shouldn’t go home. She was panicking. Photographers were knocking at the door and yelling questions. Molly was going to go stay with her uncle. And she’s pissed at me because I wouldn’t tell her what was going on.” She took another shuddering breath. “I didn’t know where else to go.”
Ah shit. She sounded terrified, and I felt like the biggest asshole ever for being the reason all this had landed on her doorstep. Literally. I hadn’t considered them ambushing her. I hadn’t thought about how scared she’d be. Because of me. Because of what I’d done. I was a jackass. I’d put her in harm’s way without any thought about what it would mean for her.
“Wait, how’d you even get here? Did the police escort you?”
She shook her head again. “They escorted me to my car and held the crowd back while I pulled away. But I was definitely followed. It was fine in town, when there was traffic, but when I got on the PCH, they started passing me and then slowing down, so I almost crashed into them. It was crazy. And scary.”
She whispered that last word like she was ashamed to say it.
I didn’t think. I just pulled her to me again as another wave of guilt swamped me. I hadn’t once thought about what it’d be like for her. And I should have. I’d failed her so hard at the beginning, and she didn’t even know it.
I had to do better.
I sighed and breathed in her yummy, sugary scent. At least she was safe now. “I’m glad you came. We’ll figure this all out. Don’t worry.”
She took another shuddery breath and nodded against my chest. “I think it’s safe to say I’m in. I’ll sign the agreement.”
I didn’t think it was possible to feel lower until she said that.
I pulled away slightly so I could look into her face. “Let’s not worry about paperwork right now. Are you hungry? Want a nap? I don’t have any chocolate on hand—it’s not on my meal plan. But I can have some delivered.”
Sophia laughed. Only it was the saddest fucking laugh I’d ever heard. “No, that’s okay.”
“Well, I feel like shit for pointing this out, but do you want to take a minute and splash some water on your face or something in the bathroom? My brother is in the kitchen.”
She stilled and her reddened eyes went wide. “Which one?”
“King.”
A strangled sound left Sophia. She opened and closed her mouth a few times, but no other sound came out.
“He understands more than most about this crazy life and especially the paparazzi.” A pang hit the center of my chest again as my words hit. King. Ariel. The crash that the paps and Ariel’s stupid boyfriend had caused. That could’ve been Sophia just minutes ago. Dammit. I was the biggest asshole ever for getting her tangled all up in this.
But I couldn’t go back. We could only go forward now.
I cleared my throat. “You want to take a minute and meet us in the kitchen?”
Sophia nodded mutely, and I had to nudge her to get her moving toward the hall bath. I ran a hand through my hair as I watched her go. Why did I think this was a good idea? What the hell had I been thinking? Now I had a totally innocent woman tied up in my fucked-up mess, and she literally had nowhere else to turn.
Sophia didn’t know it, but she’d run to the big, bad wolf for help.
Shaking my head, I returned to the kitchen and King and Zoe.
King looked up from feeding Zoe her bottle as he sat at the kitchen island. “Where’s your girl?”
“She needed a minute when she heard she was meeting the great Kingston Grier.” I’d tried for a light, teasing tone, but I knew I’d failed when I saw the concern in his eyes.
“What’s going on?”
“Sophia’s identity was leaked online, and she got chased down by the paps at work.” I had to stop and clear my throat. “And on the drive here. I’m pretty sure they’re still outside the gates.”
King closed his eyes and took a few breaths. He’d read between the lines and what I hadn’t said. “Is she okay?”
“She’s pretty shook up. But I’d say it’s safer for everyone—especially her—if she stays here from now on.”
“Right.” King let out a weary sigh. “At least you guys know each other before you move in together. Unlike me and Ariel.” The bitterness in his words was undeniable. And so heavy.
I cleared my throat again. “Right. Well, it’s not ideal, but I gotta do everything I can to keep her safe. I couldn’t live with myself if…” I watched the blood leave King’s face. Dammit. “You know I didn’t mean—”
