AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I stay on the floor trying not to let my fears run away from me. We don’t speak to each other until he tells me we’ve arrived. I get out of the car to see we’re at a house with a gated driveway.
“Where are we?” I ask him when he’s unlocking the front door.
“Santa Monica.”
He pushes it open, and I enter the cute bungalow style home. He immediately leaves me to look through the house and I go to the windows in the backside of the living room. The dread in my stomach is still there. I want to hope that now we are safe, boyfriend Jackson will return, but the fear of being disappointed won’t let me hold on to that hope.
“You probably shouldn’t be near the windows.”
I roll my eyes and look at him. “Jesus, Jackson You can’t even see the neighbors from here.” The yard is lush with plants that provide a good sense of privacy.
His mouth flattens as his gaze shifts to the window as if to confirm what I said. He glances back at me, and I hold my breath, waiting for the bodyguard to fade away. But if anything, he seems to become even more tense. A spear of pain pierces my chest.
“So, this is it.” I turn back to the window. “The moment when the bodyguard trumps everything. Even being my boyfriend.” He doesn’t say anything. I glance back at him and shake my head. “I thought we were past that. I thought being a real boyfriend changed things.”
“The boyfriend label is the least of my concerns right now.”
Label. Never in my life did I ever think that word would hurt so much. The sting of tears fills my eyes, but I turn away before he can see them form. If he wants to play stoic asshole then I can play petty bitch.
“Seems like you have a good screenplay on your hands.” I look over my shoulder. “If you wanted to use my connections, you could have just asked.”
His gaze narrows briefly before I see some sort of realization dawn.
“Yeah, you shouldn’t have left it in the open if you didn’t want me to see it.”
His brows snap together. “You think I’m using you for a screenplay?”
I shrug.“Why not? You're supposed to be my boyfriend, yet you don't seem to give a damn that there are pictures of me and my ex all over the internet or why they’re there. Or—and this is the big one—how I’m feeling about it all. Then I find this screenplay that’s clearly about your life after Ben told me you talked to my agent about one. Something you neglected to tell me on the plane. I might as well jump to conclusions since you seem to be doing the same.”
“Ben told you, huh?” There’s just enough of an accusatory lilt to his voice to break my heart – and infuriate me. I can’t believe that’s the one thing he focused on in everything I said.
“Yeah, and you want to know how much it sucks to hear things about your boyfriend from the one person who’s made your life miserable? A fucking lot!” I push my hands through my hair, trying not scream.
“I can’t deal with this right now, Autumn. There are too many logistics to work out. I—”
“Oh my God. I can’t believe you. I want you to go.” He doesn’t care that he’s hurt me. It’s all about the job.
For the first time today, I see Jackson show emotion. A panicked expression fills his face as he shakes his head. “I’m not leaving you. You’re in the middle of a media shit storm right now. You need protection more than ever.”
An overwhelming rush of pain and rage fills me. “I don’t want yourfucking protection!”
I scream so hard and loud that it feels like the words are ripped from my throat then dropped between us like an unexpected plot twist. Jackson flinches in shock as he stares at me with round eyes.
Then as quickly as the rage filled me, it drains out. I don’t want to fight. I’m too tired. Too heartbroken.
“You were supposed to be here as my boyfriend.” My voice barely above a whisper now. “That’s all I needed today. I needed my boyfriend.”
His expression crumbles and he steps toward me. “Autumn—”
“No.” I extend my arm to stop him. If he touches me now, I’ll fall to pieces. “You need to go. I’m serious, Jackson.”
“I can’t leave you alone. Please don’t—”
“You’re fired,” I say, knowing the words will hit him hard. He stops whatever else he was going to say as they sink in. “I need you to respect my wishes. Go home, Jackson.”
He closes his eyes as his body slumps in defeat. He’s going to leave. I turn away to look out the window again. As much as I appreciate him doing as I asked, I can’t watch him go. Instead, I focus on the concrete bird bath sitting in the middle of the yard.
I hear him move away from me, but he pauses at the door. I hold my breath.
