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ThenIhear her laughing.
ButIstill can’t see her.
Thereit is again.Tinklinglike the wind chimes on the front porch at the farm.
Wherethe hell is she?
Walkingtowards the sound,Ihead away from the drinks line, away from everyone milling around at this stupid event trying to pretend they’re somebody, and towards a back corner behind a couple of promotional posters with my face on them.
I’dfeel bad enough ifSelenawas hiding in a corner on her phone, laughing at something.
Thisis worse.
Becauseshe’s not alone.
Andmolten rage runs through me whenIsee who’s making her laugh like that.
DerekfuckingJonesis younger than me, in his late twenties, closer toSelena’sage than she is to mine.Buthe’s as tall as me, and a little thinner.Idon’t get it, but women fucking love him.It’sprobably theBritishaccent.Ormaybe it’s the bad boy reputation?Derek’splaying my half-brother in the franchise, who turns into the villain beforeIkill him in the third film.Atthis rate,I’mnot sure he’s going to make it to the first one.
“Selena, there you are.Isthis guy bothering you?”
Selenadrags her eyes away fromDerek’sface to spare me a glance.Shegives me half a smile. “Oh, heyJackson.”
“Hey,baby,”Igrit out, glaring atDerek.
Hegives me a shit-eating grin. “Alright,Jackson?Iwas just chatting with your lovely date.Didyou know that she’s never been toLondon?Itold herI’dbe happy to give her a tour of my hometown any time.”
No,Ididn’t know thatSelena’snever been toLondon.Whythe hell didn’tIknow that?Mymind reels at all the thingsIprobably don’t know aboutSelenabecauseInever took the time to ask her.
Sincethe minuteIshowed up at her door with a proposal for a fake relationship, all of this has been about me.Mycareer,myplans,myhouse.Thenmy family has a crisis, andIdragged her home with me toWesternSprings.Ihaven’t even been insideSelena’splace since that first night.Pickingher up on the way to the airport doesn’t count.She’sfromRiverside.It’snot even that far fromL.A., butIhaven’t met her mom or her brother.Ihaven’t met a single one of her friends.I’vebeen a selfish, controlling asshole since the beginning.
Thatchanges tonight.
Well, as soon asIget her away from the piece of shit currently taking advantage of her short height to stare down her dress at her perfect tits.
“Selena’snot my date.She’smygirlfriend.Andif she’s going toLondon,I’mgoing to be the one there showing her around.We’regoing to get out of here.Ihaven’t made her come in a couple of hours, soI’moverdue.Later,Derek.”
Sendinghim a shit-eating grin of my own,Igrab on toSelena’shand and tug her away from him. “Let’sgo, baby.”
She’sclinging tightly onto me, digging her nails into the back of my hand.WhenIglance back at her, her face is red.Shelooks pissed.
Well, she’s not the only one.I’mfucking pissed, too.
Imake polite smiles and nod at producers, studio execs, and press whileIdragSelenaout front to the valet stand.
Selenaonly had one drink in the hourIwas with her, and she couldn’t have had more than one in the half hour we were apart.Shedidn’t have a drink in her hand whenIfound her.So, she doesn’t even have the excuse of being buzzed.Shewas totally sober and lettingDerekfuckingJonesstare at her tits and invite her toLondon.
Shedoesn’t look at me whenIopen her door for her to climb into my big, blackSuburban.WhenIpull away from the curb, she’s staring out her window.Shestill doesn’t look at me whenIpull out of the busy city traffic and head for my house.
Oncewe’re driving along tree-lined streets,I’mpretty sure we’re clear of all the press and paparazzi from the event.Now,Ican finally let out the anger that’s been simmering inside me since the minuteIsaw her talking toDerek.I’mimpressedIheld it in this long, butIdon’t need paparazzi photos of us screaming at each other in the car as we drive away from an event getting out.
“Whatthe fuck was that,Selena?Ifyou’re with me, you’re not talking to another guy in a corner where no one can see you.Andyou’re sure as hell not standing there all fucking smiles while he looks down your dress and ogles your tits.Doyou hear me?”
“Excuseme?You’remad at me?Youjust talked to a total stranger about giving me an orgasm!”She’spractically sputtering, but at least she’s looking at me now.Sheglances into the back seat like someone there might hear what she’s about to say next.Butwe’re all alone. “Iwill talk to whoeverIwant.WheneverIwant.BeingJacksonWaters’fakegirlfrienddoesn’t make me stop being a human being with free will.”
“Andyou want to talk to that piece of shit?”Jealousyis a warm green blanket, andI’mgetting real cozy covered up in it.
“Heseemednice.Wewere just making small talk.Iwas trying to give you time to network or whatever you were there to do.Iwas trying to give you space,” she mutters, staring out at the window, going back to not looking at me.
