“Okay, now my turn.” I head toward my room, still feeling odd.
I thought I’d walk in here and feel like I was finally home, but I don’t.
I feel . . . tense. Nervous. Bad memories keep surfacing.
I wonder if I can even do this.
If it’s this bad here, what’s it going to be like at The Side Door?
But once I get into my closet, I feel better. It’s a happy place, and I’ve missed my clothes.
I open a drawer and dig through it until I find the pair of shiny black Lurex shorts I want to wear.
Normally, I wouldn’t dress quite this skimpy, but if I’m going to do what I want to do, I have to look the part.
I pair it with a neon bra top, fishnet hose, and black patent leather platform boots.
I shoo Cooper out of my closet so I can get dressed.
I also call Troy, but he doesn’t answer, so I call Damian.
Thankfully, he answers.
“Hey, it’s me. What are you doing tonight?”
“We’ve been recording all day. Troy’s heading out to DJ. I’m probably going home.”
“I just tried to call Troy. He didn’t answer.”
“Why are you calling Troy?”
“Um, you can’t tell, but I’m home. Just for the night. Vincent is going to be at The Side Door tonight, and so am I.”
“What? Are you nuts?”
“Please just let me talk to Troy.”
Damian sighs. “Here’s Troy.”
“Keatyn, long time no talk,” Troy says. “Are you coming to the club tonight?”
“I am and I have a huge, huge favor.”
“Whatcha need?”
I make a snap decision to tell Troy the truth. Some of it, anyway.
“I know you've been gone touring, but did you know that I'm not living in Malibu anymore?”
“Uh, no. Where’d you go?”
“An all-girls boarding school out in the middle of nowhere.”
“Sounds incredibly boring.”
“It is. So, what I was wondering is if you could get me two all-access passes. Something that will allow us to go backstage, get behind all the closed doors.”
“Why do you need that?”
I give him a quick version of what happened while he was touring.
“Is that why
we
had so much security?”
“Yeah, he knows I toured with you last summer.”
“What's his name?”
I tell him.
“Seriously? He's a VIP. Crazy big spender.”
“I know. He comes every Thursday looking for me. He followed me there, you know, before.”
“So why would you want to be anywhere near him. Isn't that dangerous?”
“Not if you help me.” I tell him the two other things I need.
“Keats, shit. I don't know if I can swing that. The first part is easy. The second part . . .” He trails off, then he says, “Our club security is outstanding.”
“And probably easily swayed by a big-spender VIP.”
“Hmm, yeah, you’re probably right. You’ll have to dress skimpy, sexy hot, and a little cheap.” He laughs. “That’s like a four letter word to you, isn’t it? You never look cheap.”
“I will tonight.”
“Then it shouldn’t be a problem. You driving Tommy’s Ferrari, like usual?”
“Yep.”
“Perfect. I’ll leave your passes with the valet.”
“Thanks, Troy. I really appreciate it!”
Damian takes the phone back and says, “Don’t hang up. I need to walk outside.” I hear him walk across a wood floor, the squeak of a door, and then he goes, “Keats, what the fuck?”
“Cooper is with me. This is all well-planned.” Well, some of it is.
“I’m coming tonight.”
“No! I don’t want to risk Vincent seeing us together!”
“Brook told me about the hostile takeover thing falling through. Is that why you’re doing this?”
“No, this was my plan all along. And it fell through with B, but not with me. I’ve made other arrangements.”
“I hope you know what you’re doing. I’ve been seeing the movie trailer everywhere. I hate to say it, but your mom looks smoking hot. And bad. Really, really bad.”
“That’s part of the plan too.”
“Did Peyton tell you she’s coming to visit me next weekend?”
“Yeah. It will be a low-key weekend, right?”
“The family will be in New York, so the place is all mine. She’ll be lucky if I let her out of the bedroom.”
“Damian!” I screech. “But, good. Discretion is key. Especially after the band’s write-up in the new
Teen Vogue
.”
“Yeah, one of the guys stupidly tweeted about us being in the studio and forgot to turn off his location services. Girls actually started showing up outside. It was freaking crazy.”
“All the more reason you have to keep your relationship a secret. Are you picking her up at the airport?”
“Yeah, but she’s meeting me outside. I’ll be in one of Dad’s limos.”
“Perfect.”
“Keats, be careful.”
“I will. Bye.”
Cooper comes into my closet. “You’ve got to be dressed by now.”
“I am. What do you think?”
“There isn’t much to it,” he states.
I shrug. “That’s kinda the point. So, I have one more phone call to make and then I’ll tell you my plan.”
Fireball shots.
10pm
I rev the Ferrari’s motor as I pull in next to Sander’s purple Lamborghini. I leave Cooper in the car, hoping to get the boys to hurry. We’re on a tight schedule.
Sander opens the door, his eyes bugging out. “You’re wearing that?”
I raise my eyebrows at him.
“You like nice, you just look . . .”
“Cheap?” I roll my eyes at him. “Standing here, sure, but once I get there, I’ll blend in. Oh, before your friends join us, I wanted to tell you something.”
“What about?”
“That remake of Mom’s movie. I heard that the studio is, like, maybe having some big financial issues. Or, like, about to.”
“Where’d you hear that?”
“I overheard Matt Moran talking about it.”
“Oh, well, he would know, right?”
I shrug casually. “I would think so.”
“I was going to get the script, but now I won’t bother. I’m definitely staying far away from that studio,” Sander states.
The boys all get loaded up in their cars and we caravan to the club.
The valet opens my door, takes my hand, and helps me out of the car. “It’s been a while, Miss Douglas. Good to see you.”
“Hi, Billy. It’s good to be back. Troy was supposed to leave me some passes.”
“I’ve got them right here.” He pulls them from his jacket pocket and hands them to me along with my valet claim ticket.
I put the ticket into an envelope with the name of the guy who details Tommy’s cars.
I hand the envelope to Billy. “I have someone picking up the car in an hour. Should be a wild night. Figured it’d be better to have a car to take us home.”
Sander’s car pulls up behind mine.
I turn toward the car and tell Billy, “I brought some friends with me.”
“Nice ride,” he says.
“Hey, Billy,” I whisper. “Do you know Mr. Sharpe?”
Billy rolls his eyes. “Silver Porsche. Douche.”
“Is he here tonight?”
“No, but it’s Thursday. He’ll be here.”
“Could you do me a teeny little favor?” I hand him a folded hundred-dollar bill. “When he arrives, will you discreetly let this guy know immediately?” I gesture to Cooper. “He’ll be in the VIP section.”
Billy looks down at his hand and smiles. “Absolutely.”
I move my skimpily clad body just a little closer to him. “And, Billy, under
no
circumstances am I to leave with Mr. Sharpe.”
“He bad news?”
“For me, yes.”
I get the boys happily situated in the VIP section and do a shot with them while Cooper uses his all-access pass to check out the exits. I look down at the dance floor, knowing the door Vincent tried to drag me out of is almost directly underneath me.
When he gets back, Cooper says, “You sure he’ll let me know when he arrives?”
“Yeah, I tipped him a hundred dollars.”
Cooper pulls me toward the balcony overlooking the dance floor, wraps his arms around my waist, and appears to whisper sweet nothings in my ear.
“I want you dancing there.” He uses a mini laser pointer to indicate the spot.
I toss my head back and giggle, playing my role.
“There’s an exit here.” The red light hits a black spot on the wall. “And here.”
“Got it.”
My bottom lips pops out in a pout, like Cooper just told me something I didn’t want to hear.
Sander says to him, “Aw man, you’re in trouble. No one can resist the pout.”
“Sander, stop giving away my tricks.” I smile at him. “So, the party pooper here has to take a business call. Who wants to go dance?”
Ten minutes later, Cooper joins me on the dance floor, pulling me tightly into his body.
I grind on him, making sure my ear is close to his mouth.
“Vincent’s here. He just left the VIP section and moved closer to the dance floor. As we walk back to the bar, he’ll be on your right. I’ll be walking on your left. No matter what, I want you keep looking at me. If you make eye contact with him it will ruin your plan.”
“Got it.”
I stop grinding on Cooper, close my eyes, and just cling to him for a minute.
“You sure you want to do this?” he asks.
I open my eyes, nod at him, and Party-Girl-Keatyn yells to Sander, “I think we need another drink!”
The small pack of us makes our way back to the VIP section.
Cooper keeps his arm tightly wrapped around me.
Party-Girl-Keatyn gabs loudly the entire way. “So I can’t decide what I’m in the mood for. Should we have hypnotic, lemon drop shots, or should we should just keep going with the Don Julio?”
Just as I finish my sentence, I feel Cooper’s grip on my waist tighten and I know we’re about to walk by Vincent. I keep my eyes locked on Cooper’s and stay in my role.
“How about you, sexy?” I say loudly to Cooper. “What are you in the mood for?”
Cooper mumbles something and I laugh loudly. “I think we’d get arrested for that, baby.”
“Keatyn, darling, let’s do Fireball shots,” Danny yells back at me.
“Hot, just like us.” Sander and I yell at the same time.
Which makes me forget about Vincent for a second and actually laugh for real.
While Sander is ordering shots, Cooper keeps watch behind me. “It’s time to go. He’s headed this way.”
I pat Sander on the back. “I have a surprise for you boys. Keep an eye out for me.”
“Move now,” Cooper says, quickly leading me to one of the pass-only doors.
He flashes our pass to the guard, who lets us through.
“I’m still worried about getting you down.”
“I know.” I lead him to the DJ booth and get Troy’s attention.
“Damn, girl,” Troy says, giving me a hug. “I’ve missed you. Not the whiner boyfriend, but I’ve missed you.”
“Brooklyn’s not my boyfriend anymore.”
“If you weren’t our friend, I would have kicked his ass for all the bitching he did. You had fun though, didn’t you?”
“I had a blast being on tour.”
“Damian says you’re going to be in our video.”
“If you guys still want me, yeah.”
He looks at me again. “We do. So, keep going down the hall. Second door on the left is where all the girls are. They’ll tell you what to do.”
“Why don’t you walk down there, Cooper, and check it out. I’ll be right there.”
As soon as he’s out of earshot, I say to Troy, “Were you able to get it?”
“Are you sure about all this? Damian gave me an earful before I left. I assume you want this guy to see you but not get close?”
“Exactly.”
“That shouldn’t be a problem. Patrons aren’t allowed to touch the cages.”
“Still.”
Troy sighs. “Fine. It’s duct taped to the floor. I put a little spot of glow-in-the-dark paint on both ends of the tape. The safety’s on but, Keats, the last thing we need is a shoot-out in a packed club.”