Reservation (Preservation Series) (15 page)

“You’re Ryan Campbell. You can have anything you want.” The redhead lowered herself to her knees next to her friend, and then their shirts were coming off, and my hand was covering my eyes while I stuttered like a moron. Shit! This wasn’t happening.

“Whoa, just stop, okay? Stop. I told you I’m not interested. Sorry, but it’s not going to happen.” My heart started pounding through my chest and my throat went dry as I shot forward to scoot around them, trying my damndest to look down at the ground.

“Wait! We heard you liked your women submissive,” the blonde crooned, her hand shooting out to grip my pant leg. “Is this not submissive enough for you?”

I froze, eyes fixed on the floor next to her. “Excuse me? Where the hell did you hear that? What are you talking about?”

The blonde stuttered. “Uh, well we uh...we know some of the girls you used to sleep with, they were students of yours. Said you liked them submissive, that you liked to have control in the bedroom.”

“Yeah, please give us a chance. We want to please you. Aren’t you a Dominant?”

“What?” I flinched, shocked at the awkwardness of this conversation and the sheer absurdity of the idea that I’d even discuss this shit with two strangers. “No, no I’m not. I’m not...actually... look, it’s not your business, anyway. Now for fuck’s sake, please put your clothes on.” My frustration was bubbling hot and fierce in my chest, and gone was my patience or willingness to let them down easy. I had to get out of there. Right fucking then, before things got any more out of hand.

I bent down to snatch up the girls’ shirts and toss them in their direction, huffing under my breath at the insanity that had ensued the moment I signed that fucking book contract. Here I was, thinking I was making an invaluable career move, one that would turn my entire life around, and my life did just that—turned completely upside down and backfired in my face, when all I wanted was a fresh start. Now I was being offered threesomes in some stranger’s bedroom, at a party for someone I didn’t even know, smiling and waving to goddamn cameras with some vapid Barbie doll on my arm that I couldn’t give two flying shits about, while the one thing that I wanted was clear across the globe from me.

Then it clicked. Everything I’d just been pondering outside on the balcony.

This was the creature under my skin, the uncomfortable nagging feeling that was begging for attention—helplessness. I should’ve recognized it sooner, but it was clear as day now. I despised feeling helpless—unable to reach Kate, unable to protect my privacy, unable to hit the brakes on the direction my career was taking. I suddenly felt like I was on a leash, the one being walked, when it should be the other way around.

One of the girls begged me to stay again, and I could feel her wide eyes burning holes into my face. If I so much as glanced a few inches to the right, I’d see a lot more than her eyes. “But...but we came to this party just to be with you,” she said. “We had to lie to get on the guest list...it wasn’t easy. Please.”

I reached forward and unlocked the door, ready to make my escape. “Sorry, I can’t do this. You should leave now.” Truth was, if the circumstances had been any different, if these girls had given me this offer a year ago, I wouldn’t have hesitated for a second to accept. I
did
like control in the bedroom, and much of what they’d probably heard about me was most likely true.

But I wasn’t about to confirm that for them.

And I’d been here. Too many times. And in the end, all that had been left for me was a void. One that had only been filled the moment Kate stood up to me the day I’d chastised her after class for being late. Now I knew there was so much more to life, and to relationships, than emotionless sexual encounters and my warped need to retaliate for what Jamie had put me through, and I had zero intention of fucking that up with one moment of weakness.

I couldn’t turn the doorknob fast enough. It swung open, and before I could dash out of the room, white, blinding light assaulted me, the sound of clicks and whispers flooding me from every direction.

7. SKELETONS

Fuck!
The flashing stopped and my eyes adjusted to the hallway light, which revealed two photographers and a group of guests at the end of the hallway, gaping and wide eyed at the commotion taking place before them. The photographers lowered their cameras with big, sleazy grins, peering around me to take in the half-naked girls, still on their knees. They quickly caught on to what was happening and skittered to their feet, shrieking and covering themselves with their shirts, yelling at me to close the door. I slammed it behind me and turned my vicious glare on the paparazzi, demanding they hand over the cameras.

“No can do, Mr. Campbell. These shots right here are enough to pay a few month’s worth on my mortgage.” He tapped the camera smugly. “Maybe more. Unless, of course, you want to discuss this in private. We can talk finances and they’ll never see the light of day...”

“You son of a bitch.” I surged forward to grip the man by the collar. His friend looked ready to bolt from the scene, his eyes darting nervously from his camera to the end of the hallway.

Danny’s voice appeared as he weaseled his way between the two photographers, stepping in front of them to stop me. “Hey! Whoa, there, guy. Slow your roll.” A security guard strolled up next to him, and Danny cast him an uneasy glance. “Carl, please confiscate these men’s cameras immediately,” he directed the man, pulling me away from the crowd. “It’s okay, Ryan. I’ll make sure this is taken care of. I’m so sorry about this.”

“You can’t take our cameras, they’re personal property,” one of the photographers snapped as we made our escape toward the stairwell.

The guard shook his head. “Take it up with the police, brother. Right now,
you’re
on private property, and you don’t have permission to do a damn thing with pictures taken in the guest’s private bedroom.”

I peeked behind me as Danny led the way, watching as the guard snatched the cameras in one hand and began escorting the men off the premises with the other, ushering them forward to the exit at the other end of the hall.

“Those pictures can’t be released,” I whispered darkly, between gritted teeth. “My God, Danny, it can’t happen, do you understand me? It can’t.”

“Ryan, I have everything under control, I assure you. It never happened, okay? We’re here to showcase you in a positive light tonight, remember? I won’t let that happen.” He clapped my shoulder and studied me for a moment, then guided me past the small audience that had formed in the corridor, politely encouraging them to move along. “Nothing to see here, folks. Our apologies for the commotion.” Glancing at his watch, he pointed up the stairs toward the main foyer, where I was set to speak any minute now. “Look,” he spoke quietly, holding my gaze, “I know you’re shaken up, but please pull it together, get up there and find Henson, and take care of this speech. You can leave the moment you’re done, please just finish what you came to do. Can you do that, Ryan?”

My nostrils flared as I worked to even out my breaths. My chest was tight and my jaw muscles were working overtime. I couldn’t let what just happened ruin what I had come to do. I’d have to process it all later, after I’d done my job. I nodded briefly, taking my cell from my pocket to shoot Sam a message. “I’ll do the speech. Just give me a second to say hello to my friends and I’ll be right up.”

Danny sighed in relief, straightening his suit jacket. “Okay, good. I’ll see you up there.” With a soft pat on the back, he started up the stairs, running into Neda on the way. She hissed something under her breath as she ascended with him, and they launched into an all-out argument, Danny’s face red with embarrassment as she pulled him to the side of the staircase, jabbing her finger into his chest. I averted my gaze, wanting to give them their privacy.

I worked my way back to where I’d left Carter and Dean with Melanie, thankful to find Sam and Jess chatting with them. “Thank God.” I kissed Sam’s head from behind, shooting Jess a grateful smile. “You have no idea how happy I am to see you here.” Carter and Dean were busy chatting Melanie up. She was giggling and eating it up, playfully trying to spin Carter’s top hat on her index finger. She purposely let it fall, then bent over seductively in front of them to pick it up from the floor.

Sam turned and peered up at me, beaming. “Damn, baby, don’t you look handsome? Good to see you, too, Ry.”

“Men, lock up your women! Mr. Campbell’s on the premises!” Jess laughed and moved in for a hug. Her short, curly brown hair bounced as she moved, her green eyes lighting up behind her zebra-print glasses. Only Jess could rock those glasses with a black formal dress. She and Sam were a colorful pair, inside and out.

I welcomed her, squeezing her tight. “How you been, Jess? Lookin’ hot, as usual.”

“Easy there, Romeo,” Sam winked, locking arms with Jess.

“I see you’ve met my friends here.” I gestured to Carter and Dean with a smirk.

“Sure have,” Sam said, that secret smile of hers hidden behind her champagne glass. “It seems they’ve found a new pet.”

I scratched my temple and lowered my voice. “Uh, yeah...to be honest, I’m grateful they’ve kept her occupied. Long story, don’t ask. I just ran into some serious bullshit and I’m not sure I can take much more tonight.”

Sam’s playful smile disappeared. “Oh? Everything okay?”

“No. No, it’s not. But it will be. Just as soon as I get out of here. Speaking of, I have to run upstairs and make this appearance. Hope you guys don’t mind cutting it short when I’m done. I want to leave as soon as I’m done, you cool with that?”

Jess and Sam shrugged, exchanging a glance. “Sure, whatever is fine with us. We’re here for you, baby. It’s your night.”

“Thanks, Sam.” I leaned in to peck her cheek, then Jess’s, before I alerted Carter and Dean to my duty upstairs. They were still preoccupied with giving Melanie googly-eyes and finding new things to poke with Dean’s cane, so I scooted upstairs to take care of business.

The next hour passed graciously quickly. I was able to fumble my way through my short speech with few questions, and thankfully I had no other run-ins with the media hounds. I felt a million times more relaxed the moment I set foot outside of Henson’s house and crept away from Danny and Melanie, ditching their efforts to make me into a Ken doll for the night. I took Carter, Dean, Sam, and Jess all out for dinner, where we met up with Crystal and talked about our plans for the following weekend. Not only would Kate be in town, but Crystal had planned a surprise wedding shower for her, and I’d arranged some showings with a local realtor so she could check out a few of the places we’d been considering.

I didn’t say a word to any of them about what had transpired in the bedroom at the Henson house, and I didn’t intend to.

Ever.

Every part of me wanted to tuck it away and pretend it never happened, just as Danny said, but my head, my heart, and my gut, all told me otherwise. I couldn’t run from my past, and at one point or another, I’d have to accept the fact that I no longer had control over that part of my life. Details of my life before Kate would continue to surface, and I was a slave to that reality. But it wasn’t my public image I was concerned about.

It was how Kate would handle those details when they emerged.

I’d never expected my career to take this turn, let alone see it evolve into something on this scale. Kate had known about most of my past already and seemed adamant that none of it mattered to her anymore, but hearing me recount fleeting memories of what I’d done and seeing those details for herself were two very different things. I hadn’t told her everything, and with good reason. There were some things better left unsaid...and unexplored.

The moment I got home, I dropped to the couch and threw my head in my hands.
If Kate ever saw the photos taken tonight...

Shaking the thought away, I decided to turn in for the evening. I didn’t bother ringing Kate, knowing it was the middle of the night where she was, but I did send her a text message before I went to bed.

Miss you, babe. Tried calling earlier but no answer. Call me tomorrow when you have time. Had a rough night, but went out for dinner with everyone and that cheered me up. You might hear something about me and a woman named Melanie Carpenter. I’m sorry. I’ll explain later, but just know it wasn’t my doing. Hope you’re doing okay. Can’t wait for next weekend. Night, sexy.

The next day I awoke to pounding on my apartment door. I stumbled out of bed, grabbed a shirt from the floor, and raced toward the door, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. I paused before opening it, remembering the paparazzi’s merciless pursuits from the night before.

“Yes? Who is it?” My voice was raspy as I spoke through the door.

“Why haven’t you been answering your phone?” Danny shouted from the other side.

“Why are you banging on my door at eight a.m.?” I opened the door and he looked me up and down, raising an eyebrow at my striped boxer shorts and rumpled t-shirt.

“Because you haven’t answered your phone. Can I come in?”

“Um...okay.” I moved aside to let him through and shuffled over to the kitchen counter to make coffee. “I must’ve left my phone on silent or something. Had a late night. What’s up?”

“I need to speak to you about your history with an Amy Mercer.”