With Me in Seattle Bundle One (136 page)

“She’ll be worth it,” I assure him and pat his broad shoulder.

“What’s up with you and Leo?” he asks quietly.

My eyes turn to the man in the living room, still deep in conversation with Meg. I’m always aware of him, what he’s doing and where he is. I can’t help it.

“I went and fell in love with him.” I smirk and glance back at Matt, who has taken a seat next to me. “What do you think of him?”

“I like him.” He nods. “Looks to me like he fell in love with you, too.” He gestures over, and I turn my head to find Leo watching us. I wink at him, and he smiles softly before returning to his conversation.

“It’s kind of disgusting.” I choose a piece of pizza and take a bite. “But it’s fun. We’ll see how it goes.”

“You’re so not into the mushy stuff, are you?” Matt asks with a chuckle.

“Not really.” I shrug, and then realize that’s a lie. I love the mushy stuff with Leo.

“I get it.” He nods.

“You’re not either,” I remind him.

“There’s a time and a place for romance,” he disagrees. “But
I
decide when and where that is.”

“God, you’re bossy.”

He just laughs at me and clinks his glass with mine in cheers.

“Uh, Sam?” Stacy is moving through the room, her phone in her hands, and she’s frowning down at it.

“Yeah?”

“Have you seen this?”

“What?” I ask as she pushes her phone in my hands.

Matt leans close to look over my shoulder and swears under his breath as my world stops moving.

It’s a photo on an online gossip page of Leo and me from the photo shoot last week in LA. Lori has been cropped out of the photo.

Of course.

The caption below reads: Leo Nash with his new girlfriend, sister of actor/producer Luke Williams.

No name.

“What is it?” I hear Leo ask, his voice closer than before, and I feel my cheeks heat in anger and embarrassment and pure betrayal.

“Fuck.”

***

~Leo~

Sam’s face has turned bright red as she stares blankly down at Stacy’s phone. Her hands are shaking, and Matt is glaring at the phone as if it’s going to bite.

“What the fuck is wrong?” I ask as I approach her.

She wakes the screen back up and shoves it at me. “That’s what the fuck is wrong.”

The photo is from last week in LA, the exact photo Sam said she didn’t want leaked.

Melissa just lost her motherfucking job.

“What the hell, Leo?”

“What’s going on?” Luke asks as he joins us.

“A photo got leaked,” I murmur and pass it to him.

He scowls down at the phone and looks back at Sam. “Sam, this isn’t new. You were in LA with Leo. What did you expect to happen?”

“I specifically told that bitch of a publicist that she didn’t have my permission to use my photo.”

Luke turns his accusing eyes to me, his face hard and eyes narrowed.

“Hey, man, I backed her up. I’ll fire the bitch who leaked it.”

“Are you going to fire everyone who leaks this shit?” Luke demands and shoves Stacy’s phone back to her. “Sam’s worked hard to stay out of the tabloids.”

“I’m aware.” I stand strong and cross my arms over my chest.

“I told you.” Luke points his finger in my face. “I told you this would happen. This,” he points a the phone, “is why I warned you to stay the fuck away!”

“Don’t talk to him like that!” Meg steps between Luke and me, her hazel eyes glaring at Luke. “He already said he backed Sam.”

“Stay out of this,” Luke mutters to her, but she stands her ground.

“I will not. This shit happens. You should know that. Hell,
she
knows that. She works for a magazine.” Meg plants her fists on her hips, and I want to tell her to back off, but I know it’ll be futile.

She’s in protective-sister mode.

“Meg,” I begin, but she holds her hand up to stop me, and my eyebrows rise in surprise.

Matt grins at her. Isaac, Nate and the others have come out of the game room to see what all the commotion is about.

“He’s put my sister in a position he doesn’t even understand.” Luke points his finger at me again, his voice rising as Mark moves up beside him.

“How in the bloody hell can you say he doesn’t understand it?” Meg roars. “He lives in that world every goddamned day! You’re no more of a celebrity than he is, you know. If anything, he’s even more submerged in it.”

“This is not about who is more famous,” Luke interrupts.

“Leo would never hurt Sam.”

“He’s not good enough for my sister!” Luke exclaims, and a cold sweat breaks out on my face.

He’s right. I’m not.

But I’ll be goddamned if I’ll let her go.

“Luke,” Sam softly interjects, but he shakes his head.

“No, you told him you didn’t want this kind of publicity, and what happens? That bullshit.” He points at Stacy’s phone. “This is bullshit.” He turns to me. “You’re supposed to fucking protect her, not feed her to the fucking wolves! You promised!”

“Are you kidding me?” I grip Meg by the shoulders and move her to the side toward Will, knowing he’ll keep her out of the way. “You think I don’t know what fame,
your fame
, has done to your sister?”

“Leo.” Sam’s voice is full of warning, but I ignore her. I’ve had enough of this bullshit.

“Your fame, all of your fame”—I point to Will and then turn back to Luke, my heart hammering in my chest—“lost Sam her motherfucking job. She’s been unemployed for over a month because she wouldn’t sell her family out.”

Luke’s jaw drops, and his eyes fly to Sam’s, who now has tears in her eyes. “Is this true?”

“Fuck this,” she whispers and shakes her head. “I’m out of here.”

She pushes through the bodies that have gathered around us and slams through the front door, Natalie close behind.

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Mark asks, his hands on his hips.

“Her boss wanted her to do a story on Luke and Nat last year after they got married. She refused.”

“But you just said she’s only been unemployed for a month. We’ve been married for over a year.”

“I wasn’t finished.” I push my hand through my hair. “About a month ago, the bastard bitched her out for not telling him sooner that she was connected to the Montgomerys. More specifically, Will Montgomery.”

“Son of a bitch,” Will whispers. “I would have done an interview for her.”

“She wouldn’t have asked you to, man. She loves you. All of you.” I look around the room, at Sam’s family. Jules has tears in her eyes. The men’s mouths are clenched, fists balled. “She would never put her family in any magazine, especially knowing how fiercely private you all are.”

If she had just confided in them sooner, they would have fought for her.

“So, they fired her because they said she wasn’t a team player for not being willing to sell out her family. She went to LA for a job interview.”

“She’s not moving to LA,” Sam’s dad insists from his stance on the stairway. The parents have come out to listen.

“No, she’s not,” I confirm and shake my head. “She’s had interviews here in town this week.”

“Why didn’t she say anything?” Luke asks.

“This is Sam we’re talking about,” I remind him with a rueful laugh. “She’s stubborn as hell. She also didn’t want anyone to worry.” I turn back to Luke and get in his face. “So if you think I’d let a rag get their hands on something like that”—I point at the phone clenched tightly in Stacy’s fingers—“you’re sorely mistaken. The bitch will be fired. I know about Scott.” The last sentence is whispered, for Luke’s and Mark’s ears only.

Luke’s surprised gaze finds mine, and then he sighs deeply. “Fuck.”

***

~Samantha~

What the fuck just happened? I run out the front door toward Leo’s car and realize that not only didn’t I drive, but I don’t have any keys.

I can’t leave.

Damn it!

“Sam.” Natalie’s soft voice comes from behind me, and I turn to find her standing on the porch, her green eyes worried and wet.

“Go back inside, Nat.” I just want to be alone. God, my heart hurts. He fucking told them.

He told them
after I told him not to. And what in the name of all that’s holy is up with that photo?

“Sam, talk to me,” Nat insists and walks to me, her arms wrapped tightly around her middle.

“Nothing to say.” I plant my hands on my hips and stare off down the driveway.

“Spill it, Williams.” Nat’s voice is hard. I glance over at my gorgeous sister-in-law, so thankful for her.

“I told Leo not to tell the family about my job,” I finally admit.

“Why?” she asks with a frown. “We would have helped you.”

“That’s why.” I kick at a rock on the pavement. “Luke would have tried to fix it, or pay off my mortgage, or something stupid like that.”

“I’m pretty sure your mortgage will be paid for by tomorrow afternoon,” Nat agrees with a grin.

“He better not,” I warn her and then feel tears start to fall from my eyes, which pisses me off more. “Damn it.”

“You know, we all love you.” Nat smirks when I start to cry harder. The bitch. “You distance yourself from us, from everyone really, but we love you so much. Your brothers would do anything for you.”

“I know,” I whisper.

“I have a feeling Leo feels the same way.” I shake my head, but she just laughs at me. “Sam, did you take a second to see his face when he saw that picture?”

No. I shake my head.

“It devastated him. He’ll make it right,” she states confidently and smiles gently.

“Why are you so nice to me?” I ask her. “I was horrible to you.”

“Because I know why you were, and because I love you for wanting to protect my husband.”

I shake my head and wipe the tears off my cheeks.

“Are you crying because of that photo?” she asks softly.

“No.” I wipe my nose on the back of my hand. “I feel betrayed by that tattooed asshole in there, and embarrassed that everyone heard that I’d lost my job.”

Nat nods and then frowns. “You’ll get another job, you know.”

I shrug. “They’re not knocking down my door.”

“You will. What does Leo say?”

“He’s moving up here to be near Meg more, and the band is going to record the next album here.”

“That’s not what I meant, and you know it.” She narrows her eyes at me, making me laugh.

“God, you’re such a gold digger,” I fling at her with a laugh.

She chuckles and nods. “Yeah, don’t tell Luke. He thinks I love him for his good looks.”

I wipe the rest of the tears from my cheeks and sigh. “Leo says he’ll take care of me.”

“I bet that pissed you off, too,” she correctly observes.

“Hell yes, it did. I don’t need him to take care of me.”

“Nope,” she agrees with a grin.

“What is it with men thinking they can just take care of everything? I’m not a damsel in distress. I got this shit.”

“I hear you.” She shrugs. “But it is kind of nice to know you don’t have to do it all on your own. I like it that Luke has my back.”

“I think he prefers your front.” I smirk.

“No, he loves my ass.” She laughs.

“You have a good ass.” I confirm with a nod and then frown. “I’m still really, really pissed at him. He shouldn’t have told the family.”

“No, that was yours to tell.” Natalie puts her arm around my shoulders. “I’m sorry you’re hurt.”

The front door opens, and I expect to see Luke, or my parents, come outside, but instead it’s Leo, moving quickly, a scowl on his face.

“Get in the fucking car.”

“Excuse me?”

“I’ll see you later,” Nat whispers and kisses my cheek before letting herself back inside.

“You heard me.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you.” I stand my ground, my arms crossed, and glare defiantly at him.

“The fuck you’re not. Get in.”

“No.”

He stops and turns to me, his gray eyes angrier than I’ve ever seen them. He gets in my face, his voice low and deceptively calm. “Get in the motherfucking car before I put you there myself.”

“Leo…”

“Get in the fucking car!”

Jesus, Mary and Joseph, he’s pissed.

Chapter Twenty-One

~Leo~

“Damn, you piss me off,” I mutter and grip the steering wheel tightly, enjoying the rumble of the engine as I stomp on the gas and tear out of Will’s driveway.

“You’re going to kill us both,” she mutters and glares at me.

“No, if I decide to kill you, I’ll choke the shit out of you.”

She has the audacity to laugh. “Do you think that’s the first time I’ve been threatened with a choking?”

“No, sweetheart, I’m sure that happens on a regular basis. You’re so fucking stubborn.”

She glares again and looks out the passenger window.

I’m so angry with her, I dare not touch her. I’m pissed on so many levels. I don’t even know where it starts and how to dig through to the root of it.

I just know that I haven’t been this angry since I was sixteen years old.

“Leo,” she begins, but I cut her off.

“Stop talking.”

Her startled gaze whips to mine, and I glare at her, seething.

“You’re really upset,” she whispers and sits quietly while I navigate downtown Seattle to her building. I park and take the car out of gear so her door unlocks and she can get out.

“I’ll talk to you later.”

“You’re not coming in?” she asks, surprised.

“No.”

“Leo, come inside and talk to me.”

I glance over at her, and her eyes are scared, and a piece of me softens. She’s worried I won’t be back.

“Fine.” I turn off the ignition, round the hood of the car and pull her out of her seat, walk briskly into her building and press the elevator button. When the doors close, she tries to speak, but I cut her off.

“No, you want me to talk, fine, I’ll talk. When we get into your place.”

She frowns up at me, about to argue, but she shuts her lips and looks straight ahead. At her floor, I stomp ahead to her door and wait for her to unlock it and walk inside.

“Sit.”

“No, I’m not a fucking dog, Leo. If you’re pissed, talk. If you’re just going to be an asshole, go home. I’m sick of you bullying me.”