It’s not until I’m done that reality hits me again. Hopefully, the guys will give me a chance to hear my side of the story.
* * *
RIKU
Simon and I escorted that scumbag out to the front of the club. He fought all the way, and when we finally let him go, he tried to start something with us.
“Who the fuck are you? Don’t you know who I am? How dare you put your hands on me! I’ll have you charged with assault,” he spits out as we release him onto the sidewalk.
Simon and I exchange a glance, and he chuckles. “You’re welcome to try. We were just following our boss’s instructions, but if you’d like to take on the Summers in court, you’re welcome to.” The dumbass pales after hearing that name.
He sneers. “It’s none of her fucking business what I was doing.” Luckily, the line to get into the club is nonexistent, but out of the corner of my eye, I notice when someone recognizes him and raises their phone, probably recording what’s happening.
My phone signals a message, and my eyes widen when I see that Jacinta is locked in a closet.
“No, but thank goodness for her, you fucking cocksucker.” Out of nowhere, Chase slams his fist into the side of Matthew’s face, and he stumbles backward with a grunt.
“What the fuck, man? She was practically begging for it. Your little slut is always giving me those ‘fuck me’ eyes on set. We could have tag teamed her.”
“Don’t come near me or her again,” Chase growls, wrapping an arm around his teary-eyed girlfriend.
“Here, let me grab you a cab,” I offer. Simon watches Matthew so he doesn’t come at us when our backs are turned, and I wave down a ride for the couple that is happily accepted when it pulls up to the curb. It drives away, its passengers settled in, and I turn back to the drunk and certainly high Matthew.
“Go home and sleep it off. Pray you haven’t ruined your career. Doesn’t Declan Summers produce that TV show you’re on?”
“Fuck him! I can find a job anywhere. I have plenty of offers.” Matthew spits at Simon’s feet and stumbles away down the street.
“What a fucking douche.” Simon shakes his head.
“Hey, can you grab the car? I’ll wrangle Jacinta.”
He quickly agrees, and I head back into the club. On the way up the entrance stairs, I pass a woman who’s rushing in the opposite direction. I could have sworn I saw her following Jacinta before. I’m tempted to stop her and ask questions, but before I can make up my mind, she hails a cab and disappears into the darkness.
I make my way through the busy club and find the locked door exactly where I left Jacinta. Opening it up, I feel my eyebrows jump in surprise when I see her in there with the birthday boy. I don’t know much about Lord Lavington, but this seems like a stupid idea. Well, at least he’s not my problem—back to Jacinta. Scanning her to make sure she’s okay, I notice a pair of legs farther into the closet.
“Are you okay?” I ask, looking between her and the British royal.
Ash grins lazily and leans against the wall, pulling out a packet of cigarettes from his pocket. A flippant comment flies out of his mouth, which Jacinta shoots down, before we leave him to his unfinished business.
She steps out and slams the door behind her, muttering about idiot playboys in the closet.
I grab hold of her arm as we cross the dance floor, noting the way her pulse is racing under my fingertips. That’s extremely fast for someone who had just been standing around. I’m pretty sure half the crowd was on some kind of recreational drug tonight, and now I suspect that Jacinta may have been too.
My worry increases, and I decide that I need to keep a closer eye on her because I know how hard it is to come back from addiction.
ChapterTwenty-One
Jacinta
The door to my room bangs open, and I jolt upright in my bed. Disoriented, I grab the first thing I can reach from my bedside table and pitch it at the intruder. Unfortunately, that means my phone goes flying across the room. Again.
“Ow! Fuck.” Cole’s annoyed voice reaches my ears as I finally shake off the queasy, shaky feeling and rub my eyes to help them focus. When I pull my hands away, Cole is standing in my doorway, rubbing his hand over his chest. I must have nailed him this time. I feel a small sense of satisfaction before my annoyance takes over.
“For fuck’s sake, Cole, what are you doing in my room and so fucking early?” His hand has stilled on his chest, and his eyes are locked on me, but lower down. I look down, and a small screech escapes my lips as I haul my blankets up and over my naked tits. I just gave Cole a good eyeful this morning.
Before he can answer, he gets shoved out of the way. Hope comes into the room, waving her phone. “Oh my god! What did you do? You’re fucking royalty now?”
I groan and sink back into my bed, pulling the blankets over my head. “It’s not what it looks like,” I mumble, my head throbbing with my hangover.
