Prizes meant freedom, which also meant I had to participate. “I’ll do mine right now.” I reached into my bowl and pulled out a piece of paper.
“Read it aloud,” Ruben ordered.
Damn. “Have you ever lied to someone you love?”
The room fell silent.
I answered honestly. “Several times. Not that I’m proud of it by any means, but sometimes we lie because it’s easier then telling the truth. Sometimes by lying you protect those you love.”
Silence. Again.
Nat cleared her throat. “My turn.” She reached into the bowl. Slowly, she unfolded the piece of paper and read the question. “Have you ever regretted dating Alec instead of Demetri?” She shook her head. “What the hell kind of question is that?”
“A good one,” Ruben said evenly. “Now answer it.”
“No. And it’s a hell, no! No offense, Demetri.”
“None taken.” He laughed.
“I love Demetri like family. I love Alec like… well, definitely not family.” People chuckled around the room including the camera crew. “And I would never take that moment back, even though it was difficult on all of us. It was… meant to be.”
“Well said.” I grabbed Nat’s hand and kissed it.
“Lovely, just lovely.” Jaymeson sighed. “Now that we’ve all answered questions, either let us get drunk or leave. It’s late, which technically means the cameras have to go.”
Ruben nodded slowly. “You’re right. How could I forget? It’s only Monday, and since we had to wait for Nat and Alec to get back, we won’t make you guys do anything else for the rest of the night. We actually scheduled a private party for you guys tonight. After all, we only have one week left of filming and you guys are all free to tour, make movies, and get married.” The last part he said to Nat. She beamed and looked up at me.
“I feel like there’s a catch,” Demetri said eyeing Ruben up and down as if trying to figure out the puzzle he was presenting us.
“Always is.” Ruben clapped his hands together. “One camera crew stays — but don’t worry, they’ll just be here in case something happens.”
Ruben left with the other two camera crews. A catering crew arrived a few minutes later and began setting up food in the kitchen. Clearly Ruben hadn’t gotten the memo that Demetri didn’t like alcohol in the house, because there was enough champagne to kill a person. The hair on the back of my neck rose. Something wasn’t right. Ruben was too happy… I mean a private party? Four weeks ago he was ready to scratch the whole project because we were so boring.
“I feel set up,” Nat whispered next to me as the kitchen crew began pouring champagne into flutes.
“One week, Nat. We only have one week left.”
I was trying to encourage her while I was literally having a hard time breathing. Ruben had something up his sleeve.
My phone buzzed in my pocket, I quickly looked at the screen. MEET ME OUTSIDE. NEED TO TALK. —APRIL
“Shit.”
“What?” Nat grabbed my arm. “Is everything okay?”
“Of course!” I gave her my widest smile and kissed her forehead. “I’ll just be right back I forgot something in the SUV.”
“Okay.”
Shaking, I put the phone back in my pocket and jogged outside. Sure enough April was standing on the other side of the boardwalk where the beach met the driveway.
“Can you make it fast?” I snapped. “The last thing we need is for Ruben to see us together or some photographer.”
“I don’t know what to do.” She sobbed into her hands. “He’s going to take everything. He’s going to spread vicious lies and… Alec, there isn’t a way out! There isn’t a way out. You have to do something! Please! I’m begging you, Alec!”
Feeling like shit, I pulled her into my arms for a reassuring hug. But instead of melting against me, she beat on my chest. “I don’t want you, Alec Daniels! I never will! Stay the hell away from me! Stay the hell away from Demetri!”
“What?” I sputtered, releasing her. “April, what the hell are you talking about?”
“I already told you.” Tears streamed down her face. “I don’t want you. I never did. You were just a one-time fling.”
“What the hell?” I looked around crazily. “April, we were never together we—”
“Stop denying the truth, you bastard! I can’t believe you would do this to Demetri and me! I can’t believe you would ruin so many people! I loved my husband and you ruined it! You ruined our relationship!”
Stunned, I could only watch as she wiped away a few more tears and then under her breath said, “I’m so damn sorry… but I had to do this.”
The first camera flash went off when she left.
And then another.
Followed by five more.
Paralyzed with fear, anger, basically every suicidal emotion in the book, I stood and watched the tide crash. With each wave, the sand crumbled more and more.
That was my life.
I couldn’t control what April did. In the end she turned on me.
Paparazzi surrounded me, but I kept my eyes focused on the ocean, on the one constant thing.
I felt every shred of dignity leave. Every ounce of pride, everything I’d ever worked for — gone in an instant.
With a curse, I stumbled back toward the house. Camera flashes followed me, but not inside the house. I mean, why would they? We had an entire camera crew waiting for me in the living room.
The minute the screen door slammed everyone looked at me blankly. I couldn’t hide the horror on my face. I felt every emotion all at once, as if the mask I had been trying to wear was finally shattered and all that was left was complete and utter fear.
Nat’s eyes widened.
I shook my head and ran up the stairs.
She followed me and slammed the door behind her, locking the camera crew out.
“What happened? Are you hurt?” She led me to the bed and sat next to me, pulling my hands into her lap. “Alec, talk to me.”
“I…” Shaking with so much emotion, I just took her right there. I threw her against the bed and kissed her senseless. I bit down on her lip and pushed my body against hers.
She moaned. And then her cell phone went off.
Ten times.
Finally I pulled back. She sighed and opened the phone. Eyes widening with horror, she pushed against me. “Get off.”
“What? What’s wrong?”
Tears welled in her eyes as she clicked through her phone and then glared accusingly at me. “What did you need to get from your SUV?”
“Nat, I—”
“Just tell me, Alec! Tell me!” She lunged for me and beat against my chest.
“There was nothing in my SUV.” I gulped. “I lied.”
“About everything,” she whispered and then threw the phone at my face. I ducked just in time. The phone landed on the bed. On the main screen was a picture of me embracing April.
“Son of a bitch.” I ran after her, cursing the entire way down the stairs.
Chapter Twenty-four
Demetri
“Demetri!” Nat was yelling my name. Why the hell was she yelling for me? Then Alec yelled something that sounded scarily like an un-holy amount of F-bombs as Nat flew down the stairs.
Within seconds she was in my arms. “Um…” I hugged her shaking body and looked around in confusion. Seriously. Did someone die? Alyssa squinted next to me. I mouthed for her to help.
She reached out and patted Nat’s back. “Hey, what’s going on? Are you okay?”
“Do I look okay?” Nat snapped.
“Whoa there.” I pried Nat from my body. “No need to freak out.”
“I’m sorry. I just…” Nat sniffled and wiped her nose. Her shoulders were trembling with effort not to burst into tears. I could tell she was hanging by a thread.
“It’s not what you think…” Alec said from the top of the stairs. He took them two at a time and tried to pull Nat into his arms, but she jerked away from him. The guy needed to stop using that phrase. Even I was getting sick of it.
“Not what I think?” she said. “Not what I think?” Uh-oh, her tone was getting dangerously high-pitched. I took a step back, self-preservation and all that.
“Nat, listen.” Alec grabbed her shoulders from behind. Nat pulled away again and this time turned and slapped him across the face. Hard. I wouldn’t be surprised if she cracked his tooth.
“Shit,” I mumbled under my breath and took another step back. “That’s like the second time she’s hit you in two weeks.”
“It’s becoming habitual,” Jaymeson piped up from the couch. “And entertaining, if I might add.”
“Not helping.” Alec glared.
“How, Alec? HOW?”
The camera crew was probably salivating right now as they all waited with baited breath to see what Alec had to say.
I expected it to be something silly, like he called her fat, or stepped on her toe and cracked her nail polish. Hell, I expected him to admit he tried something kinky in bed.
“I—it isn’t what it looked like. I was comforting her. Hugging her. The paper’s making it look like something it isn’t.”
“She’s Jaymeson’s mom.”
“What?” Jaymeson flew off the couch. “My mom what? What the hell did you do to my mom?” He lunged for Alec, but I stood in the way. Geez, the producers wanted drama, they were so getting drama.
“You mean other than sleep with her?” ?This from Angelica.
You could have heard a pin drop in that room. I stared blankly at Alec waiting for him to laugh it off, to deny everything.
His face went completely white.
“Dude.” I laughed and shook my head. “Alec would never do that. I mean, I know he’s done some crazy stuff… Tell them, Alec.”
“Yeah, Alec.” Angelica purred. “Tell them. Everything.”
“Alec?” Nat whispered.
Alec’s eyes glossed over. I remembered that look all too well. It was the look he had the day he told me our dad died. It was the same look he wore after he tried committing suicide. Blocking. He was blocking everything out, going into survival mode.
“Alec.” My voice was hoarse. I took a step toward him. “Don’t do this. Whatever happened, whatever is happening, you need to tell the truth. Don’t think about who you’re protecting or who you’re hurting. Just tell the damn truth.”
Angelica snorted. “The truth—”
“Angelica, I swear to God, if you don’t shut the hell up I will freaking slap you so hard across your face you’ll have to get plastic surgery to fix the mess.”
Face white, she stepped away from us with her hands up.
“Alec.” I put my hand on his shoulder. His muscles were so tense it seemed like he was going to snap at any minute.
“I gotta run.” He gave me a sad smile but refused to look in Nat’s direction. Instead he grabbed his keys and left.
The door closed quietly behind him.