Chapter 95
* Elena *
“What was that about?” As he’d asked, I waited until we made it back to the apartment before speaking, but now, instead of the press conference, that last phone call was on my mind. He’d seemed so pensive afterward, and his ‘I’ll talk to her’ had me a bit on edge.
“It’s nothing bad, so don’t look like that.” His reassurance helped to quell the knots in my stomach, but it was the way he pulled me in and kissed my forehead that really did it for me. It was something from our past, something he knew always gave me comfort.
I still have no idea why that one little gesture has always been so poignant for me. Maybe because there was nothing sexual about it, there was no give and take, just him offering comfort in what I found to be a most sublime way. To others, it might not seem like much, but it always gave me butterflies, and this time was no different.
Then my nerves went on the rampage when he filled me in on what the phone call was about. “A joint concert? In the next week or so? How?” I laughed it off because it sounded preposterous. Things like this usually take months to put into play, but one look at his face told me that he was not joking.
“You’re serious!”
“If you agree, and only if you agree, then The Sanders group will handle all the details.”“But what about the show? I still have a few days left. I haven’t been in the studio in a while, haven’t practiced.” I was starting to panic, but I wasn’t sure if it was at the thought of facing the world so soon or at the idea of a rushed concert.
“Calm down, baby; first, I think the plan is to do it after you wrap this season. And remember, this is only if you agree all the way. Though, if you want my opinion, I think we should do it.” Had I not been looking at him, I would’ve missed the look in his eyes. There was something there that seemed a bit off.
“What is it you’re not telling me?” He got a bit fidgety, and that only put me on high alert. I always know when Ryder’s hiding something from me. Then again, I hadn’t known anything leading up to his ill-fated wedding so maybe my radar isn’t as good as I thought.
“Nothing’s the matter. I’m just trying to think of how we can do this on such short notice without putting any strain on you.”“Do you want to do it?”“Yes, I do. In fact, I think it’s the perfect solution. After the press conference, I’m sure the whole world will be watching; what better way to show them once and for all that we’re back together and stronger than ever?”
That sounded very good, but I think he’s forgetting the backlash from the public if things like this aren’t handled well. I know better than anyone how fickle the audience can be. One minute, you’re their darling, and the next, they’re burning you at the stake.
I’ve always preferred to keep my personal life as private as I can manage, and with everything else that’s going on, I’m sure this will do nothing more than dredge up things from the past that I’d rather not have to deal with again.
If it were up to me, the two of us would just carry on the rest of our lives without interference, but I knew that would never be because of who we are. Before I could answer, either way, my phone rang. It was my mother, no doubt, calling to chew me out about the press conference.
***
*Janie*
“I don’t think you’re allowed to leave the house.”“What?” I stopped at the open door and looked back over my shoulder at Jessica, who seemed to appear out of the shadows. She pointed at that stupid contract or whatever it was in her hands with a stupid smile on her face.
“Fuck off, I can do whatever I want, who the hell do you think you are?”“Fine, but you won’t be let back in if you walk out that door.”“Says who? This is my….”“Uh-uh-uh! You keep forgetting; it says right here that I’m in charge, and you’re not allowed to leave without permission. Of course, you can choose to leave, but I have to hold up my end of the bargain and report it. I actually like living here.”
She’s just doing this shit to get on my nerves. “Why does it matter to you or that little bitch where I go?”“I don’t think she’d appreciate you calling her that.”“I actually don’t care.” The voice coming through the wall startled us both, and we both looked around to see where it was coming from.
“Oh, you did it already.” Jessica talked to the air, “Cool, now I don’t have to babysit this twit.” She turned and headed back to wherever she came from, leaving me standing there feeling icky.”Did what already?”
“I told Jessica that the house was going to be wired for video and sound.”“Nobody asked me.”“Nobody needs to. By the way, where are you going?”“That’s none of your business.” I started to leave, but her next words stopped me in my tracks.
“The locks will be changed by the time you return. If you try breaking in, I’ll have you arrested, and of course, it will be on the front page of every newspaper by morning.”“Who’s putting you up to this?” There was no way a kid could think like this, and even though she hadn’t seen this person, she was sure it was a kid by her voice.
But still, the things she says and does are way too grown. There had to be someone handling her behind the scenes. “No one put me up to anything. I asked where you were off to. This doesn’t have anything to do with Ryder’s press conference, does it?”
Just the mere mention of it made my blood boil. How could he do this? I never thought that he’d have the nerve to expose everything like that because it would make him look stupid and weak as well. He didn’t come across as a choir boy in the details, so I thought that I was safe there, but he’d told them everything.
About the drugs, about the lies, even about the things he’d said and done when he thought Elena had betrayed him. But why did he have to tell everyone that I’d lied about her killing his child? Why couldn’t he come up with something else or keep that much hidden? Now, people were calling me a monster.
Was it just a few short weeks ago when people were rooting for me, for us? Now the whole world knew about all the lies, about the fact that I’d carried out a one-sided war with her, playing both sides of the field. That most of the things they’d attributed to being done by her had, in fact, been me.
Now they know that she never once retaliated or engaged. He told them everything: the betrayal of her closest friend, who I’d bribed, the drugging, everything. As if reading my thoughts, the voice echoed around the room again.”I hope you weren’t thinking of going to find him; what you should be most worried about right now are the cops coming after you. You do know it’s a federal offense to tamper with someone’s medication, don’t you?”
“Who says I did that? That’s just wild speculation.”“The doctor, he’s here with me. He told me all about it, among other things.”“What other things?” No, he couldn’t have, “where is he? What do you mean he told you everything?”
“Oh, you know, about the way you drugged your ex, the things you did to get him to keep his mouth closed.”“He would never have told you anything; he’d end up in jail and lose his license; why would he talk?” She had to be lying.
“Why are you so stressed? Are you afraid of the world learning just how despicable you are? You know, I thought about helping you; everyone deserves a second chance, right. But after hearing everything he had to say, I’m going to bury you.”
“No, you can’t, my life will be over.” She didn’t answer, and I crumbled to the floor in front of the door. Why was this happening? Why? How could everything fall apart all at once? And why was I trapped here with nowhere to go? For the first time since the beginning, I wished that Mary was here. She’d know what to do; she always knew what to do. But Mary was gone, and my father was sitting in a jail cell for the crime.
I had no doubt that this MengeLiNi person had something to do with that. I thought for sure there was a way back from this; there had to be, but not if she had the doctor. He knows too much. And if he spills the beans about what I really did to Elena Gianni, not only the world but Ryder would hate me.
*Ryder*
I couldn’t tell her everything because she wasn’t to know anything about the trafficking situation. I’d forgotten how well she knew me, how easily she could read my moods. I have to say, though, that Lyon’s kid keeps surprising me. I’m almost, not quite, but almost afraid of her mind.
It gives me chills to think that someone that age could come up with the things she does. And here I was, thinking I was hot shit because I broke into the music business at a relatively young age. This kid was going for world domination.
I was just as nervous as Elena at the prospect of a rushed concert, but not for the same reasons. Mary and Scott were out of the picture and I have no idea where Matt is, but there was no telling where the others that were involved are hiding.
I’m sure this idea was to draw them out, among other things, but I’m more nervous than I thought I would be. I’m all for catching them, whoever they are, but the fact that she’ll be part of it is giving me pause.
This morning, when I realized that she’d left the house wearing the ring, I knew I had to do something. As overjoyed as I was that she hadn’t taken it off, I knew it would start off a firestorm. In the past, I’d have had to wait on my PR team to give me the go-ahead along with talking points, but Sanders himself had answered the call, and when I told him, all he’d said was tell the truth.
This was new to me since everyone else in the past had forced me to do anything but. His faith, his trust in me, did something to me, something I didn’t even know I needed. The conference had come off more real than anything else I’d done in the past because it wasn’t scripted.
No one fed me what to say; it was organic and real, and I think that came across to the audience. I was starting to feel like the man I always wanted to be, not only in my personal life but in my profession as well.
It sucks that we’d had to go through all that we had to get here, but at least I had my girl back. No matter what comes from here on out, I can take it, just as long as she’s by my side.
I know my little stunt is going to bring the heat for both of us, but this, to me, was the only way. The only other option was to trickle truth the public, and that would take about a year to get everything cleared up. Plus, I have the added bonus of lifting a very heavy weight off my shoulders.
I didn’t sugarcoat anything; I just laid bare everything from beginning to end, not hiding my own faults and throwing others under the bus that deserved to be there. Now, the ball is in the public’s court for them to do with as they please. Now the idea of a concert doesn’t seem so bad, if not for the dark reasons behind it.
I wasn’t given all the details in that one call, but I’m sure I’ll be hearing from Lyon soon enough. I can’t forget my part in this, and even though I had no idea my venues were being used for such disgusting purposes, in this way, I can do my part to right the wrongs that had been done in my name if such a thing is even possible.
“Where did you go? You sure you’re not keeping anything from me?” I’d spaced out in front of her, now with a smile, tried to calm her fears. I agree with the guys; this is not something I want her to be a part of. And as much as I’d promised myself not to keep anything from her again, lest I repeat the same mistakes I made in the past, this is just one of those things that I’d prefer to keep her in the dark about.
The way she was looking at me with that hint of suspicion, I knew she wouldn’t stop until she got some answers and there’s only one way I know to keep her off the scent.
She squealed with delight when I picked her up and spun her around in my arms before throwing her over my shoulder and taking her down the hallway to our bed.