Chapter 28 #2
“Of course not.” I motion to the space where Livianna just went. “Where did Livianna go?”
“That’s why I came over here to talk to you.”
“Why? What do I have to do with where she went?”
“Nothing, but…” Gia’s wary gaze comes to me. “When I was doing press interviews, did anything out of the ordinary happen?”
“No. We talked and watched her brother’s band perform. We couldn’t hear what they were playing, though. I turned to say something to her about it, but I could tell she was reading the captions across the bottom of the screen.”
“Were you able to read what they said?”
I think back for a moment. “Cash made a reference about the song ‘Tainted Love.’ They must have done a cover. He said something about burning down love and anyone else who had a heartbreak over someone to let it go with the new year.”
“Okay, that’s not terrible.”
“Oh, one more thing. Cash announced their new album and told people to buy tickets to their upcoming concerts.”
“Do you remember the name?”
“Easily. It’s Dead Lilies.” I shake my head at the juxtaposition of the title. “Rock bands love a dramatic statement, don’t they?”
“Um-hmm.” Gia’s face pales and she turns to leave.
“Where are you going?”
“I need to find Livianna.” She races off.
What is going on with them?
I get my drink, go back to hang out with Mateo, and ponder the incident. What made Gia run off like that? Better yet, what’s going on with Livianna?
Mateo and I move on to a discussion about any investment opportunities either of us may be interested in. About twenty minutes go by and the ladies come back with two flutes of bubbly in each of their hands.
They’re both laughing and whatever had Gia concerned seems to have been taken care of. They place the champagne on the table along with their purses they were carrying under their arms.
Gia glances at the TV screen. “Another hour before midnight.”
“How many more interviews do you have scheduled for tonight?” Livianna scratches at her skin around her wrists like she’s having an allergic reaction to something.
“Three. One when the ball drops.” Gia shows a terse smile. “I’m on deck to do the countdown for Las Vegas. Yay for me.”
Livianna sighs. “You poor thing, but it’s great exposure.”
“Anything for a good review.” Gia holds her head high. “After that, I have a quick session at one with New Stars of Today and another at two with Entertainment Now.”
“They really pack them in.” Livianna reaches into her clutch and takes out a round silver makeup compact. “I don’t miss it at all.”
Mateo takes the conversation from there. We settle in and enjoy each other’s company while Gia sips on her champagne. Livianna, on the other hand, is already on her second glass.
I do a mental count. She drank half of her first drink. Then she had the double vodka soda I ordered for her. If my math is correct, she’s on her fourth or fifth beverage of the night. Given how small she is, she must be feeling it.
I lean toward her and listen to her go on about how much she despises the film industry. She tries hard not to slur.
Given she’s had a lot of practice in accentuating her words when she was an actress, I’m not surprised by how well she hides how intoxicated she must be.
I tilt my head to the side and stare into her eyes. Her pupils are the size of pinpricks.
Fuck!
She’s mixing drugs with alcohol. I don’t partake, but I know for a fact the interaction of two of anything can be deadly. Adrenaline surges through me.
How do I get her to stop drinking without making it seem like I’m trying to parent her?
I shift and glance around the room. I need to find a way to distract her. Nothing comes to mind.
Gia says something and they all laugh. I miss it and stumble over my response.
Livianna places her palm on my shoulder. “What’s wrong? You look like something’s bothering you.”
They all bring their attention to me. I try to calm myself and come up with a perfect excuse.
“It’s nothing. I’m just wondering if we should slow down on these.” I lift my glass and shake the remaining whiskey and ice. “It’s not even midnight and I’m already pretty buzzed. You’ve all had more than me. If I’m feeling it, you must be, too.”
“Jaxon Crowne is a lightweight.” She removes her hand, picks up her champagne, and drinks most of what’s left.
As she’s placing the flute down, she licks liquid off her lips. Then she flashes me a defiant smile as if she’s daring me to say something to her. I rest back and don’t give her the satisfaction.
They continue their discussion, and I fret but won’t play her childish games. If she wants to destroy her body, who am I to stop her? There’s a problem with my thought process, though.
For some fucked-up reason, I care about Livianna Hemings more than I want to admit. She’s proven to be intelligent, driven, tenacious, successful, beautiful, and the list goes on.
The last thing I want is for her to injure herself in some way. So when she excuses herself, saying she spotted a friend she wants to say hi to, I keep my eyes on her.
She leaves her purse at the table but has her palm grasped around the metal compact like it holds her lifeline.
That’s it. That’s not a makeup compact. It’s where she keeps her stash.
My heart beats wildly, knowing she very well could be heading for an overdose if she does any more drugs and then continues to drink.
I know she’ll do it if I don’t convince her not to because we haven’t even celebrated the New Year’s countdown yet, and she won’t let anything or anyone stop her from getting what she wants.
Over the years, watching her handle her dad so she gets her way has taught me that much and I’m not even around often. I can only imagine how much it truly happens.
It’s got to be mind-boggling the number of times she’s talked her way out of something or into her parents caving in to her demands. I’ve witnessed it myself. She’s a pro.
She peeks over her shoulder in Gia’s direction as she slips through the entrance of the event. Where is she going? The bathrooms aren’t out there.
I have to intervene, so I excuse myself and rush off to follow her. I race through the area and see her disappear into a smoking section.
She’s definitely planning on using some kind of drug. I run to the door and swing it open.
I step inside, trying to catch my breath. “Livianna. Stop!”
She freezes, then slowly faces me. “Jax, you followed me. That means my plan worked.”
“What?”
“I wanted you to come after me.” Her voice purrs and she slinks over to me.
My desire for her erupts and makes my mind spin. It’s at this moment, I realize she’s got me cornered and I may as well say goodbye to any good sense I have.