Chapter 7
Hadley
The SUV dropped me at the edge of the complex parking lot like I was some kind of delivery.
No fanfare. No goodbye. Just the driver muttering “Stay low” before peeling away.
I kept my head down, hood up, walking fast past the cracked asphalt and the row of dumpsters that always smelled like old Chinese takeout.
No flashes. No shouts. For once, luck was on my side.
Or maybe the paps hadn’t figured out where I lived yet.
I climbed the three flights of stairs, legs heavy, every step reminding me how sore I was between my thighs.
Raw. Aching. Cal must’ve been… big. Rough.
I didn’t remember most of it, just flashes.
..his mouth, his hands, the way the bathroom mirror fogged up.
I pushed the thought away. Couldn’t deal with it right now.
The door was unlocked. I pushed it open quiet.
Mara was on the couch, arms crossed, face thunder. Eli’s tablet was on the coffee table, screen dark. No train videos playing. That alone made my stomach twist harder.
“You’re finally here,” she said, voice flat. “Eleven-thirty. Nice.”
“I’m sorry.” I shut the door behind me. “Phone died. I....”
“Bullshit. You didn’t even text. He hasn’t eaten since breakfast yesterday. Refused everything. Sat in his room crying half the night.”
My throat closed. “Where is he?”
“Locked himself in. Won’t open for me.” She stood, grabbed her bag. “I stayed extra because I felt bad, but you owe me for the overtime. Double rate. I’m not kidding.”
I nodded fast, pulled crumpled bills from my pocket, the last of last night’s tips, and shoved them at her. “Here. More if you want. Just… thank you.”
She took the money, softened a fraction. “He’s scared, Had. Really scared. Fix it.”
She left. Door clicked shut.
I went straight to our bedroom door. Knocked soft.
“Eli? It’s me.”
Silence.
“Buddy, open up. Please.”
“Go away.” His voice was small, muffled. Angry.
“I’m so sorry. I messed up. I should’ve come home. I....”
“I said go away!”
I leaned my forehead against the wood. Tears burned hot. “I know you’re mad. You have every right. I’m not going anywhere. I’m right here.”
No answer.
I slid down the door, sat on the floor, knees to chest. Everything crashed in at once. Twelve hours. Twelve fucking hours and my life was unrecognizable.
Married to a stranger. Ring on my finger. Sore and used. Brother terrified because I disappeared. Paparazzi probably circling like sharks. I couldn’t breathe right. Chest tight, sobs ripping out ugly and loud. I cried until my eyes swelled, until there was nothing left but hiccups and exhaustion.
Eventually I dragged myself to the living room couch.
Didn’t have energy for a shower. Didn’t want to look at myself in the mirror anyway.
I kicked off my shoes, pulled the thin blanket over my head like a cocoon, curled into the smallest ball I could make.
My body hurt everywhere. Especially there.
I sighed, lifted my hand, stared at the cheap ring in the dim light from the streetlamp outside.
It looked ridiculous. Wrong. I wanted to rip it off, but my fingers wouldn’t move.
A soft click. Bedroom door opening.
I didn’t look. Didn’t need to.
The couch dipped. Small weight settled on me. Eli’s head on my stomach, arms wrapping tight around my waist. He was shaking a little.
“I’m still angry,” he whispered.
“I know.”
“I was so worried. I thought you weren’t coming back. Like Mom.”
My heart cracked open. “I’m here now. I’m not leaving again. I promise.”
He sniffled. “You always say that.”
“I mean it this time.” Tears slipped down my temples into my hair. “I love you more than anything, Eli. I’m sorry I scared you.”
He didn’t answer. Just held tighter.
We fell asleep like that. Him on top of me, blanket half-off, both of us crying quiet until sleep took us.
Noise yanked me awake. Banging. Shouting. Distant but getting closer.
Eli stirred, confused. “Hadley?”
I checked my phone. 3:07 p.m. Shit.
I sat up fast, head spinning. “Stay here.”
I went to the window, peeked through the blinds.
Cameras. Microphones. People shouting my name. “Hadley! Hadley Jackson! Is it true you married Cal Ember?”
My blood went cold.
Eli came up behind me. “What’s that noise?”
I turned, forced a smile. “Nothing. Just… loud neighbors.”
He frowned. “They’re saying your name.”
Fuck.
I grabbed his hand, pulled him toward the bedroom. “Come on. Let’s go in here.”
He resisted. “Why?”
“Because I said so. Please.”
His breathing picked up. Eyes wide. The panic was starting, hands flapping a little, shoulders hunching.
I got him inside, locked the door, rushed to the windows, yanked the curtains shut, checked the latches twice. “Okay. Safe. We’re safe.”
He sat on the bed, rocking a little. “They’re outside. They want you.”
“They’re just… reporters. They’ll leave.”
He shook his head fast. “They won’t. They’re loud. Too loud.”
I knelt in front of him, took his hands. “Look at me. Breathe with me. In… out. Like we practiced. In… out.”
He copied me, shaky at first, then steadier. Tears on his cheeks.
“Good. That’s good. I’m right here.”
My phone buzzed. Zariah.
I answered fast. “Z?”
“Don’t leave the house,” she said, breathless. “They found you. Your name, your address, everything’s online. TikTok, Instagram, Twitter. They’re everywhere.”
“Too late. They’re outside right now.”
Eli whimpered.
Zariah cursed. “Shit. How’s Eli?”
“Not great. He’s… panicking. We need to get out of here.”
“I’m coming. With Holland. We’re ten minutes away. Stay inside. Lock everything.”
“Okay. Hurry.”
I hung up.
Eli stared at me. “What’s happening?”
I swallowed. “Some people want to take pictures. Because of last night. But it’s okay. Zariah’s coming to help.”
He hugged his knees. “I don’t like this.”
“I know. Me neither.”
I opened TikTok. My face was everywhere. Blurry chapel photo. Me in the club. Someone had dug up an old club promo pic....me in sequins, smiling fake. Captions: “Who is Hadley Jackson?” “Cal Ember’s secret wife?” “Gold-digger or love story?” My stomach turned.
I closed the app.
Thirty minutes later...more noise. Knocking. Urgent.
I peeked. Zariah and Holland in hoodies, nose masks, baseball caps. Paps swarming. Flashes hit the second I cracked the door.
Zariah pushed inside, Holland right behind. Door slammed.
She hugged me so hard I couldn’t breathe. “I’m so sorry. This is my fault. I dragged you there.”
“No.” I pulled back. “It’s not. I got drunk. I said yes. My fault.”
Holland scanned the room. “We need to leave. Now. Before it gets worse.”
“Where?”
“Our hotel. Max security. Gated. No one gets in without clearance.”
Eli appeared in the hallway, hiding half behind me, eyes huge.
Holland crouched a little. “Hey, man. I’m Holland. Friend of Zariah’s.”
Eli didn’t answer. Just gripped my shirt.
I knelt. “Eli, we need to go stay at a hotel for a little while. Like a vacation.”
He frowned. “It’s not summer.”
“It’s… ditch week. Special vacation. Just us and Zariah and Holland. They have a big room with a TV and room service. You can watch trains all day.”
He chewed his lip. “Will there be crowds?”
“Not inside. Promise. Security keeps them out.”
He looked at the window. Curtains shaking from people banging on the glass. “They’re loud.”
“I know. That’s why we’re leaving. Quick and quiet. You ride with me in the back. Hold my hand the whole time.”
He nodded slow. “Okay. But only for a little while.”
“Okay.”
Packing took five minutes. Eli’s tablet, charger, favorite blanket, meds.
My stuff, whatever was clean. We slipped out the back stairwell.
Holland drove a blacked-out Escalade parked in the alley.
Paps didn’t see us until we hit the street.
Then chaos. Flashes. Shouts. Eli buried his face in my chest, hands over his ears.
“Too loud,” he whispered.
“I know. Almost there.”
Zariah rubbed his back from the front seat. “You’re doing great, kid.”
He didn’t answer.
The hotel was the same fancy one from last night. Underground garage. Private elevator. No one saw us.
Kei was waiting in the hallway outside a suite, same floor as before, but a different room. Bigger. He looked tired. Guilty.
“Hey,” he said soft.
I nodded, throat tight.
He stepped aside to let us in. “Others are at lunch. Figured you’d want quiet first.”
The suite was ridiculous, living room, kitchenette, two bedrooms. Floor-to-ceiling windows with blackout curtains already drawn. Safe.
Kei turned to me. “I’m sorry. About this morning. The way everyone… piled on. Cal was freaking out. We all were. But that’s no excuse. You didn’t deserve that.”
I swallowed. “Thanks.”
He looked at Eli, crouched a little. “Hey, man. I’m Kei. I play guitar in the band.”
Eli stepped behind me, arms around my waist. “Don’t come close.”
Kei raised his hands, backed up smiling. “Fair enough. I’ll stay over here.”
Eli glared. “If you hurt Hadley, I’ll… I’ll hit you with my tablet.”
Kei laughed, real, surprised. “Noted. I like a guy who protects his sister.”
He left, still chuckling. Door clicked shut.
Eli and I collapsed on the huge bed in the smaller bedroom. Room service menu thick as a book. I flipped through it while he curled against my side.
“Want chicken nuggets?”
He nodded. “And fries. And apple slices.”
I ordered. Then stared at the ceiling.
Eli traced the ring on my finger. “What’s that?”
“Just… jewelry.”
He didn’t push.
I stared at the ring too.
What now?
Little did I know things were about to get way more complicated.