Chapter 21
Chapter Twenty-One
LIVIANNA/LILY
Then
Red Skies & Borrowed Promises
The room takes what belongs to me and I smile like I’m not dying.
Callum’s passionate gaze roams over me. “Lily, you look fabulous, but there’s no way you’re wearing that tonight when I’m not sure of where they’re gonna have you.”
I step into the living room area of the suite my parents reserved for Bren and me for the New Year’s Eve bash here in Vegas. They’re stuck in Beverly Hills, hosting a party for my dad’s company. They think Callum is staying in another room with his uncle, Hawke, and Cooper.
I glance down at my sheer nude colored long-sleeved shirt. I’m wearing a red bra under it, so my breasts are covered. “What if I don’t give you a choice?”
Bren checks out my outfit. “Liv, you have a red leather skirt and bra on. It doesn’t look like you’re wearing anything else.”
I bend my leg and kick up my foot. “You can see my black shoes.”
“Which are fuck-me heels.” Callum stands and places his hands on his hips. “No. It’s not happening when I don’t know where you’ll be in the venue.”
I want to stomp my feet and storm off, but instead, I sway to him. This will work better, anyway.
I slide my hands up his chest and whisper in his ear, “Please, love. I want to feel as sexy as all the other women out there who will be drooling over you in the crowd. Please don’t make me feel like a dreary, boring side chick.”
“You could never be a boring side chick.” He slides his palms under my shirt and runs them over the skin on my waist.
“But if I’m dressed like someone who isn’t sexy enough to be on your arm, those other women will think they stand a chance with you. Please, let me prove them wrong.”
He glances at Bren, who shrugs. “Don’t pull me into it, Cash. This is your call.”
I shoot puppy-dog eyes at Bren. “But I have a point, don’t I?”
He nods and buries his face in his palms. “You two are gonna kill me being your go-between.”
Callum closes his eyes, lowers his head, and sighs. “Fine, but you’re not to step a foot away from our staff.”
“Done.” A smile spreads across my face. “So how does this even work? I usually go in with you guys.”
“My uncle has someone he vetted bringing you. Otherwise, you’ll be alone with nowhere to go for a few hours.” Callum plants a kiss on my lips. “I’m not even sure where they have us going tonight. It’s a weird setup.”
“What do you mean?” I plop down on the couch next to Bren.
Callum checks something on his phone. “They’re filming at a few different bars. I’m not sure which one we’re supposed to go to. The production crew has been trying to work it out, but nothing’s set in stone yet.”
Bren stands. “For a New Year’s Eve bash, this has got to be the most unorganized event we’ve ever played.”
Callum raises his head. “Yeah, I agree, but we’re not doing this under Ur Boyz management, so we’re a little out of our usual constraints and requirements.”
“I get it, but it still feels a little shady.” Bren strolls toward his room. “I hope we actually make it to the right place.”
“We will.” Callum goes back to fiddling with his phone.
He releases a frustrated growl and tosses his phone on the table in the living room between the two separate bedrooms.
I get up, sit next to him, and rub his back. “You’re going to do great tonight, love. I feel it in my bones.”
“Thanks.” He snuggles into me and gives me a quick peck. “Guns and I need to leave once he’s dressed. Can I get you anything before I go?”
“Can you leave me a line or two? I want to be on the same level as you guys when I get there.”
“Lily, I don’t want you using when I’m not there. It’s not a good idea.”
“But you use when I’m not around.”
“It’s not that. I just don’t want you using when I’m not there. Tonight’s messy.”
I push off the couch and march into my room. “You hear how that sounds, right? Like I’m fragile and you’re bulletproof.”
“Lily, it has nothing to do with that.” He follows me. “You’re here with no one but some guy my uncle hired to chauffeur you around. I’m with a group who won’t let anything bad happen to me.”
“You sound like you’re worried about me.” I turn and study him with a careful eye. “Do you know something I don’t?”
“No. I just have an off feeling about tonight.”
“I think you have a little stage fright.”
“Why do you say that?”
“It’s the first time out of your comfort zone. Of course it’s going to feel strange. It’s supposed to.” I saunter to him and place my hands on his chest. “You’re going to kill it out there, so relax.”
“I’m trying, but you heard Guns. Even he thinks something feels weird.”
I take Callum in a meaningful hug. “Just find me on the sidelines and focus on being Mayhem tonight. This is your chance to shine. Don’t let anything dull that experience.”
“I fucking love you.” He squeezes me tighter.
“I fucking love you, rockstar, so break a leg tonight.” I pull away and stare into his wary gaze. “You’ve got this. Trust yourself.”
There’s a knock on the door. Callum steps out of my arms. “That must be your escort for the night.”
“That sounds kind of scandalous.” I laugh.
The muscles in his back tighten as he struts to open the door. Oh, I guess he didn’t like my joke.
The door swings open and Callum’s uncle comes into view. “Time to go. Where’s Guns?”
“He’s changing his clothes.” Callum looks at the clock hanging on the wall. “It’s early. Do we have to leave now? Lily’s chaperone isn’t here yet.”
“He won’t be here for another two hours. We’ve got to get going, though. The organizers keep changing things. Some of the hotshot divas keep seeing how far they can go with their demands.”
“Why is that my problem?”
“Because there’s more than one and they’re all trying to vie for the top spot.”
“Meaning?”
“You guys keep getting bounced around.” His uncle tips his chin to me. “Hi, Livianna.”
“Hi, John.” I sit on the couch. “If you don’t know where you’re going, how am I going to know where to go?”
“I’ll shoot a message to the guy who’s watching you and let him know.” John slides his hands into his jeans pocket. “Can someone go get Guns? We need to get out of here.”
Bren steps out of his room. He’s dressed more like a rocker than he ever has, in jeans with chains and zippers, a black T-shirt with a skull on it, mid-calf leather boots with chains draped from the top to the ankle. It suits him.
Callum nods in approval. “Nice change of pace. Better than a ragged T-shirt and faded jeans. We’re setting the foundation tonight.”
I gesture between the two of them. “You both have the look nailed. Now go get out of here before Callum changes his mind and gives in to his stage fright.”
He growls but lands a kiss on me. “I’ll see you later. You will be kissing me at midnight.”
“I better be.” I push him toward his uncle. “Have fun, guys, and show everyone what Mayhem is all about.”
“Thanks, Liv.” Bren follows John and Callum out. He turns to me. “If you get bored while you’re waiting, I left a little surprise for you in my room. Top drawer of the nightstand. You can thank me later.”
I smile wide. “Thanks, Bren. I can always count on you.”
“Just don’t do it all at one time.” He shuts the door behind him.
I slip off my heels because let’s be real. They’re gorgeous but kill my feet. I make myself a drink and turn on some music, dancing around by myself.
Some people would wonder why I don’t have a group of my girlfriends with me, but the truth is, I don’t trust girls. They all want something or backstab terribly, especially in Hollywood.
Well, maybe Gia’s different, but she’s not from LA and is home in Denver for the break.
My mind travels back to the night when Zara was at my house. She’s such a bitch. She set that interaction up, and I’m so angry I didn’t see it coming. I knew she was up to something but didn’t trust my gut.
Callum swears he only gave her the necklace because she wouldn’t leave his room. Even though it was his mom’s, every time she looked at it, she cried. He told me he was staring at it on Zara’s chest that night because he was afraid his mom would see it and it would set her off.
He was happy to let it go. That’s why he had it in the first place. He was going to have his uncle hawk it.
I’ve requested that the studio replace Zara with someone new when the season starts filming again. Otherwise, I’m threatening not to sign a new contract.
With my Ember From Denver clothing line and brand products hitting it big across the globe, I hold all the power. I’m the star of the show and replacing me would be nearly impossible.
My chest grows heavy at the memory of that night and I find myself in Bren’s room. I check the drawer and find he left a bag of coke for me. He’s such a good brother.
Callum would kill him for leaving this for me, but what we do when Callum isn’t around isn’t up for discussion. If that’s the rule with them, that’s the rule with us.
Callum and I wouldn’t cheat on each other, so I’m only keeping the drug use from him. Which I know he does with me. That was made clear the night of his birthday.
He’s been using for a while and has never spoken a word about it. He might not lie, but he keeps things to himself, so I’m justified in doing the same.
I do a couple of lines and let myself think about all the great things about Callum. He’s my best friend and the most sensitive and amazing lover.
Sometimes I find myself crying after we have sex. The feelings I experience are overwhelming because I’ve never felt so loved for just being me than I have when I’m with him. We love just hanging out and talking, too. We genuinely get along.
Once I have a great buzz, someone knocks on the door to my suite. I answer to find a tall guy with a bald head staring back at me. There’s no expression on his face.
“Hi, I’m Livianna.” I hold out my hand to shake.
He glances down at it and nods. “I’m Tony. It’s time to go.”
“Yeah, sure. Let me grab my stuff.” I run back to the coffee table, put on my shoes, and grab my black clutch.