I pat the mattress gently, inviting her to come and sit with me. She does, and I bring her into my arms.
“Is it bad, the picture being in public?”
“Not at all,” I reassure her with a kiss to the forehead. “It’ll be fine.”
“Your manager won’t mind?”
“Not in the slightest. Zoey will put a fabulous spin on it, and it’ll be fine. Stop worrying. You need to go finish the module for your diploma.”
Yivi sighs. “Urgh, I can think of something I’d much rather do.”
“Oh yeah, what’s that?”
“Practice my dick sucking skills.”
“Damn, woman, you’re insatiable, but I’m going to be a good husband and tell you to get that pretty little butt of yours out into the living area and finish studying. When you’re done, I’ll reward you by letting you suck me.”
My dick screams at me not to be such an idiot. He wants to get sucked now! I ignore him and inwardly tell him he’s getting a cold shower instead. He’s not impressed.
“Spoilsport,” Yivi agrees with my dick.
With a kiss to my mouth, Yivi leaves me sitting on the bed, and I lick my lips to savor an additional taste of her. She opens the door to the bedroom area to find Zoey standing there with an extremely worried look on her face.
“What’s wrong?” I ask.
I’ve learned Zoey’s expressions by now, and I know this one is serious. This time my heart sinks. I’m immediately on my feet as she walks into the room and hands me her phone again.
Vomit gets stuck in my throat when I see a picture of Yivi and I in the restaurant where we had our first proper date in Seattle. We’re both laughing as she tries to crack open a lobster leg.
“Liam?” Yivi comes to my side and looks at the picture.
“Is that us at dinner?” Her voice trembles.
“Yes,” I send the article to my phone and hand Zoey’s phone back to her.
“They’re speculating that the fight with your brother might have been over the girl you’re having dinner with in this picture. What do you want me to say?” Zoey asks, looking between Yivi and me.
“Have you sent anything to them about the fight at all?” I question.
“I’ve sent a simple statement saying it was a misunderstanding between you and your brother, but it’s sorted out now, and there’ll be no repercussions or repeats,” Zoey replies.
“Leave it at that for now. I need to think about this. The last thing we want to do is thrust Yivi into the spotlight. Maybe we could set up an interview in Houston and explain what happened? A bit like you and Tate did when you announced your relationship.”
It’s all I can think of at the moment. I don’t want Yivi to face the press. Some of them are vultures—they’ll tear her apart given the chance. She’s still too innocent, but I know they won’t stop now they have a picture of me with her.
Zoey nods her head to say she’ll do as I ask and leaves us alone again.
“Are you all right?” Yivi sits next to me and holds my hand.
“Yeah, I want to protect you from what’s about to come out. They’ll want to know everything about you. I don’t want to share it with them. I want you all to myself. I want to be the only one to learn your secrets, not have a bunch of reporters delve into everything and have them find it all out.”
Yivi pulls my head around so she’s looking into my eyes. “Liam, you already know everything there is to know about me. They’ll never find out who I am, because they can’t. I’m nobody, so any secrets I have are safe with you.”
“Don’t ever say you’re nobody.” I lower my head to kiss her.
“You know what I mean. This might be the one time when who I really am saves us from intrusion.”
“God, I love you.” I kiss her again.
Cameron barges into the room before the emotion between us can progress any further.
“Zoey told me. Fucking hacks.”
“That’s one way of putting it.”
“Fudgecake hacks is another,” Yivi adds and stands up. I follow suit, and we return to the front of the bus, leaving Cameron to change in peace.
I pull out my phone while Yivi returns to her reading. The time seems to flash by like lightning as I stare down at the article and then search for more online. The speculation about Yivi and the argument with my brother doesn’t settle well with me the more I read. The fact I can’t enjoy this moment alone with my new wife and learn about her without being interrupted makes me so angry. I know this is the price I have to pay for fame. I’ve courted the spotlight in the past, but I just want to be left alone to enjoy this moment in peace.
“We’re in Houston.” Are the next words that penetrate my brain. I look up from my phone and notice the bus has stopped moving.
“Shall we go and check out the venue?” Tate asks. “I’ve heard great things about it. It’ll be one of the biggest concerts we’ve ever played.”
“Yeah, I want to see it as well. I remember Leo telling me about it. I’ve been dying to play here ever since.” Austin, who seems to have appeared from nowhere, responds and is already on his feet, and I get to mine to follow him.
Yivi comes up beside me and takes my hand. “Smile and enjoy this. You’ve earned it. I’ll be by your side the entire time.”
We all descend the bus steps to the blinding light of flashbulbs going off and assorted questions being thrown at us by the press. Our bodyguards instantly try to hold them back, but the reporters smell blood, and they want it.
“What the fuck?” Austin exclaims and instantly comes to Yivi’s other side. He grabs her hand to help her walk quickly into the venue. Tate and Cameron are doing the same with Zoey.
“Liam, who’s the woman?” one of the press asks.
“Was she dating your brother? Is that why you were fighting?” another questions.
I realize the reason they’re here isn’t to see the band or ask questions about the tour. It’s because of Yivi and me and the morning reports about us.
The anger inside me surfaces again. It’s been bubbling ever since I started looking at all the articles. I grind to a halt while Austin continues, now half carrying Yivi toward the venue doors.
“Enough!” I scream.
“Liam, no!” both Zoey, as my babysitter, and Yivi, as my wife, shout in tandem, but I ignore them.
“You want answers to your questions? Well, here they are. I hit my brother because he was testing whether Yivi was playing me, but I already knew she wasn’t. Yivi is my wife. We married in Vegas, and I love her very much. That’s all I have to say. Now leave us alone so we can bring music to the people of Houston.”
I make my way into the darkness of the venue and slam the door shut behind me.
Chapter 18
Yivi
#ImBraverThanIThinkIam
I think by the end of the day I won’t have any of my nice nails left. I’ve already pulled the nail polish off of one of them, nibbling on the end as I watch Zoey talking with a number of different news agencies.
The band is doing a sound check on the main stage, and Liam and I haven’t really had a chance to speak about his outburst. I’ve seen once before, with his parents, the consequences of him speaking the truth when his temper is impaired. I dread what will happen this time. All I know is my face is currently plastered all over the internet as being the wife of rock star Liam Romero. For someone who wants to stay hidden away from her past, it’s not the best thing to have happened.