What is he up to? Why does he always feel the need to take his calls in private?
He’s hiding something from me. I can feel it.
Since Baz is gone again, I decide to use this time to look through the articles. When I asked Dan where he went, he said he needed to handle something out of town. That, of course, only made me more suspicious. So far, each article is about Baz and me, the complexity of our relationship, the controversy surrounding me, his friends, and our past. Was I telling the truth or lying? That was the main question everyone wanted to know.
One article in particular snags my attention, so I click on it. It’s a quick video of the paparazzi filming Zach leaving Kings late last night. The man shouts out a question to him.
“Zach! Zach, how do you feel about your best friend’s choice in women?” It’s then I see Baz in the back of the frame, Trent at his side, and I swear, my heart stops when I see who’s standing next to him. It looks a whole lot like Vincent. But it can’t be. Baz wouldn’t do that to me.
Sure enough, when the paparazzi moves the camera, giving me a better view, I realize how very wrong I was about Baz. My stomach drops, and I choke.
He’s here.
“He could do much better. That’s all I’ll say. But you know what they say about crazy girls. They give the best head.” He cackles with laughter. The paps laugh with him, and shame coats my cheeks. The clip cuts off just as Baz grips the back of Zach’s neck and says something to him. That’s all I have to go off of.
I watch the video three more times, just to be sure I’m not jumping to conclusions, but sure enough, it’s all there. The more I watch, the angrier I get. I feel it building inside me. My hands vibrate as I rest them in my lap. I’m dying to grab something and hurl it at the wall.
I wasn’t sure I could trust Baz before this happened, but now, especially after seeing this, I know I can’t. I’m such an idiot to think he’s changed, to think things between us could ever be anything but fake. I’m just trying to figure out the angle.
What could they possibly be meeting up and doing?
Maybe keeping me here is his way of keeping a closer eye on me? A cold chill slithers down my spine. I feel like a sitting duck here, waiting for Baz to get back. After overhearing his conversation the other night, I know where Zach is. If I really wanted to, I could go to his house and figure out, once and for all, what the hell they are up to, since it is obvious, I’m not going to get answers from Baz.
With my mind made up, I throw on a thin sweater, and I pause at the foot of the bed. I lick my dry lips, weighing my options. Coming to the only possible solution, I slip the gun out from beneath the pillow. My heart is pounding as I turn the weapon over in my hand. Blowing out a shaky breath, I drop the gun into my purse and hook it over my shoulder.
I run through a quick plan in my head, as I make my way down from the penthouse. I can get an Uber to his house and wait it out. I doubt after everything that has happened, he’s going to let me walk in there with no qualms, but they’re not exactly leaving me with any other choice. I’m finding out the truth tonight, once and for all.
On the entire way down the elevator, my heart is pounding. I don’t want to run into anyone, least of all Dan or any of the security guards. Casting quick glances over my shoulder, I feel sweat bead on my forehead, as I make a beeline toward the exit. My eyes widen, and my heart drops when I hear Marcus’s voice behind me.
“Hey, you all right? You look kind of pale.” Marcus takes a step toward me, concern etched on his face. I dodge his advance, jumpy from carrying this gun on me in public.
I work a swallow, trying to speak past the golf ball-sized lump that’s lodged in my throat. “I’m fine. Just getting some air.” I jerk my head toward the opaque sliding glass doors, my only means of an exit.
His frown deepens. “Most women would sit by the pool or head into the spa to help them relax.”
My lips thin. “I’m not most women.”
His lips quirk as if he finds me amusing. “Yeah, I’ve gotten that. And look, I know we’ve already talked, but I want to apologize again for the part I played all those years ag—”
“Are you done? I’m not going to forgive you. I don’t trust you, any of you, so please, just leave me alone and give me some damn space.” I brush past him, my grip tightening on the strap of my purse. I feel his gaze on me as I storm away from the resort. As I’m speed walking away, I realize I didn’t exactly think out my departure clearly. Running into Marcus messed with my head.
I glance over my shoulder, the front entrance a ways away, now that I’ve all but run away from my encounter with Marcus, but I swear I can still feel his gaze on me. My heart lurches when I spot a car parked ahead with a Lyft symbol in the dash. I knock on the window.
“Can I get a ride?”
The young guy rolls his eyes. “That’s not how this works, lady.”
I dig into my purse, letting out an exaggerated sigh, careful to keep the gun concealed. “I don’t have time for your bullshit. Here’s money. I need a ride to a friend’s house in the Hidden Hills.”
He pauses, taking in my tattered appearance and the cash. After a few beats, he shrugs. “Fine. Get in.”
My mind is whirring the entire way to Zach’s house. It’s gloomy out in LA today. The smog intermingling with the impending rainy forecast cast the sky in a gray blanket that leaves a permanent chill in my bones. It’s a direct reflection of my mood.
With traffic, we make it there in under two hours. Much like last time, to avoid rousing suspicion, I have the driver drop me off a block away. I walk down the street, steering clear of Zach’s house. Opting to take a detour before I end up on his doorstep, I decide to rest at a small park a few blocks away. Taking a seat on the bench, I scroll through more articles, trying to figure out if I’m making the right choice by being here.
Is this a sound decision?
It’s obvious I’m putting myself in danger by coming here. Even more dangerous is that I brought a gun with me, but a large part of me feels like I need it for protection, now more than ever. My heart lurches when Baz’s name flashes across my phone’s screen. He’s calling me. He never calls me. I dart my gaze around, suddenly feeling like I’m being watched. It’s like he knows I’m here. Feeling like the worst human on the planet, I power my phone off, just in case he somehow finds a way to track my phone. I honestly wouldn’t put it past him.
As I sit here, I keep going back and forth with myself. I promised him I wouldn’t do anything stupid. Things were so good between us the night of the gala, and that phone call ruined it.
Why can’t he just tell me the truth? Why does there always have to be secrets between us?
And why don’t I have the courage to ask him? That snarky voice in the back of my head pipes in.
He claims I’m the liar out of the two of us, but I’m starting to get the impression Baz isn’t as forthcoming as he wants me to believe. With my gaze glued to the grass, I sit on the bench for God knows how long. It’s enough time that the sky begins to darken even farther, and a rumble of thunder booms in the distance. A trickle of water splashes on my head, and when I tip my head back, looking up at the gray cloud-filled sky, I feel more splashes.