Chapter 10

Chapter 10

POV: Damon

I smirked, enjoying the sight of Adelaide turning bright red-just like an apple. Turns out that nickname

wasn’t so wrong after all.

“I–uh–It’s nice to meet you,” she stuttered out, awkwardly, attempting to compose herself and smiling,

“You’re Adelaide Hildebrand, right?” Kathy asked as she approached. She wrapped her arm around her

wife, reaching her other hand out for Addie to shake.

Addie took it eagerly. “Yeah, I am. You’re Kathy Bishop, right? The talent manager?”

“That’s right,” Kathy nodded. “You’re the director for Noonrise right?”

Addie grinned. “That’s right. You’re the one who suggested Gabriel-”

I tuned out of the conversation, letting Kathy and Addie talk about their work. I glanced at Lacey,

meaningfully, and she took the hint.

“I’ll be right back, babe.” She kissed her wife on the cheek and followed me a bit of distance away. I

kept one eye on Addie, who was excitedly waving her hands about the project. It made me happy to

see her so happy about something, I didn’t even care what it was.

“How did you hear about us?” I said, bluntly to Lacey making sure to keep my voice low.

She didn’t even blink, too used to my personality by now.

“How could I not?” she scoffed, placing a hand on her hip. “The press has your brother and his new

fiance all over the tabloid covers. It was quite a shock to me. I thought you and Corinna were in a

relationship. But turns out, you’re with Adelaide.”

“We were,” I said curtly, making sure to keep my face neutral.

“Then why is she marrying your brother?” she asked, incredulously. “Did something happen?”

“They decided it on their own,” I shrugged, not caring why they decided to do it. It fit into my plans, and

that’s all that mattered. I wasn’t exactly upset over losing her.

Let them dig their own graves faster.

“I know you didn’t love her, but I thought you would care at least a little bit,” Lacey sighed. “Looks like I

was wrong.”

H

“Don’t say anything to Adelaide about the business,” I changed the topic hurriedly. I needed to keep

that a secret for as long as possible.

She looked taken aback for a moment, but then her eyes narrowed on me. “Why?” she asked

suspiciously, “I understand your father but-”

“Ashton is up to something.” I glanced at Addie, the joy in her eyes having a way of making even the

parking lot of a Mexican restaurant seem comfortable. I couldn’t help but smile to myself.

“You’re smiling,” Lacey blinked at me in rapid succession, an almost shocked look on her face. Sh*t

I wiped the smile off my face in a hurry, but Lacey was always quicker than she seemed.

A smirk crossed her lips as she looked at Addie and then at me.

“Oh, I see.”

“I just don’t want her to get hurt,” I snapped, crossing my arms.

Chapter 10

Lacey nodded her head, not believing a single word I said.

“Aw, little Damon’s finally in love again,” she gushed, a grin spreading from one side of her face to the

other. “I can’t believe you’re finally growing up. You’re such a softy underneath that glacier of a

personality.”

“Are you done?” I rolled my eyes, impatiently tapping my foot.

“Not in the least,” she smiled. “Honestly, though? I’m happy for you. You deserve someone great, and I

can already tell Adelaide is that person.”

I glanced at Addie, watching as the sun beamed off her hair, her eyes sparkling like they always had

when we were kids.

“Just don’t say anything, all right?” I said, roughly, burying my emotions as I always did.

“Alright, alright,” Lacey agreed, easily. “Just make sure not to hide it too long. Lies aren’t a great way to

start a marriage, trust me.”

Too late for that, I thought.

Lacey walked back to her wife, grabbing Kathy’s hand. Kathy glanced at her, both of them reading each

other as easily as they breathed. I envied that about them. Hoping beyond hope that one day it would

be like that for Adelaide and me.

“I apologize, but we still have an event to attend,” Kathy told Addie.

“Oh, no problem! I should get going too.” Addie smiled, and I could see her fondness for Kathy already

growing.

It was both annoying and endearing how Addie could make friends with anyone. People just gravitated

to her, and she had no clue. Her cluelessness made her even more adorable to me.

Kathy cracked a small smile, the first I’d ever seen from her when not looking at her wife. She reached

into her purse and pulled out a business card.

“Here’s my number,” she offered it to Addie. “If you need anything, just give me a call.”

“Thank you.” Addie took it gratefully, stars in her eyes as she grinned at Kathy and Lacey. I was glad I

could introduce them to one another.

“Oh, it was so nice to meet you,” Lacey grabbed Addie into another hug which Addie returned with a

small smile. “I’m sure we’ll be fast friends. If Damon ever bothers you, you tell me, and I’ll put him

straight, okay?” she said, shooting me a wink.

I scowled at her but my anger softened as Addie laughed, the sound like bells ringing in the air. If joy

had a sound, it would be her laugh. A smile crept over my face at the sound, despite my best efforts.

“Will do,” Addie grinned, stepping back.

Lacey blew a kiss as she and Kathy headed back into the restaurant, laughing at one another. Their

hands were still entwined even as they disappeared behind the doors.

“So,” I turned to Addie with a smirk. “You were jealous.”

“I was not,” Addie huffed, but I could see the slight blush across her cheeks. “I was just concerned

about what the press might say if they saw you having a date with another woman.”

“Oh, really? Is that why you’re turning red?” I grinned. I couldn’t help but tease her when it made her

blush so easily.

“Shut up!” she said but her smile continued to grow.

A buzz lit the air, and we both pulled our phones out of our pockets. No new messages on my side.

I glanced at Addie and instead of the smile 1 expected, her lips were drawn into a deep frown.

Chapter 10

“Addie?” I asked, concerned by the look in her eyes. “What’s wrong?”

Addie sighed, placing her phone back in her pocket as she shook her head. “Nothing. I have to go.”

“Where?”

“None of your business,” she snapped, and I knew something was wrong.

“We’re supposed to be partners in this. If something’s wrong, I need to know,” I told her, firmly, crossing

my arms as I leaned on her car door. I wanted to get her to talk to me, to trust me.

She glared at me and then at the car.

She sighed.

“There’s something wrong at the set. One of the actors is ill. I have to go.”

Adelaide was a good liar.

She looked me right in the eye, firmly, like everything she said was just the truth. But I knew her.

I hadn’t been watching over her since we were children for nothing. I could read her emotions like I

could read my own.

She tapped the back of her shoe with her other one, hiding her hands behind her back as she did so.

She was lying.

“Okay,” I said simply, moving away from her car.

A look of surprise crossed her face but then molded into determination.

“Thank you,” she murmured. “I’ll talk to you later.”

I watched her as she climbed into her car.

She glanced at me from behind the wheel. I just stood there, watching as she drove away, and her car

disappeared.

Once she was gone, I pulled out my phone, dialing the number I knew by heart.

“Follow her,” I said, coldly. I had to know where she was going. It made me realize just how many

secrets were between us.

POV: “Adelaide*

The Meridian.

It could be seen from every inch of Las Vegas, the golden tower seeming to reach the heavens when

the weather was cloudy or foggy. It wasn’t often, but it happened once in a while.

I pulled into the parking lot, having visited only a few times before. I slammed the car door, glancing up

at the tower and its neon lights from almost every window. The nervousness was starting to take

over.

There was a bouncer at the entrance and a whole line of people heading down the street. Most of them

would never get in.

I bypassed the line, pulling out a golden card from my wallet. I flashed it to the bouncer, and he opened

up the ropes for me. Sometimes being me did have its perks.

I glanced at the casino floor as I passed through it. The games were in full swing with crowds of people

surrounding the tables.

The crap’s table broke out into boos as I passed, but I wasn’t here to gamble in the casino. I had more

pressing matters to handle.

I took the elevator and pushed the button for floor 31. Elevator music, boring and generic, entered

my ears as I took the short ride up. I shook my legs in anticipation, too nervous to stay still.

The elevator dinged as the doors opened, and a row of numbered penthouses met my eyes. I walked

quickly out of the elevator, looking for the right number.

Who could be crazy enough to live in the penthouse of a large casino?

I glanced at the text message I’d received as I reached the right number and lifted my hand to knock on

the door, the name at the top reflecting in my eyes.

Ashton.