Page 206 of My Five Daddies

“Please,” she says, her grin enormous. “I’m always cool. Just try and keep it down. I’m doingresearch.”

I roll my eyes and sit down, waiting for Jackson. A few minutes later, there’s a knock at the door. Laney grins at me and gestures at the door with herhead.

“Don’t keep him waiting,” she says. “He’s famous now, youknow.”

I groan and get up. I cross the room and open thedoor.

Jackson smiles at me as soon as I see him. He’s wearing a simple outfit of a black leather jacket, a white t-shirt, jeans, and leather boots. He almost looks like a biker, except it’s all sleek and expensive and fits himperfectly.

“Hey,” he says tome.

“Hey yourself.” I can’t help but smile like anidiot.

“Hey,” Laney yells from thecouch.

Jackson looks over my shoulder. “Oh hey, you’re Laney,right?”

“Script writer,” she says, looking back at theTV.

“Ignore her,” Isay.

“Is that the Power Rangers?” heasks.

“Yes,” Laney says. “Feel free tojoin.”

He grins and hesitates a second. “Actually, Tara, mind if we go for a little walk? It’s niceout.”

“Sure. Laney, we’ll be back.” I leave the apartment and shut the door behindme.

“Sorry for coming over like this,” he says softly. “I mean, it’s pretty late, but I had to talk toyou.”

“It’s no big deal,” I answer. “Things have been prettycrazy.”

“You don’t even know the half ofit.”

He goes quiet as we walk out onto the street and start to head down the block. We’re going slowly, and the sidewalk is empty at this time of night. I live in a pretty nice area, looks like the suburbs basically, though it’s part of LA still. Modest bungalows line the streets along with a strip mall and some randomstores.

I look up at him and his expression is serious. I don’t know what’s going on, but I suddenly realize that this isn’t a booty call. He’s not here just to sleep withme.

Maybe this is his way of throwing rocks at my windowagain.

“I talked to Holly,” he says finally. “Well, she did most of thetalking.”

“She talked to me, too,” I admit tohim.

He raises an eyebrow. “What did shesay?”

“Threatened me,” I say. “Basically told me she’d get me fired if I don’t back offyou.”

He groans and shakes his head. “That crazy fuckingbitch.”

“What’s her deal, Jackson?” I ask him. “I don’t understand this at all. Does she love you orsomething?”

“No,” he says. “She thinks that if we stay attached as a couple that she’ll have an easier time getting ajob.”

“She’s doing this for her career?” I can’t help but laugh. “That almost makes itworse.”

“Either way, she’s serious. I came here to tell you that she threatened to go to the paparazzi with a story about me abusing her and rapingher.”

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