Page 31 of Final Serenade

Panic crept over my skin. “Wait. Is there a crowd of reporters?”

He shrugged. “No idea.”

“How did they find out you were here?” Assholes worked extra fast. I knew they were sneaky, but I didn’t think they werethatsneaky.

“I’m a wanted man.” He gave me a sad smile, glancing at me over his shoulder as we marched through the quiet hallway. Blood pounded in my ears and my knees shook.

I stalled. “Frank, I don’t want to be on TMZ.” My voice was a whisper. Being seen with a man like Frankie Blade in a hotel parking lot at three in the morning would ruin my professional reputation. It would also reflect badly onRewired. We were the only magazine left that didn’t run any gossip. I wasn’t about to become the gossip myself.

Sensing my anxiety, Frank stopped, shed his jacket, and put it over my shoulders. “You won’t.”

I imagined this was what a baby cocooned in a blanket felt like. “Are you sure?”

“Positive. Just keep your head down. As long as they can’t get any shots of you they could run through facial recognition software, we’re good.” Frank reached for his hat and pulled the visor low on my forehead. My hair grazed my cheeks and I couldn’t see anything except for his belt buckle and his white T-shirt stretched across his defined abs and muscular chest. His hand swam into my line of vision and I grabbed it.

“Ready?” he asked.

“Facial recognition software?” I squeaked, lifting my head to get one last look at him. We stood near the door to the parking lot and there were no signs of paps, but the tense expression on Roman’s face told me someone was waiting for us out there, on the opposite side of the door.

“Relax. It was a joke.” Frank’s fingers squeezed my palm. “I don’t think TMZ would have access to those types of resources.”

“What is this world coming to?” I muttered to myself as we exited into the lot.

Frank’s hand wrapped around mine felt otherworldly and my skin sizzled where we were connected. I heard a barrage of loud footsteps and a sea of obnoxious voices. The group was small, but they were like sharks. Cameras clicked. Flashes blinded. Questions poured.

“Frankie! How does it feel to be back?”

“Can you tell us how many broken bones you have?

“Frankie! Any plans to tour?”

“How many plastic surgeries have you had since the accident, Frankie?”

Roman strode straight ahead, his massive body protecting me from the reporters. Eyes on the concrete floor, I pushed through the line of microphones. There was a part of me that wanted to bitch slap a woman who kept on asking about broken bones, but my common sense talked me out of it. It wasn’t the time or the place.

We reached the Ferrari, and Roman helped me inside. From the corner of my eye, I saw cameras grating against the window when Frankie began to pull out from the spot.

“I’m sorry about that,” he said, putting the gear in Drive. The engine screamed and the reporter stepped back.

“Let me know when it’s safe,” I squealed. My hands covered my face, and my cheeks burned.

“I think we’re good now,” he said a few moments later.

“Are you sure?”

“Absolutely, Cassy.” He was smiling. I could tell by the lilt in his voice.

We spent the rest of the drive to my apartment joking about what had just transpired in the parking lot.

Our farewell was quick. Roman’s Escalade was parked right behind the Ferrari and he watched the street like a hawk while we were saying goodnight. We didn’t hug or shake hands but exchanged words and smiles and it was nice.

Chapter Five

I woke up to a sea of emails and a dozen distressed messages from Levi and Carlos. Panic rose up my throat as I skimmed through my inbox, fingers mentally crossed.

The dinner with Frankie felt like a dream, an illusion. Something my mind had cooked up after hours and hours of listening to the entire Hall Affinity catalogue.

I’d fallen asleep with my laptop while stalking TMZ’s home page. Along with the paranoia, there had been hopelessness. If my name was going to be on that devious site, I needed to be the first to know so that I could take the necessary measures. Like buying a one-way ticket to Siberia or blowing up TMZ headquarters.

---