Page 28 of Notorious (Hollywood Heartthrobs #2)

CONNOR

A fter four months of my lawyer, Maisie, working to set up a paternity test along with a court date after a judge in Los Angeles County deemed it necessary, I stepped out of the back of the unremarkable SUV in front of the courthouse.

A flurry of lights, bright even in the early morning, made me grateful to turn and hold out my hand for Ollie to take.

Over the past several months, I found his constant support essential to me, and I knew no matter how the hearing would turn out, he’d be by my side.

I leaned in close and asked, “Are you ready?”

With a wide smile and a twinkle in his eyes, he leaned closer and bussed my cheek. He slid out and the moment his feet hit the pavement, the reporters and photographers shouted my name. But the crowd grew louder when Ollie linked his fingers through mine and squeezed me in reassurance.

“Let’s go, beautiful.”

Almost a month previous, Ollie and I sat down with Lucy Nakamura for a live TV interview. Although I was used to answering questions; mundane ones about the motivation for my characters or patented answers about how I got along with my costars or the film crew, but this was different.

Studios, other than the one Spencer, Kaid, and I ran, had told my agent I was a liability when the news broke and refused to send over scripts, which I would’ve been a shoe in for before this entire debacle began.

In the public eye, the allegations that I left a woman pregnant without support was not the issue.

It’s that I’d abandoned a child, and to some fans, my actions were irredeemable.

So in order to restore my name and answer all questions the public had, Ollie’s suggestion of an interview was brilliant.

“Have you fathered any children, Mr. Blake?” Lucy Nakamura asked.

While prepared, it took me several seconds before I answered the question with all honesty.

“Please, call me Connor. The answer to your question is no. I’ve never been with a sexual partner without using a condom.

” I paused, giving Ollie a questioning look.

With his nod, I continued, “But when Ollie and I became boyfriends, we shared test results and have forgone contraceptives because we’ve both tested clean and are in an exclusive relationship. ”

Then came the question I dreaded. “Mr. Bright, do you have an issue with your partner’s past? Especially about all the allegations after Ms. Bianca Remington accused Connor of fathering her child.”

As charming as ever, my boyfriend smiled and shook his head.

“From the moment I met Connor, he’s been transparent with me.

From his past partners to his view on consent and protection.

And along with his assurance he’s never been with anyone besides me without protection, he’s shown me in every way he’s true to his word.

I’ve never doubted a word Connor has spoken because he’s forthright and honest to a fault. ”

The more questions thrown our way, I relaxed because although direct; the questions asked weren’t because she wanted to throw me off or catch me in a lie.

After our interview came the time in which every entertainment blog, vlog, show and anyone on social media with an opinion dissected our words, and accusations came fast and heavy about my reckless behavior throughout the years, especially bringing up the story about the foursome with porn stars in Vegas.

Weeks of the paps taking pictures of Ollie and me together, heading to the studio and a couple of us the night we celebrated my twenty-seventh birthday, and even the picture of our first kiss tamped down any criticism and it soon blew over.

Maggie explained how positive the interview turned out to be in my, our, favor. Like in real life, everyone adored Ollie and doubted the voices of dissension.

And today, as we walked up the steps of the courthouse, hand in hand, we waved off questions, ready to get inside. Thomas worked to keep the fans from crowding in on us, but when I glanced over at Ollie, there was a bemused expression on his face, which made me hold back a laugh.

As we traveled through the hallways and entered the assigned courtroom, we left behind the noise and camera shutters, which drew a relieved breath from me.

Ollie wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me closer. As I caught his scent, I relaxed.

We found Maisie near the double oak doors just inside the room and took our seats on the uncomfortable benches next to her.

“Good morning, Maisie. How are you today?” Ollie asked.

The harried woman looked up from her notes and gave my boyfriend a smile, reaching over to squeeze his hand. “Good, honey. And you?”

“Nervous for Connor.”

“Oh, there’s no need to worry.”

“Why?”

She took off her reading glasses and crossed her hands over the papers in front of her.

“Because in all the years I’ve worked with Connor, he’s never lied to me. There have been things that have slipped his mind or contracts he forgot to forward for me to go over, but lying, especially about family, goes against everything he believes in and stands for.”

With a smile, Ollie leaned against me, looking up at me with such a loving smile.

My heart thudded hard in my chest at the adoring expression, and I thanked all the gods above for this man in my life.

Unable to stay away, I leaned closer and pressed a kiss to his nose, causing it to scrunch, which was adorable.

“Thanks, Maisie,” I mumbled.

“Calling it like I see it,” she said before going back to her paperwork.

Within minutes of our arrival, the rest of the seats inside the courtroom filled up. We stood as the judge was called to the bench, but sat back down, waiting for the first case to be called.

As Maisie concentrated on the forms in front of her, I settled in, thinking it would take a while before we had our opportunity to face the judge.

Several minutes later, the doors opened, and my attention turned toward a woman I recognized as she walked in with a toddler on her hip and took a seat several rows up.

“Is that her?” Maisie asked.

“Yeah, but she was blonde when I met her.”

Ollie kept his head on my shoulder, but I knew his keen eyes were tracking over her and the child. He sucked in a breath.

“Do you have anyone in your family with blue eyes? Grandparents? Great grandparents?” Ollie asked.

“No. Both my parents have brown, and so do both my maternal and paternal grandparents. I don’t know about great grandparents. I’ve never met them.”

The door opened again, interrupting Ollie’s train of thought. Spencer and Lee walked in, followed by Kaid and Lewis, all of them dashing in suits and ties. I gasped, wondering what they were doing there, but Ollie waved and patted the seats that were open next to him.

“You guys look great, but what are you doing here?” I asked.

Spencer smiled at me, patting my shoulder, before he said, “I told Maisie we could testify for you because both of us remember the night you showed up at the hotel with the man and woman.”

Maisie leaned over and whispered to Spencer, “Do you think that’s her?”

Both of my friends turned to see where Maisie pointed and I watched their faces to see if there was any recognition.

“Yeah, that’s her. But she has dark brown hair now, whereas when we saw her at the hotel all those years ago, she was blonde,” Lee said.

The smile on Maisie’s face said everything. She hadn’t been worried about the paternity test, but now, with witnesses and what I and my two friends remembered, it changed the game.

“I wasn’t worried about the judge dismissing the case, but I can call your friends if she disputes her boyfriend being with you both that night. But I don’t think it’ll even get that far, since the judge will read the outcome of the paternity case first.”

Before long, my case was called, and I walked with Maisie to the front while the woman with the toddler glared at me as she took a seat at the other table.

“Petitioner Remington vs. Respondent Blake. Are both parties present?”

“Yes, your honor,” echoed in the room.

“I have the test results here and the probability of Connor Blake being the child’s father is zero percent. I dismiss this case with prejudice.”

The gavel slammed down, giving the echo of finality. But of course, I somehow understood it wouldn’t be that easy.

“But… he is!” The woman shouted.

The judge looked up and glared. “Ms. Remington. The paternity test was court ordered, and a certified proxy of this court drew and tested Mr. Blake’s blood.

The test gave the result of zero percent parentage of your young one.

How can you, with a plausible explanation, believe Mr. Blake is your child’s father? ”

“He was the only one I slept with around the time I found out I was pregnant.”

“Your honor?” Maisie interrupted.

“Yes, counselor?”

“Mr. Blake explained to me Ms. Remington, and a man identified to Mr. Blake as the petitioner’s boyfriend, was with her as they approached Mr. Blake at the Incheon International Airport before they retired to Mr. Blake’s hotel room.

I have a two witnesses in court today who will testify to witnessing Ms. Remington and a man accompanying Mr. Blake as they entered the Signiel Seoul hotel. ”

The woman made a noise of distress, but my attention never deviated from the judge.

The judge cleared his throat before he asked, “Not disputing the test results, but for the record, Mr. Blake? Did you engage in intercourse with Ms. Remington on the night in question?”

“No, your honor. Only with her boyfriend and I wore a condom.” I answered.

“Do you have anything to clarify your position, Ms. Remington?” The judge asked in a stern, no nonsense tone.

Her shoulders slumped, and it was a long, drawn out moment before she shook her head. “No, your honor.”

“Like I already stated on record, case dismissed.”

With that, Ollie came forward and threw his arms around me and I pressed my face against his neck and breathed deep.

“Thank you,” I whispered.