Page 84 of Reckless

Gage rubbed my back as we pulled into the parking garage. “If they’re at the elevators we won’t go in.” He said it as if his home was regularly inundated by screaming mobs. As if having to leave your own home was a commonplace occurrence.

“I’m sorry…” I started, my eyes stinging, then Gage’s phone rang.

“Fuck.” He slammed his head against the back of the seat before answering. “Ron.”

I couldn’t help but listen, sitting this close to him in the car.

The photographs of us on the street were already online, each of them depicting a young couple going from looking like they were in love to looking like they were about to draw blood.

I took my phone out of my bag, unable to stop myself from going online. Bringing up the website that was headlining the news of our date—how did our date become news?—I clicked on the video.

The quality was decent, and worse, the sound was good. The woman we thought had been taking a photo had videoed our entire exchange.

Now the world knew that Gage’s father had abandoned him as an infant.

And it was my fault.

After Gage got off the phone, he was quiet. And so very still. The thing about Gage was if he was upset, he would confront, but if he was enraged, he wouldn’t say a word until he was calm enough that he knew he had control.

As luck would have it, no one had made it to the garage elevators, and Gage escorted me upstairs to the penthouse, where he got another call.

After pacing and checking his watch, murmuring into the phone, he turned to me, eyes exhausted. “Ron wants to talk. He’s downstairs at Andy’s. Here.” He handed me the envelope with his name on it. “I don’t…I don’t think I want it.”

I nodded, afraid I would burst into tears if I opened my mouth to respond.

The door closed quietly, and I wished he would have slammed it. Had he slammed it, it would have told me we could hash this out. As it was, I knew he wouldn’t talk to me. Not much to be said anyway, other thansorry, and it was too late for that.

A news notification came in. Then another. People were commenting on the video.

I’m devastated that that country hick would try to trick him.

She should be torn to shreds with a…

I didn’t try to blink back the tears this time, but let them fall.

Everyone had an opinion of me. They didn’t give two shits who I was, or even if I was a human being with feelings. I was in their way, blocking their fantasy view of their bad boy rock star.

My whole body throbbed with every heartbeat.

Gage and I were perfect—it was the rest of the world that was the issue. But his career invited the world in, a world that didn’t want me to be a part. I couldn’t ask him to give up his dream.

So, for the good of both of us, I went into his bedroom and packed my bag. Made sure I didn’t leave a trace of myself behind.

Then I called a cab to meet me at the back of the building, putting on a ballcap with my hair hiding most of my face.

I had to let him go.

But on the drive to the airport, as the city lights and noise passed by, I knew I’d never be the same again.