CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Marly
Isped downthe road, past Daisy’s diner until I swung into the almost empty lot at LnS where Ash promised me Jude was hiding out until all those paparazzi outside his gate disappeared.
I slipped in through the club’s front door and even though it was morning, there were still staff working… did this place never close? I recognized the bartender from the first night, Andrea, and gave her a little wave. Then I rushed beyond the bathrooms until I bumped into Chloe at the bottom of the stairs.
“Good morning, Marlena.” She was kind, but not overly warm. “What can I do for you?”
“I just need to slip upstairs to Jude’s room…”
“I’m afraid I can’t allow that.” Though her words showed regret, her tone certainly didn’t. Prickles of awareness covered my flesh.
“But I wasjusthere—”
“Right. Last week. But you’re not an official member.”
Oh, hell no. I did not come this far just to get turned away at the door. One way or another, Iwasfinding Jude today. “Actually, if we’re going to get technical about things, my contract was through Thursday. Considering we didn’t specify a time, I am legally allowed to be upstairs until tonight at 11:59 pm.” There was a pause as Chloe chewed the inside of her cheek, rolling that thought around in her mind. “Am I wrong? Go ahead and check the paperwork… I’ll wait here.”
Chloe’s eyes narrowed and she stepped aside. “No need. Go on up.”
I slid by her shoulder and made my way up the stairs slowly so not to appear too hasty. But as soon as I turned the corner, I took off on a run down the dark hall. I slowed as I approached his door and pressed my ear to it. There was silence on the other side, not that that surprised me. These rooms were made to be sound proof. He could be in there screaming at the top of his lungs and I wouldn’t know the difference.
I placed a palm to the door and a shiver tumbled down my spine.
“What are you doing here?” Jude’s low voice growled from behind me. I spun, my back pushing against the door.
God, he was beautiful. Tall, sculpted, with features that looked to be carved by some Greek god. But now a dark cloud hovered over him, and those features I loved to get lost in were fogged with grief. “Jude,” I whispered, and threw my arms around his neck.
To his credit, he didn’t push me away, but he also didn’t hug me back. I gulped, releasing him. “Okay, I deserve that,” I added quietly.
Pulling out his keycard, he unlocked the door and sipped the cup of coffee he had in hand. “What are you doing here, Marlena?” he repeated.
“I needed to see you,” I said, without thinking.
Two eyebrows climbed higher over his jade eyes. Though his expression was tight, there was a sadness that lingered there. “Well… here I am.”
Damn. He wasn’t making this easy. “I-I wanted to bring you back your watch. Since you weren’t at the audition. I know what it means to you.”
His face softened, if only for a moment. “Thank you. You could have sent a courier.” Then after another moment, he asked, “How’d it go?” His thoughtfulness touched something deep inside me. He was mad at me—rightfully so. I took off, abandoned him when he’d given me so much; had opened up so much to me. And despite that, he still wanted the best for me. He still wanted me to have the role.
“It went great.” Though I was smiling, an ache settled in my chest. I couldn’t feel elated. Not yet. Not without Jude. “I was offered the part of Holly almost on the spot—right after Layla left her audition.”
His mouth twitched, and though he offered me a small smile, it didn’t reach his eyes. “That’s wonderful, congratulations.”
“But I didn’t take it,” I blurted out, before I lost my nerve. “I said I would only accept the role if you played Leo.”
Jude cursed, turning his back on me and storming into his room. “Why would you do that?” he grunted. “Youhadit. You had it without me. Isn’t that what you wanted?”
“I thought it was.” I rushed toward him, pulling his shoulders close to me. His broad back pressed against my breasts and I heard his hiss. “But without you, I don’t have it. Without you, I don’t have… anything.” The last word came out in a whisper and I clenched my eyes shut at how stupid I sounded.
“That’s what you wanted. You wanted to get the role all on your own. You chose your priorities,” he said, not turning around, barely acknowledging my touch on his body. Then, softer, he added, “And those priorities weren’t me.”
So that’s what this was really about. For the second time in Jude’s life, a woman chose her stardom… her career over him. My hands traveled down from his shoulders to his ribs and over his abs. The muscles there rippled under my fingers. “I freaked out,” I said. “After what happened with Jack and all the tabloids printing that stupid picture, I couldn’t handle another public scandal.”
“I know,” he said softly. “I’m just trying to give you what you want. And what you want is to not have to deal with another reputation in this fucking town.”
“But I realized something at that audition.” I dropped my cheek to his shoulder blade, clutching at his back. “I don’t care. I don’t care about any of that anymore. I know the truth. I haven’t slept with anyone to get a role. I never have. I never will. And this week… with you… it’s given me a new sense of confidence I’ve never had before. I was good in that audition room. These stupid rumors don’t matter as long as I haveyou.” After a moment of silence, I swallowed another trembling sob. “Please, tell me I still have you.”
