Chapter 13

Chapter 13

A Lump of Coal

brUNO

An incessant buzzing noise roused me from the best sleep I'd had in years. I stretched out my hand to quiet my phone when a loud trill sounded across the room, coming from Holly's purse.

"Shit," I grumbled as Holly moaned in her sleep, repositioned her thigh that was curled over my leg, her arm hugging my chest. Her head was tucked against my shoulder, the silky strands of her hair shifting like satin ribbons teasing along my bare skin.

"Huh, what…what's happening?" she croaked, her tone thick with sleep.

"Our phones are going off," I groaned as she moved so that I could reach mine.

The display screen showed it was Alana calling.

"Fuck," I let out a sharp breath and hit the answer button. "Hello?"

Holly shimmied out of my hold and crawled to her phone. Before she could reach it, a knock pounded on the door.

"Mr. Castellanos, it is Alana Toussaint," my caller announced.

"Yeah, Alana, I know who it is," I shucked off the covers and walked toward the door as Holly answered her phone. I glanced at the clock. "It's seven in the morning. Why are you calling so early?"

"Mom? What? No…I'm okay. Yeah, I'm fine. You saw what on TV?" she murmured as I made my way sleepily to the door and to the nonstop knocking.

"Care to explain to me why I'm watching my candidate be manhandled and bludgeoned on national television?" Alana's clipped tone revealed her fury.

"I'm sorry, what are you talking about?" I frowned and blinked a few times, trying to dispel the sleep still clinging to my consciousness.

"Are you going to tell me Holly and Colin weren't attacked on the red-carpet last night? Because I assure you, the millions of photographs and videos that are all over the news, the internet, and social media, paint a pretty damning picture."

The pounding at the door continued. "Hold on a moment. Someone's at the door."

"Mr. Castellanos, I want some answers," Alana demanded as I opened the door.

Colin stopped mid-knock, his gaze traveling down my unclothed form and messy bedhead. I smiled like the cat that ate up all the cream.

"I'm sorry, I thought this was Holly's room. I apologize for disturbing you," he rushed to course correct.

"No, she's here." I let the door go and walked away, letting Colin choose to come in or not. He followed me in.

Holly was pacing the floor in front of the bed, wearing nothing but my dress shirt.

"Mom, I swear to God, I am fine. I'll be home today. Yes, we can meet for dinner. No, I already went to the doctor's. Yes, I was seen by a real doctor. I didn't call you because I knew you'd overreact…"

"Holly, you have company," I announced like the asshole I was.

Colin stopped in the middle of the small living space and stared at Holly. I was not prepared for how crestfallen his expression would be when he saw the two of us, neither wearing appropriate clothing.

"I came to check on you…" he pointed at her and then at me. "Obviously you've been taken great care of. I'll just go."

"Colin," she reached out her hand, "No. Please. I can explain."

"Why you just crawled out of bed with your bodyguard? Save it." He bit out angrily.

"Mom, I have to go," Holly said as Alana's voice rose in my ear.

"Are you listening? You. Are. Fired. Mr. Castellanos. Escort Holly home and I'll pay you for your services to date, but our contract moving forward is terminated." Alana snapped.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. You're firing me?" I scoffed.

" Oui! We'll discuss more in person," Alana stated flatly and then hung up.

"I can't believe she fired me," I chuckled. I'd never been fired from any job in my life.

"She's firing you!" Holly cried.

"I'm outta here," Colin said, shaking his head.

"No!" Holly chased after him, gripping his wrist while still holding onto her phone. "This isn't what it seems. I didn't sleep with him. Well, I mean, I did sleep with him, but only to sleep !" she attempted to placate the actor, while I did my best not to laugh. This whole scenario was right out of a comedy movie.

"So, you're telling me you're not fucking your bodyguard?" Colin deadpanned.

"I…I didn't have sex with him last night," she responded, failing miserably at hiding the real truth.

"As opposed to another night. Don't be coy with me. Three's a crowd, Holly. And you're wearing his shirt and are perfectly comfortable standing in a room where he's only in his underwear. That speaks of a level of intimacy beyond the scope of professionalism."

He had her there. I crossed my arms over my bare chest and leaned against the back of the small couch, watching the show.

"But…"

He shook his head. "My jet will take you and your bodyguard , or whatever the fuck he is, back to Las Vegas in two hours. Be ready or fly commercial. Frankly, I no longer care. And to think, I was worried about you and the media coverage. I shouldn't have. It looks like you can take care of yourself just fine without me." He growled and stormed out of the room.

Holly put the phone back up to her ear. "I gotta go, Mom. I'll see you at dinner. Yes, I swear I'll be there. I love you too. Bye." She said and then hung up. The phone fell to the floor as her hands came up to cover her eyes. Her body bowed forward as the sobs started.

"Oh baby, no…" I went over to her, planning to console her. Instead, she screeched and shoved me away.

"Don't touch me," she seethed. "That's how all of this got so messed up in the first place."

"Are you saying you regret our time together?" I raged on the inside. What I've shared with Holly has been more special than any relationship I've had in a long time. I was even starting to imagine a different world, one in which I could have the love of a good woman in my life, and maybe a real home to go to after a job ended, instead of a mostly empty loft I rented in New York.

She ripped her hands through her hair and held the mass on top of her head, tears streaming down her botchy red cheeks. "We fucked it all up. Now Colin doesn't want me. You don't want me. The banks don't fucking want me. And when we go back to Alana's office, she's probably going to let me go too, and then what? I'm back at square one all over again."

"Holly, we'll figure it out. I'll help make it right."

"By what? Offering me the money again? Making my mother less afraid her daughter's going to end up killed by some deranged person? Because that shit is real, Bruno, and it's happened to me twice in the past two weeks. Or maybe you can fix it all by sexing me up some more. You know, making me lose my mind and my good sense!" She let her hair fall in waves over her shoulders while her hands went behind the back of her head. "Please, for the love of God, tell me how you are going to fix this disaster? Because things are looking pretty freakin' bleak right about now!"

I lifted my hands into a prayer position and lowered my tone. "I agree. But there's always a way. I just need you to trust me. Okay? Trust that I have your best interest at heart and will find a way to smooth everything over. Let's just get dressed, catch the plane back to Vegas, and I'll work my magic. Okay?"

She was about to speak when I lifted a finger for her to pause. "Trust me."

Holly closed her eyes, inhaled fully, let it out slowly and nodded once. "I can be ready to go in fifteen minutes. Do you want the shower first?" she offered.

"We could take a shower together to save time…" I lowered my voice suggestively.

"Are you fucking kidding me right now?" she snapped.

I grinned. "Just trying to lighten up the situation. Man. Tough crowd. Why don't you shoot a man already."

"Give me your gun and let's see what happens?"

Damn she was a spitfire. I loved every second of it. "I'll go first. I only need five minutes."

"Fine," she glared.

"Fine," I chuckled and sauntered past her, pushing my briefs down as I did so, making sure she got a nice view of my bare ass.

Her reaction was a little gasp that I knew she was trying to cover. That small kernel of hope and continued attraction meant I still had her on my hook. It lifted my spirits instantly.

I'd fix everything. I was certain of it. I just needed to figure out a solid plan, and I had a handful of hours to do it.

Piece of cake.

Just not a piece of chocolate cake.

At least it was better than a lump of coal, which was what I was looking at if I didn't make things right for Holly and with Madam Alana.