Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 91840 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 459(@200wpm)___ 367(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91840 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 459(@200wpm)___ 367(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
“Did you get that, Pins? Yeah. See you in a few.” Vaughn gets to his feet and swipes the elevator key off the table.
“Charly, she’s…alone, right?”
Vaughn stops and looks at me. “Ava’s not with her if that’s what you mean. She’s still at the hotel.”
“Good.”
Vaughn goes to get Charly, and I pick up the coffee that Julian brought back and take a sip.
It’s decent, but it doesn’t taste as good as Ava’s coffee.
And I fucking hate that I miss her making me coffee.
God, I’m pathetic.
“What did Gil say?” Julian asks me.
I glance over at him. He’s sitting on the other sofa, drinking his coffee.
“Vaughn talked to him. Said I just needed to okay that press release he sent over, and once that’s out there, they’ll start pulling together a strategy based on the public response to try and stop this shit from completely destroying my career.”
“Have you read the release?”
“Yeah.” I sigh.
“And?”
“It’s just the usual shit that we read all the time. Gabriel regrets his past actions, and his parents’ criminal past is in no way a reflection of him. He does not condone their crimes and has not had contact with his parents since their arrest. Blah, blah, blah.”
“If you hate the release, then have them rewrite it.”
“And put what?”
“I don’t know.” Julian brings his coffee to his lips and takes a sip. “Just think about what you want to say and then tell your publicist and have her write it up.”
“Yeah. I guess I could.” I take another sip of my coffee.
A few minutes later, I hear the arrival of Vaughn and Charly.
And the first thing I want to do is ask Charly how Ava is.
How fucking lame is that?
I really need a punch in the face.
“Gabe.” Vaughn’s voice comes from behind me before he comes into view. He stands to the left of the sofa, Charly by his side. “Charly needs to talk to you. It’s important.”
I look directly at Charly. “If it’s about Ava, then I don’t want to hear it.”
She presses her lips together, looking like she’s really likely to punch me in the head right now. Maybe I should invite her to. Knock some fucking sense into me.
Charly’s eyes move around my living room. “Gabe, can I use your bathroom, please?”
I almost exhale with relief that she’s not going to try to force me to hear whatever it is she’s got to say.
“Sure. You can use the bathroom in my bedroom. It’s the first door on your right. Bathroom’s off there.”
“Could you show me where it is, please?”
“Were my directions not clear enough?”
Her hands go to her hips, her lips pursing into a scowl. “They were just fine. But I’d really appreciate it if you would show me the way.” She’s staring at me, eyes wide, with a weird expression on her face.
“Vaughn, what the fuck is wrong with your girlfriend?”
“Pins, what’s going on?”
Charly sighs, rolls her eyes, and then gets her phone out of her pocket. She starts tapping on the screen and then hands her phone to Vaughn. He reads whatever’s on the screen. Then, he hands it over to me.
I read the words she typed into a Note on her phone.
I think your apartment is bugged. We need to talk. It’s important. Bathroom is a safe place.
I look up at her. “Are you being for real right now?”
She snatches her phone from my hand. Yes, she mouths.
I look at Vaughn for help, and he just shrugs, hands out, palms up.
“What’s going on?” Julian asks.
Charly puts her finger to her lips and hands her phone to Julian.
He reads it and then mouths, Holy fuck. He hands Charly’s phone back to her, his eyes roaming over my living room.
Charly taps me on the shoulder and mouths, Bathroom. Now.
“For fuck’s sake.” I sigh. I could really do without this shit right now.
But I still get up from the sofa and start to follow Charly to the bathroom.
The next thing I know, Julian’s beside me, and then Vaughn’s on my other side. Apparently, they’re coming, too.
I shake my head with annoyance and walk quickly to my bedroom, wanting to get this shit over and done with as soon as possible.
When we reach the bathroom, Charly’s already inside.
We file in, and she shuts the door behind us. Then, she proceeds to turn on the faucets on the sink and the shower, leaving them all running.
“What the fuck are you doing?” I frown at her.
“If your bedroom is bugged as well, then they won’t be able to hear us over the sound of the running water.”
“Really?” Vaughn asks.
“Yeah. I saw it once on TV.”
“I think I’ve seen that, too,” Julian chimes in.
“This is fucking ridiculous,” I snap. “I’m going.”
I reach for the door when Charly barks at me, “Don’t you dare open that door, Gabriel.”
I look back at her. “And if I do?”