Total pages in book: 43
Estimated words: 38978 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 195(@200wpm)___ 156(@250wpm)___ 130(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 38978 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 195(@200wpm)___ 156(@250wpm)___ 130(@300wpm)
"Don't worry about her and Sanchez; they're already taken care of. I gave them both a month off with pay. Bess insists on going by the house at least once a week for the upkeep, and I figured the grounds could go a month without suffering. Maddox security already has a few men there. They already had a run-in with the paparazzi, so we'll just leave them there for now. All you have to do is concentrate on you, focus on your needs."
Leave it to mom to handle shit.
"Next order of business Jane; do you want to make a statement, do you want to let it all blow over on its own, what do you want?"
"Mom, I don't know what I want; I do know I don't want to make any statements, although that crap about me wanting to meet that fucker for a man-to-man sit down makes me want to say something. Why would I want to see him? He's just as guilty as she is; why the fuck would I take his word for anything? The only reason I would want to see that asshole would be to put a cap in his ass."
" That could be arranged..."
"Brian." Mom sighed.
"I'm just saying James is on standby for whatever."
Oh fuck, James Dupree was head of Maddox security. He and his wife Amanda were fucking walking weapons; I wouldn't wish those two on my worst enemy, well maybe Poole...no, I want to take care of that fuck myself.
"We'll have none of that; let's not forget none of us knows what really happened yet, including you, Gage."
"Linda, there are pictures..."
"Oh, Connie, don't be so naive; you and I both know that with today's technology, you can make anything look real. People have been doing it for years."
"Mom, she made a statement, a public apology."
"Did she Tiffany? Did you see Suzette stand in front of a microphone and say those words?"
"So, what are you saying?" I asked; this whole thing was giving me a headache.
"I'm not saying anything, son; I'm just suggesting that we all stay calm and look at this thing from all angles. Let's not let anger rule the day. We need to bring Suzette to the compound..."
"No, no fucking way, you bring that bitch here, and I'm leaving."
"Gage, Michael Maddox, this is not the man I raised you to be; I did not teach you to run from your problems, shame on you. No one is saying that you have to get back together with her or even that you have to forgive her, but the least you can do for yourself, if not for her, is to hear her out. Do you think I want this for you? If she's guilty of this, I want to burn her at the stake. As your mother, that's my prerogative to feel that way, but as a woman, I say hear her out."
Everything she was saying made perfect sense, but I just didn't know if I could do it. It was too soon. Too new, I was still too raw. I needed an outlet for my pain. I didn't think I could stand to hear her say the words. Just the kissing thing almost killed me. If she told me she fucked him, it would end me.
So what did that mean? Did that mean I still cared for her? Could I get past this shit? I didn't know. I did know my family was right. I was going to have to see her eventually; we had a movie premiere in a month and a half. Fuck my life.
CHAPTER 10
"Suzette Melissa Sorenson, what have you done?" I walked through the doors of my family home, and this was the greeting from my dad.
"Dad..."
My next memory after his eloquent greeting is awakening on the couch with a spinning head and a racing heart. I had spent days trying to outmaneuver the paparazzi, so I could get home to the security of my dad's arms after the hell that had become my life. As my dad crouched down next to me with that familiar look of love and concern puckering his brow, I felt the floodgates open up, and I cried. I cried for my broken heart; I cried for the piece of me that was now missing, a piece that I wasn't sure I would ever have again. For the first time in my life, I felt despair. Who knew the human body could withhold such torment? How strong was the mind that it could withstand that agony and not break? Well, I was sure mine didn't have too far to go before that happy occurrence.
"Suzie, hon, I'm sorry, come on, sit up here and drink some water." My dad, in his comfortable flannels and khakis, was just what I needed. Such a stark contrast from my life of glamour, my laid-back camera-shy dad.