Falling Star (Combustible Book 2) (29 page)

“What did you tell her?”

“That as long as Ella is happy here, so am I.”

Mila blinked. “So if Ella went back to Hollywood, you’d go with her?”

“If she wanted me to, yeah. I’d follow. I mean, I won’t know how things will work out until we try, right?”

“Yeah, but Kyle said you turned down a football scholarship to stay here.”

“Things change.” Trent rubbed the back of his neck. Back then, his dad was working his issues out while Tina fell into her own. He felt obligated to stick around and take care of them so his mother didn’t have to go through it alone. Now, as long as he had Ella, he’d follow her anywhere. “I don’t like the thought of losing Ella for anything. I’m not saying I want to go to Hollywood, only that it wouldn’t keep me from her.”

Mila shifted Valor higher on her shoulder. “Good. You have no idea how happy that makes me. Enjoy dinner and have fun tonight.”

“Thanks.” He ruffled Valor’s tiny head, imagining a future where Ella held their child. “Have a good night.”

Mila nodded and left him on the porch.

The door opened and Ella stepped out in a simple blue dress. Her eyes were dazzling behind the thick black frames.

He couldn’t help laughing. “So the glasses are your mask?”

She shrugged. “Yeah. I dyed my hair darker before going to Hollywood. Brought it back down to my natural color when I left. Hiding who I was and where I came from seemed to be a good idea at the time. The glasses just make me a little less like Raven Star.”

“So you hid who you were
before
Hollywood?”

She shrugged. “Yeah. I didn’t want anyone to make a big deal about the way I lost my parents. Or the boy who supposedly died when I rejected him.” She winced, then snorted. “I used to feel so guilty over Logan’s
death
.” Another snort escaped with the roll of her eyes.

“I get that. But everything you experience shapes you. May not be anyone’s business, but it’s still important.”

“Not to the whole world. Everyone else gets to hide their pain, or share it at will. Why shouldn’t I?”

“Maybe someday you’ll tell me more,” Trent hinted.

“I will, but not tonight.”

He took a quick kiss.

Smiling, she leaned back. “Am I driving?”

“Thought we’d walk. They only live a few blocks away.”

She sucked in a breath. “Don’t laugh, but I’m nervous.”

“I took some of the pressure off. I told my parents about you. We need to talk to Blaze, but I thought that might be better with you.”

Smiling, she threaded her fingers through his. “Come on.”

By the time they got to the end of their street, Ella had looked over her shoulder four times. He finally asked, “What’s going on?”

“Paranoia?” She shrugged.

“About?”

“Feels like someone’s watching. Don’t mind me. Old habits are hard to break.”

“Don’t discredit it. We don’t know for sure that all of the reporters left.”

“Or Logan.” She shook her head. “I haven’t received any of his so-call gifts, though, so I hope he left too.”

“Well, I’ll spend every moment with you that I can. When I’m not, Marissa has patrols set up. Personally, I hope he gets caught soon. I can’t concentrate on anything when I’m away from you, knowing he could hurt you again.”

“Neither can I.”

Trent stopped her in front of a two-story Craftsman style home and nodded to the porch. “So, this is where I grew up.”

She bit her lip and glanced at the door as it opened.

He leaned down to whisper in her ear. “Relax. They’ll love you.”

Ella met his gaze. “I’m ready.”

He wasn’t so sure about that, but he hoped she’d relax.

* * * *

A woman with gray-streaked dark hair and pale eyes, like Trent’s, stepped outside. She smiled warmly. “Hurry up, Trent, and introduce me to your girlfriend, already.”

Ella’s gaze shifted to him as he tugged her toward the door. A million thoughts raced through her head. Meeting his parents had seemed like the next logical step, and she’d been looking forward to it. Now the nerves started and she couldn’t relax. Funny because acting never did this, neither had public appearances before the abduction, even with the nosey reporters.

Trent didn’t appear to be worried, and that should have helped, but she could have sworn someone was following them, although she hadn’t spotted anyone. Seemed everything made her nervous anymore.

“Mom, this is Ella Cross. Ella, this is Pamela Ward.”

His mother wrapped her arms around Ella. “Call me Pam.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Pam.” Ella smiled, hoping the woman’s enthusiasm had more to do with her son finding a woman, than meeting an actress. She’d heard horror stories of parents being introduced to their kid’s celebrity significant others.

“Come inside, please. I’m so happy Trent finally brought a woman home.”

Ella blushed. “He hasn’t in the past?”

He shook his head.

His mother smirked as she glanced at Trent and back. “No. I was beginning to wonder if he ever would.”

Trent chuckled. “I was waiting for the right woman, Mom. I finally found her.” His hand wrapped around Ella’s waist and he pulled her close, kissing her cheek.

“I’m lucky I ran into you,” Ella answered.

Pam giggled. “Aww, you two are adorable together.”

Trent rolled his eyes and Ella couldn’t help laughing.

“Welcome to our home,” Pam said, and Ella did feel welcomed.

Trent whispered. “Dad’s probably playing with Blaze. Just wait.”

Her stomach fluttered.

They stepped inside. Tina glanced up from a magazine on her lap. Trent gave her a warning look and Ella wondered about the sibling argument Trent had mentioned.

Blaze sat on the floor, building Legos with an older man with silver streaked hair. His eyes were dark, like Tina’s.

“Ella!” Blaze shot up off the floor and ran to her.

She knelt to hug him and whispered in his ear. “Keep a secret?”

“Of course.”

“I’m Raven Star. But I don’t want everyone to know.”

Blaze rocked back on his heels, nodding. “I won’t say a word, Ella.”

“Thank you.”

He pouted. “I’m sorry I told people before.”

She smiled. “It’s okay. I should have told you sooner, but I was scared.”

“Don’t be. Trent will keep you safe. He always keeps Mommy and me safe.”

“He’s good like that,” Ella answered.

Tina directed her attention to Ella, then looked up at Trent. “Sorry about the other day. I wasn’t sure how he’d take it.”

Trent shrugged. “There are some good reasons for her to keep the secret.”

Tina nodded. “Yeah, after the media swarmed, then the crazy rumors started. I can imagine. I didn’t really think about the bigger picture.”

Trent’s dad stood and walked over, studying his son.

Trent dipped his head. “Dad, this is Ella. And this is Calvin.”

Calvin took her hand in his. “I can see why my son is captivated.” He smiled. “And you’re very sweet, taking time to talk to Blaze.”

“Blaze is my buddy.” She winked at the boy.

Blaze blushed. “Ella is the best.”

A smile lit Ella’s face. “Thank you.”

“Dinner is ready,” Pamela announced, ushering everyone to the dining room.

Chapter 36

A week had passed. Trent couldn’t resist spending his free time with Ella. The media hadn’t shown back up in town. Ella was finally relaxing again, even though the authorities hadn’t found Logan. The assumption was that he’d left with the media. Marissa kept the patrols going anyway, which made Ella feel safer.

Isandro met Trent outside the firehouse on his way in for his shift. “You might consider calling in, staying home today.”

Trent’s eyes narrowed. “Why the hell would I do that?”

Isandro scrubbed a hand over his short hair. “Because you might slaughter someone if you go in there.”

“What the hell is going on?”

He shook his head. “A video of you and Ella is circulating. Looks like someone taped you two having sex, through barely parted curtains.”

Trent’s nostrils flared. He’d been careful, made sure the curtains were always closed, just in case the media, or Logan was out there, trying to find her.

He couldn’t imagine Isandro actually watching his friends on a tape like that. A sneer pulled at Trent’s lips. “How the fuck do you know?”

Isandro held up his hands. “Because Mitch shoved his phone in my face with the video playing. I saw just enough to recognize you both before I tried to bust the damned thing.”

“Fuck!” Trent snarled.

“Yeah, that’s about what I thought. Apparently, it’s labeled as Raven Star.”

Trent’s jaw clenched tight. “How the fuck did they tape it?”

“From
your
window, dude.”

“Where?”

“In a bed. Look, I didn’t watch the damned thing. I saw you two and realized this was really bad news.”

“Yeah, no shit.” Trent paced away.

Mitch and Bruno came out, laughing their asses off.

An evil grin formed on Mitch’s face. “Oh, just the man I wanted to see. Your girl is one hot piece of ass.”

Trent spun and his fist shot out so fast he hadn’t even considered what he was doing. Mitch’s head snapped back and Trent shoved him up against the wall and slammed his fist into his face again. “Watch your fucking mouth, asshole.”

Mitch blinked, wiping at his face while Trent’s arm was cocked and ready to hit him again if he said the wrong thing. “What the fuck? I’m congratulating you on tapping a movie star, and you break my face?”

Isandro pulled Trent back before he connected with Mitch once more.

Mitch shot forward and Kyle appeared beside them, pushing him back against the wall. “Knock it off. Right now,” Kyle warned.

“I didn’t do a damned thing wrong.”

Kyle snorted. “Pretty sure watching porn sites at work is against policy.”

“I’m just watching my man fuck—”

Trent charged, breaking past Isandro’s hold and shoved Mitch up against the wall again. It took Isandro and Gavin to pull him off.

Isandro hissed. “Seriously, man, chill. This asshole can say whatever the fuck he wants, but you’re going to land your ass in jail if you keep this up.”

“Yeah. I should press charges,” Mitch snapped back.

Isandro’s brow arched. “You won’t. Several witnesses will swear you swung first.”

Mitch smirked. “Because he’s pissed we all got to see how to make his woman scream?”

Isandro shoved Trent back before he could react. “You have every right to be pissed, but chill. We all know Mitch is an ass, but I guarantee he’s not the one to post it.”

“This asshole had us all convinced his woman wasn’t a movie star,” Mitch replied. “Why the hell haven’t you told us?”

Trent tore away, dialing Marissa to see if there was anything that could be done. He was about two seconds from going after Mitch again, but he knew that would never stop the fucker from flapping his mouth. Isandro was right. Helping Ella was far more important than shutting this asshole up.

Kyle snarled. “Mitch, either get your ass inside or have Bruno take you to the hospital. But if you press charges, you’ll wish you hadn’t. Got it?”

“Yeah, got it,” he hissed.

“Fucking bastard,” Trent muttered as his phone rang.

Marissa answered, “Cortez speaking.”

Trent sucked in a breath. “Hey, Marissa. We’ve got a problem.”

“Have you seen Logan around?”

“No. Someone videotaped Ella and I. They posted it on porn sites. How do we get that taken down?”

“Uh… what?” Marissa asked.

He pinched the bridge of his nose. “I got to work and your brother warned me about what was going on inside. Then Mitch came out. He’s lucky I didn’t kill him.”

“Whoa, shut up, Trent. I’m sure whatever was said pissed you off, but don’t tell me you assaulted him. I’ll be down there soon and we can figure it out.”

“Thanks.”

Trent stared at his phone. “I need to see this, don’t I?” he snarled.

Isandro nodded. “You’re going to have to figure out where you were at least so you can help Marissa figure out where the guy was when he shot it. Pretty sure the privacy laws make the video illegal. But the more information you have, the better.”

“Yeah, but how do we get it taken down?”

“Fuck if I know. Look, Marissa can help you figure that out. Just calm down and let’s be rational about this shit.”

“Rational?” Trent closed his hand over the phone, shaking his head slowly. “Some asshole videotaped Ella and me behind closed doors. Probably her damned stalker. You want me to be rational?”

“Yeah, but being a raging asshole isn’t going to solve shit.”

Nodding, Trent shoved his phone in his pocket and took a shaky, deep breath.

Kyle approached Trent with caution. “It was on the news this morning that a sex tape featuring Raven Star was circulating. Looked like it was illegally filmed. So hopefully that will come down soon too, but it’s the next hot topic. The media has already recognized you. It’s only a matter of time until they show up in town again.”

Marissa parked and climbed out of the cruiser. “So, what’s going on?”

Isandro took over before Trent could open his mouth. “I walked in today and Mitch shoved a video in my face. Trent and Ella, obviously together. Thing is, it was filmed outside a window. It’s not like they were out in public. Hell, half the video screen was covered in curtains.”

Marissa gave Isandro a strange look before turning to Trent. “Aren’t the bedrooms in both your houses on the second floor?”

Trent nodded. “Yeah, so this asshole was perched on a roof filming? Ella said she felt like she was being watched. I should have taken her concerns more seriously.”

“Do you know where this video was posted? I can start there. I’m not even positive what steps we need to take to bring it down, but we may be able to find out who posted it and from where.”

The fire chief stepped outside. He looked from Trent to Marissa and back. “I caught enough of the conversation inside to know what’s going on, and I’m going to pretend I haven’t heard a damned thing. Trent, go with Marissa. Figure this out, then come back. Mitch is out for the rest of the day. But remember, I don’t want to know so I can deny it if I need to.” He stepped back inside and closed the door.