Suddenly Dirty (5 page)

Without skipping a beat, Phillip answered my question. “Miss Hayes, it means that you have no claim to any of the property because my son doesn’t legally own any of it. I am willing to be generous, but don’t push me or I will quickly take my generosity away. We will be in touch.” He couldn’t help himself from chuckling as he walked out of the meeting, slamming the door behind him. His lawyers quickly following after him.

“Sienna, I’ll fix this; I won’t let him get away with it, I promise.” Beau whispered, before disappearing after his father.

“I just got fucked over, didn’t I?” I questioned, looking at my lawyer.

“Yeah, they just screwed you over on all of those considerable assets. We can try and fight it, but it will be a lengthy and expensive process. We have the joint bank accounts plus any items you bought together. Anything that is in his name, not the trusts, you have a claim to.”

The room spun as the reality of my situation sinks in. “Thank you, Anthony, for trying to help me, I can’t fight them though, Phillip won and he knows it.”

My lawyer gave my shoulder a squeeze. “I’m sorry, Sienna, you can always fight but they will tie you up in litigation for years if they want to waste any money you do have.”

He was right, Phillip would do that. My only choice is to agree to his demands then move on with my life. Whatever that will be.

***

Walking through the door of Derrick’s apartment, I felt shell shocked.

“Oh shit,” Derrick says, seeing my face.” This is bad.” Turning towards the bedroom he shouts, “Come out NOW.”

The bedroom door swings open, and there standing before me, is my oldest friend Vanessa, who I thought was in the US.

“Sisi,” she screams, pulling me into a tight hug. I melt into her arms, and then the tears start, which turn into uncontrollable sobs.

Pushing my hair off my face and out of my eyes, Vanessa grabs my attention. “Sisi, I’m here now, it’s going to be okay,” she reassures me.

A couple of hours later I have calmed down enough from the shock of my day. The tequila helped calm my frayed nerves and I was able to appreciate Vanessa finally being here. I still couldn’t believe she had flown half way across the world to be with me. She wanted to spend Christmas and New Year with me, the first one as a single lady.

Vanessa had organized for us to go home to Byron Bay to see our families and spend the holidays relaxing. It helped that our families owned their own health retreat. That sounded like exactly what I needed, to get away from Sydney, hang out with Mum and Dad, do some yoga, sun bathe at the beach, go horse riding and get back to nature. Find my bliss.

“I’m going to take Phillip’s deal, I don’t have a choice. I can’t let all those people lose their jobs just before Christmas; not after all those years of service.”

“You’re a better woman than I am, Si, “Derrick says, placing his arms around me.

“What do you think you want to do next? Would you and Derrick start over again? Will you stay in Sydney? What about Melbourne? You could always move there,” Vanessa asks, shooting me a load of questions.

These were all great questions, ones I have been thinking about myself. I’m not sure if I even want to stay in Sydney, having to live with Beau and Diana prancing around everywhere, no thank you.

“You know, I will follow you wherever you go,” Derrick adds, bringing me to tears. He’s a good man and one that I would be lost without. He has been by my side helping me run my business for the past six years. He was never just an employee; he was my partner, my friend. He is my family.

“I know you’re probably not in the mood, but I have organized a little surprise for you. I want to make you feel better,” Vanessa says, smiling as she flips open her laptop.

Derrick is bouncing beside me.

What has she got planned?

Vanessa pulls out her lap top and types away for a couple of moments, a male voice filters through.

“Hey, Queen V, miss me?” My eyes widen at Christian Taylor! Guitarist and all round bad boy of Dirty Texas. Over the years, I have seen him pop up on Vanessa’s screen when we have been chatting. It’s crazy to know my best friend lives and works with the superstar. Derrick’s face is priceless; he has the biggest crush on him.

“No, my life has been quite pleasant. I haven’t missed you, much.”

Christian laughs. “V, I know you love me. I miss you, babe, the house feels empty without you in it.”

That had to be the sweetest thing I have heard. Vanessa is tight-lipped about her relationship with Christian saying they are just friends. I know something has happened between them before she worked with the band but nothing since then. He is such a flirt, plus he’s hot, not sure how she can keep her hands off him.

“I’m sure you have filled the house up with enough bimbos to compensate for me not being there.”

Christian’s booming laugh echoes through the screen. “You know me so well, V.”

“Just tell me you have been behaving, I don’t want TMZ contacting me again.” Vanessa sounds like a mother checking up on her wayward child.

There was silence for a moment.

“Seeing as I haven’t had people trying to sell naked photos of you, I guess you have been good.” Vanessa laughs.

“Mom’s in town, so yeah he’s been good.” Another voice calls out from behind Christian.

“Good to know, Axel,” Vanessa says, “Tell Viv and Ken I say hi, and sorry I’m missing Christmas with them this year. I promise I’ll give your mum a call on Christmas day for a chat.”

“She’s sad she’s missing you this year but she understands.” Axel adds in the background.

“I’m sad as well, I’m missing you,” Christian whispers.

“I’ll be home in a couple of weeks, Chris; I miss you too.” Vanessa confesses. All jokes aside for that moment, they both stare at each other for a touch longer than maybe they should. Vanessa shakes off the moment, quickly bringing the conversation back to them.

“Now don’t forget that I’m here to make Sienna happy, remember,” She says, ushering me towards the screen.

“Hey, Sienna,” Christian smiles into the camera, far out he is hot and that Texan accent is so sexy.

Giving him a timid smile, because talking to your favorite band makes you act like a mute.

Axel pushes his brother out of the way. “V asked us if we could cheer you up.”

Shocked, I turned towards my best friend. She was the best.

There she was, live on the computer screen, Axel and Christian hogging her attention.

“She’s cute,” Oscar says, nudging me, looking at the computer screen.

Fuck off, I scream in my head. Over the past couple of months I have been following the media reports about Sienna’s break-up from her husband with Vanessa.

Viewing the footage of Sienna in tears, being hounded by the press made me want to reach out through the screen, pull her into my arms and protect her from the evil paparazzi. I may have developed a small crush on Sienna, especially since Vanessa decided that I was her confidant in all things Sienna over the months. Sienna’s face has been popping into my head at terrible times, usually when I am stroking myself, she has no idea I have been following her like some stalker. Running my hand over my shaved head, I’m thinking to myself how sick I am. That has to be the only explanation for my new creeper ways.

“Guys,” Axel calls, pulling me from my thoughts. He motions for us to join them. Finn and Oscar say hi to the computer then step aside for me.

“Hey, V.” Vanessa’s face fills half the screen, but my attention’s drawn to Sienna. Her blonde hair pulled up into a tight ponytail, her white blouse unbuttoned just enough, exposing the top of generous breasts. Sienna realizes I am staring at her now, her eyes quickly moving away when I glance at her.

“Holy shit Si, it’s Evan Wyld.” A male voice calls from the side, stealing her attention for a moment as she looks towards them, I see her punch the person in the arm which makes me laugh. Her green eyes come back and rest on me, her cheeks are pink from the action.

“You must be Sienna.” I want to tell her how beautiful I think she is and how that loser of an ex doesn’t deserve someone like her, but instead I smile as if she is just another fan. Is she blushing? I notice the pink color on her cheeks.

“Hi.” Derrick’s face fills the screen as he waves to us.

Vanessa pulls him away. “This is Sienna’s surprise, not yours.”

All I can focus on is Sienna’s beautiful smile as her two friends bicker. “I hear you’re a big fan,” I say, trying to grab Sienna’s attention back towards me.

“She not just a fan, she is a huge fan,” Derrick answers. “Especially of yours.” He adds at the last minute.

Sienna looks mortified at her friend’s admission. Embarrassment flushing her cheeks as the color runs up her neck and onto her face. She punches Derrick in the arm again, hard.

“What? You have Evan Wyld talking to you, Sienna. You’re a single lady now, just putting it out there.”

Now it was my turn to laugh; Derrick sounds like he would be fun to hang out with “I always want to please my fans, especially the beautiful ones,” I respond, dropping my voice low, and flashing her my dimples; the ones that make women’s panties magically disappear.

Sienna’s eyes widened as she bites her bottom lip.

“Are you boys set up?” Vanessa asks, breaking the connection between Sienna and myself.

“Yep, ready to go, V.” Axel answers.

Vanessa had asked us if we could sing a couple of songs for Sienna just to make her feel better. There was no way in hell I was going to say no to that request. We sing five songs for her and each word I sing, my eyes never leave her. All three of them stand and give us a standing ovation with whoops and laughter.

“Thank you all so much,” Sienna smiles, with tears in her eyes. Derrick puts his arm around her shoulder pulling her in close to him. “It’s been a shit day, and you all have made it so much better, Thank you.”

I wanted to reach through the computer screen and touch her. I wished it was my arm around her telling her everything would be okay. We all say our goodbyes; then they vanish.

Vanessa’s smiling face fills the screen again. “Thank you so much guys.” Her green eyes looking around at each of us. “Hold on, I have to move to the other room, I need to talk to you about something.”

We watch as the computer moves; we see white walls and Vanessa’s head bobbing as she walks. The sound of a door closing, and then Vanessa is back in front of the screen again.

“Sorry about that, I wanted to chat with you guys for a moment.”

We wait to hear what Vanessa has to say.

“Today was a terrible day for Sienna, so thank you for doing this.”

My protective instincts were on high alert.

“She just found out that due to some fuck up, she isn’t, or was never, technically married to Beau, so she’s been left with nothing in the divorce.”

My fists balled. What the fuck?

“And to make matters worse, because Beau bought everything they own through some family trust, they are kicking her out of her business after six years of hard work. If she goes quietly, they will pay her market value for the company, but if she makes a fuss they will close it down and fire everyone before Christmas. She built that boutique up to be the most exclusive boutique in Sydney. Derrick and Sienna developed and formed their styling business to be the most sought after celebrity stylists in Sydney.”

“What do you want us to do, V?” Christian asks, reading Vanessa the best.

“I know I can’t ask this, but we have the European tour coming up. I was just wondering if we could hire Sienna and Derrick so I can get her away from here.”

The room was silent, but all I could hear was my heart pounding.

“Yes.” I blurt out. The rest of the boys look at me shocked.

“For you, V, of course, we can always use an extra couple of hands around the place on tour.” Axel answers.

“Don’t forget Jay is leaving us this tour, we will need help with wardrobe.” I remind them all.

Vanessa’s eyes catch mine; an enormous grin lights up her face.

“Evan’s right. Derrick and Sienna could totally do his job,” Vanessa squeals excitedly.

Axel eyes me suspiciously. I shrug at him.