Ripped: The Price of Loyalty by Tania Joyce

 

 

Chapter 29

After having a feast on pancakes with maple syrup for breakfast, Kyle walked beside Gemma down the laneway back to his apartment. They were greeted on the street corner by Hunter getting out of a taxi.

“Good night?” he asked Hunter.

Hunter shrugged and shaded his eyes against the bright sunshine. “The night, fine. The girl, okay. Served her purpose.” He hesitated, before he turned toward the door to the building. “What’s got you two so fucking chirpy this morning?”

“Let’s have a coffee.” Kyle squeezed Gemma’s hand and led them up to the apartment.

Sitting on the sofa, Kyle wiped his clammy palms on his jeans, and Gemma placed the drinks on the coffee table in front of them. He hooked his arm around her shoulder, and she curled up against him.

“What’s going on?” Hunter asked, looking over the rim of his cup.

Kyle closed his eyes, cleared his throat, and took a deep breath. He’d known Hunter his whole life; they’d been through so much together and there was no easy way around this, so he’d just better come out and say it. “I’m . . . going to move in with Gem.”

Hunter spluttered, choking on a mouthful of his drink. “You’re what?”

Kyle’s heart lurched; this was the hardest breakup of his life. “I spend half my time there anyway.”

Hunter blinked and scratched his stubble. “Gem, why don’t you move in here? This place is big enough for the three of us.”

Kyle rubbed her arm, and she rounded her shoulders. “Hunt, if Kyle and I are going to do this couple thing, we need to do it in our own space.”

Hunter’s glassy eyes widened. His gaze jumped back and forth between the two of them.

Kyle’s stomach tangled into knots like the ribbon in an old tape cassette. Why did this have to be so hard? But Hunter and he couldn’t live together forever. They were all growing up, life was changing, and he had to do what was right for him and Gemma.

Hunter waved toward the hallway. “What am I going to do with all this space?”

“Get a roommate.” Gemma shrugged.

“Never.” Hunter gasped. “Your rooms are yours. And always will be. Kyle, you own half this joint.”

“That’s not an issue. It’s not like I’m moving to a different country.” Kyle rubbed his chin, desperately needing to shave. “I’m only moving around the corner. We’re here every day practicing and working together. I doubt things will be much different.”

Hunter slumped back on the chair. He stared out the window toward downtown and raked his fingers through his hair. “Guess it was inevitable.” His voice was as dreary as winter rain. “I was just hoping Gem would move in here.”

“Sorry, Hunt. I do feel terrible about breaking up your bro-mance,” Gemma said softly as she rested her head on Kyle’s shoulder. Having her close, being connected to her, feeling her heart beat eased the ache inside his chest. Because his future was with her. There’d be no looking back.

“When?” Hunter closed his eyes, a furrow forming between his brows.

Kyle inhaled deeply and swallowed the dry lump in his throat. “From now.”

“Shit. . . Really?” Hunter sank even lower into the chair and rubbed his eyes. “I guess it had to happen one day,” he mumbled. “Now . . . there’s only one thing that’s going to make me feel better. Let’s go thrash out a session, then go through those contracts and work out who we’re going to sign with.”

***

Sitting in between Kyle and Hunter in the back of the limousine on the way to the Microsoft Theater in LA for the American Music Awards, Gemma kept pulling the split in the skirt of her floor-length dress closed to cover her knees. Their security team sitting opposite them kept their eyes up and their faces void of all emotion when the thigh-high opening on Kara’s daring red creation exposed her leg every time the car went over a bump. The only good thing that happened when the fabric gaped was that she caught a glimpse of her spangley gold Roberto Cavalli stilettos she was finally able to wear.

“Stop fidgeting with your dress. You look stunning.” Kyle squeezed her hand. Dressed in a black Armani suit and shirt, his eyes glistened. His gaze ran along the length of the slit. A sexy smile curled at one corner of his lips. “You’ll be the best dressed on the red carpet again. Trust me.”

“Don’t be nervous, Gem,” Hunter said. “We’ve done this a zillion times. A few photos, say hi to the fans, do a couple of interviews, and we’ll be inside.”

Gemma placed her hands on her stomach to settle the butterflies and took a calming breath. Tonight was their last obligation to SureHaven. As of tomorrow, they were the newest artists signed to the Sony Music Group and would record under their Columbia label. After fine-tuning the details, their signatures were on the paper. The deal was done.

But what had Gemma on edge was that this was their first appearance since they had announced their new contract, and their first since Kyle had been photographed moving into her apartment.

The car eased to a halt alongside the beginning of the red carpet. Fans and cameras and reporters lined the way up to the theater’s entrance, a couple of hundred yards away.

“Let’s do this.” Kyle kissed the back of her hand.

The car doors opened and screams from the fans flooded in. Sam, Chester, and Mick shuffled out first, and the TV production crew outside started to bellow orders.

Kyle stepped from the car, turned, and offered his hand to help her out. But the minute she was on her feet, he let her go.

Their connection was broken.

And something didn’t feel right about that anymore.

“Come on, Gem. Hurry up. Get out of the way.” Hunter shoved her from behind.

Stepping forward and making sure her skirt was in place, Gemma widened the smile on her face and waved to the fans in the stands behind the wall of TV reporters, journalists, and photographers. Sophie and Kate appeared out of the media area and hurried them along.

Together, Gemma and the guys posed for hundreds of photos. She hated the ones by herself where the journos screamed at her to twirl around, look over her shoulder, and show off the back of her dress. It was such an uncomfortable and awkward stance, and she was always afraid she’d lose balance and fall flat on her face.

Shuffling along the line of reporters, Gemma struggled to focus in the light of the camera flashes. The three of them played it up to the media and answered their stupid questions. “Gemma, who designed your dress? Kyle, who’s your suit by? Hunter, what hair products do you use?” His response of “Hair gel from Walmart that cost $1.99” always made her laugh.

Kate herded them like cattle toward their next interview. But Gemma’s footsteps faltered when she saw who it was. “Great.” She rolled her eyes. “It’s that dickhead Gerard from Entertainment On-Show again.”

Gemma wedged herself between Hunter and Kyle, their arms hooked around each other’s backs. Gerard checked his hair and his teeth in his handheld mirror before cuing the cameraman.

“Good evening. It’s been a while since I saw you in Hawaii. How excited are you to be nominated for three awards tonight? Best Album, Best Single and Best Group.” Gerard shoved the microphone toward Hunter.

“It’s amazing. And we have to thank all our fans for supporting us,” Hunter said, waving to the crowded stand.

“SureHaven must be sorry to see you go?” Gerard directed his question at Hunter again.

“Maybe.” Hunter feigned a smile. “They’ve played an incredible part in our career, but for us it’s time to move on.”

“It must be exciting, signing with Sony. When can we expect a new album?” Gerard thrust the microphone in Gemma’s face.

“We’re hitting the studio straight away. We’ll be recording right up to Christmas and aim to have the album out early in the New Year.” She pulled back from the furry mic hovering too close to her lips. Kyle kept rubbing and tapping his thumb against her back. His warm, reassuring touch sent shivers across her skin and captured the beat in her heart.

“So much has been happening for the three of you.” Gerard’s balding head glowed underneath the bright lights. “New record label. New album. And Kyle, I hear you even moved into a new home?”

Kyle’s hand froze on her back. Gemma clenched her hands around a handful of the guy’s jackets to stop herself from ripping the mic out of Gerard’s hands. She should have known this asshole would have asked them this question. But Kyle smiled, wiped his thumb across his lips, and cleared his throat. “Yes, I did.”

Hunter’s arms clutched around her. They hated it when the line of questioning turned to their relationships.

Gerard leaned forward an inch. “Is it true you moved in with Gemma?”

Kyle turned his eyes to the ground, then looked up at her from underneath his long lashes. His cheeks flushed. “Yes. Yes, I did.”

But rather than panic gripping her throat or having her blood pressure skyrocket to dangerous levels, she smiled at him. She loved him so much, she couldn’t deny it even if she tried. He’d stood by her through everything—her relationship with Hunter, the issues with her mother—and even lied to the world for her when they first got caught together. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for her. Or her for him.

“And how’s that working out for you?” Gerard’s voice took on an eager tone.

Gazing at Kyle, warmth toasted her cheeks. Unable to take her eyes off him, she said, “Do you really want to know how it is, Gerard?”

Gemma let go of her hold on Hunter and turned to Kyle. With her heart hammering in her chest, she grabbed the lapels high on his jacket and pulled his lips down to hers. She didn’t give him any time to think, but his hands caught her around her waist. All she wanted to do was kiss him. Kiss him hard. Kiss him long. Kiss him hot.

Cheers and whistles erupted from the stands in front of them. A frenzy of flashes went off. Kyle pulled an inch away from her. His breath hot against her mouth. “What the hell are you doing?”

She smiled against his lips. “No more lying. No more hiding. I love you.”

He chuckled and his smoldering eyes made her heart thunder even more. “I love you, too. Some warning you were going to do this would have been nice.”

“Oh shit.” Her throat seized. “I should have asked if it was okay.”

His smile drew wider. “I’ve been wanting to do this for months.”

Kyle clasped his arm around her, dipped her backwards, and kissed her again. She drew one of her legs up for balance, her skirt slit falling open and exposing her leg, like she was a tango dancer. The crowd went wild, the cameras crazy, and the progression of people along the red carpet started to back up.

Hunter ha-hummed and tapped her on the shoulder. “Okay, guys. You can stop now. You’re taking the spotlight off me.”

Gemma and Kyle stood up. She straightened her dress, and Kyle took her hand and kissed her palm. “You’re crazy, Gem. Don’t do things by halves, do you?”

“No-pe. Not when it comes to you.” She kissed him on the lips again.

Gerard’s eyes bulged like a flash bulb. “So, we can lay those rumors about you two being together to rest. Guess they are true after all.”

“Yes,” she said bluntly. “Kyle and I are together. We’re happy. Now everyone knows.” Her heart soared like a symphony. She no longer cared about what everyone thought. She squeezed Kyle’s hand and spun on her stilettos, and the three of them moved down the carpet.

Kyle slapped Hunter on the shoulder. “Spotlight’s all yours, Hunt.”

“I got no chance after that. You’re on every damn TV monitor in sight.” Hunter pointed at the screens.

Reporters’ arms waved in a frenzy, and microphones were thrust toward them. Camera flashes blinded them. The constant shrill of voices from the crowd became white noise all around her.

She’d done it.

She’d told the world she was with Kyle.

It was incredible. Nerve-wracking. And amazing.

The three of them linked arms again and didn’t let go of each other for the rest of their trip down the red carpet, but Kyle held her that little bit tighter and that little bit closer than Hunter. Just the way it was meant to be. And when he leaned in and kissed her on the cheek, the cameras blinded them.

Hunter goofed around, making a joke of it all, and tried to block the pictures being taken by putting up his hands, standing in front of them, and spreading his jacket. “Nothing to see here. We’ll move along.”

She loved him to death, just in such a different way to how much she loved Kyle. Friend versus soulmate—nothing could compare.

They made it into the VIP area in the theater. Hunter placed his arms around their shoulders. “You guys should have seen the looks on everyone’s faces. Priceless. Especially when they telecast it on the big screens.”

“I’m glad I didn’t see that.” Gemma winced.

“No, you couldn’t. Because you had your tongue down Kyle’s throat.”

“Worth it.” Kyle’s cheeky grin reflected in his shimmering eyes.

“I need a drink.” Hunter looked around for a waiter. Then he stopped. Gemma followed his gaze in the direction of the bar. A spark flinted to life in his eyes. “There’s Katy Perry. Is she single again? I’ll be over at the bar if you need me.” Hunter took off with a skip in his step.

“You’ve gotta love his form.” Kyle chuckled.

Gemma placed her hands on his chest. His heart raced like hers. “I do, but I love you more.”

And even when the passing crowd teased them with comments like “Get a room,” “That’s enough,” and “Still in the honeymoon phase, I see,” Gemma couldn’t take her eyes off Kyle.

“So now everyone knows we’re together, what’s next?” he whispered.

“Nothing. No more surprises. I just want to live my life and enjoy being with you. Let’s write lots of corny love songs and make a kickass record. You make me happy, and you’ve made all my dreams come true. And considering I’ve been known to have some pretty wild dreams every now and then, I think it’s safe to say I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”