Falling Down

  "That's true and that sucks. I don't want to drive all the way from Santa Monica every day."

  "They already showed up there today," Jace reminds me.

  "That's true, too. This is such bullshit."

  Jesse nods. "I agree. Which is why I was thinking you all should stay with us."

  "What?!" I practically shout.

  He shrugs.

  "It's a good idea," Ben says. "We've got plenty of room and if Trace and Megan decide they want to hang out, we've got room for them too, as well as Frank and Max or whoever is with you for the day."

  "Yeah, sounds good," Jace says.

  I sigh and look at Sera. "I have to agree with them, Luce."

  "Of course."

  "I don't get it, Lucy," Jesse says. "You just stayed with me for the weekend. It's not a big deal to stay until things die down."

  "It is a big deal," I whisper, continuing to fold clothes.

  "Luce."

  "It's a big deal to her, Jesse, because Lucy doesn't fuck around. Lucy is a relationship kind of girl because she wears her heart on her sleeve and, from what I've seen, with some time she'll be in real danger of losing her heart to you," Sera tells him.

  "She's not the only one in danger of that," Ben says.

  My gaze zeroes in on Ben's as I place a white eyelet sundress into the suitcase.

  "What do you mean?" Sera asks.

  Ben looks at Jesse for a brief few seconds then back at me and Sera. "Well, Jesse doesn't fuck good girls. Jesse doesn't have ladies stay in his room. Ever."

  "He had Lucy in there."

  Ben nods. "A good girl, right? Think about that. Another thing. He never gives out his code to his room or to the house for that matter."

  I stand up straight and tilt my head to the side as Ben continues. I hear Jesse shift behind me.

  "Jesse doesn't do sleepovers. Ever."

  "And he had Lucy there for more than a weekend," Sera says looking past me to Jesse.

  Ben nods. "So, as I said, she's not the only one at risk. Plus you can use our studio so you don't have to leave the house if you don't want to deal with the shit outside the gates."

  I look down for a second. Wow. Okay. Well. Um. I've got no idea what to say, but I slowly turn to face Jesse anyway, meeting his whiskey gaze with mine. His face is riddled with the same vulnerability and uncertainty, hope and fear that's mirrored on mine.

  We just stare at one another and I don't know what it is that calms me by looking at him, but something does.

  "Really?"

  "Really."

  "Wow."

  "Yeah."

  I blow out a breath and he smirks.

  "How--"

  He shrugs.

  "But you don't--"

  "I don't."

  "So?"

  He shrugs.

  I nod and he nods.

  "Don't break my heart, Jesse Kingston."

  "Don't break my heart, Luciana Russo."

  "You should pinky swear," Sera says.

  "What are we twelve?" Jace asks with a laugh.

  "Fuck off, it'd be romantic."

  Jesse holds up his pinky and I hook mine to his. He pulls me into him and he holds me, both arms wrapped tightly around me.

  "This is scary, Jesse."

  "No shit."

  "All this from a weekend?"

  "Nah, not just a weekend."

  I pull back and step on my tip toes to press a kiss to his lips.

  "Okay."

  "Okay."

  "Let's do this." I turn around and note Sera's got all my stuff packed.

  "We're going to have to get the stuff from the Santa Monica house."

  "Already in the works. I texted," Sera says. "Also let Max and Frank know."

  "Damn, you're so good to me, sissy pants."

  "Hell yeah I am. Don't forget it either."

  Jesse pulls me back into his chest as Jace and Ben grab the suitcases.

  "We'll meet you downstairs, Luce," Sera says.

  I turn to Jesse. "Are you sure? This is a huge deal, Jesse. It may be weeks before I can come back here or until we find a house--"

  He presses his index finger to my lips.

  "I'm sure."

  I blow out a breath against his finger.

  "This is some scary shit."

  He nods. "That's no lie." He gives me another soft kiss and I lick his lip ring.

  "That's so sexy."

  He chuckles. "Let's go fight our way out of here."

  We head down the stairs and out the front door. We can't see the gate from here with the curved driveway but they're there.

  "I can hear the vultures circling," Max says.

  I nod as I get into the car with Jesse behind me, Ben on the other side of me. Sera, Frank, and Jace across from us. Yeah, we took the limo today and will likely have to take this or more than one car from now on with as many people as we're going to have with us.

  Jesse grabs my hand, lacing his fingers with mine. I turn to him and he presses his lips to mine softly.

  "We got this."

  I blow out a breath and the car lurches forward.

  "Lucy, is Jesse Kingston in there with you?"

  "Are you and Jesse Kingston involved?"

  "Is it true that you're giving up acting for music?"

  "What. The. Fuck." Sera says.

  I just rub my forehead.

  "Are you going to be joining up with Falling Down?"

  "Are you and Jesse Kingston an official couple?"

  Jesse squeezes my hand gently. "I'll never tell them the answer to that last question but I'm going to say here and now that I hope we can get to that."

  "Me too. Oh, God, Jesse. You can't want to get messed up in this."

  I lean forward and put my head between my legs, taking deep breaths. He rubs my back.

  "She alright?" Ben asks.

  "Yeah," Sera says. "She's in danger of falling for Jesse fucking Kingston, the press is up her ass, we're finally getting our band together, and last but certainly not least, she's going to have to call Mama Russo."

  "Yikes," Jace says.

  "Not helping, fucker," I tell him and everyone chuckles. "What time is it?"

  "Early," Frank says. "You can still probably catch Regina awake."

  "Great, but much better than waking her up."

  "I'm surprised she hasn't called you yet," Sera says as my phone rings.

  "What the hell, Sera? How many times do we need to have this conversation? She's got radar for when you say that shit!"

  "Sorry, but you were just about to call her anyway."

  "I needed a few minutes to breathe and find my calm before I called her. Fuck."

  "Wow," Ben says. "Potty mouth when she's stressed."

  Frank laughs. "This is nothing. Wait."

  "Hi mama."

  "Luciana, have you seen the news? Listened to the radio? There's new rumors."

  "Well, I haven't had time for television or radio but the paparazzi outside the house were a pretty good clue that new 'rumors' as you put it is going on. What is it now?"

  "We need to be on speaker. Your father wants to talk too."

  "Mama, it's not only Sera, Frank, and Max with me."

  Pause. "Who else is with you?"

  "Jace Warner--"

  "Oh! Jace! I've missed him," she interrupts.

  "Let me finish mama."

  "Oh."

  "Jesse Kingston and his brother Ben are here as well."

  Complete silence and I cringe.

  "Oh boy, that's not good," Jace says.

  I jump when she drops the phone and starts swearing in Italian. My dad tries to calm her down, but calming Regina Russo down when she gets like this is impossible.

  "Button!"

  "Hi daddy."

  "Your mother needed to--catch her breath."

  I snicker. "Okay. We can do speaker. I heard mama tell you Jace, Jesse, and Ben are here."

  "She did. You okay, Lucy?"

  "Yeah daddy. Just ove
rwhelmed."

  "Okay, speaker then."

  "We're going on speaker everyone," I say as I push the button.

  "Hi dad!" Sera says.

  "Serafina, my baby doll. How are you?"

  "I'm good, daddy, but the vultures are bothering our Lucy."

  "Yes, I saw on the news. This is starting to piss me off."

  "Get in line dad," I tell him.

  "You should have seen it, Mr. R. It was insane. They were everywhere shouting questions at the limo, trying to take pictures through the tinted windows."

  "Jace, my boy. Hollywood is crazy. This is why Luciana wants out."

  "It won't be much better being a rockstar," my mother chimes in.

  "Mama."

  "What? You know it's true."

  I just sigh.

  "It's good to hear your voice, Jace. I can't wait to see you again. It's been too long."

  "It has. A long time."

  "Mama, daddy, let me introduce you to Jesse Kingston. Jesse, these are my parents, Regina and Anthony Russo."

  "Hello Mr. and Mrs. Russo."

  "Ah, don't call me Mr. Russo. Mr. Russo is my father and he's trouble."

  "And then some," Sera adds.

  "Serafina," Regina scolds.

  "Yes, mama."

  "Ben, meet my parents, Regina and Anthony Russo."

  "Nice to meet you," Ben says.

  "And you both as well," my dad says. "We need damage control, Lucy."

  "There's no damage done, daddy. It's bullshit and you know it. I want to know who leaked the band stuff."

  "I'm not sure. We're going to look into it. Where are you staying?"

  "Well, that's the thing, dad. If we stay in the hotel, the media will be there within the hour and we can't stay in Santa Monica because we've got work in the city this week with the new band and a few reporters were already outside the house today."

  "I see, I see. That's a problem. You could stay with Joey--"

  "NO!" Sera and I both yell at the same time and my dad laughs.

  "I had to say it just to get the reaction."

  "Harsh, dad. But I think we have where we're staying worked out."

  "Good, good. Tell me."

  "We're going to be staying with Jesse and Ben and the band at their mansion."

  Silence, then cursing from my mother in the background.

  "That's not good," Jesse whispers in my ear.

  "That's not even bad."

  He raises his brows.

  "Tell me more, Button."

  "They live in a gated community and their house is gated with high tech security," Frank interjects.

  "Frank, my man."

  "What's up, Tony?"

  "What a shit storm."

  "Yeah, but our girl's handling it."

  "Of course she is. She's a Russo, isn't she? So she'll be safe with them?"

  "She will. She'll have us there if she needs us as well. There's plenty of room from what Ben's told me."

  "Yes, sir--"

  "Anthony."

  "Anthony," Ben corrects. "We have over thirty rooms in the house. They can have their own wing if they choose or they can stay in the same wing we're in. I think the latter would be better security-wise, but that's up to them."

  "True, true. This sounds good. Lucy."

  "Yeah daddy?"

  "Are you involved with Jesse?"

  "Yeah, I am."

  "Hmm. I thought so. So those rumors aren't wrong."

  "Those stem from when we were in a club."

  "Practically fornicating on the dance floor," my mother says.

  "Whatever mom."

  "It's the truth. The video doesn't lie."

  "I'm a grown woman, mother."

  She tsks. "I just spoke with Irene."

  "Is that where you were? Managing two phone calls at the same time?"

  "Yes, you know I am good at multi-tasking. Anyway, she thinks it might be a good idea for you to do a press conference."

  "What? No! Why can't she just put out a press release?"

  "The rumors are out about you leaving acting and starting in music. There's speculation that you're joining Jesse's band. There's speculation you're also joining a few other bands. They're going to want to hear it from you considering the big topic of discussion is you and Jesse. "

  "Of course it is," Jesse says.

  "This is the life of a movie star."

  "So I'm learning. I just wish none of this was going on, for Lucy's sake."

  "We all do."

  "I have to agree with your mom, Lucy, about the press conference."

  "What? Traitor!"

  He chuckles.

  "You just don't know, Jesse. They're brutal. When I called them vultures, I meant it. They're vultures, piranha, and any other flesh-eating beast there is."

  "We'll have to talk to Cage first and get things set up and coordinated between Lucy, Cage, and Irene."

  "I like him, Lucy. He's intelligent."

  Jesse chuckles.

  "Oh Lord. You only like him because he's agreeing with you."

  "It shows his intelligence that he agrees."

  "Alrighty then. Carry on discussing the press conference that's going to put me in my grave."

  "Dramatic much?" Jace says and Sera smacks him.

  "You don't know, Jace. You'll learn and you'll learn fast. It's not like it is with rockstars or on TV when they see someone come out of a restaurant. They are harsh, accusatory, and vicious," Sera tells him.

  Ben and Jesse both look shocked. I sigh.

  "What do we have to do, mama?"

  "Just do what Jesse suggested and coordinate everything with Cage and Irene."

  "Okay. Cage is our acting manager until we get everything worked out. He may stay on during our first tour."

  "I would prefer that," my dad says.

  "I'm sure he'll be in touch with you soon, daddy. He faxed Irene the contracts."

  "Good, good. Things are moving along then."

  "Two weeks from today we'll be in the studio recording. Oh my gosh! Guess who is playing rhythm for us?"

  My mom and dad mutter they have no idea.

  "Meggie!"

  "Meggie!" my mother shouts. "Oh, this makes me happy. Very happy. Meggie is a good girl. Weird and a bit rude but a good girl."

  I laugh. "I agree."

  "Who is your drummer?" my dad asks.

  "Brace yourself."

  "We're braced."

  "Trace Styx."

  "Oh! Joey is going to be crazy."

  "I know, which is why I'm holding off telling him until we all get a chance to know Trace a little better."

  "I can understand that," my dad says. "Ah, your mother is opening her wine."

  "Oh boy. I'll talk to you as soon as I know anything about the press conference."

  "You better," my mother shouts from across the room.

  "Love you mama."

  "Love you mom," Sera says.

  "Hmm. Of course you do. I love you too."

  "Thanks daddy."

  "You're welcome, my babies."

  "Love you daddy."

  "Love you dad."

  "Love you too. We'll talk soon. Your mother has two bottles of red open and breathing. It's going to be a long night."

  "Have fun, dad."

  I hang up and Sera plugs her ears as does Frank. They motion for everyone else to do the same and Max rolls up the privacy window.

  "PRESS FUCKING CONFERENCE! ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME! Motherfucking cocksuckers!"

  I lean forward and put my head between my knees taking deep soothing breaths. Jesse rubs circles on my back.

  "You okay, Luce?"

  "Do I look okay, Jace?"

  "No, actually."

  "Well, there you fucking go then, huh?"

  "Whoa," Jesse says chuckling.

  "Laugh it up rocker boy. You're not the one on the press chopping block."

  "It really can't be that bad," Ben says.

  I sit straight up as if a spri
ng was released and Sera cringes.

  "It can't? Really?" I screech. "Well, it just so happens that I have my laptop packed so I'll let you see what my press conferences are like and I wasn't even fucking the guy they were accusing me of fucking! We barely knew one another. We had three scenes together in a movie and we were rehearsing lines outside. We were laughing and just having fun sitting under a tree while rehearsing. Somehow that equated to a relationship that included sex--all kinds of sex because said actor was seriously into the kink. I'm not into that shit! And even if I were, it wouldn’t be with him of all people! He's a nice guy but I've heard where his dick has been and there is no going near that shit. Ever."

  Sera shudders as she names the celebrity.

  "Dude," Jace says.

  "I know, right? As if that's going to happen. I need a minute."

  Head between knees. Breathe. Air in. Air out. Air in. Air out. Air in. Air out.

  "What makes it worse for Lucy is--well, Jesse you know how she was both times she met you?"

  "Frozen and speechless?"

  "Yeah. Well, imagine frozen, not quite speechless, but if she doesn't have notecards she's fucked. So picture her on a podium giving a conference and the Santa Ana's being really strong that day."

  "Oh hell," Ben says.

  "Mhmm. Sweaty palms. Sweaty upper lip and forehead. Hyperventilating. Mumbling. Rambling. Saying things that made no sense and some things that made things ten times worse. It was brutal. And knowing she was in that state, they kept on badgering her. We were young and they abused her vulnerability."

  I raise my hand and Sera and Frank plug their ears. I tick off one, two, three fingers.

  "Asshole fucker shit ass bitch sonofabitchin' motherfuckers!"

  "Major potty mouth when she's pissed, eh?" Ben asks.

  "Caught that, did ya?" Sera asks.

  "Now I know how to tell if she's mad."

  "Oh yeah," Sera tells Ben. "She'll cuss you out."

  "I'll be here with you every step of the way, Luce. I'll even go to the press conference with you if you want."

  I look at him. "Are you for real?"

  "Sure, why not? We've got nothing to hide, Lucy. We're adults who are involved. If we weren't celebrities no one would give a shit, but because we are everyone's up in our business. I understand. I hate when they fuck with my privacy too."

  I nod and lean into Jesse, throwing my arms around his neck. He pulls me onto his lap.

  "God, Jesse. I'm whiny right now and I'm sorry but when you see that press conference you'll understand. Even before I lost the cards they were so mean. Asking questions that were invasive, intrusive, and just disgusting. Not something I would share."