Page 147 of Breaking Hollywood

“Thanks,” I say. Then, I yank open the bathroom door and gesture to Charly. “Let’s go.”

Ava

Charly’s been gone for ages. Well, it feels like ages. It’s actually only been just over an hour.

She said she’d call me once she talked to Gabe. But I’ve heard nothing so far.

What if he didn’t believe her, and she doesn’t know how to tell me?

Either way, it doesn’t matter if he believes her or not. I have the truth now, and I can do something about it. I won’t have those bastards using and slandering my name like that.

I should call Jayce. He’ll know what I should do. I have no clue what time it is in Japan, but this is an emergency.

I’ve just pulled up his number to call when there’s a knock on the door.

Charly.

Gucci jumps off the bed and runs to the door. She starts jumping around in excitement in front of it. “Baaahhh! Baaahhh!”

She can probably sense it’s Charly at the door.

It’s bad news. I know it is. If it were good news, she would have called me, like she said she would.

She probably just didn’t want to tell me over the phone.

I put my phone down and pad over to the door. I scoop Gucci up in my arms and then open the door.

“Gabe.” His name comes out in a breathless rush.

The surprise of him being here knocks the air from my lungs.

I only saw him less than a day ago, but it feels like forever, looking at him now.

He looks exhausted. Dark rings under his eyes.

But he’s still beautiful.

“Hey, Speedy,” he says in that husky, deep voice of his.

And my mouth dries.

He’s here, and he called me Speedy. That’s got to be good, right?

“Baaahhh!”

Gucci starts wriggling in my arms, so I put her down. She bolts to Gabe and starts jumping around his legs. I’ve never seen her act this way around him before. Normally, she head-butts him.

The one time she should head-butt him, and she’s whoring it up around him.

Traitor.

“Hey, Gucci.” He bends down and picks Gucci up, holding her.

I stare at them, my heart flipping in my chest.

He’s never held her before. But he’s holding her now.

Tears fill my eyes. I don’t know why.