Blasphemous (Torn #3)(83)

Ants was here to do my hair and make-up, I was going to meet up with him later, but that man did a superb job. It was so fantastic that I was almost not petrified to walk the red carpet. My very first one.

“Stop fidgeting. You’ll be fine,” Bass tried to reassure me as he linked his hand with me, kissing it before it rested on his lap.

We were in the limo—on our way to the premier—together. Bass wanted to announce our relationship in a big way. So, I was nervous for a lot of things.

When I didn’t respond to him, he gripped my hand tighter.

“I will be right there with you, cheering you on and helping you ease your nerve-wracking tension.” He pulled me closer to him, melting my worries away.

“Thank you. For supporting me and for being an amazing man.” I reached out and lowered his head to mine, kissing him softly.

When we got to Westwood Village, I was near passing out when I heard a lot of screams and commotion around us. Cameras everywhere flashed, blinding us for a second as we weaved our way towards the throng of reporters, bloggers and journalists. Thousands of my insecurities attacked me on the spot, and I couldn’t hold back a sigh when Bass was quickly there telling me sweet nothings, while holding his arm firmly around my hips as we walked on the red carpet.

The lady who did our interview in Aspasia went to greet us as she eyed where Bass’s hand was located.

“Good evening, Jill. Have you met my girlfriend yet?” Bass drawled proudly, making me palpitate with so much love for him right there on the spot. Well, pretty much for the rest of the night.

When it was time for the after party, I was breezing with ecstasy. It seemed that the movie was a success.

“Hey, you! Congratulations!” I glanced over and saw Lily along with Drake coming towards me.

“Oh, my gosh! You guys are finally together. Phew! I thought the last time I saw you in Aspasia, that if Drake didn’t get his way, he was going to kidnap and marry you,” I squealed, overjoyed.

I squealed again when she lifted her hand with her wedding band and engagement ring. “Holy crap! This rock is huge,” I exclaimed as I examined that bright, beautiful diamond.

Drake was so in love with Lily. It was all over his face when I met them. “I heard that women can’t say no to big rocks. So, I had to get the biggest one if I needed her to say yes without thinking about it.”

Lily playfully nudged her hubby, rolling her eyes. “Don’t listen to him. He actually proposed in the kitchen, in our jammies and bad breath without a ring to speak of.”

Seeing them together gave me so much hope for the future. Last year, these two were about to kill each other. Looking at them now, they still bantered, but with love pouring everywhere. “We should get together sometime. Bass would love that. He’s here, somewhere.”

“We should. Text or call when you will be available, I mean you’re a movie star now. You’ll be busy and all,” Lily teased as we exchanged numbers. She was then off to look for Drake who was in the middle of talking to Martin.

Joining my friends, I wasn’t surprised to find them in a riot. “What’s happened now?” I looked at Taylor and Trista for answers, but Lindsey interjected.

“Amber said Claudine was gorgeous. I don’t know why she needed to say shit like that right in front of me.” Lindsey was of course jealous. She might not admit to it, but it was all there.

“Lindsey! You’re being such a pain. Grow the hell up!” Amber glared at her while Trista gave a nod, then stopped when Lindsey directed her a scathing glance.

I never got the chance to speak to her about what Dimitris told me, but I felt like I had to. “Can we talk somewhere private?”

Without a word, she slid off the booth and we both went outside, towards the hotel garden. “I know you’re married to him,” I said when we reached a bench to sit on.

“What the hell did he tell you?” she demanded, looking away.

“That you guys are divorcing.” I bit my lip as I studied her quiet form, knowing she was going through a tough time. “Why marry him at all if you didn’t plan to stay in it? Four days, Lindsey? That’s so unlike you.”

“He expected so much out of me. I got scared. I wasn’t used to being almost smothered with attention, it was refreshing for a change. I’ve loved Brody all my life. I don’t know what made me say yes when he popped the question. We were both drunk, dancing in a club. I admit, leaving him was f*uked up, but I didn’t want all the obligations that came with marrying someone like him. It wasn’t what I wanted.” Lindsey sounded like she was trying to figure out the answers herself.

“I guess it’s a good thing that you realized that in the very beginning before you got pregnant or something.” I strode over to her and gave her a comforting hug. “Follow your heart. You’ll be surprised what it’ll show you.”

After my chat with Lindsey, I went to go look for my boyfriend. Yes, Bass was that. Officially mine.

“Ready to leave, moro mou?” Bass murmured, kissing the side of my cheek.

“You already want to go home?” It was still early.

“Yes. Our home, Emma.”

“You need to stop looking at me like that. We’re surrounded by people,” I chided him when he started that whole smolder-to-melt-you-on-the-spot thing that he did when he’s turned on.