Adonis

"What do you mean she told you to leave?" I asked, feeling my control over the situation evaporate.

"She told me she no longer required my services," Sam explained calmly and I wanted to throw my phone.

I took a deep breath closing my eyes as I counted to ten to reign in my temper.

I was stuck. As much as I wanted to get on a plane and go home to see her to sort this out I had too many commitments to leave. And no matter how hard I had tried Lacey refused to talk to me and Sam was telling me that she didn't need him.

She was cutting me from her life. But I wasn't going to let her go until I got a chance to explain.

Alex refused to talk to me and I hadn't even bothered calling Reece. Her response to me would be worse. I needed someone to help me to try and get Lacey to hear me out before she slammed the door on us, and our future. A future I had fought long and hard to have with her.

"Then keep an eye on her without her seeing you," I instructed.

"She said that she would report me to the cops for stalking if she saw me."

I looked to the ceiling. She really was trying to make it difficult.

"Then make sure she doesn't see you."

I ended the call feeling more hopeless about the mess I was in. What if I couldn't fix this? What if despite the honest explanation she didn't believe me?

I shook my head unable to accept that. There had to be a way for her to realize that it had just been a misunderstanding and to forgive me. We had survived brain tumor, forgotten memories. There was no way I was going to allow a simple misunderstanding to mess everything up.

There was only one person who I believed could help me. I called Aiden.

"I need your help," I said.

"Why should I?" he asked curtly. "You hurt my friend."

Everyone was trying to protect her. I understood that but I needed someone to trust that I hadn't cheated. She was everything I needed and wanted. She was irreplaceable.

"I didn't sleep with any other girl. Lacey is the only one I want and after everything I've been through with her do you honestly think I'd throw that away for one night with some girl?" I asked, desperately.

I needed someone to believe me.

"So what really happened then?" I felt a moment of relief that someone was finally giving me a chance to explain what had really happened.

"You should have told Lacey you were looking after someone who'd had too much to drink. It also didn't help when you told the reporter she was only the little sister of your best friend," he said once I'd given him a rundown of the events that night.

"I know," I replied, rubbing the back of my neck. There had been so many times that I'd criticized myself for not doing that. But there was no way to turn back time and do it.

"I've never seen her like this before," Aiden said.

"Like what?"

"She's really hurt."

I was determined to get her back.

"I need you to help me."

There was silence.

"I don't know if I can get her to change her mind," he told me.

"All I need you to do is get her to talk to me."

I continued to rub the back of my neck as I waited for him to say something. My hand stilled as I waited.

"Honestly, she is so angry I don't think there is anything I can say that'll make her meet up with you," he replied and I felt that sinking feeling in my stomach.

"If you can't convince her, would you get her to a place for me and I'll take care of the rest?" I asked, holding my breath slightly. This was my last chance. The longer this went on the further away she drifted from me. It was still hard to believe a simple misunderstanding was capable of tearing us apart.

In her shoes I probably would have felt the same way.

Aiden let out a deep sigh before he said, "Yeah."

"Thanks," I said. My mind already racing ahead trying to figure out the best possible way to handle this. At least I had someone on my side who was willing to help me.

"You better make it good," he added. "This isn't something she's going to forgive easily."

"I know."

I knew her well. Looking back at that night I had hadn't done myself any favors. It was one misunderstanding but with everything combined had whole created the mess I was in.

Just explaining the events of the night or my reasons for saying what I did to the reporter wouldn't be enough. Actions spoke louder than words.

There was a chance it would backfire. I would be risking my heart and our future.

My first phone call was to Link. I needed to speak to my bandmates.

The plan was already forming in my head as I spoke to Link.

"I need to talk to everyone," I told him.

"Sure," he said. "I'll get the Sage and meet you in your room in an hour."

"Thanks."

An hour later my bandmates surveyed me. I'd told them what I needed and I waited for their answer. Link looked to Sage before looking back to me.

"Do what you need to." he said and I felt relieved. "We'll finish up here."

I hated doing this to them but I couldn't stay here when everything at home was falling apart.
Slowly but surely my plan was coming together. There was still a lot to do but I believed that what I was doing was going to win Lacey back.

"Whatever you're planning I hope it blows her away," Link said.

"Me too."

I was laying everything on the line, holding nothing back. Even though I was trying to keep positive I couldn't squash the doubt that I couldn't fix this.

I had a few days to put my plan into action. I called Sam and gave him a set of orders. He seemed to be confused but I assured him that he needed to follow my instructions.

"You're going to bail me out of jail if this backfires," he said and I smiled.

"I will."

He was silent for a few moments. "Okay, I'll do it."

There were just a few more things that I needed to sort out. Once I disconnected the call I sat down on the sofa. For a moment I allowed myself to scroll through my phone to find Lacey's number. I wanted to hear her voice but I knew she wouldn't answer my call.

I pressed the call button. There was a part of me that was disappointed when she didn't answer the call.

Letting out a heavy breath I ended the call. I got my laptop and opened it up.

There was a chance this whole thing would blow up in my face and push her further away. I hesitated for just one moment as my fingers touched the keyboard. There was no going back once I did this.

But I didn't hesitate for long. It was the only way to fix what had happened. It was the only way to show her I was serious about her and what I had said to the reporter before had been to protect her, not to hide my feelings about her from the world.

There was only one way to remedy it. I began to type.

**********

Lacey

I picked up some papers and shoved them into my bag.

"I'll be back later," I told my mom as I passed the kitchen where the sweet smell of baked biscuits.

"Good luck," she said as I got the door.

"Thanks mom," I replied when I opened the door.

My mind was in my mission today so I was preoccupied as I shut the door behind me. The mob of reporters took me by surprise. I was rooted to the spot as they surrounded me. All of them shouting questions one after the other.

"Is it true you're dating Adonis Grayson?" A reporter asked as they shoved a mic in my face.

What the hell? My mouth opened slightly as I tried to make sense of what they'd just asked me.

"What?" I asked, feeling bewildered.

The pack of reporters began to shove me and I struggled against them but I couldn't break free.

"How long have you been dating?" Someone else in the mob asked as I nearly lost my footing.

A firm grip on my arm pulled me away from the group.

"Back off," Sam told them putting himself firmly between me and the pushy reporters.

I let out a relieved breath as I hung onto his arm. There was no way I would have been able to get away from them on my own. They were relentless. It had only been a taste of what Adonis had to put up with.

Before the reporters had a chance to surround me again Sam opened my front door, pushing me inside. The yell of the voices silenced when the door slammed close behind him.

"How...I don't," I babbled, trying to figure out what had just happened.

Sam remained tight lipped as he turned to face me.

"You're not supposed to be here," I told him as I crossed my arms.

"You really want me to go with that crowd outside your front door," he said pulled back the curtain beside the front door and it looked like the group of reporters had grown as they gathered around the front of my house.

I frowned. I didn't want him here, he was a link to Adonis but I couldn't refute the fact that I needed him. He dropped the curtain back into place.

"I don't even know why they're here," I muttered.

"What happened?" my mom asked wiping her hands on her apron as she appeared beside me.

"The press is camped outside."

I rubbed my forehead. Why were they here? There hadn't been a reporter in sight when we'd been dating so why now?

"This doesn't make sense," I muttered.

I looked to Sam but he refused to look at me. He knew something.

"How?" I asked Sam but he just gave me dismissive shrug.

Anger began to replace my bewilderment.

"How did you know I would need you?" I asked. I was more than suspicious. Sam hadn't just appeared out of thin air at the exact moment I had nearly been crushed by a crowed of reports. Either he'd been following me or he'd known.

"I can't tell you," he said and I glared at him.

How did the press find out about Adonis and I? I had to look online. Maybe I could figure out how they had found out about me.

I left Sam downstairs with my mom as I sat down in my bedroom and opened my laptop. I searched the Internet. It didn't take long to find out how the world had discovered my romantic relationship with Adonis.

"I'm going to kill him," I mumbled as I read his own words typed out on his official Twitter page.

The exact same words were also on his Facebook page.

"I'll kill him," I repeated, feeling my anger grow.

Reading the words he had written only brought me pain.

I can confirm that Lacey my best friend's sister is my girlfriend. I denied the rumors to keep her out of the spotlight but I want the world to know how much she means to me.

How could he do this? We weren't together anymore. He had broken my heart and online he was declaring his love for me. What was wrong with him? Was this some sort of sick joke? Was he trying to hurt me more? I didn't take in his words. All I could think was that he'd done this after I'd made it clear I wanted nothing to do with him.

Anger blinded me as I reached for my phone. I dialed his number and waited for him to answer. I clenched my teeth as it rang.

"Harp," his tired voice answered.

"How dare you!" I yelled as I stood up and paced.

"I did what you wanted and what I should have done from the start," he said softly.

I frowned. I had been upset about him brushing me off as his best friend's little sister but I hadn't exactly wanted him to announce to the world that we were an item when we weren't dating anymore.

"We're not together anymore," I said, feeling sadness take the place of my anger.

"Really?" he asked.

I kept quiet.

"When did we have a conversation when you told me that?" he asked. Unbelievably he sounded angry.

My mouth dropped open at the complete unapologetic cheat.

"You jumped to conclusions and never gave me a chance to explain," he began to say.

"How can you explain another girl answering your phone first thing in the morning?" I asked. I wasn't going to give him a chance to try and wiggle his way out of it.

"It was a mis-"

"There is no excuse," I said, my voice rising. My heart ached.

"Give me a chance-"

Every time I heard his voice I was reminded of what he'd done.

I was shaking as I gripped my phone against my ear. "You'd better retract the statement you posted online."

"Why? It hasn't changed."

I pressed my lips together to stop myself from snapping at him.

"I still love you." It hurt to hear him say those words. His actions had tarnished those words.

"No. I can't do this," I told him.

"Hear me out."

"There is nothing you can say that will fix this."

"If that's true then you can at least hear me out and if afterward you still don't believe me I'll walk away."

"Please leave me alone." Frustrated and saddened I ended the call. It was hard to breathe without it hurting. I exhaled as a tear slid down my face. I pressed my hand to my mouth while I tried to ride the wave of anguish that felt like it was drowning me.

A misunderstanding.

The phone started to ring. It was Adonis again. I paced as I tried to figure out what next to do while I ignored the constant ringing of my phone. Exasperated I put it on silence before I went downstairs.

Sam was sitting in the living room with a plate of biscuits. I glared at him. He was apart of this sham Adonis had created.

The landline started to ring. I studied it for a moment before I answered it.

"Why aren't you answering your phone?" Aiden asked and I gave him a run down of the the events.

"Oh man, he has balls," he said.

"Whose side are you on?" I asked suspiciously.

They'd become good friends when I'd lost my memories.

"I'm on yours. You don't have to doubt that," he assured me.

I let out the breath I was holding.

"Sorry, having a garden full of reporters is making me crabby." I didn't know how people lived like this.

"You think you could out of there and I need to get out. We can grab something to eat," he suggested.

I wasn't sure how easy it would be to get through the circus outside my house but I refused to allow them to keep me a prisoner in my own house.

"Leaving out the front is definitely not going to work but if you park outside the house behind ours I bet I could sneak out the back," I said, feeling better that I'd come up with a way out without them knowing.

I wondered if I could lose the bodyguard as well. I smiled. I could do this.

"Sure, can you be there in half an hour?" he asked.

"Yes."

The call ended. I took a look out the window and the sun was setting. The lack of light hadn't diminished the number of reporters still camped out on the front garden of my house.

The darkness would help me sneak out of my house undetected.