Starstruck - Book Four by Gemma Brooks Read Free Book Online Page B

said. “I told him I was coming here
tonight.”
     
    She’s just trying to get into my head, I told myself. Don’t
listen to her.
     
    “Whatever, Ava,” I said as I tried to push past her, but she
wouldn’t get out of the way. She stood with her feet cemented firmly in place.
     
    “You know what’s funny to me?” she said, her eyes piercing
into mine. “You’re so fucking dumb that you don’t see what’s going on. We’re actors,
sweetie. That little scene at my place the other day? An act. I’m not suicidal.
Not even close. It’s all an act to give Hudson an excuse to spend time with
me.”
     
    “I don’t believe you,” I said to her. I could feel my lip
quivering and prayed she didn’t notice she was starting to get to me.
     
    “Well that’s too bad,” she smirked. “If you want to live in
la-la-land with Hudson and believe everything he says, then go for it. Just
know you’re not the only girl he’s fucking.”
     
    “You’re delusional, Ava,” I sighed. She still wasn’t going
to let me pass behind her, and the urge to go had suddenly left me. I spun
around and headed straight back to the table where Hudson was sitting and
waiting patiently for my return.
     
    “What’s wrong?” he said the moment he saw how distraught I
was.
     
    “Let’s go,” I said. “Now.”
     
    His eyes scrunched. He didn’t understand. He looked around
the room as if to search for some sign of chaos or paparazzi or something that
would’ve ruined our perfect little date night, but the patrons around us were
in their own little worlds, enjoying their quiet, romantic dinners the way we
should’ve have been.
     
    I didn’t have time to give him an explanation. I wanted out
of there. It was only going to be a matter of time before Ava found another way
to get under my skin. At any moment she was probably going to saunter past our
table and make a snide remark or throw a sexy glance over at Hudson. I didn’t
have to put up with that. I refused.
     
    Hudson chased behind as I practically ran out of the
restaurant.
     
    “Brynn,” he called out. “Are you going to tell me what’s
going on?”
     
    I couldn’t answer him. I didn’t want to talk until we got in
the car. Who knew what the people around us would hear and who was desperate
enough to sell a story to a tabloid for a few bucks.
     
    “Can you just get the car?” I begged.
     
    Hudson approached the valet and returned to me, massaging
his hands on my bare shoulders.
     
    “What is it?” he asked again.
     
    I opened my mouth to simply say the word “Ava”, but before I
had the chance, she came sauntering out the front door of the restaurant.
Surrounded by a posse of mean girls, she walked right up to us.
     
    “Well, well, well,” she said as her gaze honed in on Hudson.
“Funny seeing you here.”
     
    Hudson rolled his eyes. “Ava, why are you doing this?”
     
    “I should ask you the same,” she snipped. “You knew I was
coming here tonight.”
     
    “That is not true at all,” he said. He didn’t try to hide
the anger in his voice.
     
    The next several seconds were a blur filled with the flash
of paparazzi cameras that seemed to come out of nowhere and the feeling of
Hudson’s hand on the small of my back, ushering me to his car the moment the
valet driver pulled it up.
     
    As soon as we were safe inside the confines of his Range
Rover, we sped off for safer ground.
     
    “What did she say to you?” he asked.
     
    “What didn’t she say?” I replied as I stared blankly ahead
at the millions of stoplights that were upon us. “She was just saying stuff.
Ava stuff. Just trying to get to me again.”
     
    “Like what?” he pried.
     
    “That her suicide attempt was an act,” I said. “That you’re
using it as a reason to see her. That you two were acting at her place the
other day.”
     
    “Brynn,” Hudson seethed. He reached over for my hand. “You
know none of that is true, right?”
     
    “Yeah,” I said.