Free Rumor Has It: A Bad Boy Romantic Comedy by Lila Moore

excited it was impossible for her to sit still. She tapped her nails on her cell phone screen. Beside me, Theo grew impatient. He couldn’t care less about my career, or ‘Hollywood bullshit,’ as he referred to it. He squeezed my hand. I hadn’t realized I’d been holding onto him until that moment. I smiled at him weakly.
    “I was such a fool. Why didn’t I see it?” Shonda said, talking to herself. “I was never going to rehabilitate your image. This is the perfect time to transition your brand. You’re dangerous now. People are out to kill you; you have a secret life hidden from the public. You’re the good girl gone bad. It’s perfect. I’ve got to talk to Louis’s people. In the meantime, I’m going to send over your Glam Squad to get you ready for your photo shoot. You need a new image.”
    “No,” Theo and I said at the same time.
    “No one can know where Jamie is. This is supposed to be a safe house,” Theo said.
    “And I don’t want to meet with the Glam Squad. I’ll do my hair and makeup myself.”
    Shonda looked at me like I’d lost my mind. “Do you need to see a doctor? Did you hit your head or something? You cannot do your own hair and makeup for a magazine shoot.”
    “Fine,” I relented.
    “Jamie will meet them at the hotel. I’ll drive her,” Theo said.
    “Whatever. I leave the security issues in your hands. I’ve got a lot of work to do. I’ll be in touch.”
    With that, Shonda left to go put out the fires that had been set the last twenty-four hours.

7
     
     
     
     
     
    Within a block of the hotel, the paparazzi, fans and pedestrians curious about the circus on the street, gathered to catch a glimpse of me. Media vans had traffic backed up for a mile. Police had to direct traffic within five miles of the hotel. It was a nightmare.
    I sank down in my seat as we slowed to a stop. Theo took a hard left and circled around the hotel. Traffic wasn’t any lighter, but we were able to slip into an underground parking garage unnoticed. Theo kept me behind him protectively as we walked across the parking lot. His eyes darted around, on alert for the slightest hint of movement.
    Danger was everywhere as far as I was concerned. When a car came screeching around the corner from an upper deck, I screamed. Theo pushed me against the wall. The car drove on, unaware and unconcerned about us. He frowned as the crazy driver took off, nearly hitting someone walking on the street outside the parking garage.
    Theo took my hand and led me to the hotel. We didn’t bother going inside the lobby, we took the stairs in the garage. After walking up fifteen flights, I was sweating like a pig. The climb didn’t seem to bother Theo at all. He didn’t even break a sweat.
    “I really need to start working out more,” I said breathlessly.
    “You’re going to start today. I want you to change into gym clothes. We’re going to start training as soon as…”
    I opened my hotel room door to find a madhouse. Not only was my Glam Squad in the room, but so was Louis and his entire entourage and PR team.
    “Who are all these people?” Theo demanded of Louis. “None of you have authorization to be here.
    “Easy, brother,” Louis responded. “These are my mates, Sebs, Henry, Nate, Aiden, and Max. The rest work for me. They’re cool, so why don’t you try and be cool? Eh?”
    Theo got in Louis’s face. “I want everyone out except for you. You stay.”
    His words were an icy warning, but that didn’t stop Louis from arguing. “Brother, it’s not that serious. We party together all the time. They’re not out to kidnap Jamie,” he said with a roll of his eyes.
    Theo grabbed Louis by the collar and pushed him against the wall. “We almost lost Jamie last night. She could have died. Do you understand that?”
    Louis looked panicked. His eyes darted across the room looking for someone to save him. The room was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop. No one was rushing to Louis’s aide. He was