108: Unmasked Part 4
Vince
“Hey Easton.” I say cheerily as we approach him. “Nice mask. Thanks for inviting me. This is my date, Anna.”
He barely glances her way, instead staring over his shoulder at Cat. “Glad you two could make it. Sorry, I’m a little distracted.”
“Where’s your son?”
“He’s in bed. Too late for him.”
“That was a good game the other night. Rough but you guys pulled it out. Here we brought you a drink. It’s just lemonade, but how about a celebratory toast. To more hockey wins and the start of a really good year.” I hold out the cup and he takes it.
“Sure, why not.” He’s lifting it to his lips when someone backs into me hard and the cup in my right hand sloshes everywhere, spilling right onto Lorelei. I turn as she gasps with outrage. Becker holds his hands up. “Sorry, wasn’t watching where I was going. Was too busy staring at the brunette over there.” He indicates toward Kylie, which makes me want to burst out laughing as I catch Banning Olmos’s face on the other side of him. I keep in character though and glower at him. “You soaked my date. You only have better relexes on the ice.” I turn back to Lorelei. “Here, set that down and I’ll grab napkins.”
Easton looks over her shoulder and indicates with his cup. “Help is behind you.” Lorelei turns to her right as planned when Emily taps her shoulder.
Emily bestows a friendly smile on her. “I was about to go wipe up a spill over there. Lucky I have this wet towel already. Here.” I keep an eye on her as Easton switches the cups rapidly. By the time she looks back, he’s holding his out for a toast. She is bristling with annoyance, but she needs him to drink that.
“To better luck next time.” He says softly. We touch the cups together and he lifts his toward his mouth taking a sip. “Do you not like yours?” He asks her and she flashes a quick smile,
shaking her head. She knows she can’t talk or he’ll recognize her. She hurries to drink down
most of it.
“Is there a bathroom nearby she can clean up?” I ask.
“Yeah I can show her. Want to go peek in on Cole and it’s on the way.” He indicates for her to follow him and she gives me a quick smile.
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“Follow us in about ten minutes.” She whispers urgently and trots after him. Cat turns and I nod at her. She grins widely and begins heading toward the bathroom. I move into the shadows of the room across from the bathroom with my camera. Marco is ready in the playroom. Luci and the girls are letting the boys camp out in the game room so they are safe.
Cat leans against the wall as Lorelei opens the door. She almost jumps as she spots her. “Little jumpy aren’t you?”
Lorelei’s eyes narrow. “Wait, you aren’t Luci. Who are you?” She sways a little and Cat spins her around taking hold of her arm. She rips her wig and mask off as Lorelei struggles a bit. Cat grabs her hair with her fist and places her lips close to her ear. “Doesn’t matter you crazy ass toad. Come on. Let me take you exactly where you were headed.”
I follow behind her and try not to laugh. She frog marches her right into the playroom. Or maybe it’s a ratchet toad march.
Easton stands inside with his brothers and father. “Hi Lorelei. Enjoy crashing our party?”
“I was invited. I’m Vincent’s date.”
“Mmm yet you think that would mean you’re welcome here. Tell me, what are you really doing
here?” Easton asks her.
“I came to see you. Since you are blocking me. My mother was arrested and you didn’t even
bother to check on me, the mother of your child.” She blusters. I watch her eyes unfocus though and she blinks a few times, her head swaying slightly.
“I heard she owes a lot of money. Histrionic personality sufferers tend to have an issue with
gambling. Why she really needed that film deal and why YOU really need me and my family’s
name after her arrest.” He says coldly. “How deep in is she?”
“I don’t know. They want more than money though.” She admits before shaking her head
again.
“Feeling a little off, Lorelei?” Kingston asks her quietly. “Maybe you should always watch what you drink.”
Marco reaches for her purse. “Hey, that’s not yours.” She says slowly. Cat’s grip doesn’t loosen.
He pulls out a set of folded papers. “Authorization of Sole Custody. This order hereby grants sole custody of Cole Matthew Reed to Lorelei Winters for a period of two years whereupon full
custody returns to Easton Reed.” His brow furrows. “Two years?”
“I need Easton for that long for my contract. And to get rid of the collectors. That’s it. I swear
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Easton I was going to give him to you after that. Or I was hoping you’d stay with me.” She stares at him almost pleadingly.
“Why would you do that? Give him to me.” Easton asks her warily.
*15 Points
She looks extremely pissed off before she answers. “Because your stupid little nanny got one thing right. I did wish my mother loved me. Wished for a different one when I realized she never would. Or at least I wished my father would have chosen me. Would have loved me enough to take me with him; not abandon me and never even call. Irony, right.” She makes a wry face. “I did it too. Cole is better off with you. Once I’m done with what I need you for. Though like I said, we can just stay together.”
Easton
“Why did you keep him? Your mother tried so hard for you to terminate him.” I can feel the shift in the air. The drug she intended to incapacitate me with and make me accede any demand is allowing her to finally tell the truth.
“Because I thought maybe I’d finally feel love. I never really felt that all encompassing, sweep you away feeling everyone talked about. Then he was born and….and I didn’t. I felt something but not the bond I expected. I wanted to so badly.” She pauses.
Kingston intervenes. “Lorelei, you had postpartum depression on top of regular depression. It’s not surprising at all you felt almost nothing.”
She huffs quietly. “Yes but then I brought him here and instead of you giving me your usual attention, you were upset. Then I had to go away for treatment. When I got out, I thought maybe it could work. You always took care of me. All I had to do was ask. But you were so worried about him. He got all your attention with you tossing scraps of it my way. Passed me over again just like my father. You chose Cole over me.”
I stare at her with pity….until she continues. “And now you think you are in love with some stupid ordinary tramp who trapped you because she worked in this house. You gave her more than you ever gave me. I was your childhood sweetheart. Your friend who made sure you fell in love with me. I had total control over you. She doesn’t deserve this life. She took what is mine!”
“Manipulation is not love, Lorelei. You need help. You were jealous of your own child. That’s why you stopped responding to pictures, isn’t it? Because I only sent pictures of him and didn’t
make my messages all about you…..you need medication and therapy at the very least.” I tell
her with disgust, I lift the folder off the table behind me.
She’s starting to look drowsy. “Here, sign these. You will get out of Cole’s life unless he wants
to speak to you. You should get help too in case he does want that. You should be grateful to
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Luci. She convinced me not to let you die at the hands of the Greco’s. Doesn’t want that shadow over me for Cole’s sake. Quite frankly, I was going to let them keep at you.” She signs them where I point.
She’s having trouble staying awake. “Dream about padded cells with white walls and jackets that conveniently swaddle you like a baby.” I say as her eyes flutter shut and Marco moves in to help Catalina hold her up.
“Wallace outside waiting?” Jackson asks as he scrolls through the security camera feeds.
“Yep in his car.” Vince tells us. “I’m happy to yank him out of it.”
“Go help him drive home. I think he’s probably got a headache.” Jason says darkly.
Lorelei
I stretch wondering why the room is so damn bright. “Fuck.” I mutter sitting up sleepily. My
eyes are gritty and I feel like I swallowed sandpaper. What the hell? I stare at the bright white sheets and dark blue comforter. Where the hell am I? Then I see bare shoulders slightly
peeking above the covers next to me. Blonde hair peeking out from beneath the pillow. I let out
a sigh of relief. For a minute there, I thought Easton got away from me. What a weird f*****g dream that was. I sigh and lean back against the fluffy hotel pillow. I glance down and see I’m
still fully dressed. Even my socks are on my feet. Did he not want me? I mean he should have
been under my total control. That way his precious Luci won’t want him anymore. Not that it
matters if he signed it. The contract……
My purse sits on the nightstand and I see the folded contract papers sticking out of it. I sigh
with relief. It means he is completely mine for the next two years or he won’t see Cole again. I
lift the brochure next to it. Room service menu. Perfect. I am starving. I don’t think I ate dinner
last night. I must have been exhausted. I open the website and order. Easton is still asleep and
I add some eggs and bacon for him along with a stack of pancakes. He doesn’t move as I get
on my feet a little dizzy and see my bag by the wall. I fumble around and find my toothbrush.
After splashing cold water on my face, I feel more alert. Now I can go wake him up. That’s
when I hear a sound from the shower. I peek around to find Wallace sleeping in the bathtub.
He wears nothing but his underwear. “Wallace, wake up!”
His eyes fly open. “What the hell, Wallace? What are you doing in the shower?”
“I don’t know! Why the hell are you here? I waited for you to call me to help you get Easton out
of the house.”
I don’t wait; rushing back into the other room. I throw the covers back, finding a rubber upper
body mask over towels with blonde hair. “Nooo. No, no, no.” Wallace is behind me. I freeze at
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the knock on the door.
“Lorelei….” That sounds like my agent. He’s in LA though. I open the door and the flash of a
camera blinds me. The guy takes off running and I stick my head out in the hallway.
“Who the f**k was that?!” Wallace calls out angrily.
“Shut up! My head is killing me.” How did he evade me last night? I have a vague memory. Lemonade, spilled lemonade and some girl with dark hair threatening me.
“We have to get out of here, Lorelei. Remember you set up reporters to be here to photograph you two leaving together.” Wallace reminds me.
“f**k. You’re right. Get dressed. We’ll have to take the back exit. They will be in the lobby.”
We hurry and take the stairs to leave. “I hope your car is easy to find. You can find it and pick
me up here.” I tell him as we are exiting the stairwell.
Shouts and the sound of people jabbering all at once make my head want to split open. “Miss Winters is it true you are in a relationship with Wallace Jones, the son of Wendell Jones who
is running for state representative?”
“Is that an engagement ring, Miss Winters? You two are engaged.”
“Are you aware Mr. Jones is currently in a relationship with another woman?”
The shove us toward the wall and I stare at Wallace waiting for him to do something. “Your agent said you had a big personal announcement to make soon. Is this it?”
“He said your fiancée would be unmasked soon. When is the big date? Is it going to be after your movie tour begins here in the US?”
Wallace glares at me as I stare at him speechless. This is not what I had planned. He manages to yank me out of the fray and we run toward the side door. Only once it shuts behind us, does he turn to snarl at me. “You had to wear that f*****g ring everywhere you
went.” He begins to stalk away and I call his name.
“Wallace you can’t leave me!”
“Watch me.” He throws over his shoulder and runs toward the parking lot. I hear the sounds of thundering feet and turn to see them racing through the door calling my name all scrambling for my attention. “Miss Winters….”
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