Ignite Me: Shards of Glass, Part One (12 page)

“See you at 1pm!” I grinned as I held the business card in my hand and turned towards the door rummaging around in my bag and dug out the fox and threw it at Damon. “Don't look so pissed off! We agreed to be friends!”

He laughed as he caught it. “We did, yeah! And thanks! I assume that was Mr. 30 red roses!” He raised a brow.

I rolled my eyes as I heard the SUV door slam. He'd seen me give the fox to Damon. If he didn't like it, that was his issue not mine! At least I'd never had casual sex with him.

“Yep, Mr. Hero hair! Long story! Don't ask!” I shook my head as I walked through the doors glad to be heading for the lift.

“Oh come off it Evan. You can't snog the face off some guy in front of me and not have me ask stuff!” He grinned as he followed me in.

“I can! And whom I choose to kiss is up to me! We agreed we'd be just friends! I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings, but I told you we'd only be friends!” I pressed the button for the lift. I hated the word snog. It didn't even sound nice.

“Yeah, I know I did. I'm just being a friend! I don't like the look of him! The way he acted so formal!” He stopped at the lift doors.

“He's not like that in private, so don't worry! Chill!” I smiled at him and stepped into the lift.

“He's too old for you!” He shouted as the lift doors shut.

I tutted. “He's really not!” I didn't actually know his age, though, I'd not asked I'd just assumed. I'd have to google him when I got in.

CHAPTER 9

An hour later I was sitting in front of my laptop researching all about Cameron, I was in sweat pants and an oversized jumper. My phone on charge next to me.

“Cameron Ballard, owner of Fever Records.”

I stared at the screen. “Bloody hell!” I'd had no idea he was an owner! I'd assumed he was an executive, but he was one of the owners! That would explain why he'd been so involved in the awards show! A lot of new bands where sighed to that label! It had a good reputation for treating bands right! I'd even written songs for that record label! I read down scanning the rest of the details. It turned out I'd not been far from the truth. He either owned or invested in a whole bunch of businesses! He was a multibillionaire and only 28, it had his birthday down as September! So he'd be 29 this year! I sat and counted on my hand. There were pretty much 9 years between us. The age gap didn't bother me. It was ironic that Cameron was only a few months older than Sean.

I jumped as Skype flashed up ringing on my laptop and for one awful moment I thought it was Sean but when I checked it was Jessica. I grinned from ear to ear as I hit answer.

“Oh my god hi!” I waved at her.

She squealed. “Evangeline Watson what have you been up to?!” She pulled her best I've got dirt on you face.

I laughed. “Jess, I have legit no idea what you’re going on about! I've been out all day! Just got back in!” I grinned.

She smirked. “Yeah, I know! Twitter has gone off the scale about just who you were seen hanging out with!” She clapped her hands together in glee.

I was confused for a second. “Care to explain! I've been out with someone special today! Which I need to tell you about and ask girly stuff and advice!” I raised a brow and leant back in my chair.

She smiled and she held her phone up to the screen so I could see.

“Oh gurl you are busted!”

My face fell as I saw a photo of Cameron and me at the top of the shard. It was from across the room, but it was when he had kissed my cheek. I felt my face burn.

“Well, shit! That soon got out!” I bit my lip. Should I tell him or just leave him to find out. It wasn't like we were doing any harm.

“So how long have you been like seeing this super-hot, hero haired guy?” Her face came back into view.

I loved her like the sister I never had. She was part Spanish and had a natural tan to die for! Her long brunette hair was up in a slick ponytail.

“So what would you say if I told you I only met him the last week?! And that we have this connection and when I kiss him I wanna slam him against a wall and fuck him, but that he's got all these hang ups but deep down just wants to look after me.” I pulled a face and shrugged.

She did a low whistle. “Oh, you have so got it bad! Have you guys had sex yet?!” She winked at me.

“Jeez Jess!” I shook my head. “No, we have not had sex yet! It's not like I wanna give out right away! If he wants me he can damn well earn it!” I grinned.

She rolled her eyes dramatically. “Babe, seriously if you like him and he likes you and it's gonna be like a thing just go with what you feel is right! Sometimes you might hold out a week, a month or you might just not! There is no rule that says you can't have sex with him because you just started dating!”

I sighed. She was right, of course. “I guess someone must have recognized me and took a photo! He owns a record label and he's 28!” I knew she would ask about him so I got in there first.

“I know who he is! He's like a billionaire! Trust me half the girls I know would sell their soul to the devil to even be seen in a photo with him let alone be getting cute cheek kisses! They said...” She glanced at her phone. “Multi-billionaire Cameron Ballard was seen out with Evangeline Watson enjoying each other's company at The Shard London! Onlookers said he looked besotted with the daughter of rock star John Watson!” She licked her lips.

I puffed out my cheeks. “We're going on a second date tomorrow to a museum!” I grinned.

She laughed. “You always where a geek! I'm glad you have found someone! I just hope he looks after you! Because Hagen still hasn't had that beat down from me for what he did to you!” Her face turned serious.

I flicked my eyes down. I didn't want to think about it. “You know how I feel about that!”

She sighed. “You can't ignore it forever! What he did to you he should be serving jail time or at least have a record!”

What she said was right, but I'd left and he didn't have me anymore that was punishment enough. “He's falling apart without me, and in some way I feel sorry for him but in others I don't! I know Cameron is at the other end of the scale to Sean! I feel safe with him!” I smiled.

“What’s he like?! Tell me it all.” Her eyes where bright as she leant in as if she figured looking more closely at me would reveal my secrets.

Hell where did I start with telling her how he was?! I let a breath go as I glanced up. “Well he’s tall, self-controlled, proper, he has this air of quiet power about him, and his eyes, oh god when he looks into my eyes…”

I fell silent, I didn’t want to tell her that when our eyes met it felt like he could even control my sight. I only had eyes for him.

She grinned. “You want him so bad, I’ve never seen you like this, so taken by one guy, so what was this advice you wanted?!” She smirked.

I grinned, Cameron wasn’t a guy, he was a man! He was the first real man I’d ever been interested in, that was true. She'd always been my go to girl for information and advice. “Well, aside from Sean I've never had sex with anyone else! I mean it's not like I don't know what I'm doing because I took the lead with Sean most the time anyways, but I think Cameron is well more advanced!” I pulled a face. “I don't wanna be a let-down!” I could just imagine Miss A Line skirt being good in bed just to spite me.

She had a thoughtful look on her face. “Evan, if he loves you and I mean, why wouldn't he! Then he's not gonna care if you lack experience! He might even enjoy teaching you!” She grinned. “Just don't build it up in your head! Let things happen! Who cares where it happens! Bedroom, bathroom, kitchen unit as long as you both want it everything else will just well slot into place!” She winked.

I started laughing. “I love our chats!” She was right. “So the fact is I'm gonna have to tidy myself up a bit!” I rolled my eyes.

She laughed. “Get a good bikini trimmer! I'm always ready down there!”

I laughed out loud. “So was I when I was with Sean but I've been slacking! I'll go out and buy a new one! Might order some new panties and bras too!” I grinned.

“Oh my god yes! Sexy underwear! So the whole bondage effect is seriously sexy!” She glanced at her phone. “I'll text you the link! I think they have a UK branch! It's all silks and tie up sides!”

I pulled a face. “Bondage really?!!”

She rolled her eyes. “Just look at your text!” She sat back as my phone went off.

“Okay, now looking!” I was thankful for modern technology. I opened the text and followed the links she'd sent. “Oh wow that is hot!” I looked at the silk bra, it had a quarter cup with a silk triangle that attached to the straps giving the effect of being tied up but it wasn't. It looked sexy not cheap. The panties were tied at the side by silk ribbon. “I'm so buying me those!” I bit my lip, I got the feeling he'd approve.

“See I told you! So aside from all that. How are you?! You never answer me via text I just get skirted around!”

I shrugged. “I get lonely sometimes and you are the only one who calls me! All my so called L.A friends don't give a shit now I'm not around! Sean keeps telling me he loves me! Threatened to come over and convince me he needed me!” I huffed. “Selfish fucker! He only wants me because he's scared, I'll move on!”

She shook her head. “Block his number! He's the biggest dick head I've ever met!”

I laughed. “Yeah, I'm gonna sort it on my phone later.” I had made plans to do that. I didn't want him messing things up for me.

“I'm really sorry Evan, I'm gonna have to go! I'm going out with Dan but I'll text you later! Keep me updated on Mr. Hero hair!” She blew a kiss.

I caught it and held it against my heart. Trying to not to cry as intense loneliness washed over me. I hated not being able to just drive to see her.

“If you make me cry and fuck up my makeup, I'll get on a plane and kick your ass! Please don't cry!” She blinked.

I took a deep breath. “I'm sorry I'm being emo! Have a cool time with Dan!” I blew a kiss back and cut the call. Tears rolled down my face seconds later.

I tried to compose myself but failed. I sat and hugged my knees and sobbed.

I ignored my phone text alert it was probably just Jess. It was cathartic to cry. I cried until I was dry of tears. I felt better like I'd released something. I picked up my phone and saw a text from Cameron.

I pulled myself together as I read it.

I hope you’re okay Evan, I've seen the coverage of our trip out! They got one thing right, I am besotted with you! Thank you again for the frame! I've put it on my home desk! CB.

It was so typical Cameron to sign his text with his initials. I noticed there was a photo attached to it so I wiped my face with my jumper sleeve and opened the photo he'd sent. The smile spread across my face as I saw it. It was one of our Shard selfies. The one where he'd kissed my cheek. I downloaded it, then tapped out my reply.

I really like that photo! And thanks for being cool about the circus that is social media! I'm glad you like the frame. X

I hit send. It was 5pm now and I was hungry. I shut down my laptop and walked over to my freezer pulling it open. “What do I have to eat?” The one handy thing was that if I didn't have anything I wanted to eat, I could nip down to the Italian place that was just down the road from me. They made such good pizzas. I rummaged around and found a frozen pizza that'd do. My eyes were red and puffy from crying so I didn't want to go out.

I sorted it out and placed it on the oven tray and shoved it in the oven and set the timer to remind me.

I walked back into the lounge and flopped down onto the couch flicking on the TV to some evening program. I didn't play it much attention. I checked twitter to see what all the fuss was about.

“Really?!” I had over 200 notifications of tags and tweets and god knows what else. I scanned them for anything important.

I glanced at Sean's latest update.

‘I'm heartbroken, writing songs to stop myself doing something stupid like jumping on a plane!’

I shook my head in disbelief. He was crying heartbreak when he'd not only broken mine, but stamped on it as well.

I scanned his timeline out of interest and got angrier as I read down the list.

‘Never felt this way before, seeing that photo made me feel sick. I fuckin did this myself! Don't hate on my girl! It's my fault.’

Reading them backwards probably didn’t help much, but he was playing the victim, acting like Cameron was the big bad wolf that had stolen his girlfriend when in reality he had driven me away himself, no one had forced him to be the way he was.

‘I challenge you to love her better than I did! Rich dick you don't have the first clue about how she works!’

The blood drained my face, he'd really lost it. I noticed it had gotten several replies but the one that was most recent made my whole body come out in goose bumps.

Cameron's account had replied to him.

I didn't know if I wanted to look, but I figured it was best I know.

Oh god, here goes nothing…
I cringed.

‘You lack the skills to use the Internet Hagen! People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones!’

It was straight to the point. I clicked Cameron's link and found it was private just like he'd said. As I studied his profile I noticed he had already followed me so I could follow him back. I hit follow and then went back to my own profile.

I was so done with Sean, and his army of fangirls all calling me names and acting like I'd just killed someone. I typed an update.

‘You pretty much know when it's time to cut loose! I'll be off here for a while! It's more like a circus these days! Some of you need to take a look in the mirror! See y'all on the flip side.’

I posted it and then signed out. It felt good to sign out to know I was cut off from all of that negativity. Now all I had was Instagram and Tumblr, both of which I knew had a different atmosphere.

My phone vibrated in my hand. It was Cameron. I opened it and read it.