Vegas Love (23 page)

There is yet another story falsely claiming we were seated next to each other at one of the fashion shows and that there was much drama when Mrs. Ellison r
efused
to sit next to the
tart
and the designer was forced to rearrange the seating to accommodate her.

I call Vanessa. “This is bullshit.”

“From everything I have heard, Mrs. Ellison is a very nice woman. Do you believe what the press is saying?”

“She may not want me with her son because of the sex tape, but I don’t think she would say those catty things even behind closed doors.”

“From what I’ve seen, his mother avoids the press. Any statements their family makes come through their publicity team. So where is all this coming from?”

“I don’t know. Part of me wonders if Zach is playing it. He told me something in Vegas that I didn’t catch at the time, but I realize it could be important now. He said that
his
publicist wants him to have a sexier image, so he could launch a solo career. Which is weird, because Zach always refers to their publicists as
the team
.”

“Do you think he’s hired someone on the side to help him break away from his family?”

“I think so. I’m also thinking he purposely leaked our meeting for drinks to the press.”

“I’m going to see what I can find out. I’ll get back to you.”

An Easy Target

Cash

We’re drinking champagne in one of the Fashion Week tents when a guy walks up to Ashlyn and says, “I really need to talk to you.”

“Luke, I don’t
want
to talk to you. Don’t do this here.”

Luke? As in asshole sex-tape-releaser, Luke?

“She said she doesn’t want to talk to you,” I say quietly, but sternly.

“I need to,” he argues.

“You need to go fuck yourself,” I say, taking Ashlyn’s elbow and leading her away.
 

But later, while Ashlyn is backstage at a show talking to Vale, he comes up to me.
 

“Are you Ashlyn’s body guard?”

“No, I’m—I work with her agent. And it’s taking all my self-control not to punch you in the face right now. So get away from me.”

He hands me a slip of paper with an address on it. “If she won’t listen to me, maybe you will. Meet me. I have proof that I didn’t release the sex tape.”

While she’s at another show, I do just that.
 

Then I call Vanessa Flanning.

When Ashlyn arrives back at our hotel suite, she finds Luke, Vanessa, and me sitting at the dining room table and asks, “What is he doing here?”

“Luke has been trying to talk to you, because he didn’t release the sex tape. He didn’t even know about it until after he broke up with you.”

“What?”

Luke stands up and walks over to Ashlyn. “Come sit down and let me explain.”

She looks at me and I nod, indicating that she should.
 

When she sits down next to him, he says, “Let me start by saying that I’m an idiot. I loved you, but I got caught up in wanting it all. The fame. The tours. The gold records.” He lowers his eyes. “Which made me an easy target for Brandi.”

“If you think you’re going to blame it on Brandi, it’s not going to work. I’m the one who asked Brandi to help you.”

“You did, but I doubt you asked her to seduce me. And I doubt you told her in confidence that you were going to break up with me.”

Ashlyn can’t hide her shock. Her mouth is hanging wide open. She finally recovers and says, “You’re right, I didn’t.”

“The night she covered for me was the first time we had slept together. I felt horrible. And you knew it the second I walked in.”

“But that doesn’t make sense. If she seduced you, why would she cover for you? Didn’t she want you for herself?”

“She did, but she hadn’t made the sex tape yet. Think about it, Ash. Who told you to go buy something sexy to wear? Who drank with you and sent you to my apartment?
Brandi.
She set it up. I didn’t know about the tape until I told her that I was going to come clean. That I was going to tell you about my indiscretion and that I was going to beg you for forgiveness. She told me if I did, that she would release the tape. That’s why I left for sushi and never came back. I was trying to protect you.”

“So then a year later, after your last album bombed, you call me back and miss me? And when I say no, you release the sex tape? Or are you going to blame that on her too?”

“I’m going to blame her, because she is responsible. I called you because I was trying to get you away from Zach. I thought maybe if I sweet-talked you like I used to that you would agree to meet me. I didn’t expect her to release the tape so soon.” He hands me a photocopied sheet of paper with Brandi’s handwriting on it.

Zach Ellison
 

Solo Career Track

1.
 
Zach records solo song.

2.
 
Start a website dedicated to him. Included are numerous photo shots with him shirtless, highlighting how sexy he is, to break his teen boy band reputation.

3.
 
Zach takes Ashlyn to Vegas to do an event. This will be the first public hint of him going solo. He needs to show his sexy side. (Send cocaine with him, so he will freaking loosen up!)

4.
 
Release sex tape of Luke and Ashlyn, driving a wedge between Ashlyn and Zach’s family from which she could never recover.
 

5.
 
Zach stands by her—asks for fan’s prayers and best wishes through their trying times. (By staying with her, women will appreciate his faithfulness. His willingness to stand up to his family for the woman he loves. Women will see him for the grown-up, sexy man that he has become.)

6.
 
Get him a contract with an underwear designer. Want him on a billboard in Times freaking Square.

7.
 
Ashlyn and Zach’s courtship becomes sexier. Not the sweet sugar shit. Clubs. Late nights. Drunk public kissing.

8.
 
Zach goes to red carpet event with Ashlyn. Accidentally lets it slip that he’s working on a solo album.

9.
 
Family won’t know what to do. They will have to act like he has their support.

10.
 
Release solo song.

11.
 
Sign with big label for solo album.

12.
 
Worldwide solo tour.

13.
 
During tour, Zach and Ashlyn break up due to “their schedules”.
 

14.
 
Zach announces that during the tour he fell in love with his publicist, Brandi, and they are dating.

15.
 
Big, amazing, romantic, and very public engagement. (Reminiscent of TomKat.)

16.
 
Televised wedding.

17.
 
$$$$

“Wow,” is all Ashlyn says. I want to sit next to her and wrap my arms around her, but I know this is something she needs to deal with on her own.
 
It’s time for her to take control of her career in the way my brother thinks she should.
 

So I sit and wait to see what she does next.

And what she does, surprises me. She grabs Luke and pulls him into a hug. “I’m so glad that I was wrong about you.”
 

Then she leans back and looks at all of us. “So, what are we going to do about this bitch?”

Vanessa sits down on the couch next to her. “We take away what she wants.”

“And what is that?” I ask.

“Zach,” Ashlyn says confidently. “I think she’s working Zach like she did Luke. I doubt he knows her full plan.”

“I don’t think he knows either,” Luke agrees. “I’d bet that she’s telling him what he wants to hear. That he should go solo. She’s been helping him plan it, but I highly doubt he knows she wants to marry him. I’m sure she’s sleeping with him too.”

“What, does this girl have a golden pussy or something?” I ask. “What is it about her that causes you guys to become such idiots?”

Luke shakes his head. “She’s crazy in bed. You dream of a threesome, she’ll set it up. You dream of a solo career, she’ll convince you that you can do it. She listens and she manipulates. And she’s damn good at it. The sex is just a small part of her allure. She strokes your ego. That’s how she does it. Maybe you can convince Zach you should get back together, Ashlyn. Steal him away from Brandi.”

Ashlyn shakes her head. “No, we need the only woman who could steal him away from her for good to get involved.”

“His mother?” Vanessa asks with a grin.
 

“Yes. I think I’d like to sit next to her at a fashion show tomorrow and then take her to lunch. In fact, I’m going to call her now.”

She gets up and paces while she waits to get through to his mom.
 

“Mrs. Ellison, it’s Ashlyn Roberts. I know the press is saying all sorts of stuff about us. About Zach and me. I’m really sorry about all that’s happened. I was wondering if you might be willing to have lunch with me after the Ralph Lauren show? I’d like to apologize in person.”

She pauses then smiles. “Awesome. Thank you so much. I look forward to seeing you.” She turns to us. “She said yes.”

Cheap Pussy

Ashlyn

After a very cozy and very public lunch with Zach’s mother, where I filled her in on everything that has been going on, I send a group text to Zach and Brandi.
 

Time to let Brandi know that we’re on to her and let Zach know what’s up.

Group message:
 
Hey, wanted to let you both know that I had a lovely lunch with Mrs. Ellison today in New York.
 

Brandi:
 
I don’t give a shit what you do anymore. You fired me. And I’ll be suing you for everything you are worth for breaking our contract.

Me:
 
Zach, I told your mom how much I respect your family and how I hate to see Brandi taking advantage of you.

Brandi:
 
You don’t know what the hell you are talking about. I’m not working with Zach. His family has their own publicity team.

Me:
 
Zach, I also told your mom about the drugs in Vegas. Even shared a photo of you doing the cocaine Brandi gave you. I told her that not only are you sleeping with Brandi, but that she’s helping to plan your solo career. Your mother was very grateful and gracious about the information.

Zach:
 
I’m so fucked.

Brandi:
 
Don’t be ridiculous, Zach. She has no proof of anything. Your mother has been trash-talking her all week.

Me:
 
Actually, that’s not at all correct, Brandi. His mother hasn’t been trash-talking me. She told me she was sorry that I had to go through what I did and that she has been praying for me.
 

Brandi:
 
Whatever, she’s polite. She still doesn’t want you with her son.
 

Me:
 
She doesn’t want you with her son either. Turns out when you are screwing guys and pretending to love them and then you dump them for the next big thing and release a sex tape of them, it pisses them off a little. Luke gave me proof of your plans. Your little checklist on how to marry Zach, which I shared with Mrs. Ellison. Luke will be testifying that you are the one who released the sex tape. It’s YOU who will be sued for everything you are worth. Not to mention that Luke and I are going to do a joint press release exposing your plan, which means you will never get another client again.

And, Zach, just a word of advice from someone who has been screwed by Brandi too, your family loves you and has your best interests at heart. If you want to go solo, your mother said she would fully support it. Don’t fuck everything up for cheap pussy.

Brandi: You bitch!

Me:
 
Actually, I’m pretty sure you’ve already won that role.