Catch Me if You Can { Lucas Series }

Chapter 5

"So, tell me what the hell I'm looking at here!" demanded the S.M. executive as he waved a phone in the air in front of Lucas.

"Well, if you'd stop swinging it, maybe I could," Lucas replied, already sure that this meeting was going to be contentious.

The man in the expensive suit finally held the phone still and Lucas peered at it intently. He saw that it was a picture of him kissing Cassy outside her apartment. He felt a pain beginning to grow in the pit of his stomach.

"Well?" insisted the executive, whose face showed little emotion due to excessive Botox shots. Even still, Lucas knew he was pissed, and this situation was about to blow up in his face.

"Yeah, well, you have eyes," Lucas responded. "You can see what it is."

"OK, let me reframe the question. WHY am I getting pictures from reporters of you kissing a woman? Do you know that at least two major online newspapers are ready to print an exposé as early as this afternoon?"

Lucas did not respond, but merely flopped down on the armchair defeatedly. He toyed with his bootlaces and attempted to look bored. Apparently, his feigned boredom angered his boss even more because he picked up a pile of papers and threw them into Lucas' lap.

"This is a copy of your contract. Remember that? You know, the thing you signed that said we own you?" demanded the red-faced man.

"Yeah," said Lucas. "I remember, but listen, man, you don't have the right to tell me I can't fall in love."

"Actually, I do!" he replied as his seething anger simmered just below his high-class exterior. "Your contract stipulates that your personal life cannot interfere with our purposes here at S.M. And I don't think I have to tell you that a shitstorm is coming if people find out you are dating your stylist."

"So, what are you going to do about it?" countered Lucas, trying to look calmer than he felt.

"No, what are YOU going to do about it?" screamed the irate man as he reached across the desk to grab Lucas by the collar. "You arrogant bastard! You break up with her now, or I assure you, you will never work in this business again!"

"You can't do that," Lucas answered as he finally extricated himself from the man's grip.

"Watch me!" he countered.

As Lucas left the office, he walked slowly to the elevator. What am I going to tell Cassy? he thought. He knew he couldn't hide the scandal from her because it was about to break, and she would be in the eye of this storm when it did. He wasn't sure he could break up with her. He felt like he was too far gone for that. Also, he felt like it was too late for that anyway. Even if they did break up, the pictures were out there, and things were about to get crazy. He knew S.M. could fire him. Despite his cavalier attitude earlier, he knew the kind of power they held over him contractually. Losing his place in WayV would be no small matter. It would affect everyone in the band. He didn't want to see them suffer because of him, but he hated even more to see Cassy suffer. She never signed up for any of this. She was about to be thrust into the headlines with no experience on how to deal with the press.

He took a cab to the salon where Cassy was waiting for him in front of the empty chair. She took one look at him and said, "What happened to you?"

"Nothing, I'm just running late," Lucas answered, avoiding eye contact with her.

"No, I don't mean that. I mean your eyes are all swollen and your lips are super chapped," said Cassy as she ran to the refrigerator. She pulled out an eye mask and placed it gently around Lucas' puffy eyes. "Here, the coolness of the mask and the caffeine from the green tea will help to decongest your eyes," she explained. Thrusting a bottle of water at him, she waited for him to take it. "Drink this because no amount of product is going to fix these chapped lips. You're super dehydrated," she scolded.

Lucas took the water and obediently drank it as he tried to relax into the chair, but his muscles were tight, as if he were a cornered dog. He felt ready to strike or run, whichever ended up coming first for him.

Cassy eyed him curiously. "Is there something going on with you?" she questioned.

Lucas gave her a stricken expression that made him look like a little boy who had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. She continued to look at him intently, waiting for him to answer her.

"Cassy, we're in trouble," he whispered, hoping no one else could hear him.

"What do you mean?" she asked as she leaned in closer to hear him better.

"The paparazzi got a picture of us kissing outside your apartment. This thing is about to go viral," he lamented. "You're going to get the worst of it, I'm afraid," he warned. "People might forgive me, but they won't forgive you for 'not knowing your place,'" he said as he did air quotes with his long fingers. He sighed, "This is going to get ugly." Suddenly, he jolted up in his chair. "I'd better hire some security for you. Oh, my God, how did I not think of that?" he said as he pulled out his phone.

"Hah," scoffed Cassy. "I don't need security. You are talking to a woman who singlehandedly faced up to a bear one time," she flexed. "I think I can handle a few reporters."

"But it's not just going to be reporters," said Lucas, grabbing her arms desperately. "You're going to be dealing with crazed fans who will want you dead. People can get pretty stirred up about these things."

As Cassy finished his make-up, they both heard a commotion at the front door of the salon. A group of about 20 reporters were attempting to gain access to the salon. Ms. Park was leaning her slight body against the door, preventing them from entering. Cassy marveled that someone that small could hold back such a mob, and in high heels too!

Lucas sprang up from his chair. "You go out the back door," he instructed. "I'm going to meet them at the front and keep them occupied while you make your escape."

"I don't mind facing them with you," offered Cassy. "We might as well get it over with," she reasoned.

"No!" he said, not meaning to shout as loudly as he did. "You stay out of it! Just do what I told you," he pleaded. "This is not the time to get all independent on me, OK?"

Cassy nodded and moved toward the back door just as Ms. Park lost the battle with the mob of reporters. The horde pushed their way in and left Ms. Park to scold them about how this was a private business.

"It's OK, Ms. Park," said Lucas as he approached the flashing lights of the cameras going off in front of him. "I'll handle it from here," he said as the mob of reporters surrounded him and shoved cell phones toward him.

They shouted questions simultaneously. Lucas lifted his hand to quiet them and said, "I have no comment at this time. S.M. will be putting out a statement soon that will address your concerns," he said, hoping that he was not mistaken that S.M. would make some attempt to help him with this media storm.

The reporters began to shout out their questions again. Lucas calmly replied, "Again, I have no comment at this time." He pushed his way to the waiting van where the other members were staring at him through tinted glass.