Chapter 7: Damage Control

Remi’s POV

“What are you going to do when you get to the office?” Ava’s voice filters through the phone pressed to my ear.

My head falls back against the headrest of the backseat of the taxi and my eyes focus on the tall buildings rushing past me. My head is already pounding with the prospect of what is going to happen when I see Lucy after the debacle that was Gray Wilder being drunk during an interview two days earlier.

“I have no idea,” I groan and close my eyes, hoping the darkness will ease the growing headache pounding behind my eyes. But it doesn’t. “I can’t believe he did that.”

“I’ve never seen him act that way before,” Ava says and it’s enough for me to quirk an eye open.

“You haven’t?”

“Not at all,” she admits. “Something must be going on with him.”

“Or he could just be a drunk,” I roll my eyes. “There was no need to go on a talk show drunk at 10 a.m.”

“Don’t be so quick to judge,” Ava scolds and I roll my eyes. I should’ve expected that response from her. “You don’t know him, Remi. You don’t know what he’s going through.”

“And you do?” I retort, raising a brow. “You seem to know him very well despite having never met him.”

Ava huffs and I know I’ve pushed one of her buttons. I should feel bad because she idolizes this man, but I don’t want her to defend a man that doesn’t need defending. He’s a grown a*s man who makes his own decisions.

“You just don’t get it, Remi, and that’s okay. As I’ve said before, you will learn to view him the way I do. And I’m not saying that as a fangirl who thinks he’s God’s gift to this earth. You’ll see the real him soon.”

The taxi screeches to a halt out the front of the record label and I take this as my cue to get off the phone call before I annoy Ava further. “I think I’ve seen enough of him, Ava. He’s just a guy who is enjoying his life as a famous rockstar. Anyway, I gotta go. I’ll see you tonight.”

I pay the taxi driver and step out of the car, straightening out my button-up shirt before I walk toward the front doors of the intimidatingly tall building. I don’t know why I’m so nervous to face Lucy after what happened the other day. I feel somewhat responsible because I was the one to get him out of bed and to the studio, but I failed to stop him from sneaking alcohol into his travel mug.

Gray said he doesn’t need a babysitter, but it’s starting to seem that he does.

As I approach Lucy’s office, a loud voice shouting echoes down the hall, stopping me in my tracks. My heart is pounding in my chest as I stare at the closed wooden door, wondering who the hell Lucy is yelling at this early in the morning.

My thoughts are answered when the door swings open and Gray steps into the hallway. His brows are pulled tightly together, and his strong jawline is sharp with frustration and annoyance.

“F*cking hell,” he breathes as he rests his back against the door, taking a deep, calming breath. He lifts his eyes to mine and suddenly his annoyance seems to fade away as his features soften and a smirk tug at his lips. “Oh, it’s you. I didn’t think you would still be here after what happened the other day. I’m pleasantly surprised.”

I raise a brow at him. “What? You don’t think I can handle you being drunk during an interview on my first day? Please, I’m sure that’s nothing compared to what I've heard about you doing in the past.”

Gray chuckles and the corner of his lips turn up slightly. “Well, I just had my a*s chewed out by Lucy, so you wanna hope she’s a little nicer to you.”

“I’m sure I’ll be okay,” I roll my eyes and move to walk past him. Although Gray’s cocky and no-f*cks-given attitude can be frustrating, I can’t help but want to ask him a question that has been on my mind for the past two days.

“Wait,” I say, turning on my heels to face him. “Did you really mean what you said in the interview?”

“About not wanting to be tied down by a woman who isn’t right for me?” Gray says, raising a brow. “Of course, I f*cking meant it.” He shoves his hands into the pockets of his jeans and stares at the ground for a heartbeat before lifting his head to look me in the eye. “Rainy, if there is one thing to learn about me, it’s that I hate having to hide who I am.”

“Is this not the real you I’m looking at?” Ava’s words from earlier swirl around in my brain.

Gray snorts and shakes his head. “Absolutely not. Far from it, actually.”

“Why can’t you be yourself?” My voice softens and I tilt my head to the side. There is something sad about knowing this man has to hide his true self and for what? Fame? Money? Acceptance?

“It’s complicated,” Gray waves me off with his hand. “You wouldn’t understand.”

“I wouldn’t understand?” Who does this guy think he is? Just because he’s famous and lives life differently from me, he doesn’t think I can understand something so simple like this?

“Unless you’ve had to live your life in the public eye for the last ten years with millions of eyes watching your every single move, or everything you say or do, you won’t understand how hard it is to be me. I’m not saying it because I don’t think you’re a smart girl, I’m saying it because it’s not something you want to understand about me.”

“I’m more capable than you think,” I fold my arms over my chest and raise a brow. “Try me.”

Gray chuckles and shakes his head, allowing his hair to fall over his eyes, almost like a shield. “Maybe another time, Rainy. There is a lot to unpack with me and I don’t know if I can trust you yet.”

“You can trust me,” I say slowly, emphasizing each word. “I’m here to help you. I don’t want to babysit you or breathe down your neck. I’m just here to keep you on schedule, that’s it.”

“We’ll see, Rainy. I’m going to be a handful, so I hope you’re ready.” Gray smiles and he turns to walk away from me.

“Why do you say that?” I call out to him, and he stops dead in his tracks.

Gray spins on his heels to face me. His eyes stare at me through the strands of wispy hair lying against his forehead. His intense gaze has me shifting uncomfortably on the spot because I don’t know what he’s trying to look for. It’s as if he’s trying to peer deep into my soul.

“Have you heard about me in the media? I’m the bad boy rockstar of Blood Ink. Every guy wants to be me, and every girl wants to be with me. I’m a lot.” He shrugs his shoulders as if to say this is common knowledge.

I don’t believe him though. It’s like he’s trying to put on a façade to hide what he’s really feeling, which was made known to me by the way he has been saying the past couple of minutes. Maybe Ava was right about this not being the real Gray Wilder. But what is he hiding?

“I thought this wasn’t the real you?” I raise a brow and lick my lips.

Gray tugs his lower lip between his teeth, holding back a smile. I must admit that his smile is intoxicating, and I would be lying to myself if I didn’t acknowledge the way it makes my heart flutter knowing he’s smiling because of me.

“You got me there, Rainy. Maybe you are more capable than I thought.” Gray points a finger behind me to the closed door of Lucy’s office where I can hear her yelling at someone else, likely over the phone, something about doing some damage control. “Good luck with that. She’s in a sh*tty mood today.”

I roll my eyes. “I wonder why.”

“Bye, Rainy,” Gray says and turns to walk away again.

I stare at his back for a moment, watching as his muscles ripple under the smooth skin of his biceps with each step he takes. I need to ask him something else, but I hope I won’t regret it.

“Wait!” I call out again, and he turns to face me with a raised brow as if he’s annoyed by me stopping him from leaving again.

“Why do you call me Rainy when I’ve told you multiple times my name is Remi?”

Gray simply shrugs as a small smile graces his plump lips. “Your eyes are the color of rain falling on a warm summer afternoon and I like that. To me, Rainy suits you better.”