Hollywood Flirt - Alexa Aston Page 0,92
the key to open it instead of popping the trunk open. Dash wouldn’t be able to help her. Besides, she couldn’t endanger him by bringing him to her meeting with Wake.
Wake wasn’t stupid. If he caught sight of Bruce and the other security team members as she left the front entrance, Sydney didn’t know what Wake would do. Despite her promise to Dash that Herc wouldn’t be harmed, her ex had come unhinged by flying cross country and kidnapping Herc in order to lure her to meet him. Sydney couldn’t afford for anything to go wrong.
That meant losing her detail.
“Wait,” she said quietly before Wake could reply, not wanting Dash to overhear her next words. “I have a better idea than leaving by the main gate and trying to lose the security guards. There’s a back entrance at the studio. It’s not large enough for cars. Only individuals can walk through it. They’ve hustled out big stars that way to help them avoid the paparazzi and had a car waiting for them.”
“Good. Use it.”
Sydney left the keys in the ignition. Hopefully, Dash would figure out she was gone and make enough noise to have someone let him out of the trunk. She stepped out of the car and made her way between buildings, skirting golf carts and extras along the way as she kept up a running chatter with Wake about former classmates of theirs. Professors they’d had. Parties they’d attended.
Finally, she reached the small entrance. The twenty-foot-high chain link fence was covered in tall hedges for privacy. Sydney went to the gate. It had been there for so long, most people had forgotten about it but she’d grown up on this lot and was glad she’d remembered it. The gate was so old that it didn’t even have a code in order to access it. She merely turned the knob and it swung open. She scooted through quickly as the gate slammed behind her. A key would’ve been required to re-enter the studio lot—but she had a date with destiny.
“I’m out on the street now,” she informed Wake.
“What’s the nearest intersection?”
She told him. “I’ll start walking west.”
“I’ll pick you up. Hang up now and toss the phone back over the fence. And, Sydney, don’t do anything dumb. You know why.”
Sydney walked along the sidewalk, trying to calm herself with deep breaths. She still had formed no plan but did the only thing she could.
Dialing her own phone, Dash answered on the first ring. “Where are you? Are you all right? Why the hell did you leave me? When the car didn’t start, I kicked and banged until someone let me out. Where are you now?”
“Get to the paparazzi gate, Dash. I’ll make sure Herc is there. In the meantime, I’ll leave the line open but I’ve got to go.”
“Sydney, wait!”
She slipped Dash’s cell into the side pocket of her purse as a dusty gray car turned the corner in front of her. It slowed as she approached. Wake was at the wheel. She didn’t see Herc at first and then caught sight of him in the rear seat. A deep breath whooshed from her. At least he seemed unharmed.
Wake stopped the car. “Get in,” he ordered. “Front seat.”
Sydney opened the door and rested her right knee in the passenger seat. She gave Herc a bright smile. “Hey, Herc.”
Swollen, red eyes gave away how much he’d cried. She glanced and saw a zip tie bound his wrists. Anger bubbled through her.
“All of you in the car, Sydney. Now.”
She faced her ex-husband. Several days of stubble covered his face. His perfect hair hadn’t seen a stylist’s scissors in months. His eyes held a dangerous gleam.
“Let Herc go and I’ll get in.”
Wake latched on to her wrist. “It doesn’t work like that.”
“What do we need him for? He’s just a big baby, Wake. We don’t need him. Cut him loose.” She hated saying that in front of Herc but she’d rather have his feelings hurt than what might become much worse if she couldn’t get Wake to leave Herc behind.
Wake studied her. Sydney tried to look contrite and meek. As a gesture of good faith, she slipped into the passenger’s seat but didn’t close the door, letting her right leg dangle outside the car.
“Get out!” Wake yelled.
Herc jumped. He started crying again, snot dangling from his nose. Sydney didn’t know if Herc realized what he was supposed to do.
“He means you, Herc. Get out of the car,” she said evenly.
“My hands hurt,