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Chapter Thirty - New York

"This is absolutely amazing. I love it here!"

"My credit card is screaming already."

Grandma gave grandpa a look. He smiled and held out the rectangular symbol of purchasing power. Grandma took it and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you"

I laughed and took a bite of my scrambled egg whites. Grandma hadn't gotten to go grocery shopping for the past few stops and we were back to fast food and whatever catering whipped up.

"You want to come with me sweetheart?" grandma asked.

I gave her an apologetic smile. "I can't. I'm doing a radio interview today."

Grandma clicked her tongue. "You work too hard."

"It's all in a day's work," I said lightly.

After breakfast, grandma took off for downtown NYC while I went to the hotel to get ready for my radio interview. As my stylist was working on my hair, Jasper walked in.

"Where are you going so early?" he asked.

"I've got a radio interview."

"With who?"

"Daniels and Chuck."

Jasper made a face. "They're shock jocks. Why in the world are you going there?"

"Management scheduled it," I said.

"You're dad would bust a nut."

I laughed. "C'mon, what's the worst that can happen?"

---------------------------------

"What went through your head when you saw your sex tape?"

Okay, so Jasper was right. I had only been on air with Daniels and Chuck for two minutes before the questions turned far away from music.

"I never saw it," I said softly.

"Well, they pulled it, but we both had the pleasure of seeing it. We're guessing you're a C cup?"

I felt the heat rise in my face. "I don't think--"

"Would you ever consider implants?"

My eyes widened. "What? No!"

"I heard a couple of the nudie mags are going to hit you up when you turn eighteen. How do you feel about doing a spread?"

"I'd never do that," I said nervously. "I thought I could tell you guys a little bit about my tour and--"

"So you won't do a magazine spread even though so many of us have seen the goods?"

I felt dirty. These guys were in their late twenties or early thirties and even though I was dressed uber-professionally, I felt naked. I looked down at my hands.

"Why so shy? Trevor was on last week and from what he was saying and from what we've seen, you're certainly not the shy type," Daniels said.

I was totally blindsided. "Trevor?" I asked.

Chuck grinned. "Wait, I think we have a clip...hold on..."

A second later, Trevor's voice came flooding through my headset.

"Brooke puts on a good show, but she's not as nice and innocent as she wants people to believe. I mean, she had me thinking she was a virgin when she wasn't. I'm not saying I regret what we did. I mean, as you've seen she's got a dynamite body, but still..."

The soundclip went on for a few more minutes. Trevor talked about everything from the way I moaned to how I had fucked-and-dumped him.

I couldn't believe it. Tears sprang unwanted into my eyes.

"You look so upset Brooke. You know, it's your chance to set the record straight," Daniels said giddily. I could see they were eating up my reaction.

"I--I---"

A large hand pulled my headset off and threw it at the guys.

"Interview's over."

I looked up. I had never seen Jasper look so angry.

"Who are you?" Chuck asked. "Her body guard?"

"A boyfriend?" Daniels asked. "Hey, how old are you?"

Jasper's arm wrapped around my arm gently. I stood up.

"How the fuck can you sit there and ask her this shit? She's sixteen. You should be disgusted with yourselves."

He turned me and we walked towards the door.

"That guy so has to be hitting that," Chuck said. They both burst into loud, obnoxious laughter.

The door slammed behind us. I covered my mouth and sank down against the wall.

"It's okay. You don't want to do this here. They have their security cameras. Don't give them what they want."

I looked up. Jasper's dark eyes were staring at me with sympathy. I exhaled an uneven breath. He helped me back up to my feet.

We didn't say anything else until I was back in the car. My guard and driver took up the whole front seat. Jasper sat beside me.

"I can't believe that!" I finally blurted.

"They're gross," Jasper said. "I tried to warn you."

I groaned. He was right way more than he was wrong. I wasn't used to that.

"How could he say that about me?"

"Who?"

"Trevor!"

"Brooke, he's got a lot of issues. I gotta admit I've been keeping up with the celebrity rags and they're been picking apart things about his family and stuff. Add in teenage immaturity, and well..."

"That still doesn't make it right."

"Not at all," Jas agreed. "I think he's doing it because it's getting him press. I read a couple days ago that he's leaving Grenadine and going solo."

"So he's using me to get ahead," I said scornfully. "God, why am I so stupid?"

"You're not stupid."

I looked at him. "I dated three guys in the course of like five months and all three of them..."

"Do you think you're the only person who doesn't find Mr. or Mrs. Right the first time around? Trust me doll, I've made my share of stupid mistakes."

"Is that why you don't date?"

That made him laugh. "I'm not anti-date. I've just learned the hard way to actually get to know someone before making a big commitment."

He reached over and squeezed my hand.

"You're a tough cookie, Brooke. It was a bad interview and it probably won't be the last bad one you have."

"But my fans--"

"You're not perfect. You're human, not a machine. Personally, I tend to like humans. What about you?"

I smiled and turned towards the window.

"Shut up."

"Do you know how many times you've told me to shut up lately?"

I looked back at him.

"I'm sorry."

"Naw, it's okay. I'm used to it. When you have siblings you get used to it."

I laughed. "Tell me about it."

Jas stretched out his legs.

"Think we should tell g-pa about this interview?"

"Are you kidding? He'd go in with guns ablaze."

"Exactly. I think those two dickwads deserve a gun up the ass."

"Agreed, but I don't have time to bail him out of jail."

Jas nodded. "We'll leave that up to your mom."

My forehead creased. "Why?"

"Because when your dad hears what happened, he'll lay the smack down."

"He's not that bad."

There was a grin. "That's not what I heard. Your dad told me about his police record when we went golfing."

"He brags about stupid stuff."

"So he didn't go to jail for tracking down that scum that tried to rape you?"

"Well...yeah."

"Good. I would have been disappointed if that was a lie."

I puckered my lips. "Why?"

Jas didn't hesitate. "Because I would have done the same thing if someone did that to you or any other girl."

I looked at him in surprise.

"You'd go to jail for me?"

He laughed. "Let's hope nothing ever happens to test that."

I nodded. Of course. He had just been talking big. Typical guy.

"Seriously, I would. My dad's a lot like yours. I was raised the right way."

"I can tell."

We looked at each other. Something that I can't explain started to build, but Jas looked away before I could really figure it out.

I was just glad that he had my back.