Page 70 of Last First Kiss
The posts ranged from: You should be ashamed of yourself to I can’t wait to see this movie. There were a few disgusting and very graphic and lewd posts about Julia and some about Rocco.
As she scrolled down, Annie realized that this was what her life would be like if she dated Rocco. Not the crazy stalker shit, which may very well be a common occurrence, but the women constantly vying for his attention. Could she ever compete? Was she as thick-skinned as she hoped she was? Because that is the only way to date a movie star like Rocco. Blind trust and the ability to ignore the paparazzi and rabid fans.
“Death to Americano.”
“Americano idiota”
“Viva Gabriel. El Comandante”
Then it started to become alarming. One, then two, and then suddenly a hundred people started egging each other on, right there on Julia’s Facebook page. “Let’s show the Hollywood prick, he’s not a real man, like Mendoza was.”
“He doesn’t know how to handle a gun like I do and like el comandante. Let’s go show him.”
It was her experience that the mob mentality was sometimes worse than a true believer of a cause. Her heart pumped, and for the first time, she wasn’t sure whether to interrupt them again, or stop production all together.
Her decision was made when Ben came running back.
“Julia! In the car. Now.” Then he pointed to Annie and said, “Two pickup trucks on the street and one news van. Pickups have signs and four to five people on the bed of the truck. Getting out of here is going to be hell.”
Because of the unmarked path to the clearing, it seemed as if everyone parked by the Facebook check-in but didn’t know the exact whereabouts of where they were. Unfortunately, though, they’d have to pass right in front of them to get out of there.
The crew began to pick up as Ben drove Julia away. Annie wasn’t exactly sure if that was the right decision. The paps would see where Ben came from and know where the filming was generally located. They needed to leave before the crowd became larger, but if there was another way away . . .
“Come on, before we’re mobbed. We’re going on foot.”
* * *
“Crazy, this is the craziest idea you could’ve possibly had.”
“Ben and Julia are going to unintentionally lead them to us. Plus, I don’t go into situations blind. What if we were seriously outnumbered? What if they are violent? Without a phone to call to get an idea of what was going on, I’m not going to take a risk.”
“You don’t go into a situation blind?” Rocco asked, trudging forward through the swamp. “What the hell do you call this? Are we lost?”
“Did you really think I didn’t have a backup plan? I scoped this out a week ago and Joey gave me three alternate routes. Relax.”
“At least give me a gun!” he snapped, while following her deep into the Everglades. This was reminiscent of a fucking horror movie.
“Keep low. Shut your mouth. We’re less than a quarter mile from the street. The Facebook check-in post has a wide range. Cars can be parked anywhere and your voice carries, especially out here.”
She was hunched down and he had a perfect view of her perfect ass; too bad this was the least perfect timing to be doing such a thing.
“If we weren’t knee-deep in mud, I’d fuck that commando attitude out of you, right here against that mangrove tree.”
She turned, an eyebrow cocked high. “That one right there? The one buzzing with mosquitoes?”
“Yeah, Tiger, that one right there. You wouldn’t feel the mosquitoes, trust me.”
“How about the snakes and alligators, I wouldn’t feel those either?” she teased.
“Jesus Christ, babe,” he said, as his foot disappeared into the muddy swamp. “Way to ruin a moment.”
Grabbing her by the arm, he stopped her. She turned, still hunched low, and mouthed an annoyed, “What?” as he patted her breasts.
“I thought you were being cute. This really is not the time, Monroe!” she reprimanded.
“I’m grabbing whatever weapon you have tucked in here, Tiger.” He pulled out her ASEK, which she’d explained was an Army-issued knife. With a roll of her eyes, she relented. It wasn’t a gun but it would do.
“Are you sure we’re going the right way? I think this is a bad idea. We should be—”
