Things Lost In The Fire Read Online Free Page A

hugged them both once more for good measure, then rounded her car and hopped in the driver’s seat. As she buckled in and started the car, she waved goodbye. Her grandparents stood together, arm-in-arm, to watch her leave. She offered them both a smile, hoping to portray more confidence than she felt.
    Her heart started to race as she put the car in drive and headed down the long, sweeping driveway. It carried her downhill, out of sight of their wooden home surrounded by towering pine trees. She watched it disappear in the rearview mirror, battling the urge to turn around and flee to safety. The decision was made. She was going to L.A. There’d be no turning back now.
    Feeling a little more positive, she turned onto the main road that would carry her through North Lake Tahoe toward the freeway. From there, it’d be smooth sailing down the mountain.
    Her cell phone vibrated, signaling a text. As she came to a stoplight she read her best friend Tess’s words of excitement, promising bottles of wine for a long overdue girls’ night. A smile lit Sadie’s face at the idea.
    After shooting off a quick reminder to Tess to use the spare key hidden under a rock by the front door, she programmed her iPod to play her ‘going home’ mix. The soulful voices of The Mamas & The Papas rang out of her car speakers, dreaming of California. Singing along, Sadie continued down the road.
    She didn’t know what awaited her in L.A., but it was sure as hell going to be an adventure.

 

     
     
    A COCKY GRIN lit Brody Odell’s face the second before the punch came. He ducked not a moment too soon, dodging the blow with a nimble sidestep and a wild laugh. Exhilaration raced white-hot through his veins, his hand surprisingly steady as he held up his camcorder, recording every second.
    His opponent tried again, only to be wrestled back by his own beefcake of a bodyguard. Being that it was midday on the busy streets of West Hollywood, witnesses were starting to gather. A scattering of paparazzi swarmed in like ants, eager to capture controversial rapper DeShawn “Murda” Williams in a raging mood.
    “You goddamn son of a bitch,” Murda snarled, baring his teeth as he struggled against the hold of his guard. His rail-thin supermodel girlfriend rolled her eyes and scoffed, obviously annoyed at yet another of her boyfriend’s outbursts. She tried to grab his arm only to be swatted away like an annoying fly.
    Brody continued to smile, swiping his free hand through his crop of dark hair. His brown eyes honed in on the rapper with eager intensity. “Do it again. I dare you.”
    Murda gritted his teeth and Brody could tell he was struggling against the temptation to beat him into a bloody pulp. He was also probably debating if the satisfaction would be worth an assault charge.
    Never one to fear risking life and limb, Brody gave a brisk nod. “So what’d you think of that SNL skit last night? I thought it was pretty funny, myself. Though I have to say, they might’ve downplayed your temper little a bit.”
    “I don’t give a shit—”
    “C’mon, baby. Let’s go,” the girlfriend interrupted, her ebony eyes sweeping over Brody like he was a moldy piece of garbage. She hooked her spidery arm through Murda’s muscled one, urging him onward.
    “The best part was when they parodied your new song. I was laughing my ass off,” Brody added, keeping the camera directly in Murda’s face to capture every detail.
    Murda bit back a retort and flipped Brody off for good measure, shoving his middle finger into the camera lens. He turned around and let his bodyguard and girlfriend lead him away, grumbling obscenities under his breath.
    Brody shut off his camera as he watched them go, pleased with himself. “TMZ thanks you!” he called out, laughing like a hyena. Murda shot him a venomous look, barely restrained from jumping into attack mode once more.
    A few of the other paparazzi nearby burst out laughing while a couple of them trotted after