Hot Pursuit

Chapter 1

[Georgia's POV]

A WEEK LATER

It has been days after I had caught Kieran Locke in Penelope's place, and up until now, there was still no progress in my lead about him. I was completely losing my patience. I have been staking out at nights, trying to scope the streets in the red light district, hoping to find more intel about him and where he always used to hang out with some of his sleazy friends. But aside from getting the occasional booze after a photoshoot or wrapping up a TV drama shooting, Kieran would always retreat back to his own place, sleeping the rest of the night. It was not getting me anywhere that I even started to doubt whether Penelope's words have been all just a sham to make me distracted.

Maybe she just said that so I could drop the whole "one-time" thing between them. But Penelope had never really lied to me before, and she knew how obsessed I am when it comes to scandals and such. She would never really betray me. I have decided to dig deeper and find a way on how to expose this man. But still, nothing of that truth has been giving me even just an ounce of slight accuracy with all of these things that I am witnessing while stalking the hot actor.

He was totally living a bachelor's life. He was all alone. Apart from the big and chubby Persian cat in his place that accompanies him on his day-offs, Kieran does not have anyone at all. He flirts with women in bars and clubs, but he would never really spend a night with them. Maybe he has preferences... He did sleep with Penelope a week ago, so that counts as something. If he is already married, then he was totally cheating. I wonder what kind of woman his wife is. What kind of woman would ever really get married to Kieran Locke? It must be a difficult relationship to handle. She might be someone who is never used to the spotlight if he was trying so hard to hide this from the public.

Or maybe she is some big-time personality who did not want any of the messy media extravaganza to ruin their marriage life. Well, Hollywood is a toxic industry and it could definitely destroy any chance of survival for a good relationship. But that was not what I wanted to get out from all of this. I had spent so much time and wasted hours instead of sleeping just so I could catch this guy. When will I finally see something worthy of my eyes? I am so stressed. And I feel like a woman possessed. I am starting to lose my grip.

Deciding that I needed to loosen up, I finally give in and entered the club where Kieran was now hanging out with a few of his friends. Most of the guys I have seen he was drinking out with were fellow actors and models too. They all are bachelors as well. Some of them had their own fair share of scandalous secrets that I am actually glad to get a glimpse of while I was stalking Kieran. At least, I still got something out of this whole adventure. I was not empty-handed. I could still write up another juicy gossip if ever this whole chasing Kieran turned out to be a failure.

As soon as I entered the sliding doors of the place, beer and lights welcomed me in. I immediately spotted an empty seat at the bar counter and sped my way there, signaling the bartender who seemed to have just finished mixing a drink.

"One gin and tonic," I requested. That was the only drink I could handle since that was what I usually order in bars. The bartender nodded his head at me and started doing my drink as soon as I said it and I waited, drumming my fingers on the counter. I scanned the place. It was a weeknight so people are fewer this time. I immediately zeroed in the usual spot where Kieran and his friends sit with random girls around them again. That was expected. I smirked. I could clearly see how Kieran was enjoying the way the brunette on his right was plastering herself against his side, smiling seductively as they whisper words at each other. Ugh.

I never really liked seeing those things so I looked away and gratefully smiled when I saw my drink being pushed towards me. I briefly thanked the bartender and went on to sip some of my drink. That was what I needed as I sighed and appreciated the alcohol.

By the time I was feeling a little light-headed, I was already on my third glass of gin. I was confused for a second when I looked around and did not see Kieran anymore at where he was sitting with the brunette. For a moment, I really thought they already left and I inwardly cursed at myself for being quite careless. I could have already caught him in the act of spending a night with a woman. But right when I was about to leave the bar counter to look for him, I tripped and almost fell forward if not for a huge arm anchoring me back to my balance as it brought me back upward. I was too surprised. I did not have any time to process what just happened and I swayed as I tried to turn around so I could look at the owner of the arm who had helped me.

I was not really expecting anything far off when I unwittingly looked to face the savior, but when I did, I could feel my jaw dropped. I was immediately sobered up as I gaped at the face of the man behind me.

It was Kieran Locke.

I could feel bile slowly boiling from the pit of my stomach. This was not a good feeling at all. My eyes don't even try to look away as I held Kieran's intense gaze. And from the way he was looking at me, I already knew this meeting was not amusing for him at all.

I pretended to smile, but my trembling lips felt pathetic before I came swaying forward again, closing my eyes for the fall...