My mind races as I stare down at the contract.. “Why? Why are you doing this over me?”
“Oh, it ain’t you, honey. It’s Hollywood’s glory and honor. I’m not alone in this. I’m just the one with enough balls to make you the offer. We ruin careers left and right in the business. Use ‘em and toss ‘em, that’s how Hollywood works. Cooper ruffled too many feathers. My feathers. Bringing his fat whore to charity events and threatening me? Yeah, tip of the iceberg baby. There’s an order to things, a way of life we’re all very accustomed to here in LA. He’s been threatening that lifestyle for years. If you ask me, he’s a ticking time bomb. But if you sign your pretty little name, I’m gonna be the one who swoops in and saves his entire fucking career.”
“I’m not signing shit.”
“You should take some time to think about it. That signature also buys me keeping my trap shut about certain things I’ve heard from my little friends. You think I’d give you the goods on the first day? Get real. I can tell the school board about your spy cameras in schools.”
He slides something across the table and I’m ready to throw up. He’s hacked our camera feed because I’m looking at Chase and me sneaking into the bathroom last night. “Fuck you.”
“Ex-husband gang members with a rap sheet two miles long look real good on the cover of the gossip rags.” He pulls something out of his pocket and leans in, his smile turning my stomach. “Or I could go right for the jugular and spill the beans on that little club you like to spend time in.”
“Go all the fucking way to hell, you pig.”
“Okay. Suit yourself. I’ll run you both out of Hollywood. Hell, out of California. Before the end of the school year, you’ll both be long forgotten shit stains in line for unemployment and. government handouts. Don’t worry, I’m sure I can hire you to clean my toilets and suck my cock. It’ll be a love story for the ages, riches to can’t even afford rags to wipe my fucking boots.”
“You can’t do that!”
“Oh, but I can. I’ve made more deals with the devil than I care to admit, and each one has come with more power than god. You try me and see how quickly people can forget. It’s a cinch to knock Chase off that pedestal of his and watch him break like a fucking egg. A photo here, a story there. A weeping mother in front of the cameras talking about how her daughternever stood a chancewith a controlling, abusive prick like Cooper. A sweet story about how he held her daughter captive in his home, doing god knows what to her, until she finally snapped and took her own life. You’re nothing but trash to be tossed in the gutter, but him? Oh, I’m gonna enjoy the fuck outta that.”
“That’s not what happened. That’s not what happened and you know it!”
“You assume people give a shit about the truth. You been sleeping through the last few years, sweetheart? No one cares about the truth. They care about the drama, the fighting, the pretend feelings. They care about ratings and gossip. As for you? You won’t get another job in any school after those rumors spread. I mean, fuck. My little snake laid it on thick enough to convince your poor, innocent, sweet mother, didn’t he? Tell me something though, who the hell did you piss off in the paps?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You pissed off someone with a camera, and juicy isn’t even the right word for what they’re digging up. What does Chase call you? Mistress? Madam? I bet you got a tell-all book inside of your thick skull that could bury him so fast. But it won’t sell when I leak the details of your little hobby with the whips and chains.Tie me up tonight, Renate!”His Chase impersonation sucks, but I still want to throw up. When his hand finds mine, I try to pull away, but he grabs my arm. “Maybe we could put that pretty mouth to use. You say no, now. But once I ruin you, you’ll both be begging to suck my cock for a couple of bucks.”
Screw throwing up. I want to punch this smug, arrogant asshole in the fucking dick. I picked a public place to protect myself, but in doing so, I guess I made it harder for me to fuck this guy up. I can’t think of a damn thing to say, but I don’t want to sign this bullshit contract, and he can’t make me. I’ll call his bluff, because that’s what it has to be.
“I’m not signing.” I close the folder and push it back toward him.
“Alright. Well, when you want to change your mind and beg for mercy,” he sneers, handing me a business card with nothing but his number on it like he’s some hit man from a made for TV movie. He taps the folder again. “You know what? You should keep this. Give it a read through while you’re eating your bonbons and tacos or whatever the hell you do.”
He drops a hundred-dollar bill on the table like it’s supposed to impress me and walks away. I keep my mouth shut as he leaves, trying not to show any emotion when I’m full of rage and anger. The second he’s out the door, I let out the breath I’ve been holding and let my head fall onto my arms on the table.
“Miss, do you want another drink?”
I nod. “Yeah. Yeah, I think I need another.”
* * *
I drink so much at the bar, Chase has to come pick me up. I thought about calling Dani, but she’s already busy with her band tonight. I fall asleep in the car with my head against the cold glass of the window and instead of waking me up, Chase parks and comes around to carry me inside. I don’t even bother to fight him; I’m in no shape for it anyhow. And he’s too damn tall. I’m going to be in a world of hurt tomorrow.
He takes me upstairs and helps me get undressed before pulling one of his t-shirts over my head and tucking me into bed like I’m a child. He even kisses me on the head and leaves a glass of water and two pills on the nightstand before I black out.
* * *
I wake up screaming into Chase’s arms as he rocks me, slowly pulling me out of the nightmare. When the world comes back into focus, I’m a hot, sweaty mess. I wipe my eyes and pull back a hand streaked with tears and mascara. I’m also convinced someone sat on my chest.
“You’re okay, I’ve got you, Sunshine. I’ve got you, baby,” he coos softly in my ear as the last of the nightmare fades away. Chase looks at me with that smile of his and I get butterflies. “Feel better? You kept screaming about signing something and the devil, so I ran up here to make sure you were okay.”
I have to squint to focus on him, and it’s not because my glasses are on the nightstand. There’s a lump and a bruise forming under his eye. “Who hit you? I’ll fuck them up!” I slur, still drunk, but ready to swing.
“Well, I’m not sure you could take her. She’s short, but she’s fiery.”
“Oh my god, I hit you?!”
“Punched me right in the face, but I deserved it. I shouldn’t have tried to hold you while you were still working on your left hook.”
