Black Light: Scandalized

by Grant, Livia

  “I just signed on to the project myself last week. Like you, I’d been turning the studio down for over two years on this one.”

  His friend paused long enough, Shane had to prod him. “And? I’ll bite. What changed your mind?”

  Nolan grabbed a chunk of baguette from the breadbasket, taking a moment to dip the crusty bread in his plate of olive oil before answering.

  “For starters, I made them fire that asshole they had onboard as director.”

  Shane was impressed. He’d tried to get them to change directors, and the studio wouldn’t hear of it. Maybe Nolan Boeing had more pull in town than Shane had given him credit for. Still, it didn’t fix all of his concerns.

  He could feel Boeing studying him carefully, trying to gauge his body language. When Shane gave nothing away, Nolan continued.

  “Next, I told them Amy Parker wasn’t a strong enough female lead for the role of Calista. All they keep talking about is how this project has the ability to take top honors at the Oscars two years from now. I told them there was no way Amy Parker would get them there.”

  Shane agreed. He’d met the actress several times, and she was a solid performer, but she wasn’t an academy award-winning actress, at least not yet. It may make him an asshole, but Shane knew he was at the time in his career he needed to work with only the best, and Amy just wasn’t.

  “They’ve replaced her. The new lead signed on three days ago.”

  News like that usually hit the rumor mill within hours. That it hadn’t peaked Shane’s interest.

  “Okay, I admit. I’m curious who got you to change your mind.”

  There were only a half dozen names of top-tier actresses Shane thought could pull off this complicated project. Unless one of their names came out of Boeing’s mouth…

  “Khloe Monroe.”

  Fuck. She was one of three top leads he wanted to work with. A half-drunk discussion with the man sitting next to him flitted back to Shane’s memory. They’d been at Black Light, and Monroe and her Dom, Ryder Helms, had been there that night.

  “Bastard. You’re using insider info to play me.”

  “Maybe, but if it puts together a project that will take home up to seven statues, wouldn’t it be worth it?”

  Shane chuckled. “Khloe’s great, don’t get me wrong. And let’s say, for a minute, I sign on. There’s no way in hell Blessed Betrayal is bringing home seven statues. Not with the crew they’d assembled.”

  “The only members of the original project who remain are the screen writer and the costume designer. The studio now has Apollo on retainer for the director slot, contingent on us getting you to say yes. They also hired the same musical director from last year’s Golden Globe winner when I pointed out the opportunities for the soundtrack royalties alone on this one. Add to that an upgrade in sound and makeup.” Nolan paused before grinning, “And you can’t discount my significant influence as the new executive producer for the project.”

  “Wait. You’re producing, not just bankrolling this?”

  “That’s where we started, but the deeper I got into negations, the more I realized I didn’t want anyone else at the helm of this one but me.”

  Well, fuck me.

  Their waiter had just arrived with two huge plates with rather tiny portions of Eggs Benedict. Shane waited until they were alone again to speak.

  “Fine, I’m listening,” he admitted as he grabbed his fork and dug into the food. He did his best to ignore Boeing’s smug smile.

  “I’m glad. That was easier than I thought it would be.”

  “I haven’t said yes, yet, asshole, just said I’m listening.”

  “Fair enough. I talked to your agent. He’s probably sitting across the street with a pair of binoculars right now, spying on us. He was pissed at missing this meeting.”

  “I bet he was. He would sure hate to miss out on his commission if we make a deal around him.”

  “That explains why he was here waiting for me even though I told him to stay away this morning.”

  Shane chuckled. “Sounds about right. So, what exactly did you talk to John about then?”

  “Your availability for starters.” Shane was booked solid for the next fourteen months. “I have Apollo’s assurance, he’ll wait for you for up to three years if he has to.”

  “Okay. Not sure how Khloe Monroe feels about that, but it’s nice.”

  “I also negotiated filming on location in Greece and D.C. There’s no way to do this exclusively in the studio. That was a deal breaker for me too.”

  Shit. Boeing was really knocking through his list of objections. There was only one more point of contention.

  “I’m not doing a project for less than…”

  “Twelve million. That’s for each… you and Khloe.”

  That was higher than the ten million he’d asked for months before. He was starting to smell a rat. “For a standalone film? Don’t get me wrong, I like money, but something doesn’t feel right. What am I missing? And don’t give me the party line. I need the truth.”

  “You haven’t been paying attention to the bestseller lists, have you? This book has been in the number one slot on both the New York Times and USA Today Bestseller’s lists for over a month now. The popularity of the novel has shown the studio the potential they were sitting on by already owning film rights. Lucky for us, they decided to rethink things.”

  The men took a minute to eat in silence, each thinking through the details of the lucrative project. Shane had followed his gut many times since coming to Hollywood ten years before from the small down in Iowa he’d grown up on. He trusted his gut. That meant one thing.

  “Fine. You got me. I’m interested. You can schedule time with my agent to talk about contracts.”

  Nolan leaned down to grab a folder out of the briefcase he had leaning up against the leg of the table. He pulled a few stray pieces of paper out, waving them in front of Shane.

  “I’ve already put the draft together. I’ll send this with you. I’m sure you’ll want your agent and lawyer to review, which is fine, but don’t sit on these for too long. If you turn me down, I’m gonna have some damage control to do.”

  “Oh yeah, why’s that?”

  “Because I promised them all I’d get you to say yes.”

  “That was pretty ballsy of you. But then again, you’ve been doing a lot of ballsy things lately.”

  If looks could kill, Shane would be dead on the floor. Nolan Boeing was a smart man. He knew Shane was razzing him about the bold move the dominant had made just a few weeks before on Valentine’s Day. Shane had been out-of-town filming and had missed the Roulette event at Black Light. Even now, weeks later, the club was still buzzing with gossip about the torrid events of the night.

  Stories of Nolan Boeing and Piper Kole were at the top of the gossip pile.

  “So, she hasn’t called you back yet?” Shane asked, keeping the conversation vague, in case someone was close enough to overhear.

  “No, and I don’t want to talk about it.”

  “Ouch. I’m sorry, man. Maybe she’s out of town?” Shane tried to smooth his friend’s ruffled feathers with what they both knew to be a bogus excuse.

  “Fuck that. There’s nowhere on the planet where she isn’t getting my calls. She puts on this brave face, showing the world how kickass she is, but all she really is a damn coward. Too afraid to pick up the phone and have a goddamn conversation.”

  Shane couldn’t disagree with his friend. He’d witnessed Piper Kole in action at Black Light many times. She was more hardass with her play partners than Shane was on his best day. Before hearing the stories of how Nolan had bid to be her submissive for one night on Valentine’s Day, Shane would have said she was all Domme. Now, after hearing his friend’s side of their complicated relationship, Shane wasn’t so sure anymore.

  Shane assumed Nolan would change the subject, but instead, he leaned in to confide in his friend.

  “She won’t be able to avoid me forever. I’ve go
t the inside scoop on presenters for next week’s Oscars. She’s gonna be back in town. Unless she wants me to meet her on the fucking red carpet, she’d better damn well start talking to me soon.”

  “You wouldn’t confront her in public.” It was a statement. Shane was sure Nolan wasn’t that stupid.

  “Damn straight, I will if she leaves me no choice.”

  “That’s cold, man. You know how private she likes to keep her personal life.”

  Shane should know. He’d known Piper for years. They’d both been secondary characters in a wedding scene early in their careers. Shane didn’t know her well but considered both Nolan and Piper friends, even before bumping into them more frequently since Black Light had opened the year before.

  “It’s all up to her. She’d better start answering my calls, or she won’t leave me any choice.”

  Before he could second guess himself, Shane pulled his cell phone out of his jean’s pocket and started flicking through his contacts list.

  “I don’t need her number, I have them all,” Nolan assured him. “I’ve called her cell. Her production office line. I’ve left messages with her assistant, even her personal stylist. Nothing. I feel like a pathetic loser, chasing after the prom date who snubbed him after the dance.”

  “Interesting analogy.”

  “There is absolutely nothing interesting about this situation,” Nolan groused.

  “Have you thought about just walking away?”

  Nolan leaned closer, talking softer. “I fucking did that for over five years. I’m not doing it again. There’s something there. I know it. She knows it, too. That’s why she’s avoiding me.”

  “Okay, okay,” Shane held his hands up in a sign of surrender at Nolan’s assertive rant. “Then there’s only one thing to do.”

  Shane picked up his phone again and went back to Piper Kole’s personal information.

  “I told you, I have her number.”

  Shane pressed SEND and held the phone to his ear, listening to the phone ring before he answered, “I know. But she also has your number programmed in her phone. She isn’t going to answer for you. She might, on the other hand, answer for Shane Covington.”

  “Hello? Shane?” Piper’s feminine voice came through the phone.

  “Hey there, Piper. How’s it going?”

  “Okay, I guess. It rained all day yesterday, so, of course, we’re running behind. It sucks we didn’t wrap here before we had to break for award week.”

  Shane watched Nolan carefully as he listened to the award-winning actress chitchat on the other end of the phone. Conflicting emotions of anger and panic ping-ponged on the producer’s face as it sunk in that Shane really was talking to the elusive Piper Kole.

  “So, to what do I owe this call? I haven’t heard from you in ages.”

  “Oh, I’m out to brunch with friends, and we were talking about the upcoming award season. I heard you’d be back in town. Maybe we’ll bump into each other at Elton’s after party again like we usually do.”

  “Ah… sure. I guess. Other than getting my dress lined up, I hadn’t really started to make definite plans yet.”

  “That’s cool. Maybe we’ll bump into each other at another club. We can talk about it then,” he pumped her.

  Several long seconds passed in silence before Piper asserted, “I’ve canceled my membership to that other club. We won’t see each other there again.”

  “Shit, that’s too bad.”

  Piper wasn’t stupid. She was getting suspicious. Nolan was reaching out to grab the phone away from him. He knew if he handed over the phone call with Piper, he’d be burning a bridge with her big time.

  Maybe it was the desperation on Nolan’s face that reminded him suspiciously of the wimp he’d looked like a few hours before, watching out the window into a parking lot for one sexy housekeeper to arrive at work. Maybe it was the unspoken rules of the dominant man’s club, he and Nolan were both members of. Either way, it didn’t matter. Shane held the phone out to Nolan. He could hear Piper calling his name through the line, thinking the call had been dropped. Shane stood as Nolan grabbed the phone.

  “I need to take a whiz. I’ll be back in ten minutes. Good luck.”

  * * *

  “Shane? You still there? I think I lost you.”

  Damn, he’d forgotten how sexy her voice could be when she wasn’t raging at him. Nolan needed to get control of his emotions. He’d only had one brief conversation with Piper since Valentine’s Day, and it had been a disaster.

  “Piper.”

  God, he’d just said one word, but the anguish in his voice spoke volumes.

  A long minute passed. He worried she’d hang up. Words rushed through his brain as he scrambled to figure out what he could say to get through to her. Damn Covington for putting him on the spot like this. He wasn’t ready to…

  “Nolan?”

  His heart raced. That was progress. She’d said his name without screaming at him.

  “How are you?” It was a stupid question, considering their history. It surprised him it was what he most wanted to know. She may have ripped out his heart and trampled on it at Black Light with an audience watching, but it didn’t matter. He still cared. He still knew at his core, the real Piper Kole was hiding inside the icy shell she’d constructed for the public.

  “This is a new low, even for you.”

  “How do you figure? I care about you. I just want to make sure you’re doing okay.”

  “Oh, I’m just fine and dandy. Now, stop stalking me, or I’m gonna have to…”

  “Don’t hang up. Please…” Damnit. Now he was begging. Wasn’t being humiliated by her during roulette bad enough? “I just want to talk for a few minutes.”

  “We don’t have anything to talk about, Nolan. You fucked-up bidding on me. I fucked-up by not walking out the second I found out. It’s over now.”

  Anger flared. “Nothing is over. We have unfinished business. You’ve shut me out for five fucking years. I’m not gonna let you do it again.”

  “Do you even hear yourself, Nolan? Did you ever consider I just don’t like you? That I’m not attracted to you?”

  “Bullshit. Feel free to play that delusional game with the boys you like to dominate, but it isn’t gonna work with me, Piper. We aren’t kids with a silly crush. If you think I don’t know what a real connection feels like, you’re crazy. We have something special.” He paused, and when she kept silent, he tacked on, “I don’t know why you’re pushing me away, but we can work through it.”

  He’d half expected her to start ranting at him like the last time they’d spoken. Apparently, the call had caught her off-guard as well because he could hear her heavy breathing at the other end of the line. Was that a sniffle? Was she crying?

  Nolan closed his eyes, remembering how magnificent she’d looked on Valentine’s night. Their connection had been real. She’d literally taken his breath away, right up until she’d left him tied up on center stage while she ran out, crying.

  “Please, Piper. Talk to me, baby.”

  The second the pet name slipped out, he regretted it. He’d used it once in their time together a few weeks before, and she’d fought back at him in anger. But today was different. There was no shouting. No reminding him Mistress Ice was no one’s baby.

  “Why won’t you just leave it alone?” He had to strain to hear her almost-whisper.

  “Because I care. More importantly, I know you do, too.”

  “What difference does that make?”

  “Are you kidding me? Maybe you’ve felt this way about tons of other men, but not me, Piper. I’m going on record. I’ve never felt about any other woman the way I do you. Quite frankly, it’s been a pain in my ass. It would be a hell of a lot easier if I could just get angry and walk away again, but I can’t. I won’t. Not again.”

  “You’re certifiable, you know that?” He heard the manic quality of her protest.

  “No, I’m not, and if you think about it for even two minut
es, you’ll know I’m telling you the truth. I’m one of the most level-headed men in Hollywood. I don’t get caught up in drama. I don’t like to play games, and you know that’s the truth. That means you need to take what I’m saying to you very seriously.”

  He’d been hopeful. She’d been quiet—listening to him.

  So, when she jumped in, yelling at him, it caught him off guard.

  “Don’t you dare lecture me, Nolan! There’s so much about this town—this business—you’re fucking blind to the bullshit, just like everyone else who has an ounce of power. Who am I kidding? You’re part of the problem!”

  What the hell was she talking about?

  “Tell me about the problems. I can help fix them.” He forced his voice to remain calm, refusing to argue with her again, especially since he had no clue why she’d become so angry so fast.

  A ragged sob betrayed how upset she was.

  “Piper… please… I don’t know what’s happening, baby, but I promise you, we’ll figure it out.” Nolan’s own heart raced, feeling helpless to understand what had upset her, but for once, he knew it was something bigger than their personal relationship.

  “I need to go. Goodbye, Nolan. Tell Covington he’s on my shit list. And don’t try this again, or I’ll just have to change my phone number.”

  “No! Don’t hang up!”

  It was too late, she was gone—again.

  He was tempted to call her back, but he knew she wouldn’t answer. He threw Shane’s phone down in frustration before putting his elbows on the table and dropping his head into his hands. Nolan closed his eyes and replayed their brief conversation, over and over again, trying to understand what had happened. His sixth sense told him Piper’s anger today had been less about him and more about some larger problem.

  But what?

  “That didn’t last very long. Did she talk to you at all?”

  Covington was back. He’d have to think through things later at home. He was missing something. He just didn’t know what. Sitting up, he opened his eyes.