“Harley?” How would she ever survive the next year without falling in love with him?
“Yes.”
“I feel as though I owe you an apology.”
She hadn’t expected him to say that. “What makes you say that?”
Carter sighed. “Brent.”
Brent. She wished she’d never met the man. Ever since he’d come into her life nothing had gone the way it should.
“Why would you need to apologize for Brent?”
“I don’t know what’s going on between the two of you, but I don’t think you love him or even like him very much. But that’s none of my business.” He paused. “I’ve disrupted your life. And I’m sorry for that.”
Goodness, wasn’t that the truth! But probably not at all for the reasons he suspected. “I don’t think you’re the source of the disruption.” Instead, he’d become a source of peace.
They were quiet for a moment.
“Can I ask you a question?” he asked softly. “Really, it’s more of a favor.”
Harley paused before answering. “Why don’t you ask and then I’ll decide.”
Carter chuckled. “Fair enough.” He cleared his throat. “Will you trust me?”
What?
Harley’s heart thundered and her body began to tingle. She opened her mouth but no words came.
It didn’t matter because he wasn’t finished. “Maybe you have no reason to believe in me, but I wish you would. I wish you would trust me, come to me if you need help. If you need me.”
Harley couldn’t swallow past the lump in her throat.
“If you do that, I promise I won’t ever let you down.”
A sob broke free and Harley lowered her phone to the sofa so he couldn’t hear as she tried to collect herself. When had anyone ever made her a promise like that?
Never.
She brought her phone back to her lips. “Carter?”
“Yes?”
“I have to go.”
His exhale was loud in her ear. “Goodnight, Harley.”
“Goodnight.” Her voice cracked and she quickly disconnected the call. She double checked the screen twice to make sure the call wasn’t still connected before she let herself cry for real. What was Carter doing to her? She had no idea, and she wasn’t convinced she wanted to find out.
Chapter Twenty-One
The next morning, Harley avoided his gaze when they met in the hall outside their apartments. Carter couldn’t regret anything he said to her the night before, but he did regret the awkwardness.
“What do you think Brent has in store for us today?” he asked once they were in his car.
She shrugged. “I don’t know. I haven’t really talked to him since all this happened.”
“Hmm.”
“I’m not really sure what’s going on.”
“Oh, really? What makes you say that?” Carter wanted her to confide in him. Tell him it had all been a hoax, something cooked up by Brent and Missy, but maybe Harley didn’t know the whole story herself. It gave him a headache thinking about it. All he really knew, he didn’t want anyone to hurt Harley, including himself. So, he would keep quiet and wait for her to confide in him.
“Well, first of all, he’s a jerk.” She ticked off a list on her fingers. “He’s not nice to me at all. He tries to control me. He was mean to Kaden-” Carter’s hands gripped the steering wheel tighter at the reminder. “He can’t act. And he tried to fight you then called the police because you defended yourself. And me!”
Carter whistled. “That’s a lot of reasons. Sounds like you should just dump him.
“Carter, just-” she stopped and looked out the window.
“What?” he asked, desperately wanting to know what was going through her head.
“Nothing. Like I said, it’s complicated. You just don’t understand.”
“I know I don’t,” he softly replied. “I wish you’d tell me.”
He waited for her to say something, anything. He’d almost given up hope she would when he heard her quiet whisper.
“I wish I could.”
They’d named him Jordan. While sitting in hair and makeup longer than could ever be necessary, Carter read through his lines again. He liked the writing, but that wasn’t surprising since he was a fan of the first series. That part of it felt surreal, when it hit him he’d be starring in a movie opposite his favorite actress in his favorite series.
And today was the day to prove he could be an actor. Not just to himself or to Stephen, but to Harley. She was the only reason he was even doing this. He had a feeling she needed saving, and like he’d told her the night before, he’d do anything for her.
After his torture session with the stylists, Carter made his way over to where they were filming for the day. Everyone assembled around Stephen, the atmosphere light and pulsing with excitement. Carter felt the stirrings of his own anticipation.
Stephen caught his eye as he approached and clapped his hands once. “Okay, everybody. Let’s get to work!”
INT. ABANDONED WAREHOUSE - DUSK
MILA TULLY (25), a beautiful young woman, sneaks into a building through a broken window carrying a gun and dressed all in black. She wears a black stocking cap over her blonde hair.
JORDAN PARKER (30), a rugged young man, walks confidently through the front door of the same building. Mila catches sight of him and sinks further into the darkness behind stacks of boxes.
Jordan and Mila both still. Muffled voices fill the large room. Jordan ducks behind the same stack where Mila hides.
Mila backs away and pulls her gun. Jordan holds out his hand, then he brings his finger to his lips as he turns his head to listen.
Mila listens, too, her gun held lax between them.
Two men walk in front of the boxes. MILES TULLY (26), a burly young man in a leather jacket, and CARLO TULLY (57), Miles’s father, an older man past his prime wearing a suit.
MILES TULLY
Mila could be a problem. Jenny told me she’s been asking questions.
CARLO TULLY
Don’t worry about Mila. She had her chance to betray the family the way her brother did and she didn’t.
MILES TULLY
Yeah, but what if she’s, you know, playing us? Like a double agent?
Carlo cuffs Miles with a light punch to his face.
CARLO TULLY
I told you, let me worry about Mila. You just make sure this shipment makes it to the pier on time. You got that?
MILES TULLY
Sure, Pops, sure. You got it.
Miles walks away from his father. Carlo spins on his heel as his eyes search the warehouse thoughtfully.
Behind the boxes, Mila points her gun at Carlo through a crack. Jordan grabs her wrist to keep her from firing. Mila pushes his arm aside. Jordan wraps his arm around her waist. Mila struggles. Jordan disarms her easily, putting a finger to his lips. Mila stops struggling.
Carlo perks his ears. Jordan jerks Mila into his chest, holding a hand over her mouth. He tucks her weapon into the waist of his pants.
Mila tries to get away. Jordan stops her with a kiss.
“Cut!” Stephen shouted from the edge of the set, but Carter didn’t listen. His lips had touched Harley’s for the first time in more than a year and he wasn’t quite finished with her yet.
The kiss hadn’t been part of the scene. He’d ad-libbed. Hopefully, Stephen wouldn’t be angry because Carter had absolutely no regrets. Besides, it just came naturally. Carter’s instincts to keep Harley safe, even from John, the teddy bear actor portraying Carlo Tully, just kicked in.
“Cut!” Stephen yelled again, this time with some amusement and Carter knew his time was up.
“I’m sorry,” he murmured as soon as he lifted his lips.
“Really,” Harley asked, her eyes still closed.
“No. Not at all.”
She lifted her eyelids and Carter got caught in her emerald green gaze. “I didn’t think so,” she said and turned out of his arm
s leaving him standing there panting after her like a dog.
“Well, Stephen, that’s what you get for hiring an amateur who can’t even follow the script.” Harley glanced at Carter over her shoulder, brows raised.
Sighing, Carter followed close behind prepared to face the music.
“You mean a perfect scene?” Stephen deadpanned. “Let’s do it again.”
And that’s what they did. From every conceivable angle, Stephen filmed the scene and Carter kissed Harley over and over again until he wished the day would never end, because then he’d be right back where he started, the guy who didn’t have a right to kiss her at all.
When they finally broke for the evening Harley was spent. Working with Carter had proved emotional. He had no experience as an actor, but the man oozed confidence, competence, and tenderness. He exhibited strength when he needed it and a sweet kind of vulnerability when he didn’t.
Jordan Parker was Carter, not because of how the role had been written, but because Carter only knew how to be himself. In short, he didn’t act, he reacted. Harley played the role of Mila Tully and Carter did what Carter knew to do, he kept her safe, he bantered, he loved.
When he kissed her the first time, Harley lost all sense of where they were, what they were doing. They were all that mattered. Harley, under the pretense of doing her job, finally got what she’d been wanting for months, another kiss from Carter Bragg. And, boy, did he not waste the opportunity. That was no simple first kiss between strangers. Harley could only imagine how it would look on screen.
Fantastic.
It would be fantastic, just like the kiss itself.
But now, she needed a break, time away from him. She told Carter she had some things she needed to do before she could go home. Mostly, she needed to find Missy, and Brent, who’d been filming with the second unit in another section of the industrial park.
Carter offered to wait for her, but she told him she’d get her driver to take her back to the apartment. He slipped her a piece of paper with a number on it and told her it was the code for the elevator. He’d given her the keys to her apartment that morning. She was all set.
As she watched him walk away, part of her wanted to go with him so they could talk about what had gone on between them. She’d never felt that way after a kiss for the cameras. Usually, on screen kisses made her feel as though she’d been kissed by her brother. Not Carter’s. Every time their lips touched, they were Carter and Harley not Mila and Jordan.
Harley headed to her trailer hoping to find her mother. She found Missy sitting on a lawn chair outside.
“Hey, what’s going on?” She could tell something was wrong from the way Missy held her head in her hand.
Missy lifted her eyes. Mascara ran down her cheeks, her eyes and face were red and blotchy from crying.
“What happened?” Harley rushed to kneel in front of her mom.
“What do you think happened? You got what you wanted, didn’t you?” Missy spat the words.
“What are you talking about?” Harley had no idea what her mother meant.
Missy shoved her phone in Harley’s face. “He did it. He threatened me, but I didn’t believe him.”
Harley took the phone, still trying to process everything her mom said. “Who threatened? To do what?”
Missy laughed a miserable laugh. “Brent. He said he’d ruin us and that’s just what he did.” She gestured to the phone. “Read it.”
Harley looked down at the phone screen and gasped. “Oh, no.”
“Oh, yes,” Missy sobbed.
The article on Missy’s phone was an exclusive from a major news corporation, not a gossip rag. Brent had gone to the media with a sob story about how Missy and Harley had hatched a plan to humiliate and ruin him.
He explained how Missy approached him, begged him to hire her and then blackmailed him into pretending to date Harley in an attempt to solidify their business relationship. He told the reporter Missy feared Harley would someday lose her popularity and she wanted a man to represent.
He then went on to say Harley and Missy tricked him and convinced Stephen to give Carter Brent’s role in Brave and Bound because Brent wouldn’t give in to their demands.
“This is horrible,” Harley gasped. Mostly, because a lot of it was true. Except the part about Carter. That hadn’t been Harley’s fault. Or Missy’s.
“He’s threatening to sue for pain and suffering for the loss of his leading role and for our part in the whole thing. But he can’t prove anything. Still, I’m ruined in this business and your spotless reputation is shot.”
Harley wasn’t so sure about that. But what Missy said about her hopes of expanding her career as an agent was probably true. She’d never be able to find anyone to represent after this.
Harley should be able to weather the storm. But only if she created some distance between herself and her mom. It was time. Past time, really.
Harley rose to her feet. “Mom, I think you should go home.”
Missy’s hands slowly dropped into her lap and when she turned her tear-streaked face toward Harley, her eyes were filled with rage.
Real fear coursed through Harley as she began to back away from her mother.
“Just for a break. A vacation-” Harley stammered, backpedalling.
“You think you can get rid of me? You think you can just send me away!” Missy screamed as she lunged for Harley.
“That’s enough!” a familiar voice roared as two arms wrapped around Missy, holding her back from attacking Harley.
“Carter! What are you doing here?” she felt so stunned she didn’t even know what she was thinking. Carter was there, holding onto her thrashing mother.
“I turned around,” he grunted. “Something didn’t feel right.”
Harley had never been so happy to see anyone in her life. But now, what to do with Missy?
Harley thought for a moment. “Can you help me get her to the airport?” she asked.
Carter nodded grimly. “I can do you one better.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Harley called her bodyguard. Troy hurried from the hotel to meet them at Harley’s trailer. She’d also alerted the security team on location, but Missy had calmed down somewhat by the time Troy arrived.
Carter called a car and made arrangements with his pilot to take Missy to LA in his private jet. Troy would accompany her to make sure she made it.
Carter had a million questions about what had happened between mother and daughter, but he held them back. Once Missy and Troy were on their way to the Bragg’s private hanger, Carter and Harley went to talk to Stephen.
They found the director in a dark room watching dailies. He’d already been alerted to Brent’s actions and asked Harley for the truth of what had gone on between herself and Brent and Missy’s role in everything. Harley answered his questions honestly and Carter was glad to finally have the answers he’d been looking for himself as he listened to her.
Stephen rubbed his fingers across his cheek. “Your mother put you in a difficult position, Harley. I’m sorry about that. Where is she now?”
“On a plane back to LA,” Harley replied.
Stephen nodded. “Okay. Well, I’m having my people look into Brent’s accusations. To be honest, I’m tired of dealing with the man. I’m going to do everything in my power to get him off my movie. In the meantime, I’ll see you both back here Monday morning. We have a lot of work to do.”
“You’re not worried about the press?” Harley asked.
Stephen waved aside her concerns. “People write all kinds of nonsense all the time. Brent James and his petty complaints are just a drop in the bucket for this media machine.” He gestured to the screen he’d been watching. “Don’t sweat it, Harley. Let’s just do our jobs and make an incredible movie.”
Carter lifted his brows as he took hold of Harley’s hand. They started to walk away.
“For the record,” Stephen called out, stopping them.
Carter and Harley
turned back to face him.
“You guys looked incredible today. This scene is perfect, exactly what I envisioned when I read the script. I can’t wait to get back to work.”
Carter pumped his brows up and down and Harley snorted a giggle as they both rushed out of the room. Laughing, they raced a few steps away from the door and Carter caught Harley in his arms. Her grin softened into a small smile.
“I’m sorry about your mother,” he murmured. “How are you holding up?”
Harley shrugged. “We have a turbulent relationship.”
Carter frowned. What he’d witnessed today was more than turbulent. It was abusive. Carter opened his mouth to ask her more, but she stopped him.
“Let’s not talk about her anymore. Please.”
“Okay,” he hated that she was hiding from him, but he supposed he didn’t blame her. He still needed to earn her trust. Besides, there were other things they needed to clear up.
“You never loved Brent James.” Carter clarified, just for the record, as her feet dangled near his shins.
She shook her head. “No, I can’t stand Brent James.”
“And you are not now nor have you ever been dating him?” He had to be sure.
Harley smiled. “Nope. Never.”
“You know what this means, right?”
She shook her head.
“It means I’m going to ask to kiss you.”
“Carter, you’ve been kissing me all day,” she reminded him, her cheeks blushing a pretty pink.
Humbling the Spoiled Billionaire Page 12