by C. J. Thomas
“I, huh, I lost something.” I ran my fingers through my hair.
He squinted at me. I could tell he was silently calling my bullshit. What could I have lost that was so important to tear apart the stuff hidden in the corners that hadn’t been touched in years?
It was a stupid excuse. I knew it the moment I said it. You’d think I would have a few more tricks up my sleeve from constantly being surrounded by the world’s best actors.
But I didn’t.
My mind was too far down the rabbit hole, chasing this stupid dream of easy money.
“What’s up? Don’t you have class or something?”
Ted paced back and forth, picking up and turning over boxes, setting them back in their proper places. He took the time to read the script printed on the outside of each box before moving across the room and opening another chest.
As I kept my focus on him from the corner of my eye, I couldn’t help but question his behavior. It was like he had also heard of Wes’s theory and was looking for the prize himself.
“I thought more about how you treated Alex.” He flipped a box inside his hands and glanced in my direction.
“Who’s Alex?” My brows drew together.
He gave me a skeptical look. “The intern who answered your question perfectly. The one you treated like dirt. My best, and most promising, student. Remember her?”
“Oh, her.” My words were as slow as my nodding head. “Haven’t we talked about this already?”
He hung his head to his chest and clucked his tongue. “She’s really good.”
I knew that.
She was good. Yes. But I swore to myself that I’d make her fucking great.
My eyes closed. And when they did, all I could see were her amazing Caribbean green eyes and jet black hair; all I could fell was how that tight pussy of hers fit over my cock like a glove. “Why is it you’re here?” My eyes opened and landed on Ted.
“I came by because I have a request.”
I paced back and forth, wondering where I would hide stacks of cash if it were me smuggling drugs. There were too many nooks and crannies, too many props and other junk to know where to even begin to start looking.
If it were me, I’d hide it in plain sight.
I glanced over my shoulder in Ted’s direction. “What kind of request?”
He put the box he was holding back down. “I need you to keep your distance from Alex Grace.”
That was her full name—Alex Grace.
I liked the way it sounded rolling off my tongue. Smooth and sexy, just like my hands on her hips as I drove into her, punishing her with my pulsing cock.
Ted lifted his brows as he stared at me.
She would be impossible to keep my distance from. There were three things that consumed me.
One. When Darkness Fell.
Two. The supposed missing money.
Three. Her—Alex Grace.
“If you’re interested in her, why not just come out and say it?”
He pinched his lips together. “I’m not having this same conversation with you again.”
I laughed. “It’s no secret.”
He stared at me but couldn’t find the same amusement I was having.
“And if you think you’re doing a good job of hiding it, you’re not.” I waved him off, rolling through my laughter. “It’s just that you keep talking about her.”
“I’m asking you for this simple favor because I don’t want to see you toss away someone who actually has talent.”
My laughter dimmed. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
He began to walk away. “Just do me this one favor.” He sliced his hand through the air.
My gaze quickly landed on the one box Ted didn’t bother stacking.
This wasn’t over.
I’d have Alex Grace.
And I’d find the money Wes clued me in on.
Wes was one of those guys who just begged for competition. He invited me to play when he asked me if I knew anything about it. And now I wanted it—really fucking bad. The way I saw it, it was a race to find it first.
And the clock started now.
13
Alex
I MET Kendra early for coffee. When she called, I figured she’d want to talk about last night.
We ordered our drinks and we found an empty table in the back, up against the windows looking out to the sidewalk.
She kept stealing glances at me between licking her lips and smiling, waiting for me to ask.
“What?” I giggled, playing dumb.
She shook her head, giggled, and swished her bangs across her forehead.
“How was he?” I asked. No use in dragging out the inevitable.
She sprang forward, straightened her spine, and slid her elbows halfway across the table. “He plays the guitar.”
“Slim Jim. He plays the guitar?” My words were slow as my mouth slackened.
She nodded enthusiastically.
“What about . . . you know?” I rolled my wrist.
She slumped down in her seat. “He was okay.”
Memories of him polluted my mind. He had that grunge look to him. I knew that neither he, nor his friends, were my type. Lucky for me, I decided to leave alone and not take Kendra up on her offer of allowing me to sleep with one of his friends. That one decision allowed me to experience the exclusive, and massively hung, Nash Brooks. Which I was sure was a hell of lot better than the sex she had.
“He was a stub.” Kendra narrowed her eyes and held up an inch gap between her fingers to show me his size.
I looked away, recoiled, and shook through a tremor.
That wasn’t the last of her story. She continued on, going into much more detailed information than I ever cared to know. Slowly, my eyes glossed over, my ears muffled, and my mind drifted back to Nash as I stared at my friend, pretending to listen.
Nash Brooks.
My sex clenched just thinking about him. And if it wasn’t for finding that money, he would have consumed me entirely.
“He was so tall; there was no way I wasn’t going to not be on top.” Kendra was still talking about her night rolling around with Slim Jim. “It was fun for what it was, but I won’t be seeing him again.”
I set my coffee mug back down after taking a sip. “Are you ever going to stop shopping around?”
She belted out a sharp pitched laugh. “Baby doll, please.” She angled herself so that she was facing the counter. “The only way I’ll stop sleeping around and be exclusive to just one penis, is if someone as famous and rich as Nash Brooks decides my pussy is the one his donkey dick wants.”
Heat swept my face and I had to look away.
She stopped talking and eyed me. “Are you blushing?”
My eyes were all over the place, trying to find refuge anywhere but on her.
I wanted to tell her about Nash fucking me. But I couldn’t. It didn’t seem right. Like she’d believe me anyway. One minute he was pushing me away at the bar, and the next he had me pressed up against a brick wall, spreading my legs wide.
The entire night was too random for even me to believe that was what actually happened. Besides, it was probably a onetime thing anyway. I mean, if it happened to Kendra, I’d have more questions than I had time for. And that was exactly what I didn’t want to happen—setting myself up for my own interrogation.
“It’s my roommate.” I changed the course of our discussion, knowing that she’d understand if I brought up my bitch of a roommate.
Her lips pointed and curled over her coffee mug. “She still squawking like a banshee when bangin’ his brains out?”
My eyes smiled. Kendra always had a special way of saying things. “Yeah, but last night she came home and marched straight up to my door.”
“What did she want?”
“She said that I needed to move out.”
What I couldn’t tell her was how scared I was that someone was after what I found. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with th
e money and I thought it was best to keep quiet about it until I had a plan. I was sure someone would be looking for it and I didn’t want to entangle Kendra in my own mess.
“Fuckin’ bitch,” Kendra said under her breath. “What are you gonna do?”
My hands cupped my mug as I stared into the creamy abyss. “What can I do? I have to find another place.”
“Doesn’t she have to give you some heads up?”
“No.” I looked up at her from beneath my brow. “I never signed a lease.”
“Because . . . ?” She craned her neck like it was the weirdest thing she’d ever heard.
“I couldn’t afford the first and last month’s rent.” I lifted my mug and sucked down a sip. “Or the security deposit,” I said, swallowing down the hot liquid.
“But she let you live there anyways” Her brow tightened.
I nodded once. “I pay more per month. That was our agreement.”
“And now she’s kicking you out because the boyfriend wants to fuck her in your room?”
“Oh, God. Gross.” My nose scrunched and I turned away as if I smelled something foul.
“What?” She shrugged her shoulders. “They probably already have. When you weren’t there. She’d totally do that. You know it.”
“Stop it.” I leaned back and twisted my hair over my shoulder. “I don’t know how I’m going to afford another place.”
Except that wasn’t entirely true. If only I had the guts to spend the money I found, then my problem would be no problem at all. I could live anywhere I wanted. If only it was that easy and I could brush off the guilt I knew I’d feel if I did spend even just one dollar of it.
Something about all this didn’t gel.
“I know you’re not going to like this—” Kendra lowered her chin and arched a brow. “But you could always come live with me.”
14
Nash
“ALEX!” I called her over.
Like I could stay away from something I desperately needed to have all to myself. Ted was naïve in thinking that his request, and our friendship, was enough for me to stay away from someone like her. He knew me better than that.
She ran over, and when she was within reach her chin dipped down. “Mr. Brooks.”
I reached out and smoothed my hand down her upper arm. Naturally, she pulled away, like a flinch, but eventually settled into my warm embrace. “Alex, please. Call me Nash.”
She eyed me with a set jaw.
“Easy tiger.” I laughed. “If Nash is too formal, stick with Brooks. Just drop the mister. Got it?”
She nodded, giggled anxiously, and relaxed as she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her hair.
Her ears flamed red and I knew she was just as lost in what happened last night as I was. My gaze drifted across her delicious features all too easily, as neither one of us had the tenacity to talk about what happened.
Her black hair cascaded down her back. She was wearing a loose fitting guava colored blouse, matched perfectly with washed out jeans. Her earrings feathered a turquoise color that brought out her flushed cheeks and had me painfully hard.
She rocked back and forth on her heels, staring out over the busy set as teams marched from one task to the next. It was late in the afternoon and I’d been working them hard for a few hours now.
“I want you to work with Ricky Moran.”
Her head tilted to lock eyes with me.
I knew what it was she was thinking. And, no, it wasn’t that. She was doing just fine working with costume to get everything set for the next scene. “Is that a problem?”
“No.” She shook her head, and when she did, her bangs swished across her forehead. “What is it you want me to do?”
“Anything he wants.”
She lifted her hand to her mouth and tapped her finger on her bottom lip.
Fuck me; she was dead sexy. There was nothing I wanted to do more than tug down that same lip and slide my cockhead past it and over her satin tongue.
“Hey, Ricky.” I caught him passing by. “C’mere.”
He jogged over. “What’s up Nash? You like that last scene or what?” He bounced on his toes like a MMA fighter and let out a booming laugh.
“There’s someone I’d like you to meet.”
His eyes landed on Alex.
“Alex, Ricky.” I waved my hand between the two of them. “Ricky, Alex.”
“Hi.” Alex held out her hand. Ricky shook it.
“Ricky, when’s the last time your trailer was cleaned?”
Alex’s face reddened as she glared at me.
“A long time.” He leaned back as he said it.
“Good. Show Alex the way. She’ll be cleaning it now.” I crossed my arms across my chest and smiled.
“Thanks Nash.” Ricky flung his arm around her shoulder and leaned in to whisper something in her ear that I couldn’t hear as they walked away.
I knew she’d hate me for it, but it was important I kept her in her place. Especially if she was going to be my lover.
I pinched my lips and a moan escaped from deep within. She had me hypnotized as I watched her hips bounce from side-to-side. My masculinity was heavy as it strained against my briefs.
There was only one time before Alex that a lover was as willing to let me fuck her without properly introducing ourselves first. And it just so happened that she was also an intern brought to me by the great professor, Ted Fields.
Call me a sucker for young, naïve women—but it was true. There was no denying it. I had my reasons for taking them to bed; and teaching them my ways was only half the fun.
That was what Ted was really worried about—that the same thing would happen again.
Maybe Alex was his best student. But so what? There was more to it than just that. And though he rarely brought up what happened with me and the last intern, I knew he still had some tough questions for me.
Ricky glanced over his shoulder and winked.
Alex turned to see who he was waving to, and when she saw it was me, her expression tightened.
A part of me still believed it was Ted who was most interested in laying her down in his bed. I wasn’t interested in bringing Alex to bed. What I really had my sights set on was making her my Submissive.
And that would happen. All in due time.
I weaved between the crowds and made my way to the set decorators.
Putting Alex with Ricky was all part of the plan.
It was no accident. I wanted her there. Inside his trailer. To take care of him and study his moves.
But more than that, I hoped that she might learn if he knew anything about the money Wes said was never found.
It was a gamble. A risk I hoped would play out in my favor.
I get the money. I win over the girl. Game over.
The only possible flaw to my grand scheme was that Alex could fall for Ricky somewhere along the way. Hell, he was already putting his moves on, and after what I assigned her to do, she probably wouldn’t mind trading me in for him.
Ricky was good enough to have her. Damn good. But not as solid as I was.
It was up to me to let her know who she really wanted. I was the boss. The one she listened to. And when she knew that she was mine, she’d do anything I asked.
15
Alex
PAIN LINED MY EYES.
My hands cupped beneath the facet, filling them with water, before splashing it over my face.
Anger painted my complexion and nothing seemed to wash it away.
It was just awkward to be around him. I stretched my face and circled my jaw, making my ears pop. I didn’t know what to expect after what we did last night. A part of me knew it would be uncomfortable at work today.
But nothing told me it would be like this.
Everything was going so well in costume. Then he had to reassign me and put me under Ricky Moran.
“Listen to me,” I whispered to myself as I dabbed my face dry.
If it was anybody else, they
’d be psyched to be so close to such a big Hollywood hot shot. And on any other day, and under different circumstances, perhaps I, too, would be stoked for the opportunity.
Except today wasn’t just any other day. Nash did this on purpose and I couldn’t place my finger on why.
Ricky was nice. He made me feel comfortable and it wasn’t hard for me to warm up to him as he walked me to his trailer. That was good. Real good.
But he wasn’t the one I wanted to flirt with. Nash’s words from last night still plagued my thoughts. “There will be more, and you should always be ready.”
Those were his exact words—verbatim. The same words that kept my mind speeding around the race track all night, preventing me from getting a good night’s sleep. But there was a huge contradiction with what he said and how he acted today.
The words he spoke last night didn’t come to mean what I thought he meant by them. Maybe I was over-thinking everything, making it into something more than it really was. I didn’t know.
The toilet flushed behind me and Val, another intern, stepped out of the stall.
I smiled through the mirror’s reflection.
She smiled back but paired it with a dismissive glance that I didn’t know how to interpret.
I wondered what that was about. It wasn’t like we were competing for a job or anything. So why the attitude? It totally caught me off guard. I brushed it off as quickly as I could, giving her the benefit of the doubt that she didn’t mean anything by it. After all, I didn’t know her all that well, so maybe she was just like that—bitchy.
“What team were you thrown into?” I tried to be nice and start a friendly conversation.
She scrubbed her hands and huffed. “Lighting.”
“Close to the action.” I smiled.
“It was fine.” She looked up at me while she massaged soap into her hands. “Nash is keeping the Assistant Director spot open. That’s what I really want.” She dropped her gaze and turned her head away.
I shuffled my feet and pushed the hair out of my face. “Huh, I hadn’t heard that.”