by Susan Stoker
“Your words?” Before I could continue, he reached over and snatched the script from my hand and slammed it onto the table. His finger pointed to the name beneath the title. “In case you can’t read, Haven’s Hell was written by Connor Daniel.”
“I can read just fine,” I snapped.
“Judd—”
“What?” I flinched as Judd shouted and turned his head to look at Evan who ignored the rude interruption.
“Connor Daniel is a pseudonym… an author sometimes chooses to use a pen name to—”
“I know what a fucking pseudonym is. What does that—” I watched as his eyes widened and he looked down at the script and then back at me. “You? Are you saying you’re Connor Daniel?”
“Yes.”
“You wrote Haven’s Hell?”
“I did and adapted it into the screenplay. That’s why I’m here. To see what can be done to make the book I spent years of my life on into the best movie it can be. I’m here to decide whether it can be fixed or if we need to start over, make some changes… and that includes reassessing the roles…” I paused but knew I had to give him the truth. “Specifically, your role.”
His eyes narrowed and his jaw clenched hard enough that I could see the vein in his neck pulsing. “You can make all the fucking changes you want, but I’ve got an iron-clad contract that states I am the star of this film and—”
“Did you read it?”
“Of course I fucking read it!”
“Every word?” I asked. I had my answer when his eyes darted to his agent’s. “I didn’t think so.” Looking at Cheryl, I thanked her and took the thick sheaf of papers she’d pulled from her ever present satchel. Slapping it down onto the table next to the script, I said, “Do us all a favor. Read the contract you signed… all of it.” I stepped away, knowing I had to get out before I lost the courage I’d found.
“What the hell are you doing, Dani?”
Turning back, I saw him staring at me. “Read it, Judd. If you have any questions once you have, we can discuss them then.”
Chapter Four
Judd
I couldn’t believe it. Never would I have imagined that Dani was capable of something like this. The ‘good girl’ I’d met in college had been shy, unsure of herself and would do anything to avoid confrontation. This woman wasn’t that Dani. This woman was not soft or timid. She was hard as steel and evidently had more balls than any producer I’d ever worked with. Who in the hell not only carried around contracts that had been signed months ago but had mine readily available? The answer should have been nobody. The fact that she’d not only produced mine but instructed me to read every line had the first twinge of true concern pulling at my gut. I wasn’t even aware that Cheryl had evidently followed Dani out until I dropped down into my vacated chair. Looking up, I saw that the entire trailer had emptied except for Evan.
“What the fuck? What is Dani talking about? What’s in here that has her thinking she has the power to replace me?”
“It seems that her agent negotiated a few clauses that gives her client more control than usual.”
“Are you saying she can actually fire me?”
“Hey, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. I’m sure it won’t come to that—”
“Don’t fuck with me, Evan. Answer the goddamned question!”
“I don’t remember the actual wording, but…” He sighed and shrugged. “Yes, I guess she can.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me!” I snarled. “I pay you a hell of a lot of money to make sure shit like this doesn’t happen.”
“I told you to read the contract, Judd. I specifically said that it wasn’t the standard one you’ve been offered before—”
“It’s your fucking job to protect me. And now I learn that some agent I’ve never heard of managed to negotiate some sort of special deal for a woman who’s never made a fucking movie? And you didn’t say a goddamned word to me about it? What kind of fucking agent are you?”
Any other man would have cringed as I shouted, but not Evan. He simply reached over and picked up the contract to wave it in the air. “I’m the kind of fucking agent who repeatedly said we needed to discuss this before you signed. I’m the kind of fucking agent who has spent the last several years working my ass off to get you the multi-million dollar deals that most actors would sell their souls for but will never see. I’m the kind of agent who makes sure your face isn’t plastered all over the tabloids when some woman claims you’re her baby’s daddy. And you’re damn lucky I’m the agent who will do whatever is necessary to make sure that your fucking ego doesn’t get your sorry ass kicked off a film that the public is already salivating to see. A film based on a book that has sold millions of copies worldwide. And, in case you’ve forgotten, Judd, I’m the kind of agent who is willing to take your abuse because I’m not only your agent, I’m your fucking friend. Now, I don’t know what the problem is with you and Ms. Connolly. Shit, I had no idea you two even knew each other. So how about you just cut the shit and read the goddamned contract!” With that, he tossed the papers down in front of me and, like the others, left the trailer.
I stared down at what I suddenly realized could have been the biggest mistake of my life. No, not the biggest. That had happened years earlier but had involved the same woman. A line from the play The Mourning Bride by William Congreve popped into my head. He’d written that ‘Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.’ With a premonition that I was about to be forced to face that fury and pay for what Dani obviously still considered as scorning, I opened the contract and began to read.
A half hour later, I closed the folder and sat back. Fuck. Why the hell had I not bothered to read the damn thing? I knew why. Because I was Judd West. I was the most sought after actor on the planet. People promised me the moon and paid obscene amounts of money to have my name scrawled on a contract. People catered to me, not the other way around. Except not this time. Evan hadn’t been exactly truthful. After reading and re-reading every line of the contract, I now knew that Cheryl hadn’t negotiated a few clauses. She’d negotiated to give Dani full license to oversee every aspect of the film. If she didn’t like the theme music, she could order it changed. If she didn’t like the set, the studio would have to fucking find one she approved. And the cast? That was no little clause. That was huge and I’d discovered that if Danielle Connolly didn’t think the cast was doing her book justice, well, all she had to do was speak up. A woman who had been basically unknown in the literary world a little over a year ago, and a total nobody in the movie industry, could simply say the word and I was out.
A twinge had me realizing that my fists were clenched so hard that my knuckles were turning white. Opening my hands, I ran them through my hair and then across my face. Shoving my chair back, I stood. Now that I finally had my answer as to what Dani was doing on my movie set, I had new ones taking its place. How far did she plan on taking this, and how far was I willing to let it go? Perhaps this time I should be the one to take the coward’s way out and simply walk away. That thought brought me up short from where I’d been pacing and filled me with determination. I wasn’t a coward. I was Judd West, and no one was going to have me tucking my tail between my legs.
By the time the door opened, I was once again seated, a fresh mug of coffee in my hands. I didn’t fail to notice that far fewer people had returned than had left. Though Aaron walked in, there wasn’t another soul from any of the production crews. Neither were there any other actors or actresses. Even the eager to please Jamie was missing. The only other people who joined me were Evan, Cheryl, and, of course, the only one I guessed truly mattered, Dani.
I didn’t speak as I rose and gestured for Cheryl to take my chair. Even though she’d managed to ensure that her client had the power to screw me, I had to admit I admired her abilities as an agent. She didn’t belittle my consideration, thanking me softly as she sat down. The others took seats at the same end of the table. I took the empty chair next to Evan and waited. From the look that Dani
shot to Cheryl and then to Aaron, I knew she was surprised that I wasn’t standing over her, raging like someone possessed. Sipping my coffee, I continued to wait until finally, she looked at me.
“You’ve read the contract?”
“Yes.”
“All of it?”
“Every word.”
“Um… did you understand it?”
“I can not only read, Dani, but have a fair grasp of the English language as well.”
Her eyes dropped and she shifted a bit in her seat and then froze. I wondered if she thought the move might be considered one of weakness… or perhaps she was feeling guilty? Whatever the reason, she sat up straighter and met my gaze again.
“Do you have any questions, Mr. West?”
Oh I had questions. A hell of a lot in fact, including what sort of fucking game was she playing? Was this some sort of payback? But, in truth, none of those questions really mattered and I wasn’t sure I’d believe her if she attempted to assure me they were frivolous concerns. There was only one question I needed to learn the answer to.
“Am I fired?”
She looked a bit surprised at the abruptness of the question but recovered quickly. “That depends.”
All right, so she was good at playing games as well. By not answering clearly, she forced me to ask another question.
“On what?”
Ignoring the contract I’d left on the table, she picked up the script. “On whether or not you are willing to take direction… from me.”
“I am.”
Her eyes widened and her bottom lip disappeared between her teeth. That was something else I remembered. She’d always chewed on her lip when unsure of herself. It was a gesture she’d always been unconscious of and one that had never failed to have me reach out to stroke her lip with my fingertip until she released it. I’d also always leaned down and drawn that abused lip into my own mouth, stroking across it with the tip of my tongue as if to soothe the bite. But that had been years ago. Today I just sat watching until she released it and nodded.
“Then no, you’re not fired.”
“Okay,” I said, pushing to my feet and heading for the door.
“Judson… I mean Judd, wait…”
Turning, I gave her my attention.
“That doesn’t mean you won’t be… fired, I mean. If you can’t convince me that you’re prepared to give the performance that I know you are capable of, or invested in the role enough to light up the screen… to make the magic happen, then don’t think for a moment that I won’t exercise my options.” When I didn’t speak, she sighed and looked at Aaron.
“We’re shooting the saloon scene in the morning. That should give Ms. Connolly an idea of which direction we need to take. Be in wardrobe at 6:00.”
Nodding, I turned and left without saying another word and headed for my trailer. Taking the steps two at a time, I yanked the door open. I’d seen the furtive looks shot my way as I’d walked across the field. I had absolutely no doubt that my fate had been the topic of conversation over dinner and would remain so until word spread that I was still on the set… for now.
I began stripping off my clothes as I walked to the bedroom. It wasn’t until I pulled my t-shirt over my head and tossed it at the hamper, that I felt relief flooding through me. I’d not even noticed the Toyota had been missing from my parking spot. Though I was very glad to see that my guests had departed, I grinned when I saw what they’d done. Rumpled sheets piled on top of the hamper told me that not only had the women put fresh ones in their place, they’d neatly made the bed. But what had me shaking my head was the sight of the king-size pillows sitting against the headboard… a pair of panties perfectly centered on each one. They’d left something else and I reached for the folded note that had been left on the nightstand.
Thanks for the wonderful time. We aren’t movie stars but thought we’d leave you our own version of our autographs. If you feel like playing again, you know where to find us.
Gigi and Kikki
XOXOXOXOX
I picked up my phone and pressed a button. I not only knew where to find the women, I knew I was going there as soon as I changed and arranged a ride into town.
***
“I have to admit, I was a little hesitant in agreeing to this,” Evan said as I slid into the passenger seat of his car.
“And?”
“And I reminded myself about what I told you earlier. As your agent, I’d tell you it wasn’t a good idea. Not only do you have an early call but, well, your ass is on the line.” Reaching what passed as the highway in the middle of nowhere, he turned right. “But, as your friend, I completely understand the need to let off some steam.” He shot me a look and then grinned. “And seeing the way you’re dressed, I figured you know what you need and that another night of wild monkey sex isn’t on the agenda.”
Rolling my eyes, I said, “Wild monkey sex? Shit, Evan, how old are you? Sixteen?” He chuckled and I finally relaxed into the seat. We drove in silence for a few miles, not passing another single car.
“So, are you going to tell me or not?”
“I may not be the perfect gentleman, but I still don’t feel the need to kiss and tell.”
“Not about last night,” Evan said. “I’m talking about you and Danielle. And don’t bother to deny it. There is history between you two and it isn’t just some casual flirtation. I’ve never seen any woman able to rile you up as much as that little redhead can.”
“It’s a long story.”
“It’s a long fucking way into town,” Evan countered.
I couldn’t argue with that. By the time we pulled into the parking lot of The Bare Hide I’d told Evan everything.
“And she still thinks you’re…”
“An asshole? Evidently she does,” I said, pulling on my gloves after digging out the key to my bike.
“Why the hell didn’t you explain?”
I’d asked myself that question a thousand times, but when it became apparent that Dani had no intention of even talking to me, much less letting me attempt to explain, I’d gotten pissed. “It was a long time ago. Does it really matter now?”
Sighing, he shook his head. “Normally, I’d say no. But, you’ve got to have realized that she may have set this entire thing up as some sort of revenge.”
I nodded and opened the door before answering. “I thought of that but don’t really believe she’s capable of plotting something as—”
“Elaborate? Believe me, the woman is not only smart, she’s made damn sure she has the power to twist your balls until you’re on your knees begging for her to let go.”
No matter how hard I tried, I simply couldn’t visualize Dani doing so. Shrugging, I said, “It wasn’t Dani who made sure she had power, it was Cheryl.”
“Fine, but what are you going to do?”
“Exactly what I said in the trailer.” I grinned as I got out of the car and then leaned down to speak through the open door. “I’m going to do what I’ve always done. I’m going to make the magic happen.”
Evan chuckled. “You know what? I believe you will. Look, be careful. If you run into some fucking cow on the way back, the only magic that will happen is to see how well the mortician can put your splattered body back together.”
I didn’t bother to answer, closing the door and slapping the top of the roof before walking to where my bike was still parked. Pulling my helmet on, I zipped up my leather jacket, straddled the bike and grinned. God, I loved the feel of the bike between my legs almost as much as I did a naked woman. Who was I kidding? That was a lie. Nothing felt better than having a warm, willing, naked woman beneath me. Turning the key, I felt the vibration of the machine come to life. With a last look up at the ridiculous sign which I supposed was a satirical reference to the bears who roamed Montana, and a silent salute to the women working inside who didn’t expect more from a man than a few bills tucked into sexy lingerie and perhaps a night of playing beneath the sheets, I lowered my visor and began t
he trip back.
Chapter Five
Danielle
“You’ve got to eat something.”
“I’m not hungry,” I said, looking across the table where Cheryl was digging into her second stack of pancakes. “God, I’m surprised there’s enough room for your baby with all that food.”
“Ha-ha, very funny. If I didn’t know you are scared out of your gourd, I’d wonder if you were calling me fat.” Cheryl was looking at me and unerringly pouring a river of maple syrup over her breakfast at the same time.
Picking up my mug, I took a sip of tea. “I’m not scared—”
“Bullshit,” Cheryl said, her mouth full and her fork waving in the air. Swallowing, she shook her head. “You’re scared and it’s not surprising. This has been a journey and though the end is finally in sight, we both know the show ain’t over until the fat lady sings.” Stuffing another forkful into her mouth, it took her a moment to finish it. She took a huge drink of milk and grinned. “And, this fat lady hasn’t even heard the opening notes of the song.”
“You’re not fat, you’re fluffy,” I said. “Not to mention glowing. Pregnancy really becomes you.”
She smiled and lowering her fork for the first time since we’d sat down, she reached over and put her hand over mine. “Relax, Dani. You’ve got this.”
“I don’t know. I keep asking myself if I am just so tied up in my book that I expect too much. I mean, I was shocked to even see it published. Never once even dreamed of it becoming a movie. Why my book and not someone else’s… someone more worthy? Someone who’s paid their dues? I feel like I’m going to wake up and discover this has all been some elaborate dream.”
She gave my hand a squeeze. “You worked your butt off for this, Dani. I’ve worked with a lot of authors and read a thousand books. All of them were good, a very few of them were great, and even fewer were ones I’ll never forget. But your book… you wrote a world that I can see as if I’m riding across the land or picking up my ankle length skirt to avoid stepping in some smelly cow cake. Your characters have a connection that has readers sitting on the edge of their seats, twisting their guts and tugging their heart strings. Haven’s Hell has exactly what you asked Judd for. Magic. So don’t question your feelings… follow your instincts and by the time the last ‘cut’ is called, you’ll know you did everything you could do for that baby of yours.”