The Scene Stealer: A Hollywood Romance

by Renee Harless

  He wraps me in his own embrace, not a slip of paper could wedge between us. Devyn’s mouth settles against my neck, his nose inhaling my scent with every breath. I do the same with his earthy fragrance wishing that I could bottle it up and take it with me.

  “You’re alright, Angel. God, I have died a thousand deaths today.”

  I nod in agreement because it’s the truth. Watching his car burst into flames, not knowing if he was able to get out, not knowing if he was hurt were like razorblades slicing against my soul.

  Pulling away just enough to see his face, I take him in. Tears fill the corners of my eyes as I remember trying to reach him and being held back. “Are you okay? Are you hurt? I saw the-”

  Wrapping me in his hold again, Devyn doesn’t allow me to finish.

  “I’m fine. I got out before the explosion.”

  A clock across the wall ticks away the minutes as we stay wrapped in each other.

  An hour passes, and at some point, we’ve maneuvered from sitting to laying. My arm has fallen asleep under the weight of his head, but I don’t dare move it. I don’t want this moment of perfect solitude with Devyn to end, this moment where we’re completely shut out from the world.

  He makes the first move. His arm resting on my waist slides up my arm and then back down, the motion repeating over and over. He doesn’t feel my breath catch with every pass or see the way I have to bite my lip to keep myself from asking him to kiss me.

  A gentle knock sounds on the door and both Devyn and I slowly pull apart. Tessa’s head peeks into the room, her eyes downturned in avoidance, and her shoulders slouched by an invisible weight.

  “The officers are here to speak with Larsen. I’m sorry.” The door closes just as quietly as it opened.

  “You don’t have to do this right now. I can ask them to come back later.”

  “No, that’s okay. I don’t really have much to tell them. I’m hoping they’ll have more to tell me.”

  Devyn shifts on the bed and pulls me with him, my wobbly legs barely able to hold my body upright.

  “How long have I been out of it?” My arm instinctively reaches out to wrap around his waist for support.

  “You’ve been here for about four hours.”

  “Is this your house?”

  “Yeah, this is Tessa’s room.”

  “Oh.” Taking another glance around the space, it makes sense that this is her room. It’s clean, uncluttered, and organized, just like her. I try my best to smile, but the movement aches along my scar at the forced movement. “I like it.”

  As one being we walk together down a hallway to a living room. People scatter as we make our entrance and Devyn leads me to a well-lived leather couch.

  “Can I get you something to eat or drink?” Devyn looks at me expectantly after he settles me onto the cushion.

  “Water will be fine. Thank you.”

  The stoic officer stands in his shield of blue, a silver badge glistening on his chest. He gives nothing away as he looks me over, those knowing eyes taking in everything.”

  “Ms. Scott, I do hope that you are feeling better.”

  “As well as I can, all things considered.”

  “Good. Can you tell me if you knew of Michael Toms prior to today?”

  “Um, we met a couple times in passing when I was on set with Devyn.”

  “Were you aware at anytime that Devyn and Elena Andrews were in a fictitious relationship?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “And you were also in a relationship with Devyn at the same time?”

  The officer’s personal questions begin to make me uncomfortable. As if hearing my mental plea, Devyn takes the seat next to me and hands me the bottle of water. “We were in a relationship that was not shared with others. It was to protect her,” Devyn points out to the officer as if the man has no grasp of what it means to be with a celebrity. “Now, where are you going with this?”

  “I’m sorry, Mr. Dane. What we know is that Mr. Toms was obsessed with his employer, a Ms. Elena Andrews. When we raided his apartment after his guilty confession of kidnapping Ms. Scott, we wanted to find the motivation. We knew there was little to no contact between the two, but it was too coincidental to be a random kidnap.

  “His apartment was scattered with shrines to Elena. He seems to have been following her career since she began. However, he acted more as an obsessed fan. He wanted her to have whatever it is she desired.”

  Beside me, Devyn’s entire body curls into itself. “Me.”

  “We believe so. And when Larsen entered the picture, he sought a way to remove her.”

  “The letters.” My recollection causes my limbs to shiver when I think of all the images.

  “Yes. He paid various people to deliver the letters to you. We found images of you and Mr. Dane edited together as well as your address and various others around Shady Pines. After a quick search in the police databank, we found the investigation the department in your town placed.”

  “Do you. . .do you think he’s the cause for Devyn’s crash today?”

  “What crash?” The officer slips his hand into his back pocket and pulls out a pen and small spiral notebook.

  “During filming my scene today the car’s brake line seems to have been cut. I walked away unscathed, but if he intended to get rid of Larsen, he had a perfect opportunity.”

  “He did look angry to see me when Elena saw me at Craft services.”

  The officer continues to scribble in his notepad, and I take the moment to quench my thirst. The water soothes the ache and dryness in my throat. I don’t even bother to wipe my chin as the corners of my mouth spill some of the contents until I pull the bottle away.

  Looking up from his pad of paper, the Officer cracks a smile for the first time since I arrived. “If we can tie him to this, he will get charged with attempted murder along with attempted kidnapping.

  “Thank you all for seeing me. I’ll be in touch when we know more or if we have more questions.”

  Devyn begins to rise from the couch, but Tommy gestures for him to stay seated as he escorts the officer to the door.

  “So, I should probably call my uncle.”

  “Probably.” Devyn leans forward, his strong arms resting on his thighs, his beautiful face tilted toward the floor. His voice mimics his dejected stance.

  Walking up to me Tessa hands me my small bag.

  “You know, that phone saved you today. I installed the tracking system I use on Devyn’s onto yours as a precaution. Didn’t think I’d need it.”

  I don’t need to ask her when or how, but knowing that her paranoid nature rescued me from the crazed man leaves me gasping for air. I jump off the couch and slam my body against hers, holding one of the closest people I have to a friend tightly in my arms.

  I know that I’m going to have to do something special for her to understand my gratitude.

  “I’m going to call Jeff now. Do you mind if I use your room again?”

  “Go ahead.”

  ~

  The porch off the back of the house beats my balcony any day. After the conversation with Uncle Jeff, everything seems clearer than the muddled mess it had been before. When my life and choices seemed more like the serration of my wounds, the choice I needed to make was always overshadowed.

  The sun settles just above the tree line. Shades of pinks and oranges scatter across the sky in a beautiful tango. A push and pull against the wind and clouds.

  “Figured I’d find you out here.”

  The moment his voice reaches my ears, my tension floats away.

  “Your view is better than mine.”

  “I’d definitely have to argue with you on that.” Devyn’s voice is darker, huskier, and it causes me to turn my head to look at him over my shoulder. He isn’t looking at the sunset or the view, he’s looking at me. Taking me in, memorizing each inch of my body. I can’t help the blush that rises on my cheeks as I turn back to watch the sun drift below the branches.

  The at
traction between us alters as he approaches, the electricity shifting with every step that brings him closer until he is standing right next to me. The pull between us is so strong that I’m certain if I lit a match the air would combust around us.

  Devyn’s hand joins mine on the iron banister, his palm covering my knuckles, his fingers sliding between my fingers. Neither of us turn our attention away from the twilight-lit sky.

  “I’m sorry, Larsen. I wanted to come to you sooner, but I talked myself out of it so many times. I couldn’t forgive myself for the way we left things, for the way I accused you of such things.”

  “It’s okay, Devyn.”

  Jerking our hands free from the railing, he turns our bodies to face each other. His arched brows, downturned lips, quivering chin, gives away the anguish that he feels.

  “It’s not okay. I hurt you and I’ll never forgive myself for that. And today I could have lost you. I can’t even conceive of a world without you in it.”

  My need to soothe him rushes through my veins and I extend my hand to his face, watching as his body instantly relaxes at my touch.

  “You had your reasons, Devyn. I get it. Maybe we needed to go through all of it to get to this point.”

  My hand slips away as Devyn nods, but his misery never waivers.

  “I. . .uh. . .I have one last letter to you. It’s not much, but I thought. . .”

  He hands me the slip of paper haphazardly folded into itself.

  It’s not a letter so much as it’s handwritten song lyrics. I read through the first two verses before I recognize the song as “Shameless” by Garth Brooks and go back to start at the beginning again.

  As I finish, I drop my hands to find Devyn’s eyes searching my face.

  “I’m yours, Larsen. I thought I needed to climb back to the top to feel alive again, but I was wrong. You. You make me feel alive.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “I don’t want to go another day without you. I want us to try, for real. God, I’m messing this all up.” He shoves his hands through his hair and begins to pace. “I love you, Larsen. I love you so fucking much. Acting is my life, but you, you’re my world. And if you want me to stop acting, quit Hollywood and run that diner with you, I will. I’ll support your nursing career and help you study. I just want every day to be with you.

  “God, I’m a mess, and you’re not saying anything, and I’ve screwed up everything.”

  “Devyn,” I call out as I walk toward him, clasping our hands together once we’re in reach. “I love you, too. When I thought something had happened to you today, I physically ached at the idea that you were hurt.

  “Our lives are short and we could take our last breath tomorrow. I don’t want to live another day knowing what it’s like not to have you.

  “I told Jeff that I wasn’t coming back.”

  “You did?”

  “Yeah. I mean, I’ll have to get my things, but I want to be with you. We can figure it out.”

  Devyn’s mouth crashes against mine and I welcome the intrusion. We’ve gone through too many days of misery to fight against this.

  “Move in with me. Today. Now.” Devyn’s lips brush against mine at his command.

  “There is just one problem.”

  “What?” he asks before sucking my bottom lip into his mouth.

  “Who is going to tell Tessa?”

  “She probably already knows.”

  I nod at the truth of his words. That woman knows everything.

  “Thank you.”

  “For what?”

  “For giving me another chance.”

  “Hmm. . .I didn’t really have a choice. You kind of stole my heart,” I tell him sweetly as I peer up at him beneath my lashes. His misery far removed as he returns my smile.

  “Angel, you did more than that, you stole the scene.”

  EPILOGUE – DEVYN

  She can’t see me watching her in the mirror, like a voyeur. The glass glistens from the crystals woven into the neckline of her dress catching the sunlight. Tiny rainbows dance across the bedroom walls as she twists and turns.

  I know that she’s nervous. We’ve mostly kept to ourselves in the six months since she moved in my house in L.A., though we do make it a point to travel back to Shady Pines once a month. With my filming and her nursing classes, we stay home most nights. And since my parents landed themselves in jail for breaking the restraining order on multiple accounts and trying to forge my signature on loan documents, our lives have been quiet.

  But tonight is our first big outing as a couple, confirming the gossip and rumors that began when I announced that Elena and I were nothing more than close friends. My agent was furious, but Quinn was okay with the decision. And since she was the money backer for the film, what she says goes.

  Quinn came to Larsen’s rescue earlier in the month to help her find a dress to wear to the premiere of our movie Fire & Vice. The one-shoulder design falls against her body in a Grecian design. The yellow color a perfect complement to Larsen’s angelic features. But she’s worried about the fact that her arms will be exposed. Her right arm and leg will be on full display, but I plan to keep her by my side the entire time, especially so everyone can get a glimpse of the custom diamond ring she’s sporting on her left hand.

  We’ve come a long way in such a short time, but there is no one I’d rather have with me in the next act.

  “The limo will be here soon, Angel.”

  She spins toward me in alarm, the sleek fabric twirling around her legs. Her hungry eyes travel up and down my body. I’m dressed more casually, but Quinn assured her that she would be wearing a designer gown as well. As if my girl isn’t nervous enough, making a fashion faux-pas at her first premiere was not something she was taking lightly.

  Her slender fingers rotate back and forth as she wrings her clasped hands. “How do I look?”

  I step toward her and gently tuck her perfectly waved tresses behind her back, letting the tips of my fingers trail along her bare shoulder. “You’re the most stunning woman I’ve ever seen.”

  “You know, I actually believe you when you say that.”

  “I have no reason to lie to you.” I stare at her for a moment, still unbelievably astonished that I get to call this woman my fiancée, and soon, my wife. Her red-colored lips call me forward in a trance and I tilt my head to capture them between mine.

  It lasts just a minute and as she pulls back, her cheeks flushed at my erection tenting my pants, she knows that we’ll finish this when we get home. Larsen turns back to the mirror and gives herself another once over in the mirror, smiling as she sways a bit letting the material slip through her legs.

  “I imagine this is what prom would have been like.”

  “I wouldn’t know. I didn’t get to go to mine either,” I add as I stand behind her and press a soft kiss to her bare shoulder. “Come on, I’m sure Tessa is waiting.”

  Outside, the limo waits with Tessa standing beside the opened door. As if the stars aligned, the house across the street came on the market the same week Larsen and I returned from Shady Pines with the items she wanted to bring. Tessa’s father and I helped her negotiate a reasonable price and she moved in about two months ago.

  “Took you guys long enough.” I’ve come to miss her sarcastic tone, but only slightly.

  “You look beautiful, Tessa,” Larsen says as she takes in my cousin’s pale pink dress.

  “And you. . .you’re going to knock them off their feet.”

  I can hear the small cracking in Larsen’s voice as she thanks Tessa for the compliment. We all know how much strength it’s taking Larsen to do this, to join me under the watchful eye of the vultures. I like to think that I’m part of the reason she’s able to face her fear, that she knows my opinion is the only one that matters.

  The red carpet isn’t as long as Larsen expected, even though I told her many times it wasn’t a mile in length. But by the time we’re finished being stopped for the interviews she’s ba
rely able to stay on her feet.

  I made sure that I kept the attention off Larsen unless someone asked her about the ring on her finger. It went unnoticed until halfway down the carpet when Elena spotted us and demanded she be a part of the wedding.

  The premier became utter chaos at that point.

  “We just have to stop by that stage for pictures, then we’re golden.”

  “Good, I don’t think my lips can hold a smile much longer.”

  We follow Elena onto the stage as she exits. Larsen waits on the edge with Tessa knowing that the photographers are going to want shots of me.

  A few of the other cast members are brought up on the stage, including Elena, and for the next few minutes we joke around and take group shots, but Larsen is never out of my watchful eye.

  One of the other cast members makes a joke, but I miss it completely as Tessa says something to Larsen that has her throwing her head back in laughter. Her sleek neck draws my attention like a vampire needing his meal.

  I walk in her direction, leaving the group who begin to scatter in the opposite direction. I’m possessed, a man without a grasp of the reality surrounding me.

  Tessa startles as I draw closer to them, but not Larsen, she gazes at me with a knowing smile and when I crash our mouths together, she counters my kiss with her own.

  “Ew, this is why I moved out.” Both of our chests shake as we try to hide our laughter.

  “Come on, I hear this movie has a really handsome guy playing the lead.” I point out as Larsen wipes some red staining from her lipstick away from my lips.

  Taking her hand in mine, I lead her across the stage, not stopping for more photos. I’m sure they got enough of me kissing my personal leading lady just now.

  “Oh, really? What’s his name?”

  “Devyn Dane, I’m sure you’ve heard of him.”

  Playing along as we duck inside the theater, Larsen adds, “Nope, never heard of him. Is he hot?”

  “He’s pretty good looking. But I hear he’s madly in love with his girlfriend and rumor is that they’re engaged.”