Famous

by Marie Force

  “Food.”

  I frown. “I want more of this.” I kiss his cock, and he flinches before releasing the tight grip he has on my hair.

  “That’s enough for now.”

  “No, it isn’t.”

  “Yes, it is. Two days ago, you sustained painful injuries. The last thing we need to do now is aggravate them.”

  “Is that an excuse to quit while we’re ahead?”

  His fierce scowl doesn’t do a thing for me. “It’s not an excuse.”

  “I’m fine. I want more.” I kiss the base of his cock. “I want this. Inside me.” Even as I say that, I wonder how it will feel. He’ll be the biggest guy I’ve ever been with.

  “Marlowe…” With his hands on my head, he arranges me so he can slide out of my clutches.

  “Are you saying no?”

  “I’m most definitely not saying no. I’m saying let’s take our time. Let’s build up to that.”

  “You had your fingers up my ass twenty minutes ago. I’d say we’ve already built up to whatever we want next.”

  He starts to speak, but the words die on his lips as he shakes his head. “This is why two Doms shouldn’t be together. Everyone wants to be in charge.”

  “We’ll take turns.”

  “You just had your turn. Now it’s mine, and I say we eat.”

  “I’m not hungry for food.” I eye his cock in case he’s still wondering what I’m hungry for.

  “Too bad. You’re not in charge. I am, and we’re going to eat.” He helps me up from the floor and surprises me when he wraps an arm tight around my waist and tips my chin up to receive a soft, sweet kiss. My lips are a little sore from the effort to accommodate that beast in his pants, but I don’t want to stop kissing him, even after he pulls back. “Easy, sweet girl. We have all the time in the world to figure this out. It doesn’t all have to happen now.”

  While I agree with him, part of me is afraid that if it doesn’t happen now, it never will. I already know I’d be missing out on something extraordinary if it never happens. Wrapped up in his comfortable embrace, with his cock hard and insistent between us, I resolve to have my way with him when it’s my turn to be in charge again.

  After Sebastian leaves for work later that afternoon, I get out my phone, turn it on and find numerous new messages from Rafe, who’s contacting me on borrowed phones.

  I send a text to Leah. Get me a new phone with a new number ASAP, will you?

  On it. Will bring it over later on.

  Tomorrow is fine.

  She responds with a thumbs-up.

  Next, I do a search in my messages for the one I received a couple of months ago from Teagan Daily, another high-profile actress known for her role in an ongoing superhero franchise.

  Got your number from Tenley, she wrote, referring to our stylist. Heard you’re seeing Rafe. We should talk. Kinda 911. Call me any time.

  Her message was followed a week later by one from Veronica Jones, a model and actress I worked with on a film years ago. Marlowe, she’d written, please call me about Rafe. Stuff you should know.

  I put through the call to Teagan and get her voicemail.

  “Hey, it’s Marlowe Sloane. Give me a call when you can. Thanks.”

  She calls me back five minutes later. “Hey, stranger, nice to hear from you. How are you?”

  “I’ve been better.”

  “Uh-oh.”

  “Yeah.”

  “Marlowe…”

  “I’m sorry I didn’t respond when you reached out. I was still in the rose-colored-glasses stage.”

  “I assume that stage has ended?”

  “In rather dramatic fashion, actually.”

  “Are you hurt?”

  “Nothing that won’t heal. Eventually.”

  “I’m so, so sorry that happened to you.”

  “I take it I’m not the first to experience the charming Frenchman’s dark side.”

  “Oh, hell no. Twelve that I know about so far, many of them B-listers with too much to lose by going public.”

  I’m shocked to hear that. “What’s being done?”

  “Well, to be honest, nothing as long as you were with him. No one wanted to do that to you if you were happy, and a few were concerned about him flexing his muscles in Hollywood to ruin them with overseas distributors.”

  “I feel sick. I don’t know what came over me with him. I ignored the concerns of my closest friends.”

  “Don’t beat yourself up for that. Everyone has the same story of being sucked in, bowled over by his charm and the romance of it all. Until he showed his true colors a couple of months later when they would feel they were the crazy ones. Because how could this man who has been everything they ever wanted in a partner actually be a monster. Sound familiar?”

  “God, yes. All too familiar. I’m not with him anymore, and my business partners let his company know that if they wish to continue doing business with Quantum, they’ll end their association with him immediately. I hear that’s already happened.”

  “That’s excellent news. You should know that others have reached out to Pierre about him, but their concerns have been ignored. Someone of your stature and that of Quantum can make a big difference.”

  That infuriates me. “I want to go public with this.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Fuck yes, I’m sure. I don’t want him to do to anyone else what he’s done to me and you and the others. It’s time to end this guy.”

  “I’m so happy to hear you say that.”

  “Let me get with our publicist, Liza, and make a plan. If you want to let the others know to reach out to me if they want in, that’s fine with me. Best to do it by email as I’ll be getting a new phone.” I give her my email address. “Pass it on to anyone who should have it.”

  “I will. You have no idea how much it’ll mean to everyone else to have your support.”

  “It means a lot to me to have theirs, to know I’m not alone in this.”

  “You’re not alone. Not at all. If you need to talk about it, call me any time. I’ve been right where you are, and I know how difficult it is.”

  “That’s very kind of you to offer. I’m more okay than I should be in light of everything. I’ve been surrounded by great friends and support.”

  “Glad to hear it. Let me know how you wish to proceed. I’m more than happy to follow your lead, and I’m sure the others will be, too.”

  “I’ll get back to you in the next day or two.”

  “I’ll look forward to hearing from you, and in case I don’t get the chance, best of luck at the Oscars. I voted for you.”

  “Thanks so much.” The reminder that the Oscars are right around the corner has me wondering about the timing of my plan to go public with accusations about Rafe. I’d hate to do anything to harm the campaign being waged to elevate Insidious. We pay Liza to know that stuff, so I’ll turn it over to her to worry about the timing.

  “You and Flynn were awesome in Insidious. I hope you all win big. Everyone is talking about Quantum repeating.”

  “Wouldn’t that be something?”

  “Indeed, it would. I’ll talk to you soon.”

  “Yes, you will.” I end the call feeling pissed and empowered to use my platform to bring down a serial predator. After finding Liza’s number in my contacts, I put through the call.

  Liza answers on the second ring. “Hey, Marlowe. I was going to call you tomorrow to talk about Oscar interviews.”

  “I have something more pressing I need your help with.”

  “Of course. What’s up?”

  “You know I was seeing Rafael Laurent, right?”

  “Was, as in past tense?”

  “Yes.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that.”

  “Don’t be. He beat the crap out of me and left me tied up for hours until someone found me.”

  Her sharp gasp echoes through the phone. “My God. Marlowe… Are you all right?”

  “I will be, but it’s been br
ought to my attention that I’m not the first to be treated this way by him. In fact, there’re a dozen or so women prepared to join me in going public with our accusations against him, and that’s where you come in.”

  “Wow, well… I’m so sorry for what you’ve been through.”

  “Thank you. Tell me you’ll help us ruin him.”

  “You bet I will. But, Marlowe…”

  She’s quiet for so long that I have to make the next move. “Speak freely, Liza. That’s what we pay you to do.”

  “I just want you to be prepared for the emotional toll that speaking up will take on you and the others. I’d hate to see you or any of the other women revictimized. Social media will be brutal, the coverage will be brutal, every aspect of your life will be open to scrutiny. It could get really ugly, and I know how fiercely you protect your privacy.”

  “We can’t let him continue to get away with this.”

  “Have you been in touch with the police?”

  “No.”

  “Maybe you should be?”

  “What good will that do? He’s in France, where our police have no jurisdiction.”

  “It would help our cause to have the details recorded in a police report before we go public.”

  Ugh, I so don’t want to do that.

  “Doesn’t Kristian have a contact with the LAPD?”

  “Yeah.” The three-decade-old murder of Kristian’s mother was finally solved last year by the son of the detective who’d been on the case from the beginning.

  “Can you come into the office tomorrow? I can ask Kris to call his guy, and I think Emmett should be there, too. You’re going to want legal counsel on this.”

  Because Rafe won’t take this lying down, is what she means. “I can do that. Set it up, and let me know what time to be there.”

  “Will do.”

  “Tell me I’m doing the right thing, Liza.”

  “With twelve other women who can attest to similar treatment, you’re absolutely doing the right thing lending your celebrity and your huge platform to making sure this guy is stopped.”

  “And will it hurt anything we’re doing for Insidious?”

  “I can’t see how it would. It may even help. People will be furious to know you were assaulted by a man you were involved with.”

  “I’m not doing it to advance my chances with the Academy.”

  “Of course you aren’t. I’m sure your sincerity will be apparent in how you tell your story. I wouldn’t worry about the Academy.”

  “Thank you. Text me the time of the meeting. I’ll be there.”

  “Will do.”

  She ends the call, and I sit for a long time, thinking about what she said and wondering whether I’m prepared to open my heart and soul for the scrutiny that’ll come my way once this goes public. It’s been a long time—almost two decades, in fact—since I burst onto the scene and became a target for the paparazzi. They still follow me, but it’s not like it was in the beginning when I couldn’t go anywhere without being pursued.

  This will restart that madness, and I have to be aware of that before it happens.

  I shiver in revulsion, thinking about those early days of being famous and how bizarre it was to suddenly be recognized everywhere I went. People think being famous is the ultimate until they realize the loss of privacy can leave a deep wound on one’s psyche that never really heals. I ended up on anxiety meds and was cruising toward a drinking problem until I took control and doubled my focus on the work rather than obsessing about the bullshit that went along with it.

  Flynn helped me so much during those heady days when we were both dealing with newfound fame. Having come from Hollywood royalty, he had perspective I badly needed. He took me home to Beverly Hills to meet Max Godfrey and Stella Flynn, who wrapped their arms around me and took me into their family, where I’ve remained ever since. I never would’ve survived those early years without the three of them.

  So it seems only natural now to reach out to Flynn, the brother of my heart, as I’m about to enter the maelstrom once again.

  He answers right away. “Mo. You okay?”

  I smile because I knew that would be his first question. “I’m okay.”

  His slow exhale is audible. “I’m glad to hear that. Been worried about you.”

  “I’m sorry you’ve been worried. I wanted to tell you I spoke to Teagan Daily tonight.”

  “What’s up with her?”

  “She used to date Rafe. She, um, she reached out to me when I started seeing him, said we should talk, but I never got around to returning her text. I called her tonight and found out there’re twelve others, Flynn. He’s done this to at least twelve other women.” My eyes fill, and my throat tightens around a knot of emotion.

  “Son of a bitch,” Flynn mutters. “What’re you going to do about it?”

  I love that he knows me so well. “I’m going public.”

  “That’s my girl.”

  “My hands are shaking and my stomach hurts, but I’m doing it. Teagan said the others decided to stay quiet because I was seeing him, and they didn’t want to hurt me. The least I can do is step up for them and make it so he can’t do this to anyone else.”

  “That’s right, sweetheart. You’re doing the right thing.”

  “I’m scared.” I can say that to him and know there’ll never be any judgment. I don’t have to be a badass with my best friend.

  “We’ll all be right there with you. You know that.”

  “Yeah, I do, and that helps so much. The timing sucks with the Oscars coming up.”

  “Fuck the Oscars.”

  “I don’t want to take the spotlight off Insidious.”

  “Don’t worry about that. The film will get its moment.”

  “You think Hayden will feel the same way?” He pours everything he has into every film he directs, and Insidious was no exception. Flynn played a drug addict at rock bottom, and I was his counselor. We’re both up for Oscars, and the film is up for best picture. In addition, Hayden was nominated for directing and Jasper for cinematography. To say we have a lot at stake as a company is putting it mildly.

  “I’d bet my life on it. Hayden would tell you to do whatever you need to and not to worry about us.”

  “I’m not sure what I ever did to deserve friends like you guys.”

  “We feel the same way about you. Don’t ever doubt that. Addie told me she had to physically sit on Hayden to keep him from flying to France to hunt down Rafe and murder him after he saw what that guy did to you.”

  “That’s so sweet of him, although I doubt he minded having Addie sit on him.”

  Flynn snorts out a laugh. “Don’t put those thoughts in my head.” He’s incredibly protective of his assistant. He refers to her as his fourth sister. “And just for the record, we all want to kill him.”

  “Don’t do that. It won’t help anything. And besides, your complexion would totally wash out in prison orange.”

  “True,” he says on a low chuckle.

  “And you have a baby on the way who will need his or her daddy.”

  “Her.”

  “It’s a girl?”

  “Yep.”

  “Ah, Flynn…” I close my eyes to contain a rush of tears. “I’m so happy for you and Nat.”

  “Thank you, Auntie Mo. We’re pretty thrilled for us, too.”

  Auntie Mo. I like the sound of that. “I’m going to spoil her rotten.”

  “I wouldn’t expect anything less. We love you. You know that, don’t you?”

  “Of course I do. Love you right back.”

  “I gotta tell you something.”

  “What’s that?”

  “When you first started seeing him, I had him investigated.”

  “Flynn! What the fuck? You did not!”

  “I did, and Gordon… He found out that Rafe’s ex-wife accused him of knocking her around during their divorce.”

  My brain goes completely blank with shock.

  “I’m
so sorry, Mo. If I’d told you that, none of this would’ve happened. I was so afraid you’d be pissed at me for investigating him in the first place.”

  “I would’ve been.”

  “Still, I should’ve told you.”

  “Guess what?”

  “What?”

  “He told me he’d never been married, and I believed him.”

  Flynn gasps. “Seriously? He lied about being married?”

  “Yep, and I was so caught up in the myth that it never occurred to me to check.”

  “That son of a bitch. We’re going to get you through this so we can focus on all the good stuff that’s coming. Don’t worry about anything.”

  “Best friend ever.”

  “You still think so after I told you I had him investigated and didn’t tell you what I found out?”

  “I’ll always think that.”

  “Right back atcha.”

  “There’s probably going to be a press conference about this tomorrow—”

  “I’ll be there. We’ll all be there.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Try to get some sleep, and remember, this too shall pass. It’ll be a blip.”

  We both know it’ll be way more than a blip, but I appreciate him trying to downplay it. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “Yes, you will. Call me if you need anything—any time. Night or day.”

  “I will. Thanks.”

  “Love you, kid.”

  “Love you, too.”

  Talking to him always makes me feel better about whatever is weighing on me. I’m not at all surprised that he took the extra step of having Rafe investigated or that he kept the worst of the findings from me out of respect for the fact that I seemed so happy with him. From the first time we met on the set of a cheesy B movie, Flynn and I have been the best of friends. We tried dating for about a week, but when we couldn’t get naked without laughing, we realized we’d be better as friends than lovers. He’s been the brother I never had ever since, and through him, I added my other “brothers”—Hayden, Kristian, Jasper and Emmett. Along with the Godfreys, they’re the only family I have, and I’d truly be lost without them.

  It occurs to me that I didn’t include Sebastian on my list of “brothers.” I’ve never put him into that category, a realization that has me sitting up straighter on his sofa. Sebastian has always been separate from the other guys in my mind, and it’s never occurred to me to wonder why. I refused to allow myself to go “there” because I didn’t think he’d ever be interested in more than friendship with me. After all, the man doesn’t do commitment of any kind, so why would I think he’d want something with me?