by Shawn Keys
Grace looked relieved. “Come with me please?”
Zahn glanced at Sam, “Guess I’m being summoned.” He tried to sound confused. It wasn’t hard. Angelica and him had survived the assassination attempt together, but that didn’t exactly make them equals in this Hollywood world.
Wondering exactly what was going to happen, he followed Grace over to a private, roped-off section of the open parking area. Grace herded him to just outside a waist-high, black-metal fence hastily erected to form an outdoor VIP space. Inside, a half dozen recognizable stars of the film were lounging about.
Angelica saw him coming. Trying not to raise a stir, she excused herself from a conversation and swayed over to the fence. She had changed out of her skin-tight outfit, and was now absolutely radiant in a white sundress with blushing pink blossoms scattered over it. The color made her skin look that much more like flawless cream. Her heels were as tall as her boots had been the night before, helping her stand a few inches above Zahn’s height. She thanked Grace, who was experienced enough to slip away and leave them with a small bit of privacy. Angelica began, “I wasn’t sure what I was going to say.”
Zahn tried to moisten his dry mouth. Whatever they had shared the night before, this was the full light of day. She was Angelica Laviolette, and the power of her personality and beauty was a force of nature. Hell, who wouldn’t be intimidated? He pushed down the urge to gawk at her, finding some semblance of his cool. It helped that she looked amused by him, as if she could read his mind and knew he was a little star struck despite having saved her life. Finally, he managed, “No need to say anything. Glad it turned out as good as it did.”
Angelica smothered a laugh. “False modesty? Really? You saved my life, Zahn. Everything is a blur, but I know that much. I was a wreck.”
“You weren’t. You held it together.” Zahn couldn’t let her think that. Not when she’d faced death with such poise.
Angelica rewarded him with another smile. “You’re sweet. But I know the truth. I was hallucinating, for goodness sake! I couldn’t even see you as you moved at one point.” She shook her head at herself.
Zahn nearly told her. Right then, he nearly told her. He hated letting her think so poorly of herself. All he said was, “Everyone reacts differently when it happens.”
Her ocean-kissed eyes radiated warmth at him. “True. And how did you react? By stepping into the path of a madwoman and stopping her from killing me.” She closed her eyes, fighting back a few tears at the disbelief and joy at still being alive. They opened again, and shone a little brighter in the sun. “I am going to thank you, Zahn. I haven’t figured out how, yet. But I will. Be my guest at a party tonight? I’ll figure it out before then.”
Zahn couldn’t help glancing back at the Lot. Another night he wouldn’t be here. But did it matter? Sam had said the police would have the site locked down for a day. If he was caught going inside tonight, that might cost him everything. “A party? You realize I’d stick out like a sore thumb at an event like that.”
Angelica’s gaze wandered over his body approvingly again, noting the statue-perfect shape of his shoulders and chest that filled out his working-man tee. Her blue eyes flickered over his sharply handsome, roguish features. “Oh, I’d bet you clean up just fine.” She flashed him an inviting smile. “Call it one last favor?”
Zahn objected softly, “You don’t owe me anything.”
“You won’t come?”
He paused. This was ridiculous. He needed to keep a low profile. But Angelica Laviolette was pleading with him to come. The battle was lost before it ever began. “What’s the event for?”
“Despite what happened last night, there was some good news. The studio was awarded the funds to make Great are the Shadows ; it’s a wonderful book adaptation I’ve been wanting to get involved with since I started acting. Might not be a summer blockbuster, but it might generate a little Oscar buzz. Anyone involved with the project is getting together to wine and dine each other. Come for the after-party at my producer’s house, alright?”
Zahn caved in. “The address?”
She quirked an eyebrow at him. “Do you have a phone? Or is my heroic man of mystery even more of an enigma?”
Zahn chuckled. “Anyone can track you on those things. I prefer my privacy. ”
Angelica sighed with quiet laughter. “Really? You don’t have a phone?” Her poetically perfect face curled into her cute smirk. She summoned Grace back to her side and stole her clipboard. She jotted down a few notes and handed the paper over to Zahn. “Here’s the address. That’s Grace’s number in case you get lost. If you can find a phone to borrow, that is.” Her smile reached her eyes. “Be there?”
Zahn clutched the note in his palm. “I keep promises. Always have.”
Her smile never wavered as she turned away and returned to her peers.
Zahn whistled under his breath. This was out of control.
Grace reached out to him and handed him a cardboard invitation with flowing gold lettering. “Just show that at the gate, and they’ll let you in. Don’t forget it. Especially after what happened last night, security will be tight.”
Zahn was still watching the sway of Angelica’s sundress as she floated away. “I won’t forget. You can be sure of that.”
Chapter 3
Zahn rustled inside his suit jacket, trying to settle into the stiff fabric. He wasn’t rich and hadn’t owned a suit until that afternoon, but when he bought something he went for quality. He’d put out the cash to buy a quality charcoal jacket over a banded collar black shirt and matching pants that complemented his natural-born charms. He had bought the outfit, had it tailored and still had the time to lounge in a barber’s chair for a trim and shave.
The suit fit, but that didn’t mean it was comfortable. He was out of place. No matter how well the suit hugged his form, he was a pretender. That was painfully obvious as he looked around and saw the other men walking about the party. No, not men. Gentlemen. Not only the stars among them. Zahn was not a Hollywood insider by any means, but he recognized Carl Jansen, the famed director with a dozen awards to his name. Then there was Hugh Marl, actor turned director now turned producer.
Zahn saw a round-faced woman in a bright, cheap red dress fall into a laughing fit with two of the minor supporting actors for the film. She wasn’t famous in a way where Zahn could recognize her, but the others in the crowd did. Probably a master of costume design or sound-editing wizard or any of a dozen experts who led teams to make movie magic. Famous or not, at least she was comfortable being around the Elite of the screen. She was totally at ease. It showed.
Equally so, Zahn knew everyone could tell he was not .
He wandered through the palatial mansion, gazing out through huge windows onto the gardens lit up by strategically placed lanterns. He was offered drinks, and he plucked a chilled snifter of vodka to sip. A few people spoke to him, and he tried to be pleasant. But this was their celebration. Zahn wasn’t going to be part of this project. He wasn’t on this team. That made him even more of an outsider. His mind kept drifting back to his own project. He was daring himself to risk getting past the police presence. Maybe it wouldn’t be so hard. I could –
His dangerous line of thought was interrupted by the most welcome voice in the world. “I’m sorry it took me so long to find you. You’re quite the soldier to still be here. ”
Zahn followed the greeting to the breathtaking vision of Angelica Laviolette in all her glory.
She was standing at the archway entrance into the library he was hiding in. The long lines of her body were emphasized by a sleek, sunrise-yellow dress. The flare of the skirt didn’t start until well below her hips, though not quite a mermaid style. The upper half was crafted from bands of bright material diving down off one shoulder and hugging to her curves. The space between showed off her taut abdomen and sleek waist tapering into the swell of her hips and shapely ass. The skirt then flowed out into a skirt that billowed with each step she took. A slit
up one leg let her move more fluidly while teasing Zahn’s imagination as her thigh danced in and out of view. Her hair was brushed out and cascaded around the shoulder where her dress was connected. That left her other shoulder and neck bare, which somehow drew sweeter attention to the soft swell of her cleavage that rose and fell in time with her breath.
Taking a few more strides forward, she stopped as if posing for his approval halfway across the room. “Forgive me?”
Zahn knew he was taking too long. But she was stunning. So, he let himself be stunned. Hopefully, it would flatter her. Slowly, he fought back to the surface. “I’m…” It was all he had. He broke down and a self-mocking smile appeared on his lips. “Well, I… ahh, I mean…” Damnit. How could she smell that good? What was that? Honey and cinnamon wrapped in pure sex?
Her teasing smirk had returned. She clearly saw how star-struck he was, overwhelmed by her presence and ethereal beauty. He could hear the silent ‘oh, very smooth’ comment hidden behind her teasing smile. She took a few steps closer on her deadly heels. She held out a glass tumbler to him. “I asked the bartenders what you were drinking. This is Zyr Crystal. To celebrate?”
Zahn’s eyebrows rose; sure, the cost of an alcohol didn’t always translate to better taste. Some were priced high just for the status. But this brand was well known as being one of the cleanest, freshest, utterly smooth and blisteringly expensive versions of the vodka family. “I’m honored.”
She had a twin to his glass. Once he took his, she tapped her glass against his with a light ping ! “Cheers.” She took a polite sip and savored the taste for a moment .
Zahn did the same. The alcohol had the refreshing bite he had hoped for, easily the best he had ever had. Guess privilege does have its benefits, he thought. He took a second sip to chase the first, and let out a sigh of pleasure. “If this is how you’ve chosen to thank me, I admire your taste.”
Angelica replied, “Oh no, the best surprise is still to come. But this was a good place to start.” She favored him with a considering look again. “I’ve discovered you’re a bit of a riddle, Zahn.”
Inside came a worried Uh-oh. Aloud, he tried to keep his voice bland, “Oh?”
She smiled as if seeing through his effort at control. “I had to ask around about you. Seems a lot of people on the Lot know your face, but not much else. Never comes over for parties. Never entertains at his place. Picks up his pay cheques in person. No web pages. No social media connections.” She grinned. “No phone, even though there’s a phone number on file. And wouldn’t you know who answered when I called there?”
Zahn sighed, admitting, “The Masterson hotel.”
Angelica nodded. “Indeed. I didn’t mean to pry. But the more I heard, the more it intrigued me. You really live that much off the grid?”
Zahn answered as best he could, evading any outright lies, “I take work when necessary to sustain my deeper interests. So, I have never really settled into any permanent home. I live a month here or a month there. Hotels suit me well enough.”
“But if you move around that much, social media would help you stay connected with your friends that much more, wouldn’t it?”
Zahn smiled softly. “If I had anyone to stay connected with, perhaps. Not really the case.”
“Oh?” Real sympathy touched Angelica’s face.
He tried to brush it off. “Don’t want to depress you with my sad story. It hasn’t defined me so I don’t think of it much. My orphanage time was followed by foster families, and they were nice enough. But, I never really connected with them either.”
“And you were never curious to find your real family?”
Zahn shook his head. “Unlike some orphans who have paperwork or sealed documents, mine were either destroyed or lost. By the time I was old enough to track down the right organizations, I’d lost any desire to discover a family.” He left unsaid that the last thing he needed was a vulnerability like that for people like Ash Collins, Jerod Tasker or other mercenaries to exploit.
Angelica guessed, “Is that why you don’t have a last name?”
Zahn chuckled. “Good a reason as any. I stopped using my foster names, and none others fit. Can cause problems. I cash my pay cheques at one of those seedy fast-cash stores because banks need information I don’t have.”
“Must make travel difficult as well.”
Zahn admitted, “Over planes or ships or train? Yeah, it can.” Fortunately, there were other more magical means to get around in the world. But that was a conversation he wasn’t going to get into.
Angelica nodded thoughtfully, then blushed. “Listen to me. Here I am grilling you like a suspect when you’re the hero of the story.”
He waved away her concern. “I get it. Different is strange. Some people jump to fear. Nice to see that you prefer curiosity. I’m the same way. I hate leaving a puzzle unanswered.”
Angelica added, “Worst thing ever.” A pause. “Are you enjoying yourself here?”
Zahn agonized over what to say, not wanting to lie nor insult her.
Angelica saw his struggle, and let out a soft laugh. “Your face says it all. Really, I love that you came. The people here, they really aren’t all that bad. But they can be a little self-focused. If you aren’t involved with their project or how you can help them to get it going, then the conversation can dry up.”
Zahn shrugged. “I’d say most people are like that. Good talks happen when people connect. I get it. Doesn’t make them bad people. Only normal.”
“So, if I suggested we could go somewhere else for a while? I have something I wanted to show you.”
This was getting surreal again. He thought of her as an untouchable icon of the screen and stage. The idea of her touring him around the city didn’t fit with his idea of normal. And yet, how could he possibly say no? Why would he want to? “Won’t your friends miss you if you vanish?”
Angelica smiled knowingly. “Perhaps. But I’ve done my rounds and shaken the right hands. That’s what took me so long to find you. I’ll have my driver take us. If you came in your own car, don’t worry, I’ll make sure you are brought back here.”
Zahn answered in a way sure to make her laugh. “No car. I came in a taxi.”
She did, giving him another taste of her delightful laugh. “Of course, you did! How do you survive in LA without a car?” She didn’t wait for him to answer, perhaps guessing that he would just swerve around any answer like with everything else. “My car, then. Shall we?”
She led him out of the house. He followed like a hapless traveler following a will’o’wisp off a safe forest path. It was more than just the rhythmic bob of her ass cheeks inside her sun-colored dress. She floated across the room bestowing smiles on colleagues with the effortless grace of a benevolent queen. She was the mistress of all creation in this place, and her radiance touched everyone in the room without even trying.
Zahn was not immune. He followed her out into the relative darkness of the circular driveway. Valets were tending the spot. They soon summoned the deep purple limousine belonging to his escort. He took one look at it and suggested, “This can’t be a rental.”
Angelica grinned back at him. “One of my small conceits. If I am going to be driven around, might as well make a statement. Besides, when you have a last name like mine, you’re expected to like that color. Fortunately, I love it.”
The driver side door opened, and a tall brick-house of a man stomped around the hood of the vehicle. He reached down with meat hooks that could crush most healthy sized rocks and pulled open the back door. “Good evening, Mademoiselle. Monsieur. ”
The French accent is an interesting touch , Zahn thought.
Angelica rewarded the driver with a polite nod of her head. “Good evening, Francois. To the stash?”
“Bien sur, Madame . I will have us there in a few minutes.” He waited for both of them to slide in, then sealed the door and returned behind the wheel. The limo purred into life and coasted away.
Zahn set
tled into the white leather seats, then gestured to the front of the car. “Where was he last night? Could have been useful. ”
Angelica sighed. “My own fault. He reminded me when I got home last night after he had seen the news. I’ve never needed round-the-clock protection. But I hired Francois to live on the grounds of my house, be my driver, and look after the place while I’m gone abroad. I was embarrassed about not getting that stunt, so I snuck out and drove myself to the Lot.” She smiled. “Here I am talking like I have to sneak out of my own mansion. But there it is. If I had let him drive me, I wouldn’t have put you in any danger.”
Zahn was quick to say, “This attack is on that woman’s shoulders. Not ours. She’s the only one to blame. If you hadn’t gone to the Lot, she’d still be out there waiting for her next chance. If she saw your protective lug lurking about, maybe she would have waited for another night. If I wasn’t there, maybe she would have killed you. I’d be safe, and you’d be dead. We could talk about blame forever. In the end? It happened, and I’m glad you’re safe and she’s behind bars.”
She absorbed his firm words, her smile growing the whole time. She settled back into the leather herself. Her pose only added to the sensual lines created by her bright dress. One long, lean leg crested out from the slit in her skirt and crossed over the other.
Zahn fought a losing battle against tracing every inch of that leg. Flawless skin wrapped around athletically toned legs that ached to be touched and kissed. Images of sliding his hand between her two thighs beckoned him. He shifted his own legs to minimize the strain in his slacks and how visible his arousal might be getting.
He tried to deflect the temptation with a different subject. Nothing was really work. Every time she spoke, her sexy voice only added to her allure. Her cinnamon-sweet scent was filling the car. He tried anyway. “The Stash? Now you’re getting mysterious.”
Angelica’s eyes danced with humor. “Payback! Don’t try and pry. You’ll see soon enough. Just don’t judge me too badly.”