Chapter 20
Iglance at the clock for the thousandth time, wondering how long is too long to go without talking to Empire or acknowledging her in general. Five days have gone by since I buried my head between her legs rather than my cock, and instead of acting like it was no big deal, I’d growled out a threat—you can’t win—and distracted myself with work.
I pushed it too far.
Way farther than I needed to push things with her, because I hadn’t been able to stop myself, and look where it got us. Two ghosts walking around an already haunted mansion. I’d thrown myself into work the same way I caught her going over the script in all her free time, not to mention the increased social media posts.
I should be happy.
Empire is falling into line, doing what she needs to do for her career. It’s everything I”ve wanted, everything I’ve scolded her for. Why am I still feeling like a complete piece of shit?
Rather than spend another day circling each other in the house, I booked it downtown before the sun rose, grabbing a cup of coffee from one of the drive-through cafes before I shut myself in the office.
Sherry came and went as she pleased, used to my moods.
I made it through several stacks of work I’d been putting off before the constantly swirling thoughts in my head won out.
“When are you going to stop staring at the window and actually get the paperwork filed for the estate?” Sherry asks for what feels like the thousandth time.
“When I’m good and goddamn ready,” I say easily.
She clucks her tongue. “Must be one hell of a view.”
“I’ve seen better.” And once again, I go right back to thinking about Empire, which only pisses me off.
My life was so much better before we started fucking around, before I started to give serious consideration to tossing her around like a rag doll during sex. I used to be able to manage the urges because she was a teenager budding into womanhood. I’d take one look at her, then to her mother, and laugh those ideas away because they were ludicrous, and it made me worse than a pervert. It made me a loser.
Managing Olivia and her booming career kept me busy, anyway.
And in my free time, I had only to wander into one of the bars or clubs around here and find a willing woman to take home for the night.
No need for anything more.
I had nothing else to give, no time to pursue a long-lasting relationship or offer up steady commitment. I’m not offering it now, either, but I’ve never had another woman bury herself so effectively in my psyche. What will it take to dislodge Empire from her stronghold?
Another part?
More money?
Sherry gets tired of my shit and returns to her desk with a put-out groan. I don’t blame her, either. “You let me know when you’re ready to order lunch. Okay?” she calls out.
I roll my eyes. “Sherry, it’s not even ten thirty. What the fuck are you talking about?’
“Well, I’m hungry! Sorry if it’s on my mind,” she snaps. “I’m thinking of sushi. How about you?”
“I’ll have to let you know,” I concede with a chuckle.
My cell dings from my suit jacket, the distinctive tone of an alert. Ah. So someone must have decided to get her ass out of bed this morning and update her Instagram. At least she’s starting to gain a little more momentum.
I dig for the cell and flick open the screen to check the quality of the content. Yup, I’d say this shows a certain willingness to play ball. Even if it is just a pre-planned post—
The first picture is of Empire in full hair and makeup, making a face for the camera, and captioned: First day on set! Wish me luck!
A bunch of hashtags accompany the pic, and I freeze.
What the hell is this shit? Where is she?
The location is tagged at the studio set, and I flip to my calendar app to check. Okay, yeah, filming is supposed to start on Monday. What is she doing down there in full hair and makeup on Friday?
No one told me shit about her filming early, and she’s clearly on set. There is no mistaking.
She must have left after I—
I turn on my heel and stalk to the desk. I wouldn”t have known if she left before me, because I hadn’t paid attention. The house is always silent. I’ve just gotten used to ignoring it.
Growling, I grab my keys from the desk and storm past Sherry.
“Where are you going? Marcus!” she blurts out.
Without bothering to wait for the elevator, I head into the stairwell and take the steps two at a time.
I’ve got to check on her, see how things are going. Maybe wring her skinny little neck about going into set today without fucking telling me. And Parker is going to get it, too. I’m the first person he should have alerted to an early start date. What the hell kind of game is he trying to play?
Ice settles along my spine and trickles down. Nothing good, I guarantee it.
Of course, Empire wouldn’t have told me about going in early, even if she knew.
Not after—
“Goddamn it.” The curse erupts at the same time I slam the door behind me and catch the end of my shirt in it.
Surely, she was getting on well with everyone. Hopefully, she was having an enjoyable experience. She certainly looked happy in the social media post.
The studio wasn’t a far drive from my building, but traffic put me a good thirty minutes behind. Every mile sees my anxiety growing until I’m cursing and flashing vulgar gestures at anyone who lingers too long at a red light or, God forbid, cuts me off without using their blinker.
I want to check on her, that’s it, I remind myself, working on my breathing instead of cursing out the grandma chugging along at ten miles an hour ahead of me. I just want to check on Empire and see how things are going. It’s her first movie, after all, so she’s bound to be nervous. I might be a complete shithead, but I’m still her guardian.
A negligent guardian.
One who should have known where she’d be today instead of distancing myself.
It’s up to me to make sure she isn’t in over her head and making bad impressions with the other people on set. What happens if she’s left to her own devices and somehow manages to tick off one of the directors? Or Parker himself?
He might be a piece of shit, but he’s well known in this community, and his reputation precedes him. Having good standing with him will open doors for her.
I finally make it to the studio and barely spare a glance for the guards at the gate beyond a quick wave. The tires squeal as I take the corner toward the studio. There aren’t any parking spaces left, and I’m forced to walk the rest of the way, each step making me angrier instead of calmer.
If Empire does something, says something, without me there to witness and correct her, then she might ruin connections that will be a hell of a problem to fix later, connections that will help her on her way to the top. This is my reason and justification rather than simple worry about letting things go too far between us, to the point where I might have damaged our relationship.
No, not a relationship. I push inside the door toward the dim interior of the soundstage. Guardian and mentor only. It’s already been decided. No more kissing, no more touching, and certainly no more oral sex.
We’ve got to get back on track so things like the current situation will not happen again.
Once we both understand the established line, then I’m going to have to start taking a closer look at her schedule.
I haven’t been on top of things lately. My fault entirely.
I follow the muted sound of voices toward the set and pull up short. A giant knot forms in my chest and the bottom falls out from under me, pure rage filling the space at what I see.
Empire stands over a brightly marked X, completely naked. The lights shine down on her dewy skin. There’s not a scrap of clothing on her, showing her shaved pussy to anyone and everyone, her nipples peaked and her arms hanging at her sides with her fingers clenched. She’s staring down at her feet, her hair hiding her expression from view, but it doesn’t take a genius to see the way her body tightens with each inhalation.
There is no intimacy coordinator and no protection, like screens or tape between the actors.
There’s fucking nothing except Greg standing there with his gaze trapped by her tits, running lines, my ward struggling to remember hers while Parker watches from his seat, perched there like a damn gargoyle.
The black mood descends on me quickly, and I thunder forward.
“Parker.” His name is a gunshot of sound and threat. “What the fuck is going on here?”
Empire jumps at my intrusion, and maybe I mistake the shock on her face for relief, but I’m too furious to care.
“Marcus, it’s good of you to join us,” Parker says smoothly, without getting up from his seat. “I wasn”t aware you’d be joining us today. I was under the impression you had better things to do than hold your client’s hand.”
Filming halts, and Empire covers her torso with her hands. Her arms cross over her front, with one hand draped above her crotch.
“What the hell am I seeing here?” I gesture toward the scene, and my free hand clenches into a fist.
“I’m not sure what you mean?” Parker asks. “Please clarify.”
I’m going to kill him slowly. I’m going to torture him and keep him alive long enough to see his eyes glaze over in pain to make him pay for this. “You know full well what I mean. You’ve got my client here nude and about to engage in a highly sexualized scene without protection of any kind.”
On purpose.
Parker hadn’t told me about today’s filming on purpose. I know it in my gut.
“Well, we have a budget,” he says smoothly. “You wanted more money for your star, and so decisions had to be made. Cuts had to be made. The money had to come from somewhere, which means there was no room left—”
“So you decided not to hire an intimacy coordinator for her first role? And you’re blaming it on budget cuts?”
“You assured me I was working with a professional actress, despite this being her first major role. None of the professionals need an intimacy coordinator,” Parker replies. He glances over to the director at his side, who shrugs, noncommittal.
“Bullshit,” I bark. “She’s standing there completely nude—”
“That’s what the scene calls for. You understand. I’m sure you’ve read things over with her, because she seems well practiced.”
This motherfucker has it coming. He has so many horrible things coming to him, and I’ll be the first. My arm swings before I think better of it, and my fist buries itself against the side of his nose half a second later. His head snaps back on his neck, blood erupting from the area.
I’ve punched plenty of people in my life, but never have I gotten as much pleasure as slugging Parker gives me, especially at the crunch of broken bone.
“You son of a bitch,” I grind out as others rush forward to help Parker. “You’ve got a lot of fucking nerve. Try to take advantage of her again, and I’m going to rip your balls off,” I say with a snarl.
“Marcus!”
It’s almost impossible to hear Empire through the ringing in my ears. I don’t dare think about what would have happened if I hadn’t shown up when I did, what might have gone down if I’d been even five minutes later. Without taking my eyes off Parker, I snap my fingers.
Empire gets the hint, thank fuck, and grabs her robe, throwing it over her shoulders.
“Are you crazy?” Parker’s voice is muffled by his hand and, I’m happy to see, the flood of blood flowing between his fingers. “Marcus, you’re out of your mind. You broke my nose!”
“Yeah, I’m fucking crazy. You’ve known me long enough to understand. You pull another sneaky stunt like this, and see what happens, Heath. Mark my mother fucking words.”
Empire scuttles to my side, and I tuck my arm around her, half dragging and half carrying her off the set. Her legs give out on her the second we exit the soundstage. Our luck, no one follows after us. By the time we make it to the car, she’s sobbing, and I’m furious enough to see red along the edges of my vision.
I’ll break more than his nose.
Not the smartest idea, but if he tries anything else, then I’m going to break his kneecaps, then his arms.
Bundling Empire in the passenger seat is the smart move. I’ve got to let go of her at some point, but I can’t move. I can’t make myself enforce the distance yet. I clutch her to my chest painfully, her fingers burying in the fabric of my shirt to keep me just as close.
Her tears soak through the front of the shirt.
“I’m sorry,” she sobs out. “Marcus. I’m so sorry.”
“Why are you sorry?”
“I…I-I wasn’t prepared to get naked today. That’s why I was having trouble with my lines.” She rubs her cheek against my chest before craning up to look at me. “I’m sorry, Marcus. I’ll do better next time.”
My insides are shaking. I should do a lot better than just break Parker’s nose. I want to sock him right in the gut, kick his balls back into his body, make him pay for trying to convince Empire she’s the problem. That she wanted more money and so she has to be treated in such an inappropriate and embarrassing manner.
“Why do you think I’d want you to endure something like that?” I ask her slowly. No one should have to go through what she just did.
She’s shaking harder than a bee in a tornado.
“I know my career is important to you,” she whispers. “And you need me to finish this movie to keep things on track for you. I did it for you.”
It nearly breaks me to hear.