Chapter 11 #2
His grin fades, and for the first time, I see something other than amusement in his expression. Something that almost looks like concern.
“I needed to see if she was genuine.”
Of all the things I expected Will to say, this wasn’t one of them.
I don’t respond immediately, just sink onto the coffee table, watching him and waiting.
He sighs, rubbing a hand over his jaw. “You know as well as I do how rotten our world is. And maybe you think you’re smooth, but you’re not that good of an actor, my friend. You’re in love with this girl.”
“I—” The denial catches in my throat because it’s absurd. I’ve known her for months, never seen her in person, never kissed her, never even touched her skin. And yet, the addiction is all too real.
Will shakes his head, a humorless laugh slipping past his lips.
“I wanted to see if she was too good to be true. If she was just like the others—attracted to the money, the fame.” His grin tilts, but there’s something self-deprecating about it.
“But the problem is… she’s not. That woman is so not that, and if I didn’t already know how hot and amazing I am, she’d probably make me doubt it. ”
I roll my eyes, but I can’t stop the smile tugging at my lips. “I could’ve told you that.”
Will doesn’t laugh. Instead, his expression turns serious. “It’s a problem.”
I frown. “Why?”
“Because she’s going to hate you.”
Unease twists in my gut. “No, she likes me a lot. She hates Jake.”
Will leans forward, his voice sharper than I’m used to. “But you are Jake.”
I blink at the vehemence in his tone. Will’s dramatic, sure, but this? This is something else.
He shakes his head, exhaling. “God, you have to stop dissociating. Fine, you were Jacob. You’ve been Jacob until you were, what, twenty-one?
And yeah, part of you is still that kid.
Part of you is still Eli or whatever the hell you want to call yourself.
But at the end of the day? You are Jake Hollander. ”
I open my mouth, but he doesn’t let me interrupt.
“You’re not playing a role. Not always, not completely. You’re both.” His voice lowers slightly. “And you can’t have one without the other. Not unless you walk away from this life.” He lifts a brow, almost daring me. “Which, let’s be honest, you like too much to do.”
The words sit heavily between us.
Because he’s right.
I do like this life. I like the power, the privilege, the access. I like that I get to make movies and build something bigger than myself.
And Amy? She likes Eli, the version of me that isn’t in the tabloids, that doesn’t live under the glare of flashing cameras. The one who exists without PR teams controlling every move, without press junkets shaping my narrative.
The part of me I smothered for years, never letting it breathe, not even in private.
But now? Now, that part of me refuses to be caged again.
“You need to come clean to her.”
The words hit like an attack, and I bristle, immediately defensive, because I know. Of course I know.
“Since when are you Mr. Honesty?” I shoot back. “It’s rich for you to be giving moral judgment.”
Will sighs, rubbing his temples. "You don’t get it, kid.
That’s the thing." His voice is quieter now. "I don’t want to be the voice of reason. It’s boring, it sucks, and I’m rotten.
You’re not. Not yet. You haven’t let this industry taint your soul the way I did.
” He leans forward, his expression uncharacteristically serious.
“And this girl? She’s a good one. A good person. And pretty too. And she smells good—”
“Keep testing me, Winters,” I warn, my jaw tightening, “and I swear we’ll get to test your plastic surgeon’s skills in real time.”
He leans back, grinning. “She’s a unicorn.”
There it is again, his theory.
The worst part? I agree.
“I know she is.” My shoulders sag, my gaze dropping to the expensive rug under my feet.
“It all got out of hand, really. I started talking to her because I was bored and she was feisty. But then… she surprised me. She’s kind and funny and so damn smart.
She wants to be a novelist, and honestly?
She has the talent for it. But she lives this carefully controlled, slightly boring life.
And when we talk, I see her break free just like I break free.
It’s like we… I don’t know.” I exhale. “Like we find freedom in each other.”
Will hums. “Freedom in each other. Sounds like a solid porn title.”
I shoot up from my seat, glaring. “Oh, fuck you, Will! Can you take anything seriously for once?”
He doesn’t even flinch, just tilts his head. “Can you?”
I freeze.
“Because right now?” He shrugs, utterly unimpressed. “All I hear are excuses.” He rolls his eyes. “Oh, poor little movie star who can’t find love.”
My glare sharpens, and my fists tighten. I really want to hit him. “We both know most of the women we meet are in it for our looks, our money, or our clout.”
Will snorts. “Please. Don’t sell them short. They’re usually here for all three.”
“So why is it so hard to understand that I want to hold on to the one person who actually wants me?”
“But she doesn’t!” His voice spikes with frustration, his hands thrown up in exasperation. “The good ones never want us!”
His words hit me like a gut punch, forcing me back a step.
“Or maybe she would,” he continues. “Maybe you did find that one-in-a-million girl. But how the hell would you know? The longer you wait, the worse you’re making it—for you and for her.”
I shake my head. “Why does this even matter to you? Why do you care? You have no dog in this race.”
For the first time, something shifts in his expression. Hurt. It’s barely there, but I see it. And I feel like a sack of shit.
“Of course I care,” he says, sighing. “I have you. And no matter what? I love you, you little shit.”
I stare at him, startled.
“I don’t say it enough,” he mutters, rubbing a hand over his jaw.
“But I see everything you do for me. I know how much of my mess you clean up. How much you try to keep me alive.” He exhales sharply, shaking his head.
“I should be the one guiding you, but let’s be real, you’re the one holding me together. ”
My throat tightens.
“But the way you’re acting now?” He leans forward, locking eyes with me. “It looks a lot like something I would do.”
He lets that sit for a second before delivering the final blow.
“And if the answer to ‘Would Will do that?’ is yes?” He smirks, but it’s hollow. “Then you can bet your ass it’s a fucking mistake.”
I exhale slowly, letting the weight of his words settle. Then, without thinking, I sit beside him, bumping my arm against his.
“I need to tell her in person,” I say, my voice rougher than I expected.
“If I do it now, over text, she can shut me down. She doesn’t have to let me explain.
” I drag a hand through my hair. “And I wouldn’t blame her.
I’m the one who lied. I’m the one who…” I pause, forcing myself to look at him.
“I just… I need her to hear me out. To understand that she’s not some passing thing to me.
That she’s…” I swallow hard. “That she’s everything. ”
He doesn’t say anything right away. He just watches me, something unreadable in his expression. Then, after a long moment, he exhales and leans back.
“When?”
“In two weeks. When I’m in London for Blood Oath.” I let out a breath, steadying myself. “I’ve already planned to meet her the day before the premiere. I’ll tell her then. And if it all goes the way I hope…” I hesitate, then push through. “We’ll walk into that premiere together.”
Will nods slowly. But he doesn’t say anything.
And that? That’s worse than him saying something dumb.
“What do you think?” I press, bracing myself for whatever ridiculous take he’s about to unload on me.
He tilts his head, considering, then finally sighs. “Well…” He drags the word out, tapping his fingers against his knee. “On a scale of ‘mildly disastrous’ to ‘Hollywood’s next viral PR nightmare,’ I’d say you’re teetering somewhere around a train wreck waiting to happen.”
I groan, rubbing a hand over my face. “Great. Super helpful.”
He shrugs. “Hey, you asked.”
“I meant constructive input.”
“I am being constructive.” He sits up straighter, pinning me with an infuriatingly smug look.
“Listen, I’m all for grand gestures and cinematic drama, but you should probably prepare for the very real possibility that the girl you’ve been lying to for months doesn’t immediately jump into your arms and profess her undying love. ”
I glare. “I did not lie to her.”
Will lifts his brows, unimpressed.
I exhale sharply. “Fine. Not intentionally.”
He snorts. “Right. And I’m a picture of emotional stability.”
I roll my eyes, but deep down, the unease gnaws at me. What if he’s right? What if I miscalculated everything? What if this does blow up in my face?
Will watches me for a long moment, then leans forward, clasping his hands together. “Look, man. I hope it works out for you. I do. But you should probably brace yourself.”
“For what?”
His smirk is back, but this time, there’s something almost… pitying in it.
“For when it all goes to hell.”
“You’re a real ray of fucking sunshine.”
He claps a hand on my shoulder, grinning. “That’s what I’m here for, bud.”
I shake my head, muttering a curse under my breath. But as much as I want to ignore him, as much as I want to believe everything will go exactly as planned…
A nagging voice in the back of my head won’t let me shake the feeling that he might be right.
And that scares the hell out of me.