Chapter 30 Red
Chapter thirty
Red
Every newspaper and television station carries the breaking story. Although the titles vary, they all shout the same theme.
Biggest Haze Bust of the Decade. Hundreds of Raids Reveal River of Haze. Laversham’s Black Market Shame. And our personal favorite: World’s Not-So-Sexiest Man Illicit Haze User. The ticker tapes in the filming offices run hot with Bradley’s name and the details of his arrest.
We got all the news firsthand sitting around in the OCB for hours yesterday, but thankfully Leroy let us go in time for my afternoon shoot.
We seem to be off the hook for whatever suspicions they might have held about us leaking news or being involved.
It’s offensive to even think I’d stand in the way of the investigations, and I definitely had no interest in tipping Brad off, but I suppose I can’t fault the agents for being thorough.
Rickon scans the front-page article over my shoulder as we wait in Director Yun’s empty conference room for our emergency meeting to discuss the film’s future. “Do you think ‘any publicity is good publicity’ still applies here?” my alpha murmurs.
I chuckle and tap my finger on the unflattering picture of a handcuffed Brad in front of his city-view mansion. “No, I really don’t think he can spin this in a good way.”
Rickon leaves his seat and crouches at my knees, taking my hands in his. “Saying he deserved it doesn’t even begin to cover how upset you must be.”
I sigh and sink into my chair. “You’re right. I guess mentally I knew people were using my haze. Why else would the bastards sell it, right?”
Rickon nods, empathy shining in his eyes.
I shrink down, hunching my shoulders forward. “But I was so far removed from that process I didn’t really consider it much. The way of getting the oil out is so disgusting, it’s hard to believe the end product could be usable, you know?”
My alpha drops his head into my lap and kisses the back of my hand. “Yeah, I get it.”
I glare at the newspaper. “But they don’t know how it’s produced. Or don’t care.”
“Ignorance is bliss,” he recites sadly, resting his cheek on my hands. I pull one free and stroke his silky bleached hair. He recently had the roots done, so the darker regrowth is gone, leaving him white and glowing like a light bulb. This alpha lights my path, for sure.
I tug the newspaper free and fold it in half, setting it on the dark-red conference table. “It kinda explains his fascination with me,” I say, stroking my nails through Rickon’s hair in long, slow sweeps. “He mentioned my scent several times, but I thought he was just coming on to me.”
“Well, he’ll have some big sweaty alphas coming onto him in prison soon.” He smirks and nuzzles into my hand.
“You think he’ll wind up in the same place as Zack?”
Rickon shrugs, his body skimming over my knees with the motion. “It’ll be months before he’s sentenced, and hopefully Zack will be out by then.”
Right. I forgot Zack got processed and denied bail faster than normal.
My alpha growls softly, and his brow furrows. “That’s assuming Brad doesn’t weasel out of the charges altogether.”
I frown. If the state fails to sentence him, I’ll ask Callisto to weigh in. Maybe press charges myself.
The conference room doors swing open, and the other The Omega Race actors file in, calling greetings and murmuring to each other about the shocking news.
Rickon rises and takes his seat, tucking his chair close beside mine.
His closeness keeps the ghostly Red at bay as they gossip about raids.
One of our crew getting arrested for haze possession sends ripples through the production team for sure, but probably none of them know the haze was mine.
All over the country, the people in that client folder were getting sexual release from my cruel captivity. I’m a living blood diamond, tortured for others’ pleasure.
My stomach turns.
The door flings open again, admitting Director Yun. His face burns a fine shade of crimson. “Well, this is a fucking fine day, isn’t it? Couldn’t the bastard have gotten caught before we started filming?” He slams his hands down on the desk and scans his remaining cast. “Dammit all!”
His flinty gaze meets mine, and he flinches. “Fuck, I’m sorry, Red. I didn’t mean to imply that illicit haze use is acceptable in any way.” He points, swinging his finger to include all the other actors. “I pay you all well enough to buy the legal versions, hear me?”
Everyone nods.
“Politics aside, we’re three quarters of the way through filming with a missing actor. We can’t have this kind of smear on our name, so I’ll have to recast James’s role or cancel the project. I wanted to hear from all of you before I decide. Either way, this will set us back by months.”
One of the main jockeys lifts his hand. “What do you forecast the impact will be on the movie if we don’t recast?”
“You mean leave Brad in it?” Valencio collapses into his chair at the head of the table with a sigh.
“I hate to say it, but Brad’s whole shit show will probably bring our movie more attention.
Especially if his trial aligns with the release schedule in any way.
That’s been the case in similar situations in the past.” He shakes his head.
“But I don’t want that kind of stain on our production team.
More than that—” The director swivels his chair in my direction.
“It’s not fair on Red to even ask her share a screen with a user. ”
A lump lodges in my throat, and I nod gratefully to the man who took the biggest chance on my career.
While the movie’s producers discuss the budget, I study my hands, trying to sort through my messy feelings.
Leanne’s words about climbing out of a pit flit through my thoughts.
It does seem like I’m always climbing up, straining to reach some level of normal that comes easily for everyone else.
No, not everyone.
Zack’s dragging himself up one new experience at a time, and even Callisto and Rickon face major challenges. Maybe we’re all climbing out of canyons but don’t realize it.
“I’d like to hear your thoughts, Red.”
I flinch and turn my attention back to the discussion. The director extends his open hand in my direction.
I suck on my cheeks, thinking it through.
“Everyone probably knows there’s no love lost between me and Brad, but I’m not real keen on re-filming all the scenes we’ve done so far.
But I’m thinking that about half of James’s scenes weren’t close up.
” I spread my hands to indicate the mid-distance filming.
“If we got a new actor, could the technology handle face swapping everything that isn’t close? ”
The director purses his lips, deep in thought before he finally nods. “Yeah, that could work. It might take me a few weeks to replace the actor, but we could use a body double for the sex scenes so we don’t hold up the filming schedule. If you’re willing?”
“Yes, that works for me.” Anyone’s better than Brad, although my stomach curls up at the idea of a stranger.
The main producer scrubs a hand over his face and groans. “But we still have final race scenes to film after. This could blow out massively by the time you get a new actor on board.”
I lift my hand tentatively. “Can we exit James from the story altogether?” I ask.
“I mean, from this point forward so there’s less for the new actor to take on?
Like, a good ol’ bus accident or something?
” I smack the back of one hand into the other with a loud clap, miming the accident.
“Poof! Poor grieving omega rides the last race with only Ethan holding her together.” I point to Sebastien, who plays the OCB agent Ethan Hulo, and he nods encouragingly.
“The viewers would understand why we did it, too,” Sebastien adds.
Valencio crosses his arms over his chest and hums. “We were trying not to deviate too much from the original story, but our contract does allow for creative license in the storytelling. But a main character getting run over by a bus is too obvious.”
True—even if I wished Brad himself would get squashed flat.
“We’ve already established James is an investor,” Rickon says.
“What if he gets a call to go to a racing program overseas? The love scenes can be a bittersweet moment when they both know they’re saying goodbye but don’t say the words.
Let Ashana find out in a roundabout way and encourage him to pursue his dreams, just as she has.
Then anything else we hear about James comes via a magazine article about his great overseas success or via letters.
Ethan steps up to be Ashana’s primary supporter. ”
Valencio rubs a line on his forehead, considering. He turns to the head screenwriter with a questioning lift of his brows.
The woman nods. “I can make that work. Nuanced rejection coupled with chasing one’s own dreams. Very thematic for Ashana’s journey.” She clicks her fingers a few times, tracing an invisible storyline. “And James has a proclivity for chasing success; that’s been established well.”
The director nods slowly, pursing his lips as his gaze settles on me again. “But we don’t have a body double for him. There was no need since he didn’t have any stunts and does his own sex scenes.”
I blow out a noisy breath. Of course that obnoxious brat wanted in on the shots that make his body look good. The good news is, I won’t have to see Brad ever again, let alone pretend to make love. The bad news is, a stranger doesn’t sound any better right now.
I glance at Rickon. This might be the only time I regret that he’s not wide-shouldered and muscled. I blink as my thoughts collide, sparking something new. What if it wasn’t a stranger, but someone I trusted?
“I know someone,” I murmur.
Other voices drown me out, the actors all discussing tweaks to the script and possible actor choices, but Valencio sees me speak. “Quiet now,” he orders, banging on the table. “What was that, Red?”
A shiver of excitement runs through me. Would it be possible? Should I even go there in the first place? But I can’t shake the reassuring feel of Callisto’s arm around me in the bed.
“Red?” Rickon repeats.
“I know someone,” I say. “Someone with a similar body type, but less muscled.”
The director waves his hand. “So long as they’re fit, a couple weeks in the gym and some dieting can get them good enough. Lights and oil can fix the rest. Is this someone you want to work with?”
I turn to Rickon, and he studies me. “Are you referring to—?” He trails off, eyes widening.
“You’ve compared them before,” I murmur softly.
“Well, yeah, but are you comfortable enough with that?”
I nod. “I think so. But he might not want to do it. I mean, he has a full-time job. Not to mention everything else going on.”
“Well, we can only ask,” Rickon says, doubt in his voice.
“And can I know who this mystery man is?” Director Yun asks, overly patient.
I brace my hands on the table and breathe deep. “Callisto Wren,” I say. “My lawyer.”
Of course, that depends on whether the very respectable alpha is willing to bare his body on the big screen.