Chapter Seven
CHAPTER SEVEN
DOMINIC
She narrows her eyes, like I’ve offended her. Unbelievable.
Muttering out a curse, I dig in my newly retrieved wallet and pull out a business card. “I overheard you and that purple-haired bitch in there,” I say tipping my chin toward the bar. “I know you’re an actress, and your phone isn’t exactly ringing with offers.” Before she can spout off any more insults, I give her hand a tug and press the card into the middle of her palm. “This isn’t something I care to discuss next to a dumpster. Since you refuse to give me your number, mine is on the card. Think you can knock that chip off your shoulder long enough to call it?”
Her eyes trail down to the card in her hand. I watch as they scan the words embossed in gold, her lips mouthing the name I’ve yet to reveal. Then every inch of her stills.
“Dominic McCallum,” she says, spitting out my name as if she can’t stand the taste of it. She looks up, disgust burning bright and hot in that murky, green glare .
“Yes?” It’s all I offer. I’ve just thrown down the gauntlet. It’s up to her whether she accepts the challenge.
Holding my stare, she rips the card in two and tosses it to the ground by my feet. “Fuck you.”
“Tempting, but I want an answer first.”
“Fuck—”
“Fuck you, I know. You’ve said that already.” Stepping forward, I cage her against the wall again. “But wishes come in threes, cupcake. So, if I were you, I’d be very careful about tossing out a third. Even with your shitty attitude, I might be tempted to grant it.”
“You can go straight to hell.”
“No thanks. Been there, done that. I don’t recommend it unless you’re into getting fucked in the ass by Satan.”
She stares at me for a minute like she doesn’t know what to say. Eventually, she just shakes her head and blows out a slow breath. “What do you want from me?”
It’s a simple question which should have a simple answer, but I’m losing focus as our close proximity starts taking up all available space in my head. “Everything,” I growl.
I don’t know who leans in first. Maybe it’s me. Maybe it’s her. Maybe it’s both of us. All I know is I’m imagining those lips wrapped around something a hell of a lot more enjoyable than an insult.
“Everything okay out here?”
The voice comes out of nowhere, and we spring apart like two over-wound Jack-in-the-boxes. Angel glances over my shoulder, a nervous smile tipping the corner of her cheek, so I follow her line-of-sight straight to a shock of purple hair and black Sharpie-rimmed eyes.
Great.
“Yeah, a customer lost his wallet and thought I might have seen it, but he was mistaken. Right?” She stares at me with a dare blazing in her eyes. If cocktail waitressing doesn’t work out for this woman, she has a solid future in extortion.
“Right,” I say, dragging out the word. “Thanks for your time.” I glance down at the ripped card strewn across my shoe. “If you change your mind—”
“I won’t.”
The bartender stares at me with suspicion in her eyes, so I smile just to be a dick.
“I have to get back to work.” Angel scurries past me like someone lit her ass on fire. I watch as she swings the backdoor open, pausing only to glance over her shoulder at her friend. “You coming, Violet?”
“I’ll catch up in a minute.”
Angel barely acknowledges her friend before the heavy, metal door slams behind her. I’m not a man accustomed to small talk or manners, so I don’t offer either as I turn around to leave. I have a ride to catch.
“Hey!” Shoes scuffle behind me as a hand grabs my bicep. “Dominic McCallum!”
I stop mid-stride. Shit. I’m not in the mood to deal with another wannabe-actress who thinks my dick rings the doorbell to stardom, so I spin around, my thumb digging into my temple. “Look lady, I’m not your ticket to Hollywood. In fact, most agents prefer to spend their free time jabbing pins in little Dominic McCallum voodoo dolls.”
Shooting me a hard look, she lets go of my arm. “That’s not what…” Her words trail off as she bends down to pick up my torn business card. Holding it up, she lets out a labored sigh. “What you said to Angel, is it true? I mean, can you really—?”
Son of a bitch. “How long were you standing there?”
She shrugs. “Long enough.”
I roll her cryptic admission around in my head as my ride share app alerts me that my car is here. She clears her throat, and I glance up to see her angling her head as if trying to look through me.
“If you’re really offering her that kind of money, what’s the catch?”
I was right. She was eavesdropping. “Why do you assume there’s a catch?”
“There always is.”
As if on cue, my app chimes again. “This has been fun, but my ride is waiting.”
Before I can take two steps, she blurts out, “Is this about your search for Alexandra Romanov?”
Spinning around, I narrow my eyes. Intuition has always saved my ass, and at the moment, warning signs are pinging off this girl like atomic road flares. “I’m sorry?”
“Come on, McCallum, you think I’m stupid? I know that’s why Reggie’s girl slapped you. I heard everything. Not that it would’ve been hard to figure out. Every asshole with a telephoto lens and an overdrawn bank account is hunting for that girl.”
“So, what does that have to do with Angel?”
“You think I don’t see the resemblance? I’m broke, not blind.”
I force a blank expression. “I don’t follow.” Only I do. And when she sighs, I know she does, too.
“You won’t hurt her, right?” She stares down at her hands, and despite the sarcastic armor, I know this girl is being sincere.
“Look, I may be a lot of things, but homicidal isn’t one of them.” Choosing my words carefully, I offer a half-truth. “There’s a million dollars on the line. People with less morals than me will do anything to get their hands on it, and most of them won’t care what happens after the payout.”
She finally looks me in the eye. I have no idea what’s rolling around in that Crayola head of hers, but as I watch her tap the ripped edge of my card against her bottom lip, I’m hoping it’s surrender. “And you do?”
Frustrated, I rake a hand through my hair. “Let’s just say I know what it’s like to get thrown to the wolves. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.”
As her rigid posture relaxes, mine coils tighter than a starved python. That’s just a little too much truth for me. I know the moment she sees it, too. The exact moment she resigns both of us to whatever she’s been wrestling with.
“Promise me you’ll watch out for her.”
“What?”
“Promise me!” she yells, delivering a surprisingly hard punch to my chest.
My palms fly up. “Okay, Jesus, I promise.”
Keeping her eyes firmly on mine, she pauses before reaching in her apron and pulling out a pen. I watch as she scribbles frantically on the back of my torn card before shoving it in my face. The moment I take it, a shadow of regret passes over her face. “This is her address.”
No. It can’t be this easy.
“Why would you give me this?”
She stares at me before dropping her gaze to the destroyed card clenched in my hand. “If you can give her a better life, you need to convince her to listen to you.” Her voice catches as her eyes trail over her shoulder toward the dead-end bar. “No one deserves to die serving cheap booze in a dirty apron. Especially her. She has talent, McCallum. Real talent.”
“How selfless of you. Unfortunately, you fell on the wrong sword. Even after stealing my wallet, she still refuses to listen to anything I have to say.”
“You’re a persuasive guy,” she says, giving my chest a firm pat. “You’ll figure it out.” I’m about to tell her I can’t figure my way out of half the shit I’m in when she adds, “You owe it to her.”
She can’t be serious.
“I’m sorry, you think I owe her for robbing me blind?”
“No, you owe her a chance . You ruined her life, McCallum. Then again, that’s what you do, isn’t it? Destroy people. Exploit weaknesses to make yourself feel like a big shot.”
“What the hell are you talking about? I’ve never met that girl before in my life.”
“No, I guess you wouldn’t remember her.” Fire burns in her eyes. “I mean, she was just a faceless, nameless casualty in your quest for justice. Kind of like when you did that expose on Last First Kiss and shut down the whole production. Do you even remember the name of the actress you ruined in your crusade?”
I can hear the hatred in her words. She spits them out like poisoned darts, but my skin has grown so thick through the years, I don’t even flinch. Contrary to popular belief, I don’t run around with a pitchfork ruining people’s lives, but if I see an opening, I’ll take it.
“Her name was Jade Saxton,” I snap. “And that producer is now serving a ten-year sentence for sexual assault. So, you’re welcome for that.”
She blanches. “Even so, she was innocent.”
“Justice isn’t free, sweetheart. We all pay a price.”
Closing her eyes, she takes a deep breath before opening them. “Look, you’ve already made the offer. I’m just asking you to follow through. I’ll beg if that’s what you want.”
“Why?” It’s one word. Simple, to the point, and loaded with suspicion.
“Look where you are, McCallum.” Spreading her arms wide, she gestures around the dark alley. “You think if we had a choice, we’d choose this life, waking up every morning wondering if that’s the day we’ll end up back on the streets?” She sighs, the fury draining out of her.
“So, selling out your friend is your big selfless act?”
“I don’t trust you, McCallum. But between watching Angel barely survive and selling her out to a man who can save her, I’ll sell her out every time.” I’m still processing what she said when she turns to go back inside. “By the way,” she says, tilting her chin over her shoulder, “Angel used to go by another name.”
I should walk away right now. Instead, I raise an eyebrow and wait.
“Back in Hollywood,” she adds. “Before it was dragged through the mud, and we ended up here.”
I almost don’t ask. Somehow, I know her answer will change everything. But I’ve never been one for a wait and see approach. “What was it?”
The air hangs heavy between us as she utters the two words that start the countdown. “Jade Saxton.”