Chapter 14
LUCAS
After the break, I let Lexi slip back to the set. My pulse was still high from our earlier moment—her lips, her heat, the way she’d looked at me like she could unravel me with a glance. I shook it off, forcing my focus back to the job. This wasn’t the time to lose my edge.
Benji’s attack had shifted the air on set, like a storm rolling in you could feel but not see.
I spotted his bodyguards near the security tent, two big guys with easy grins that didn’t quite match the tension in their shoulders.
They were built like linebackers, broad and solid, but their relaxed postures suggested they spent more time sitting around than cracking skulls.
I approached and they straightened slightly, sizing me up.
“Lucas,” I said, extending a hand. “Dominion Hall.”
The taller one, with a shaved head and a scar above his eyebrow, shook my hand firmly. “Troy,” he said. “This is Nate.”
Nate, stockier with a reddish beard, nodded. “Heard about you,” he said, his tone light but probing. “Dominion Hall, huh? That’s some heavy-hitter shit.”
I kept my expression neutral. “Something like that. You guys mind walking me through what happened with Benji?”
They exchanged a glance, the kind that said they’d already clocked me as more than just hired muscle.
Troy leaned against the tent pole, crossing his arms. “Caught us off guard, man. Benji’s a good dude—one of the nicest in this game.
Nobody’s ever come at him like this. Not in five years working with him. ”
Nate nodded, his grin fading. “Happened at his rental. He steps out on the back deck with his coffee, like he does every day. Guy comes out of nowhere—big, maybe six-two, ball cap, yelling some crazy shit about Hollywood being a sin factory, Benji poisoning souls, all that. Swings at him before we even hear the commotion. Got a couple good hits in before we pulled him off and he bolted.”
“Any ID?” I asked, my mind already running through possibilities.
Troy shook his head. “Nothing solid. Weird accent—Eastern European, maybe? Hard to pin down with all the screaming. No car, no plates. Just vanished. We’ve got cameras at the house, but the footage didn’t help. Cops are looking at it now.”
I frowned, my instincts prickling. “What do you think it means? Random nutcase, or something targeted?”
Nate rubbed the back of his neck, his eyes flicking to Troy. “That’s the thing. Benji’s not the kind of guy who makes enemies. He’s all charm, no drama. This felt … personal. Like the guy knew exactly where to find him.”
“Which means what?” I pressed, keeping my tone even.
Troy’s jaw tightened. “Either someone followed him, or someone on the inside tipped this weirdo off. No way he just stumbles on Benji’s rental in the middle of James Island. We’re careful—always checking for tails, switching routes. We don’t advertise where he’s staying.”
My gut twisted. An inside job was a problem—a big one. Film sets were porous, crawling with crew, assistants, locals. Anyone could’ve let something slip, intentionally or not. “You got any theories on who?”
Nate shook his head. “Not yet. We’re keeping our eyes open. He’s shaken but stubborn—says he won’t let it slow him down. Let’s just say he won’t be having coffee on the back porch tomorrow.”
“What’s your next move?” I asked.
Troy shrugged, but his eyes were hard. “Move to another house. We’ve got a guy checking local feeds for anyone matching the description. Cops are involved, but you know how that goes—slow unless it’s high-profile enough to make headlines.”
I nodded, my mind re-mapping the set’s weak points—the open dock, the flimsy ropes, the bored security guards who’d rather be anywhere else. “Anything I can do to help?”
They shared another look, this one longer, like they were weighing whether to trust me.
Nate spoke first. “Not yet, man. We’ve got Benji covered.
But …” He hesitated, glancing at the set where Lexi was running lines with a stand-in.
“Keep a close eye on her. If this was about the film, she could be next.”
My blood went cold, but I kept my face steady. “Why her?”
Troy’s voice dropped, low and serious. “She’s the bigger name. The face on every poster. If someone’s targeting this production, they’re not gonna stop with Benji. And after that bar stunt? She’s got a spotlight on her.”
I nodded, the weight of it settling in my chest. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
Troy clapped my shoulder, his grin returning. “Appreciate it, man. When this movie’s done—if we all survive—drinks are on us.”
Nate laughed, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Yeah. Let’s get through this.”
I forced a smile. “Deal,” I said. “Stay sharp.”
“You, too,” Troy said, and they turned back to their post.
I moved through the set, my eyes finding Lexi instantly.
She was mid-scene, her voice carrying over the hum of the wind machine, soft but intense, like she was pouring her soul into every word.
The sun caught her hair, turning it gold, and for a moment, I forgot the job, the threat, everything but her. Then I snapped out of it.
Focus, Dane.
I took up a position near the monitors, close enough to keep her in sight but far enough to blend in.
Franklin was in his element, barking orders, his expensive watch glinting as he gestured.
The crew moved like a well-oiled machine, but I could feel the tension—everyone knew about Benji’s attack, and it had rattled them.
Whispers passed between grips, assistants glancing over their shoulders.
The set felt like a powder keg, and I was the one tasked with keeping the spark away from Lexi.
My mind kept circling back to what Troy had said—an inside job.
If someone on this production was leaking information, it wasn’t just a security issue; it was a betrayal.
I scanned the faces around me: the makeup artist fussing with a kit, the sound guy adjusting a boom mic, the local hires lugging cables.
Any one of them could be the weak link. My job was to be there, always, because that’s what I’d signed up for.
But the idea of someone targeting Lexi, of her being in the crosshairs of some fanatic or worse, made my blood run hot in a way that wasn’t just professional.
The end of the day dragged on, the heat steady despite the fading hour.
Lexi worked through take after take, her focus unshaken despite the chaos.
She was good—better than good. Every line, every glance, carried a weight that made you believe her.
I could see why Franklin called her a loose cannon; she didn’t just act—she burned, like she was daring the world to look away.
Between takes, I caught her eye once, just for a second. She flashed a smile—small, private, the kind that said she knew I was watching. My chest tightened, and I forced my gaze back to the perimeter.
Not now, Dane.
But the memory of her naked in the bathroom, her lips on mine, was a live wire in my blood, and every look she gave me twisted it tighter.
Dinner was called, and the crew scattered to a tent by the water.
I stayed put, sipping water from a bottle, my eyes never leaving Lexi as she grabbed a wrap and joined Hannah at a picnic table.
The sisters leaned close, talking low, their heads bent together like kids sharing a secret.
It was a glimpse of the real Lexi, not the star, and it hit me harder than it should’ve.
Noah reappeared around 8pm, his expression unreadable as he approached. “Anything new?” he asked, his voice low. I’d already texted him about the incident with Benji.
“Talked to Benji’s guys,” I said, keeping my tone even. “They think it might’ve been an inside job. Just a guess, but who knows at this point?”
Noah’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t look surprised. “Understood. Keep your eyes open. Lexi’s your priority, but if you spot anything off—crew, locals, anyone—let me know.”
“Got it,” I said, my mind already running through the faces I’d seen, the ones I didn’t trust. “What’s Dominion Hall’s play here? This isn’t just about babysitting a star.”
He smirked, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “You’re catching on. We don’t do simple. This production’s got eyes on it—big money, big names, big risks. If someone’s targeting it, we need to know why. And who. Charleston is our home. We protect what’s ours.”
I nodded, the weight of it settling in. This wasn’t just about Lexi, though she was the center of it for me. Dominion Hall was playing a deeper game, one I didn’t fully understand yet. But I’d figure it out. I always did.
The night stretched on. Lexi wrapped her last scene, and Franklin called it a day, his mood lighter than it had been.
The crew packed up, their chatter louder now, relieved to be done.
I stayed close to Lexi, my eyes scanning everything, the shadows, the water.
Nothing felt right, not with that itch still crawling up my spine.
As we headed for the SUV, Lexi fell into step beside me, her bag slung over her shoulder. “Long day,” she said, her voice soft but laced with that teasing edge.
“Longer for some,” I said, thinking of Benji’s bruised face.
We reached the SUV, and I opened the door for her, my hand brushing hers as she climbed in. That spark hit again, sharp and electric, but I shoved it down. Not now. Not with a threat out there, maybe closer than we knew.
As I slid into the driver’s seat, my mind was still working. If someone was leaking information, I’d find them.
If someone was targeting Lexi, they’d have to go through me first. Bad luck for them.
But as we pulled onto the road, the marsh stretching dark and endless beside us, that feeling lingered—the one Troy’s joke about surviving had stirred. It wasn’t just a quip. Something was coming, and I didn’t know what.