Chapter 67
Chapter Sixty-Seven
ROMAN
Every eye in the room is on me right now, but it doesn’t matter. There’s only one pair of eyes I care about. They’re a beautiful green and belong to the woman I love.
Arnold clears his throat into the mic in front of him. “Uh... what?” For a director, he’s doing a killer job of acting shocked right now. I pulled him aside a few days ago and told him what I was planning to do here, and because he’s the best fucking guy on the planet, he gave me his full support.
“I’m not doing any movies without her.” I take a swig of my bottled water. “Her role needs to be restored, and if it’s not, then this is my last movie. Ever.” Looking to my right, Clover’s mouth has popped open. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m sure I have a voicemail waiting from a lawyer.”
Without waiting for anyone to answer, I leave the stage. The crowd immediately starts buzzing, and the moderator scrambles for what to do next.
I round the corner to the backstage area for cast members, and Deacon comes flying out of the room.
“What the fuck was that, Roman?” he thunders.
“Honesty. You should try it sometime.” I move to get around him, but he steps in my path.
“You think you can get up there and blow up the franchise like that?”
“I believe I just did.” I walk past him toward the exit.
“You’ll have to answer for this!” Deacon shouts after me.
That’s fine if I have to suffer in order to fix what I fucked up in the first place.
I know they won’t proceed without me in future films. Too much money has already been spent for them to just toss it away.
This is my only shot at getting Clover her job back, and if it puts me in the line of fire, then so be it.
For the entire ride home, I keep my phone off. The angry calls and emails can wait. Instead, I occupy my mind with the notes of Clover’s song.
When I get home, I toss my dead phone onto the counter, heading to the fridge to grab a beer. As I sit myself down on the couch and kick my legs up, there’s a pounding on the front door.
“Jesus, that was quick,” I mutter as I brace myself to face the process server, or worse, Deacon himself.
When I open the door, I’m greeted by a beautiful redhead with flushed cheeks.
“Are you crazy?” she breathes.
I want to drop to my knees before her. She must’ve raced here to be at my door so soon after I arrived.
“Probably, yeah.”
“They’re going to sue your fucking ass off, Roman.” Both hands cover her mouth, and she shakes her head in disbelief.
I smile. “I’d be disappointed if they didn’t.”
Her eyes fill with tears, and she bites down on a wobbling lip before composing herself enough to say, “Why did you do that?”
“You know why.”
She shakes her head. “I need you to say it.”
I step closer toward her, desperate to touch her but smart enough to know I can’t. Not until she tells me she wants this. Touching her is a privilege, and I’ll wait until I’ve earned it.
“I will do anything to fix my mistake, Clover. You don’t have to forgive me, I’ll understand if you don’t.
But regardless of that, I need to set things right.
You are a force to be reckoned with, and you deserve the whole world.
You deserve way more than an idiot like me, who was too stupid to admit you clocked me on some shit I needed to hear.
” I swallow thickly. “I’ll never stop being sorry for what I did, and I’ll never stop trying to make up for it.
” Tears pool in my eyes, but I can’t be bothered to hold them back.
There’s no point in trying to hide how sorry I am and just how much she means to me.
“I’m so sorry, Clo. I won’t rest until I make this right.
I won’t film another movie until Starlight restores your role.
They can sue me and take every penny I have. ”
She wipes a tear from her cheek and sniffles before clearing her throat. “You’re right.”
I look at her in question.
“You are an idiot.” Stepping forward, she grabs my face and pulls it to hers, locking our lips together.
Our tongues tangle, and I pull her as close to me as possible, hands framing her waist. I take in her fruity and floral scent and taste how perfect she is.
She nips at my lower lip, letting me know she’s in charge.
I’m happy to relent, I’m completely and utterly hers.
We break apart after a minute to catch our breath.
“You know that they’re legitimately going to sue you, right?” She scans my face, her eyebrows knit together.
“I’ve got a good lawyer. Nepo baby connections,” I say with a wink before pulling her in for another kiss. Let them go ahead and sue me. I don’t give a fuck anymore.