15. Reece
Reece
The journey from the hotel suite to the audition was about as straightforward as Reece could have hoped. He called an Uber from directly outside the hotel and was over at the location in less than ten minutes.
As much as he was aware that he was going against his Daddy’s commands, Reece felt like this was such a low risk in and out situation that there wasn’t any room for anything to go wrong.
Even the threat of Timo Taylor showing up like a bad smell wasn’t an issue as Reece’s agent had assured him that he had absolutely no connection to this project.
So far, so good.
The audition space was a small, minimalist room tucked into a nondescript office building on the edge of the block, a far cry from the glitzy studios Reece had dreamed of as a kid – but that was okay.
“Here we go,” Reece said, steeling himself and drawing on some of the mental toughness that Mr. Adler had spoken about in his own inimitable way.
As Reece stepped inside, his heart was pounding with a mix of nerves and excitement. The walls were bare white, blank except for a single framed poster of an old noir film, a gritty classic he’d watched a dozen times.
A folding table sat in the center, flanked by two metal chairs, and a single window let in a sliver of afternoon light, dust motes dancing in the beam.
The floor was scuffed hardwood, creaking under his sneakers, and the air carried a faint musty scent, like old books and stale coffee.
A camera on a tripod stood in the corner, its red light blinking, and behind the table sat a man.
He was mid-thirties, sharp-eyed, with a warm smile that instantly put Reece at ease.
“Reece, I assume. I’m Steven,” the man said, standing to shake Reece’s hand. Steven’s grip was firm, his dark hair slicked back, and he wore a simple black blazer over a t-shirt. Casual but commanding. “So as you know, I’m director and producer for this pilot. I’ve heard good things about you.”
Reece nodded, his nerves melting under Steven’s friendly tone.
“Yeah, that’s me,” Reece said, confident but not too confident. “Thanks for having me. I know it’s kind of a last-minute thing.”
“Best opportunities often are,” Steven said with a wink, settling back into his chair and flipping open a script. “Let’s dive in. Give me raw, messy characters over shiny perfection any day. You?”
“Same!” Reece blurted, his face lighting up. “I grew up on stuff like The Wire and Chinatown. I probably watched them way before I was old enough. But, you know, I turned out okay…”
Steven grinned.
“You’ve got good taste,” Steven said, smiling. “Alright, let’s see what you’ve got. Page five, the confrontation scene. Whenever you’re ready.”
Reece took a deep breath, clutching the script he’d memorized in the Uber, and slipped into character… a young detective facing down a corrupt cop, his voice trembling with fury and resolve.
The room faded as Reece sank into the role, the words flowing like they’d been his all along. Steven watched, leaning forward, his pen tapping silently against the table, and when Reece finished, the silence in the room was deafening.
Oh crap.
Did I screw up.
Please, please, please, tell me I did okay…
“Damn,” Steven finally said, shaking his head with a smile. “That was fire . You’ve got edge, Reece. I like it. We’ll be in touch soon.”
Reece beamed, his chest swelling with pride.
“Thank you! That means so much,” Reece said, momentarily getting a little over-excited.
Reece grabbed his bag, practically floating as he headed for the door. The audition had gone better than he’d dared hoped it would – he’d nailed it, in fact.
As Reece stepped into the hall, he couldn’t wipe the grin off his face.
Truly, Reece was on top of the world, his dreams inching closer, and he couldn’t wait to tell someone and spread the joy.
Outside on the street, Reece pulled out his phone, his fingers flying as he fired off messages to Benjamin and Kyan…
REECE: YAY! YAY! YAY! Just crushed an audition for a TV pilot! It could be a super-mega-career changer. Yikes! Wanna meet up to celebrate?
Both Benjamin and Kyan replied in triple-quick time. Reece’s excitement bubbled over as he pictured the three of them at Bubble Palace, toasting with juice boxes and cake.
“Daddy!” Reece squealed, realizing that he wanted to let him in on the good news too – and hopefully make him drop any plans of spanking him for going against his orders.
Reece scrolled to Faustino’s name next, ready to call and share the good news when out of nowhere a black car screeched to a halt at the curb.
“What the-” Reece muttered, something in his gut telling him that this wasn’t good.
A sharp crack split the air… gunshot… and Reece screamed as a bullet whizzed past him, shattering a window behind him. Glass sprayed and Reece’s phone slipped from his hand, clattering to the pavement.
Panic seized Reece, his legs moving before his brain caught up, and he bolted back into the building, his heart hammering and a cold sweat coming over him.
The shot echoed in his ears, his mind racing.
Who?
Why?
Was it the man from the grocery store?
Reece scurried and hid behind a large desk. Suddenly, his buzz from the audition had been replaced by something horrible – and Reece had a feeling that this might only be the beginning…
Time blurred as Reece huddled in the lobby, his knees drawn to his chest, the cold of the tiles beneath seeping through his jeans. He’d called Faustino in a panic, Reece’s voice shaking as he’d blurted out what happened, and now he was here, bursting through the doors with Owen close behind.
Faustino’s dark eyes found Reece instantly, and he dropped to his knees beside him, pulling him into his arms.
“You’re okay, sweet boy,” Faustino murmured, his voice rough but steady, his hands cupping his face as he checked him over. “Daddy’s got you. You’re safe now.”
Reece clung to him, his fingers digging into his jacket, but the relief was short lived. Tears welled up as Reece pulled back, his voice trembling.
“Steven saw it, Faustino,” Reece cried. “The director. He was coming out to say something when it happened. What if he thinks I’m some criminal now? That I’m trouble? He won’t give me the part. I know how the industry works. I’ll lose everything!”
Faustino’s jaw tightened.
“Hey, listen to me,” Faustino said, his voice gruff but caring. “He won’t think that. You’re not the problem here. I am. I’ll fix this, I promise. No one’s taking this from you.”
But Faustino’s words didn’t soothe Reece.
To Reece’s surprise, his anger flared, hot and sharp, fueled by fear and the chaos that kept crashing into his life since Faustino had entered it. He shoved his Daddy away, standing on shaky legs.
“Fix it? This is all your fault, Faustino!” Reece said, stomping his feet. “I was fine. My career was fine. Everything was. Until you and your stupid dangerous Fendi world dragged me in! I almost got shot because of you!”
Faustino’s face darkened, a flicker of hurt crossing his eyes before they hardened. “Reece, I’m trying to protect you,” Faustino said, holding out his hands in front of him.
“Protect me?” Reece snapped, his voice rising, echoing off the lobby’s high walls. “I’m not safe with you! I can’t keep doing this. It’s ruining everything I’ve worked for!”
Reece swiped at his tears, his chest heaving.
“As soon as this mess is resolved, I’m done,” Reece said. “I’m leaving, and I never want to see you again.”
Faustino flinched, the words clearly hitting like a slap, but he masked it fast, his expression turning steely. As Faustino towered over Reece, he turned to Owen.
“Take him back to the apartment,” Faustino said, his voice flat, controlled. “Keep him there, then come find me. I’ve got shit to handle.”
Owen nodded, stepping forward with a gentle hand on Reece’s arm.
“Come on, kid” Owen said. “Let’s get you outta here.”
Reece yanked his arm free, glaring at Faustino through teary eyes.
“Don’t act like you care now,” Reece spat, grabbing his bag from the floor where it’d fallen in his scramble. He stormed toward the exit, Owen trailing him, his anger a shield against the fear that was in danger of bubbling up and boiling over.
Faustino stayed rooted, watching the boy go, his fists clenched at his sides.
The lobby’s fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, cold and indifferent, as Reece stepped into the evening air, the distant siren growing louder.
Sitting in the car with Owen, Reece quietly cried. Faustino had brought him safety and chaos in equal measure, and now his dream audition that had felt like a triumph hung in the balance.
Reece hugged himself, staring out the window, and wondered if he’d meant it. Could he really leave Faustino and never see him again?
Owen stayed quiet, driving steady, and Reece let the silence swallow him, unsure about what would come next.
I thought Faustino was my Forever…
Maybe I was wrong.
Maybe this whole thing was one giant mistake…