Chapter 40
CHAPTER
FORTY
Stephan
T he meeting is long and boring, the kind I hate attending. But they’re important to attend when I want more creative control, or like now, a shift in focus.
I want that shift in focus. Not just for my career, to get onto the path I want, but I think I want less time in the limelight. To be pickier, make better films in all the ways I want to do it.
And to spend way more time with Violet.
Who the hell ever thought I’d want to make career changes because of a woman?
Clea will come in later this week to close a deal if I want it, but first I have to want it.
Violet dances sublimely.
My princess is an angel. Sexy and earthy when she wants to be, ethereal and fluid like something that stepped from a fairy tale, too. I stayed too long in the watching room behind the mirrors in the small class, but how could I not?
My fucking mate dances like movement was made for her.
Christ, she even had fucking Felicity posing for a selfie at the party, which she hates. But she did it and smiled about it. Earlier I met her briefly. That campaign of her endless press junket about me has stopped, now that Clea’s taken her on.
We’ll still make those movies, but as friends, people who reconciled.
What did Clea say to me last night?
Everyone loves a redemption story, and everyone loves to see two ex-lovers act as lovers on the screen. Even if that whole side of the story isn’t true. The public doesn’t know. But we’ll both make other films, new films, better films, and I understand Felicity wanting to make a switch from starlet to serious actress before she gets too old.
It’s different for men, she told me.
She said one other thing earlier: “Treat Violet right. You hit the jackpot.”
I know that. I’d be blind not to know that.
But Felicity knowing it? And telling me, adding how much she likes Violet? That’s one for the books.
I shouldn’t be surprised.
That’s my princess. Winning people wherever she goes.
No wonder Alicia’s so jealous.
I drag my mind back to the meeting.
“Things like that,” I say, “work better down the track, like a reunion.”
The Alpha studio exec leans forward. “Would you be interested in that, with us, down the track, as a first dibs option?”
“Clea would need to discuss with Ms. Fine,” I say, “but I don’t see why not.”
The meeting continues with renewed interest.
When I’m done, I shake hands, have the requisite drink, and speak utter bullshit. And then I’m free. I can head home, maybe have a snack of the princess before we go for dinner.
Finally, I head for the car, and get in. There are a ton of missed calls from Clea, probably wanting to tell me how much she adores Violet. I knew Violet would turn heads.
My phone starts to ring again. I answer. “Hey, Clea?—”
“You better get your ass back here, or your life’s going to unravel.”
She hangs up.
What the fuck?
I call her back, but she doesn’t pick up.
Instead, I go to text Violet but stop.
What am I doing? Why would she know? Clea’s a professional and it’s probably something small, an article with a scandal she wants stomped out.
Clea can take care of it. I pay her team for that.
So I delete the message before sending. Violet’s still new to this world. She doesn’t need any of the micro bullshit drama that happens on a daily basis. I need to ease her in.
The driver doesn’t need to be told where to go since my next stop was always home. It’s a long drive, so I grab my bag from the floor where I left it, and pull out my script. Mine. Not one of the other ones.
I haven’t opened my copy for a while. I keep meaning to. I don’t want to mess with perfection, but maybe I’ll?—
Someone’s been fucking putting notes in it.
I frown.
Is that… “Oh my fucking god, Princess.”
I start reading her notes, the little changes, and at first there’s the burn of displeasure. It’s searing hot because she’s messed with things she knows nothing about. But that fizzles out in a pool of shame as I realize not only are her notes insightful and smart, she’s mostly right with her cuts. Her little suggestions for changes make it better.
“Well, fuck.” I shake my head. “Looks like I might have mated a goddamned script editor in the making.”
I settle back and read.
I’m so engrossed that I almost don’t realize we’ve pulled up, but I’m full of energy, a renewed determination to get this movie done and about how special my mate is. How much I?—
I stop. Clea’s town car is there, and her driver is reading his phone while he waits. But I don’t see her. Normally this wouldn’t bug me, but combined with her call and the plethora of missed calls, it does.
Maybe there was a zombie invasion, and I missed it. I can joke, but it doesn’t stop the wrongness that’s heavy in the air.
That’s when I see it.
The helicopter.
It’s not booked until the day after tomorrow. So why the fuck is it here?
Pushing the front door open, I’m about to go upstairs when I happen to look across the foyer through to the great room, at Clea charging toward me. But my gaze is caught on what’s behind her. A stiff-backed girl sitting, not moving. It crushes a part of me.
“You.” Clea’s lip curls. “You’d better fucking sort this out. If you don’t, if you fuck it up, then you deserve it. And don’t ever get me to do your dirty work again.”
With that, she storms out.
Silence falls with the slamming of the door. No one, nothing, moves. Not even a breeze through the open glass doors to the right of Violet.
“Princess?” I aim for casual. “Do you know what that’s about?”
She doesn’t speak.
Beyond her, I hear the helicopter blades start to whir.
“Violet?”
She remains silent.
“C’mon, Princess, talk to me.”
I go to her and she flinches when I touch her, so I drop my hand from her shoulder and walk around to her front. She’s staring ahead, not at me. She’s so pale that I don’t know what to do.
She doesn’t look like she’s been crying.
I swallow.
No. She looks way worse than mere tears.
She looks like someone ripped her heart and soul from her.
“Please?” I whisper. “Please tell?—”
“You didn’t just lie to me, Stephan.” Violet takes a breath, and somehow her words are coming out calm, almost emotionless, which feels worse than anger .
“Lie?”
“ Lie. You didn’t just do that. You betrayed me in the most invasive, horrible way you could.” On her lap her hands clench tight around a glint of silver. A small rectangular package.
“I haven’t touched anyone but you.” I lick my lips, go down in front of her so we’re at eye level. “Not one other person. Fuck, I haven’t even thought about being with another woman since I met you. You’re it.”
She looks right through me.
“It’s not just about sex,” Violet says. “I never asked or expected you to love me. Just like me. Respect me.”
I frown, chest going tight. “What are you talking about?” But as I glance at the package in her fist again, I know. The pills. She’s figured it out.
Now she looks at me. Right at me, and it fucking kills me.
“You told me you couldn’t have kids.”
“Violet—”
She laughs a little, a soft sound that scrapes me down to the bone. “You told me you couldn’t. And I…I felt bad for you. I tried to be accepting, change my dreams, all for you . All for a lie . ”
“Princess,” I say, aching to touch her, but everything about her stiff demeanor says don’t. “You have to let me explain. You matter more to me than anything?—”
“But I don’t, Stephan. If I did, you would have never done this to me.”
I run a hand through my hair, stomach roiling sickeningly. “Let me explain. ”
“I’m tired of your explanations, Stephan. I’m tired of…well, of all of this.”
“I gave us a way to safely have sex?—”
“Safely? Safely? For who? You?”
“For us.”
“No.” One word and it’s emphatic. “You didn’t care enough about me to let me choose my own future, to entrust my own body to me. That’s not a mating, it’s not a relationship. It’s manipulation, betrayal.”
“That’s not true. There are reasons I can’t have children.”
“ Won’t have . There’s a difference between can’t and won’t.” She laughs again. “It’s why you tried not to knot, isn’t it? You probably thought someone as stupid and na?ve as me wouldn’t even know the difference, but you never counted on others talking. On my own body telling me. You didn’t care about anyone except yourself and your wants.” She stops.
“She died, Violet.” My heart is breaking, and my voice cracks. “Along with the baby. I lost them both during childbirth. I don’t want you to die.” Tears sting my eyes. “It was the pills or—I can’t…I can’t lose you, too.”
“You manipulated the truth, and you lied to me,” she says. “Our relationship has been a ruse since day one. And it seems it never stopped being that. As much as I wished…” She squeezes her eyes shut as if the words pain her.
“You have to understand…” I move closer, spread my hands. The panic in me is beating hard in my throat, ripping shreds from my insides. “I did it for us, to protect you. I want you safe. You need to understand, Violet. ”
She rises to her feet. “I understand everything now. Goodbye, Stephan.”
Then Violet takes her wheeled luggage bag and heads out to the helicopter without looking back.