Since I saw her last, I’ve taken risks. I’ve had a couple duds, but then I found my stride.
Where I fit in the entertainment world outside of my family’s name.
Success. Satisfaction. Fulfillment.
The movieshe’s talking about is an epic biopic about Charles Darwin that came out about a month ago. It’s getting Oscar buzz. My podcast—covering the topic of how we all become the people we are—is at the top of every podcast chart. A documentary that I finally relented and agreed to about my transition from Razzle Dazzle formula actor to making my own mark outside the family company is also at the top of the streaming charts.
Walking away now will cause speculation about substance abuse and my mental health. The gossip sites will be happy to say that a kid spoiled from birth who’s never had to work to find success has finally cracked and fallen from grace.
Making a movie about a porn star would be viewed the same way. I’ve found success outside of Razzle Dazzle, but that doesn’t mean people wouldn’t question me lifting up the adult entertainment industry.
That’s the world I live in.
My family is good at squashing press, but not as good as we were before social media made speculation and rumor spread so fast.
I can handle the rumors.
But can Emma?
And why should she have to?
“We have publicists and marketing experts to help handle the messaging,” I tell her, but it’s to reassure myself as much as to convince her. “We also have security teams that can operate so quietly in the background that you’ll barely realize they’re there after a while.”
“That isnota normal statement in my world.”
“I know. And I’m sorry.”
She falls silent and looks back at the mountains for another long minute, then pulls out her phone.
My pulse kicks up.
Will she show me pictures?
She hasn’t even said his name in front of me.
Is she letting me in?
She scrolls the screen, mouthing to herself, and I realize she has notes.
She brought notes to talk to me.
She’s nervous.
Imake her nervous.
That’s a punch to the gut.
Hayes makes people nervous. He glowers and grumbles and doesn’t like talking to people. He’s bigger and bulkier than me. Sometimes awkward. My grandma always said we’d be mistaken for twins if he didn’t wear his features so harshly.
But I’m the people person. Love crowds. Love people. Love putting them at ease.
It’s a gift.
And it’s not working for me right now.
Emma slides a glance my way, then back to the phone. “If I say no, if I refuse to let you see him, how long until you have an army of lawyers at my door?”
Not a surprising question, but my instant, overprotective instincts that roar at the idea of her facing a room of Rutherford lawyers catch me off-guard. “If anyone in my family sends lawyers after you, I’ll disown them and go public with every dirty secret I know about them. No matter which family member it is.”
