Page 200 of Promise Not to Fall for the Rich & Famous

The window went back up, but not before Ellie caught Bronson’s expression, one of pity, maybe disgust. He didn’t like Dad much.

Ellie’s chest went achy and tight. Once Dad confessed, there was no going back. No blissful spot of ignorance to dwell in when her mind started to race with fear over just how much trouble Dad had gotten himself into. She’d told herself that if the situation wassobad, she’d know about it by now, but Ellie worried that that might not be the case.

She blew out a paced breath, preparing herself for the worst. "Go ahead, Dad. What do you have to say?"

His face reddened, and his teary eyes blinked fiercely. As many movies as Ellie had starred in, she knew just which character her dad would play—the hero’s bad-influence-bestie. The reckless guy who barely toed the line and dragged his friends down when he got in over his head.

He was sweating now and raking a hand through his hair. The tabloids had called out the hair plugs when he got them a few years ago, but that hadn’t stopped Dad’s admirers from swooning in his presence.

"A while back,” he started, “I got in some trouble. Some reallybigtrouble with some very dangerous people."

Dread rumbled through her in a steady, terrible crawl.

Dad risked a glance at her before looking down at his suit pants, his thumb circling a spot around his knee. "Turns out I was getting involved with a deadly syndicate. Now, you know I've had problems with gambling before, so this shouldn't come as much of a surprise to you, but at one point, they threatened to take my life. They threatened you and your mom, too. This was prior to the divorce, you see.” He pinched his lips together and shook his head. “In fact, they werethis closeto killing me one night when your face came to mind.”

He glanced up at her through tear-filled eyes. “Like an angel. I knew what I could give them. I knew we were capable of paying them back if your career took off."

Ellie shook her head. "Paying them back? If that's all you had to do, you should've done that by now. We've mademillionsin the last few years alone, and you got a pretty hefty chunk of that, Dad."

"Yeah…" he said, scratching his head and then looking outside again. His thumb kept circling that same spot. "The thing is, it wasn't just like a one-time sum. It was a gamble for them, too, you see, since you hadn’t actually made it big yet. You’d done a few commercials, mind you, and you’d just scored that role inNight Gone Wrong. But the kicker was your second call-back forCome Out Swinging. That’s what convinced them to cut a deal—they’d get a percent of whatever you brought in if you got the job.”

“A percent for how long?”

His thumb stopped circling. “Huh?”

“Dad,” she persisted, “that was over ten years ago.”

"Well, that’s what I’m trying to tell you. When we wrote up your last contract, I had the deal we made in mind. It um…goes until your twenty-sixth birthday.”

"What!” she blurted. “How could you plan on taking part of my income until I was twenty-six years old? And giving a portion of that to some skeezy syndicate that murders people?"

Dad started waving his hands. "Shh, shh, we don't want anyone to hear. Listen, it wasn’t that long at first, of course, but I got myself into another pickle just before you turned eighteen. I’m sorry, hon, I am, but it’s not like you’re hurting for money. And you can’t say that I don’t earn my share of it. I work hard. I attend all your events, I schmooze all the right people, and rub all the important shoulders. Let’s face it: I’m more amiable thanyou. And the good news is, you can quit in just a few years if that’s what you really want.”

"I can also quitnowif I really want. If I'm not acting, then nobody can take a portion, right?"

Her dad tipped his head from one side to the next. "The stakes were a little higher with this one, hon, so there were a few more stipulations. You need to keep going for jobs, and you can’t turn any of them down without his approval. But so far, he’s agreed with us on the smaller stuff. In fact, you’ve met the guy a few times. You remember Wolf, don’t you?”

A recollection shot to her mind, one that caused her body to tense. “The guy you said was an acting coach?”

“He practicallyisan acting coach. He’s been watching your career very closely, and he’s had some great advice.”

Nausea rolled through her gut. She remembered Wolf—slicked-back hair, silk dress shirt with half the buttons undone, and a searching gaze that made Ellie shift in her seat.

“I hated that guy.”

“That’s why I never took you back to him.”

“Why did you make me go there in the first place?”

“Cuz I lost a side bet, but that’s beside the point. The bottom line is that I need you to finish out your contract. You’re almost done, anyway. Then, if you want to step away from acting, you can. Or if you want to keep going and fire yourmean Dad, you can do that too, and I’ll graciously step down.”

Her mind raced with possibilities as she looked back on her casting calls with new eyes. The meetings with Geneva—had Dad been speaking as himself or on behalf of Wolf and whathewanted? “This is worse than I imagined.”

“No, don’t worry about it. I’m in good with him now, hon, because ofyou. Wolf and I—we have something in common—we both see unlimited potential in Hollywood’s sweetheart, Ellie Blaire.”

He said it like Ellie should be flattered. She wasn’t; she was livid and terrified and sick to her stomach.

“Hey, I didn’t want to tell you this, but I’m actually getting some help for my gambling problems. I’ve been talking to someone, and I might even check into a facility myself while you’re in here.”