Newt started to read and when he said, “Victim Thirteen,” River said, “Yes.”
“Do you have it on Blu Ray or do we need to look for it on Netflix or something?”
He put up one finger.
“Blu-ray. Great.”
They ate lunch; tuna and mayo sandwiches with a fewcherry tomatoes. Newt chatted about what they could have for dinner. River shook his head at nachos but nodded to baked potato, peas and fish. He had little interest in food but knew he had to eat.
He made them both coffee while Newt loaded the dishwasher.
“Have you noticed you’re hardly limping?”
He hadn’t, but now Newt had mentioned it, he made sure he limped dramatically all the way to the couch.
Newt sniggered and brought the coffees over.
River pulled out the drawer where he kept Blu-rays of his films, bought by him, not supplied by the film company. He remembered being shocked that generally didn’t happen. You had to buy your own. He liked having a physical copy even though the films could be accessed on streaming services. Probably like authors wanting a physical copy of an ebook.
Newt came up at his shoulder. “All these are yours? Wow. You’ve been in a lot.”
That was fucking irritating. Didn’t he know anything about him? River pointed to Newt, then gestured at the contents of the drawer and raised his shoulders.
Newt looked…guilty? “You’re asking which ones I’ve seen?”
River nodded.
“Sorry. I’ve not seen any. Big confession coming now. You might need to sit down. When Max told me who the job was for, I hadn’t heard of you.”
River felt his jaw drop and slammed his mouth shut.What the fuck?
“Max looked so horrified—a bit like you look now—I backtracked and said I was kidding.” He winced. “I’m sorry I lied. I don’t go to the cinema. I don’t watch TV. I read. A lot.Almost every genre. And I like music.”
River sat down. There were so many questions he wanted to ask and he couldn’t manage one. He was well known in the UK and in the States. He’d been in a couple of massively successful films, and it felt weird that Newt had never heard of him. That sounded arrogant but…Yeah, it is arrogant.
“I signed an NDA. I’ll never tell anyone about you. Not just because of the NDA. Your medical issues are private. I respect that.”
“Hu… Gur… Good.”
Newt beamed. “Am I a brilliant teacher or are you an incredible student?”
River patted his own chest. Newt stuck out his chin, patted his chest too and they both smiled.
Shit. How am I supposed to resist you? Even if you’d never heard of me.River suddenly realised the significance of that. To not be recognised was something special and rare. Newt hadn’t come here excited to be meeting a movie star. River should be pleased Newt had never heard of him.
The film started and Newt sat at the far end of the couch. Well, River deserved that.
It was a while before he spoke in this film. He was playing a psychopath who’d set up his brother for the murders he’d committed. When River heard himself speak, he tensed. Newt paused the film, rewound it and paused it again.
“Try and say the lines at the same time. I will too.”
When the film played again, Newt said the lines a fraction behind River on screen. “You are mine. And I’m never letting you go. You will die. I promise. But only when I want you to. Remember that.”
Newt rewound it and played it again. River said it in hishead but the words wouldn’t come out of his mouth. But when he tried again, River said, “But only when I want you to. Remember that.” He gasped and pressed his hand to his mouth.
Newt was staring wide-eyed at him. “Shit. And with an American accent as well.”
River swallowed hard.
