After spending an hour in the gym, punching the living hell out of a bag, I’ve been in meetings all morning to pause my career so I can focus on Rachel.
Sylvia’s doing her best to keep tempers from flaring, but goddamn, it’s sickening how money-hungry some people are.
It’s been almost two weeks since I found out about the cancer that’s killing my sister, and with every passing day, it feels like a noose is tightening around my neck.
“We’ll have to push the release date back by six months,” Tim complains. “It will inconvenience everyone.”
My muscles grow tense, and I clench my jaw as I stare at the man, who clearly has no heart.
“I know we’re asking a lot, but we would appreciate it, Tim,” Sylvia replies.
I turn my head and lift an eyebrow at her because I’m done sucking up to the asshole. I have a fucking net worth of over seven hundred million. This movie won’t make or break me.
Tim lets out another sigh, then mutters, “If we push day and night, we can wrap up filming in two months. While you deal with her death, we can edit the scenes and go ahead with releasing the movie early next spring. I have another project waiting in the wings and can’t afford to waste time.”
I sit frozen for a second as his words slice through me.
Push day and night. Deal with her death.
Motherfucker!
The moment I shoot to my feet, Sylvia quickly says, “I’ll be in touch, Tim.”
She shuts the laptop before I growl, “The fucking bastard.”
“I’ll take care of him.” She gets up and places her hand on my arm.
I yank away from my manager’s touch, and when it feels like my emotions are a second away from spiraling into complete chaos, I stalk out of the study before rushing past the gym and dining room.
“Easton,” she calls after me. I hear her high heels tapping on the tiles as she tries to catch up to me. “Easton, wait.”
Glancing over my shoulder, I snap angrily, “I’m not working with that fucker. I don’t care how much it costs. Get me out of the fucking contract.”
When I take the corner into the living room, I plow into someone, and before I can react, Nova falls against the back of the couch, and the camera she’s holding skids across the floor.
“Nova!” Rachel jumps up from where she’s sitting on the other couch.
Nova’s dress has bunched up around her thighs, and the cardigan she’s wearing has slipped off her shoulders, exposing her arms.
Seeing the light bruises on her bicep and the intense fear on her face is the tipping point for me. Rage at the bastard who hurt her flares up inside me, mixing with the anger I already feel. It all creates a potent cocktail of violent emotions in my chest.
I sink to my knees, and grabbing hold of a terrified Nova, I yank her to my chest. Glaring at Sylvia, I order, “Go and take care of the contract.”
She nods quickly and hurries out the front door with the laptop under her arm.
Rachel crouches beside us, a worried expression on her face.
I turn my attention back to Nova, and feeling how she’s trembling, an intense wave of guilt hits me. I hurt her. Not even ten days after promising that she’ll be safe with me.
Breaths burst over her lips, and I begin to press kisses to her hair and the side of her face in an attempt to calm her down. My voice is hoarse and heavy with guilt as I say, “I’m so fucking sorry.”
How many times has she heard those words from a man only for him to hurt her again?
My hold on her tightens even more, and I keep pressing kisses to the side of her face. The last one lands on the corner of her mouth, and when I feel her jerk in my arms, I pull back fast, thinking I’ve crossed the line.
Fuck.
I sink back on my haunches and take in the shocked expressions on Rachel’s and Nova’s faces.
