Beautiful Trouble (Dirty Hollywood Book 2)

by Claire Raye

Beautiful Lie Sneak Peek

  Want to find out what happens with Noel? Read on for a sneak peak of Sadie’s book!

  Chapter One

  Sadie

  “Fuck you!”

  His rant has been going on for the last twenty minutes and somehow, it’s all my fault. It’s my fault that our recent movie together tanked because I didn’t step in and stop him from calling our lead a cunt. I was to blame when she bailed on her contract and halted production, because I should’ve been the one to defuse the situation. I continued to make things worse when I ignored requests for comments on tabloid stories about his volatile behavior.

  I can’t get away.

  Marrying Noel Robinson was the biggest mistake of my life.

  This latest argument started when Noel got word that a script I had written was picked up by Clapboard Films, a big-name production studio, and instead of bringing him on as the director, they’ve asked me to take on the role.

  It will be my directorial debut; the first time my name will take top billing as the director. No co-director, no waiting on the sidelines to be recognized. Something you’d think he’d be celebrating with me.

  But instead he’s nursing his wounded ego by hurling insults at me.

  It wasn’t always like this. We met at an international film festival. I was nineteen years old and riding the high of winning best screenplay, an American coming-of-age teen dark romance, that would become my signature. Not only was I being recognized for my talents, but I was also now on Noel Robinson’s radar, and in this industry that was better than winning the lottery.

  He was interested in working with me, which was how he drew me in, but it didn’t stop there. Within two years we had co-written and directed two award-winning films together and all of this turned into a whirlwind courtship, and a quickie marriage. It seemed like the next logical step. We were Hollywood elite, a power couple and a name that was synonymous with success.

  Or at least that’s what I thought.

  I was young and naïve and when he proposed I didn’t give it a second thought. I thought about my career and what not marrying him meant for it. It meant we were a package deal and that our names were forever linked, but I had no idea how deep manipulation runs.

  And here I am ten years later with a flourishing career and the only thing tarnishing it is my husband. He’s as dirty as they come.

  I’ve stopped listening as his expletive rant continues, because the more I listen the more I start to believe him.

  “You’re nothing without me. You know that,” he spits out and his words cut like a dagger, deep and wounding. I’ve heard them before, and along with them I hear the voice inside my head telling me everything he says is true. This industry is fickle and I can go from a name that’s on everyone’s lips to a name that causes doors to slam in my face.

  “I’m nothing with you too,” I shoot back, my voice calm, despite the thoughts that invade my mind.

  “You know I’ll come back from this. I always do, and you’ll be on your knees begging me to take you back.”

  “In order for that to happen it would mean you’d have to sign the fucking divorce papers.”

  He laughs, but it’s humorless. This is the fourth time I’ve filed for divorce, at least the hundredth time I’ve tried to leave and the millionth time he’s reminded me that he created my career.

  This business is about connections and those connections are always bigger than your name or your work or the awards you’ve won. But today I watched my reputation precede me, and a part of me thinks I can make it without him.

  “I can ruin you with just one word, Sadie.” Every word he uses against me is calculated, manipulated to the best of his ability, and because he’s hurt and angry, he’ll continue to hit hard. “Hollywood doesn’t want women like you.” he sneers, looking me up and down. “You’re old now. Washed up. They think I’m the difficult one, but it’s the ten years I’ve spent with you that have made me the way I am.”

  “What do you think these ten years have done to me? The only thing people think of when they hear my name is you. You trashing movie sets, you calling actresses vulgar names, and your reputation for…” I stop short of saying it because saying it out loud means I’m admitting to knowing what he does.

  “My name is what keeps you working and what we have, Sadie is a business relationship. You dissolve the marriage and you dissolve any chance of you ever fucking working again.” He shrugs his shoulders as if it’s that simple. It’s always been this way though, and it’s the reason I back down, it’s the reason we never go through with the divorce.

  But this time, I’m standing firm. I want out and I don’t care if it takes my career with it.

  “I don’t fucking care, Noel. I can’t do this anymore. I can’t be a part of your continuous cycle of you losing your shit and then your fake self-deprecating apologies that for some reason everyone just accepts willingly.”

  Again he laughs, this time his head falls back dramatically. He’s mocking me and it’s taking everything in me not to punch him the face.

  “They accept it because I make them billions of dollars. What people won’t do for the all-mighty dollar. And there will always be some desperate actor begging for their big break.”

  “Well, I’m done accepting it,” I insist, my words firm, my stance solid. “My lawyer is going through with the divorce this time. You have thirty days to respond.” I let out a harsh exhale, impressed with myself for pushing through to this point. “And I’m leaving London. I start pre-production in Los Angeles next month.”

  I begin to walk out of the room, the stunning view from our eight million dollar apartment that looks out on the London Bridge stopping me for a split second. And in that second it gives Noel enough time to process what I’ve just said to him. His mind working to realize that despite all the confidence he has in himself I’m the one thing that keeps him grounded.

  He reaches for me, his hand tightening around my wrist and pulling him back toward him. I crash against his chest, my eyes instinctively looking up at him as I feel my anger build inside me.

  He’s as beautiful as the day we met and I hate myself for thinking it. I was drawn to the silence of his features, his quiet eyes that give nothing away, everything about him a muted pale gray: his hair, his suit, his eyes.

  But today as I take him in, the slight lines etched around his eyes, the soulfulness of his worried mouth, a face of sorrow I have never seen before; it’s the face of a man who is about to lose everything.

  And for a moment he has me fooled.

  His mouth drops to my ear, his breath warm against my skin. I feel his lips graze my neck and goose bumps dot my sensitive skin, but inside my body burns hot.

  “Don’t leave, Sadie,” he whispers in my ear, his hand slipping under my sweater and his fingers tracing the lace cup of my bra as slowly kisses my neck. “I can’t do this without you.”

  Everything he says, everything he does is calculated and intentional, and it stings. I’ve heard these words before, I’ve felt this touch and I’ve caved to it. I stay because I’m weak, but I also stay because I fear what will be said about me, how people in this industry will react. Noel and I created this persona of the American dream, a power couple, and to the public we have it all. But behind closed doors, I live in a cycle of abuse and right now it’s about to hit an upswing.

  “Please, Sadie,” he begs, as the tears pool hot in my eyes, the bile rising up in my throat. “We’re better together. I promise…”

  I shove him away, his fingers scraping my skin as his hand comes loose from under my sweater.

  “You promise to what? To ruin my career? To make me think I’m worthless? To manipulate? You’ve done all those things and more.”

  “No,” he whimpers. “I promise things will be different.” His faux desperation is dripping from his words like a slow leak and I have to stop it. “Seriously, Sadie. At one time we were good, Remember?”

  But this time it’s me la
ughing and wondering how he fooled me all these years and how I could’ve even fallen prey to his manipulation. His words all sound so forced and everything in me knows they mean nothing.

  “No, I don’t remember. Don’t romanticize our relationship to subdue the guilt you have. I’m leaving and I’m taking the job with Clapboard.”

  “Do it on your own.” He has no inflection in his voice; his words are cold and his stare even colder. “I won’t dust your knees off when you come crawling back.”

  The conversation ends the same way it began, but this time they’re my words.

  “Fuck you.”

  Acknowledgments

  Thanks so much to everyone who reads our books. We really love and appreciate all the support. We hope you enjoyed Beautiful Trouble. While this book was different than book one Beautiful Secret, we always felt that Ava had a story to tell and that story helped bring book three Beautiful Lie to life. We never intended to leave things open-ended with what happens to Noel, but as we were writing, we realized that Sadie had a story to tell, too. Sometimes our brains get away from us, but we hope you finish out this series by grabbing book three. Again, thank you for sticking by us! It really means the world!

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  Books by Claire Raye

  Rockport Beach Series

  Coming Home to You: Book One

  Finding Home with You: Book Two

  Making Home with You: Book Three

  Love and Wine Series

  Always Yours: Prequel Novella

  Finally Yours: Book One

  Dirty Hollywood Series

  Beautiful Secret: Book One