“Maybe a detective?” Nikki suggested in her best please-do-this-for-me voice. “Perhaps you can write another one in.”
“When didja ever see a detective that looked like him?” Mick grumbled. “He’s freakin’ Mel Gibson twenty years ago—an’ taller, too. Bastard!”
“That doesn’t necessarily make him a bad guy,” Nikki murmured.
“It don’t make him a good actor, either.”
“The thing is, we’d like to have a happy star, wouldn’t we?” She trailed off, hoping he got it.
“This is some fuckin’ drag,” he mumbled. “I never hadda compromise before.”
Well, you’ve only been in the business five minutes, she was tempted to say. But she didn’t, knowing it wouldn’t help matters.
“Will you think about it, Mick? For me? After all, I did you a favor with Aiden last night—who, I might add, wasn’t exactly the life and soul of the party.”
“Do I at least get to read the boyfriend?” Mick asked, curling his lip.
“Of course.”
“Have him here at seven in the mornin’, before the read-through. For you, I’ll check him out.”
“Thanks, Mick,” she said gratefully. “I owe you one.”
“A blow job’ll pay me back,” he said with an insane cackle.
“I’ll tell Richard; he’ll be flattered someone else wants me.”
“Not you,” Mick said scornfully. “Your daughter.”
She gave him a long, cold look. “I take it you’re joking.”
He laughed hysterically. “Never joke about sex.”
“Then I’ll make believe I didn’t hear you,” Nikki said, thinking that sometimes his pathetic attempt at humor was way out of whack.
“Whatever gets you through the night,” he said, with a manic twitch.
Yeah, she thought, whatever gets me through the night. Richard’s turning into a cold fish, Lara’s in the throes of a love affair, Mick wants to get it on with my teenage daughter and I’m left out in the cold, trying to keep it all together.
She went into her office, closing the door behind her, and immediately began thinking about the previous night’s dinner party.
By the time everyone had left, Richard was completely drunk. He’d staggered into their bedroom and flopped on the bed, and she’d been forced to listen to his ranting and raving about Revenge and Mick and what a mistake Lara was making, before he’d finally fallen into a stuporous sleep.
She had no respect for him when he drank too much. Being loud and belligerent didn’t suit him. What was it with these old guys she married? First Sheldon, now Richard. Was this marriage starting to crumble, too?
In the morning she’d left before he got up. And now she was at the office, trying to get Lara’s boyfriend a job. Producing a movie was not going to be as easy as she’d thought. Everybody had an angle—including Lara.
• •
When Lara arrived home, she found Joey in the den, watching sports on TV and looking perfectly content.
“Hi, beautiful,” he said, barely glancing up.
“I’ve got you an appointment with Mick tomorrow morning at seven,” she announced triumphantly. “You cannot be late.”
“Seven!” he groaned. “That’s kinda early.”
She picked up the remote, clicking off the TV. “I did as you asked, Joey,” she said quietly. “I compromised myself.”
He stood up. “How’d you do that?”
“I almost threatened Nikki I’d walk off the movie, which wasn’t very nice of me.”
“Well, yeah, but we’ve both discovered you’re not as nice as everyone thinks,” he said, putting his arms around her waist, pulling her close and running his hands over her body. “You give out this aura of goodness, but underneath you’re nothin’ but a bad little sexpot!”
“Is that what you think?” she asked, shivering.
“C’mere, beautiful,” he said, bending her back and kissing her passionately on the mouth. “Gotta tell you—I missed you all day.”
“You did?” she said, luxuriating in his kisses.
“Every second.”
“What did you do?”
“Worked out, swam. Mrs. C cooked me eggs, an’ I took a look at your CD collection. You do know it’s in need of serious work?”
“As if I have time to go to Tower and browse.”
“Hey—let’s go together.”
“I get recognized in public places.”
“How ’bout we disguise you? Like Michael Jackson.”
“Michael Jackson is recognized everywhere he goes. And if I put on a white surgical mask and gloves, I’d be recognized too.”
“We’ll get you a short, black wig an’ big shades. Or maybe we’ll dress you up as a little boy.”
“A little boy?” she asked, laughing.
“Naw, a teenager. You could pass for a teenager, you’re kinda flat chested.”
“So now I’m flat chested, am I?” she said, pretending to be exasperated.
“Not exactly.” He laughed, tweaking her nipples. “They’re big enough for me.”
She picked up a magazine and slammed him on the head.
He held up his hands, protecting himself. They both collapsed laughing on the couch.
He enfolded her in his arms, holding her close against him. He’d never had a relationship like this with anyone, and he liked it. Not only was Lara staggeringly beautiful and famous, she was genuinely nice. And warm and caring and sexy and fun. How had he finally gotten so lucky?
She snuggled into his chest, totally content. “I usually get home from a day like this dead to the world,” she murmured. “Now you’re bringing out somebody in me I didn’t know still existed.”
He looked at her with a quizzical expression. “You tellin’ me you’d forgotten how to have fun?”
“My past relationships were very staid. Richard’s much older than me.”
“I noticed.”
“Lee was sweet.”
“Sweet don’t cut it, babe,” he said, enclosing her breasts with his hands, working on her nipples. “I bet he couldn’t excite you the way I do, huh?”
She struggled to sit up. “Joey . . . this is crazy. We’ve been together such a short time, and yet . . . sometimes I feel I’ve been with you all my life.”
“It’s called soul mates,” he said, suddenly serious.
She stood up. “Oh, that’s what it’s called, is it?”
He got up too. “What did Nikki say? Yes, I’ll put Joey in the movie, I’ll fire Aiden Sean and give him that role.”
“Oh sure, I really want you playing the rapist.”
He walked over to the bar, opened the fridge and extracted a can of beer. “I was readin’ through the script today,” he said, flipping open the can. “It’s pretty heavy stuff.”
“I know.”
“Do you trust this Mick Stefan guy? He may be a hot director, but is he for you? You’re playin’ against your image big time.”
“I know that too.”
“You gotta consider your fans,” he said, swigging from the can. “Why’d’you think they go see you?”
“Because I’m a good actress?” she said flippantly.
“They go see you ’cause you send out this aura, this image.”
“I do?”
“You got it all, babe. You’re beautiful an’ nice. You’re what every guy dreams about—the sexy good girl.”
“I’m glad you added sexy,” she said with a soft smile.
“Let’s analyze it,” he said. “Why was I so attracted to you? ’Cause, truth is, I’ve had a lot of women.”
“Before you were engaged, I presume,” she said archly.
“No question,” he replied seriously. “I’m a big believer in fidelity—aren’t you?”
“Yes,” she said, equally serious. “I absolutely believe in it, Joey. After my experience with Richard, I vowed no man will ever cheat on me again.”
“What would you do,” he asked teasingly,
“if you’d come home today and found me in bed with a girl?”
“That’s not a good question.”
“No, c’mon, tell me,” he urged. “Would you have blown my head off? Kicked me out? Screamed at me? At her? What would you have done?”
“I’d have walked away,” she said calmly. “Simply walked away.”
“Oh no, baby,” he said confidently. “There’s no way you could walk away from me.”
For a moment her green eyes darkened. “Don’t bet on it, Joey. Don’t ever bet on it. I’m stronger than you think.”
• •
By the time Nikki arrived at the Malibu house, Richard was drunk again.
“This is getting to be a habit,” she said coldly. “I thought your drinking days were behind you.”
“What’s the matter?” he asked belligerently. “Aren’t I allowed to relax?”
Oh, God! Not another fight. “You still working on post production?” she asked, walking into the kitchen.
“Everything’s done,” he said, following her.
“Where’s Summer?”
“Out,” he replied, still bad tempered.
“Listen, Richard,” she said, determined to clear things up, “it was you who encouraged me to get involved in producing. I thought you wanted me to make this film.”
“I didn’t tell you to drag Lara into it, put her together with a piece-of-shit director and ruin her career,” he said curtly. “You’re using your connections, and I don’t like it.”
“Lara wants to do my film,” she said, opening the fridge and removing two steaks neatly enclosed in Saran wrap.
“She’s only doing it because of me,” he said sourly.
“If that’s what you think,” she said, unwrapping the steaks and placing them on the grill.
“You wouldn’t even know Lara if it wasn’t for me.”
“What kind of remark is that?”
“The truth.”
“I’m sorry you feel this way,” she said flatly, not ready to get into another fight. “Can we discuss it later? Right now I’m fixing dinner.”
Later, he was too drunk, and they’d gone to bed not speaking.
• •
Summer and Tina went back to the club Pot, where they danced all night, sometimes with each other, sometimes with a selection of different guys. They finally sat down, their hard, tanned young bodies glistening with sweat.
“Last night, Mick Stefan and Aiden Sean were at my mom’s house,” Summer confided. “Can you imagine? Mick almost crapped! While stupid Aiden pretended he so didn’t know me.”
“That dick!” Tina said scornfully.
“And you know what I did?”
“What?”
“Took a cab to his stinky old apartment and told him what a phony he was.”
Tina raised an eyebrow. “You did that.”
“Well . . .” Summer giggled. “Actually I went there to get him to sleep with me. But he wouldn’t do it. I think he must be gay.”
“Really?”
“I don’t see why else he wouldn’t.”
“Y’know, Summer,” Tina said thoughtfully. “If it’s a movie star you want, I can get you plenty.”
“No way,” Summer said.
“Way,” Tina boasted. “And—here’s the kicker—they’ll pay you to do stuff. Big, big bucks!”
“Wow!” Summer responded, thinking that getting paid for anything at all was a really wild idea.
“If you’re serious, I’ll arrange it,” Tina said casually. “Only if I do, you can’t fink out on me.”
“Go ahead,” Summer said boldly. “I’m up for anything.”
“Are you sure?” Tina asked. “ ’Cause I’m not playing games. This is the real thing, and if I bring you in, there’s no way you can let me down.”
“I wouldn’t do that.”
“Okay. I’ll set it up. Call me in the morning.”
Another adventure. Summer couldn’t wait.
CHAPTER
36
UNFAIRLY INCARCERATED FOR STALKING AND attacking her “best friend,” Alison Sewell spent most of her time in jail plotting and planning the revenge she would wreak when she got out. Her eighteen-month sentence was automatically reduced to half. Nine months inside. Pregnant with hate for the woman who’d put her there.
Lara Ivory. Bitch. Whore. She wasn’t a friend after all, she was the enemy, exactly like the rest of the morons Alison had to deal with.
Lara Ivory had fooled everyone with her beautiful face. But Alison realized the face was merely a cover for the evil woman who lurked within.
As soon as she got out, Alison knew she had to do something about the bad seed that was Lara Ivory.
Yes, she’d wipe the sweet smile off Lara’s ugly face forever.
Meanwhile she had prison to deal with and no camera to hide behind.
And as each day passed, her thirst for revenge grew.
CHAPTER
37
“WHERE’D YOU STUDY?” MICK ASKED, swinging back in the chair behind his desk, legs splayed in front of him, beady eyes crinkled in a deep squint.
“Does it matter?” Joey asked, trying to figure out a way to get through to this asshole. He knew the guy hated him, had to hate him. He was too good-looking for most men, especially someone like Mick, with his wild hair, pointed face and geeky clothes. However, Joey knew there had to be a way to connect, there always was.
“L.A., New York, where?” Mick pressed.
“I, uh . . . I kinda studied around New York,” Joey said, purposely keeping it vague. “Actin’ class, workshops, things like that. Then I got a break in Solid.”
“Thought I’d seen you somewhere before,” Mick said, squinting even more ferociously. “How come nothin’ happened after that?”
“Family problems took me back home for a while,” Joey mumbled. “Soon as I hit New York again, I scored the role in The Dreamer.”
“An’ that’s where you met Lara, huh?” Mick said, wriggling his ankles. “She’s a real cool babe chick. Some freakin’ looker.”
“She sure is,” Joey agreed.
Mick leered. “Pretty nice when you get ’em great looking an they wanna get you a job.”
All of a sudden Joey got it, he knew exactly how to bond with this cretin. “I’m fucking her, why shouldn’t I be in her movie?” he said calmly.
This was the kind of talk Mick understood. “Got it!” he said, a huge, beaming smile covering his pointed face. “Hey—I can bump somebody if I gotta. There’s like, this older detective with a younger partner. I was into the younger guy being black; but no reason it couldn’t be you.” He tossed a script across the desk, burping loudly. “ ’Course, I’ll havta dump the black actor, which means the NAACP’ll cream my ass, but who gives a shit? Page fifty-two—wanna read?”
Joey held the script. “Who’m I readin’ with?”
“Me,” Mick said, getting up and walking around the desk. “I’ll play the older detective. Used t’be an actor, y’know.”
“Yeah?”
“You don’t have much to say, but you’ll be there, keepin’ watch on your girlfriend.” He snickered. “She’s gotta be something in the sack, huh? Wild legs. Those classy ones got it all goin’.”
“You could say that,” Joey replied, searching for the right page.
Mick winked, happy with Joey’s reply. “Maybe when we’re workin’ together—palling out, we can get down to details. Whaddaya think?”
“I think,” Joey said slowly, “when I’m doing the movie, you and I can pal out as much as you want.”
Mick cackled again. “Okay, let’s read the motherfucker.”
• •
“Richard?” Lara said, cradling the phone under her chin. “Has Nikki left yet?”
“What’s the matter?” Richard said. “Don’t want to speak to me?”
“You’re always so busy.”
“Never too busy for you, sweetheart.”
“That’s nice,” she sai
d, wishing he’d put Nikki on the line.
“Wait till you see the movie, Lara,” he said enthusiastically. “Your performance is impeccable.”
She remembered what Joey had said about Richard still having a crush on her and knew in her heart that it was true. She wasn’t flattered. The only reason Richard wanted her was because he couldn’t have her anymore.
“I’m excited about seeing it.”
“I’ll arrange a screening.”
“Is Nikki there?”
“I was thinking,” Richard said, with no intention of getting off the phone. “You and I should have lunch.”
“Sounds good, only right now my schedule’s frantic.”
“Nobody understands that better than I. But think about it, Lara—how many people really care about you? You have no family.”
She’d told Richard the same story she’d told everyone else: her family had been wiped out in a car crash. She’d been raised by a distant relative, now deceased. It was safer never to reveal the truth.
“I’m worried about you, Lara,” Richard continued. “That guy you brought with you the other night . . . that actor. Who is he?”
She was not in the mood for a question-and-answer session. “Why does everyone keep on asking me who he is?” she said, exasperated. “What am I supposed to do—get a Dun and Bradstreet on every man I go out with?”
“For almost the last year you haven’t been out with anyone. Before that it was Lee.”
“Keeping a scorecard?” she asked, annoyed that he was questioning her.
“Now, Lee was an okay guy,” he continued, ignoring her acid comment. “He’d been in the business for years and knew his way around. Nobody knows anything about this Joey guy. Where’s he from? What’s his story?”
“Richard,” she said, trying to keep her irritation in check. “I’m a grown-up. I don’t need anyone watching out for me.”
“This isn’t like you, sweetheart. We must sit down and talk face to face, just the two of us.”
“How about Nikki?”
“She won’t mind,” he said, clearing his throat. “We can do it tomorrow. Lunch. You and me, The Bistro Garden in the Valley. It’s important to me, Lara, don’t let me down.”
“Well, all right,” she found herself saying. “But no third degree, because I’m very happy. In fact, I’m happier than I’ve ever been.”
Thrill Page 24
