by Jackson Kane
I couldn't imagine what this trip would've been like without him.
Phil C, it bothered me that I couldn't figure out whom that name belonged to. Then I saw the actor step out of the back of one of the SUVs. Phillip Seymour. Of course!
I'd heard rumors that his marketing team was working on a rebranding since he'd won his Academy Award.
The thought of Michelle trying to do the same to me turned my stomach.
“As I live and breathe, Olivia Ward!” Phillip called out in an odd accent that sounded a little too over the top. It had to be something he was working on for his role in the film. He wore this stuffy, nineteen-twenties tweed suit, bow tie and straw hat. He looked right for the part he was playing, but utterly ridiculous in a parking lot in Los Angeles.
“Please tell me you don't know this clown, Olivia.” Bastien grumbled under his breath, positioning himself between Phillip's group and myself.
“Oh, you mean my potential co-star and People Magazine's current sexiest man alive.” I winked at Bastien as I stepped in front of him. “Nope, never heard of him.”
I got a little thrill at seeing Bastien get jealous. It reminded me of when he picked me up for prom back in high school. I just hoped this interaction wouldn't be as... explosive as that night was.
“Hello, Phillip.” I extended a hand, which he took and kissed in a grandiose fashion.
“It is an absolute pleasure to finally meet you in person, Olivia.” I very rarely got star struck anymore, but Phillip certainly had a way about him that was intoxicating. “I heard about what happened to you in New York, dreadful business.”
“Yeah, that was a tough—” I started, then was interrupted.
“I hear you are auditioning to play my darling wife’s lady of the evening.” Phillip's tone dramatically changed when he interrupted me. His gaze fell to, and lingered on, my tits a little too long for comfort. I wasn't wearing anything too revealing, just a halter top and pants, but the way he looked at me made feel like I was wearing a bathing suit.
I was extremely insulted at first, then I remembered the character he was playing in the film. I didn't realize until meeting him in person that Phillip was a method actor—someone that never breaks character during filming. It was supposed to help them become their character better.
I always thought it was a little silly.
But had they already started shooting yet? They must have. It would make sense, after all, there was a mad scramble to fill the role I was auditioning for. The girl originally cast for the part I was trying to get had OD'd.
“I guess so,” I laughed, shaking off the insult. It's ok. He's just getting into character. Some actors just had to play deplorable characters, that's all. Why did that sound like I was lying to myself for thinking that?
I could feel Bastien radiating anger behind me.
“I do hope it's you, my dear. You have the most glowing skin. I simply cannot wait to see more of it.” Phillip attempted to run a finger down the outside of my shoulder but Bastien's hand clamped tightly around Phillips wrist before he could actually touch me.
“The last man that tried to touch her, I had to put into the hospital. With a pretty face like yours, it'd be a shame if the same thing happened to you.” Bastien punctuated every word with an incredible amount of restraint. He was a hair’s breadth from destroying the actor's priceless face. A small guilty part of me wanted to let him, “C'mon, Olivia, you don't want to be late for your reading.”
“Bastien! Phillip’s just in character.” I scolded him. Then I laughed nervously, trying to dispel some of the situation's uncomfortable intensity. I was mortified. Even if Phillip was just a creep, he was still THE actor in demand right now. It wouldn’t be all that difficult for a guy like that to end my career.
“That's alright, my dear.” Phillip groaned through clenched teeth under the pressure of Bastien's grip. He held a hand out to stop his own bodyguards from advancing. I elbowed Bastien to release the man. Bastien squeezed one more time then let him go. “Your man there is certainly exuberant about your schedule. An admirable trait.”
“I am so sorry about that.” I gave Bastien the evil eye before quickly changing the subject. “But he's right, I really should be going.”
“There's no rush. You're doing your reading with me. So in a sense,” Philip flashed that million dollar smile of his as he rubbed his bruised wrist. “I decide whether you get this part.”
Chapter 18
Bastien
Past
“Olivia!” I slammed my fist down on the hood of the limo. I knew she was in there, she had to be. I tried to look in the windows, but they were way too tinted to allow that. I kicked in the side of the limo and kept calling her name.
I didn't care anymore, I was either leaving with Olivia or in handcuffs.
When Trish told me that Delvin had arranged a date for Olivia, I just lost it. Olivia was mine. I wasn't about to let some snively rich douche bag touch her. Olivia had told me all about Jonathan and how he was always hitting on her. Delvin was seriously going to force his only daughter out with a guy that freaked her out?
It was like Delvin didn't give a shit about Olivia at all.
If Olivia didn't want to go to prom with me that was one thing, but there was no way in hell I was going to let her be forced into something she didn't want.
“Get off of me!” The far side door of the limo cracked open. My knuckles turned white from clenching. I slid over the hood of the car and pried the door fully open.
“Olivia, you cannot go out there! Your father promised you to me!” Jonathan whined, grabbing and ripping at her dress. The second he saw me, the kid let go of Olivia's train, shriveled back and scurried to the opposite end of the car.
“Bastien, wait.” I heard Olivia's voice, but my head was in a fog. I was going to murder him. “Don't! It's not worth it. You'll go to jail if you hit him!” She wrapped a hand around my arm and pleaded with me. “Please.”
You're there for her not him.
“Olive...” I snapped out of it and turned to her. One of her cheeks had been smudged with running mascara. Rage filled me at the thought of Johnathan making her cry. Then it hit me. What if I was the one to make her cry? I'd never stopped to consider if she was willingly going along with this.
“Olivia, is this what you want?” All the anger drained from my voice.
“No!” Her wet eyes sparkled in my truck's headlights. “Of course not! But my father...”
“Your father is a selfish, manipulative prick. You don't have to let him run your life.” I touched her forehead to mine and whispered, “You're smart, beautiful and the kindest person I've ever met. You saved me, Olivia. Let me save you.”
Olivia squeezed me in the tightest hug of my life and started to sob.
“What do you say?” I asked, pulling her back far enough to dry her tears. “You wanna get out of here?”
Olivia smiled at me with upturned eyes and began to reply.
“Absolutely not!” Came a thundering voice from the front doors of their mansion. Delvin Ward stepped outside. “What in the hell do you two think you're doing? Olivia Ward, you get back in that car this instant!”
“And as for you, boy.” Delvin said the last word as if it had rotted in his mouth. “I told your Trisha that–”
“I know what you told her.” My patience with this lunatic was short on a good day. But if he was going to start dragging people I cared about into this mess, then the gloves were coming off. “The only man I've ever taken orders from was a Marine, and he was twice the man you could ever be.”
“Do you have any idea who you're talking to?” Delvin roared, indignantly.
“I couldn't give a shit that you're a well paid professional liar, Delvin.” I doubt anyone ever had the balls to call the 'acting god' out on his bullshit. I wasn't trying to be the guy who did, but I certainly didn't mind either.
I turned back to Olivia and extended my hand. “You're his daughter, not his prisone
r. Be your own person.”
I wasn't joking when I warned Olivia earlier. Any man that wanted her had to go through me, even if that man was her own father.
“I forbid you, Olivia!” the red-faced tyrant hollered.
Olivia froze. She was torn, physically wincing when Delvin yelled at her. She'd never so much as disagreed with her father, let alone disobeyed. This was a huge decision for her. She swallowed hard and then finally decided.
Olivia took my hand, defying her father for the first time ever.
Delvin was still screaming threats when we closed the doors of my truck and began to drive away.
“My father isn't the type to let things go, he'll send someone to get me. They might even be waiting for us, when we get to prom.” She looked both worried and relieved.
“We're not going to prom anymore.” I squeezed her hand in between shifting gears. It was a hard choice, but I was glad she made it.
“What?” She asked, surprised and curious. “Where are we going?”
I winked at her, then cracked a devious smile. “Just trust me.”
Present
The way Phillip looked at Olivia made my blood boil.
“Go ahead and take your top off, Olivia.” The director, Allen, casually waved at Olivia while also flipping through production notes. He was a short, gaunt man in his late sixties with beady distrustful eyes.
Olivia looked at me tentatively. I was so focused on Phillip that I was as caught off guard as she was.
Was this some kind of joke?
“It didn't say anything about nudity in the script?” Olivia tried to sound assertive, but it came out as a question. The pressures of auditioning in front of the most powerful people in the industry were weighing on her. This was her dream after all, and she didn't want to screw it up.
“It'll show the audience that you're more of a whore- your character, rather. You know what I mean. Both Phillip and I believe that it's better for the film.” Allen looked like an easily flustered man, but Olivia told me he had more awards under his belt than anyone else.
Olivia paused to think about it. I knew that look on her face. This wasn't something she was prepared for, especially not in an audition.
“You are comfortable with nudity aren't you?” The director folded the notes over in his hand and fully regarded Olivia for the first time.
“I... Yeah, I guess.” Olivia stammered. “It's just that—“
“Great, that's wonderful.” Allen motioned for her to hurry up and take her shirt off. It didn’t look like he cared to see her topless, more like he was behind schedule and just wanted to wrap this up as quickly as possible.
My knuckles cracked as I balled them into fists. I was fuming. Allen and the producers had done nothing but bully, neglect, and brush Olivia aside since we got here. Now they wanted her to strip without any warning on a full set, just for an audition?
Like, hell.
I wanted to punch every smug son-of-a-bitch in that room, then I remembered something Delvin had said to me when I dropped Olivia off on Prom night. I unclenched my fists.
This wasn't my world.
Violent solutions wouldn't work here. I needed to protect both her and her career, and if I was going to do that I had to play this smart. I un-balled my fists. They weren’t going to help us through this.
“If the script's been changed, then Olivia's agent will need to renegotiate her salary.” I spoke loudly and with confidence. I wasn't intimidated by these guys. What could they do to me? “I'd hate to see the Screen Actors Guild have to step in and suspend production on your film for one of their actors not being treated fairly.”
It was a bluff. I had no idea what Olivia's union could and couldn't do, but it was worth a shot. I wasn't too worried about any backlash either. This was Olivia's second audition in as many days. I could tell they wanted her for the role. They wouldn't get rid of her for just following the rules.
“Alright, you can keep your shirt on for the audition,” The director frowned at the thought of being delayed in any way. “We’ll work out the details later.”
Olivia looked at me and mouthed a silent 'thank you.’ I may have stopped it today, but if she got this job, she might have to go topless on screen for millions of people...
Fuck, could I handle that?
I've been so busy trying to sort out, or run from, my own feelings for Olivia that I never stopped to consider what would happen if we found a way to actually be together.
Allen ran her through a few takes of this heavy scene where Phillip confronts Olivia after being caught in the affair with Phillip's wife. A lot of his accusatory dialogue stung pretty close to home.
Olivia and I were basically doing the same thing, but instead of being married to a person, Olivia was married to the public.
If the public found out about us, they'd crucify her.
The director brought the audition to a close. He was then joined by Phillip at the camera to review the takes. Olivia was pleased with her performance, as she should've been. She crushed it like always.
“What'd you think?” She asked, trying her best not to run right over to me.
“I think it needs some work.” I leaned in close. “Let's practice that scene later, but do the version with you topless.”
“Bastien!” Her eyes flared in the way that drove me crazy. They then darted to either side to make sure no one heard or was watching us. A slow, promising smile crept along her face that made me adjust my pants so that my hardening cock wasn't visible through my jeans.
“Thank you for that earlier, by the way.” Olivia blew out her air, looking very relieved. “That totally caught me by surprise.” She sized me up with a proud expression. “You actually solved a problem without using your fists. There may be hope for you yet.”
“Day's not over yet.” I glanced over Olivia's shoulder at Phillip, who was staring directly at her ass. She started following my gaze to see what I was looking at, but I stopped her. “Hey, are you sure this project is right for you? I don't trust any of these guys.”
“Bastien, I appreciate the concern, but I need this.”
“The Oscar, I know.” It was all her father was ever concerned about. 'It was the pinnacle of acting, reserved only for the greats of the craft,’ etcetera, etcetera. I thought it was all bullshit, but I didn't bust on it too much because I didn't want to hurt Olivia's feelings.
“It's not about that, not really. It's hard to explain. I want to do something that matters. I just—I dunno... I need to feel like I deserve to be here, y'know?” Olivia looked away a moment, struggling through her feelings.
All of this wasn't for some trophy. She wanted to be out from under her father's shadow. She wanted to stop being introduced as 'Delvin Ward's daughter,' and just be- 'Olivia.’ I think I finally understood.
I nodded.
I didn't have to say anything else. Right now, she needed someone to listen to her, not give her an opinion. And in that moment, I decided that I would support her even if she had to appear topless.
I wouldn't like it, but I would at least try not to murder everyone.
“Olivia,” said the director, walking over to us. “On behalf of the entire production team, I would formally like to welcome you to Velvet Intentions.”
Olivia was speechless for a moment, then shook the old man's hand and thanked him. Olivia remained composed and professional until the director left the area, then she flipped out as quietly as she could. She was even more excited than when she heard she got the audition.
She jumped up and down and threw herself into me. I caught and hugged her, then whispered congratulations. This was going to be the biggest movie in her career. She had every right to be happy. I, on the other hand, felt really uneasy about the whole thing.
Over Olivia's shoulder, on the other side of the large studio, I could see Phillip. His crew shifted and slithered around him like a basket full of snakes. They were doing his hair and makeup, making calls, and generally hara
ssing anyone that came too close.
Phillip completely ignored them. He just stared at us with that fake Hollywood smile plastered across his face. When his gaze shifted from Olivia's ass to my narrowing eyes, he spread his first two fingers into a 'peace' sign.
I didn't like any of these people. Their true intentions were sharpened like knives and hidden behind their backs. Then Phillip licked his tongue up and down in between the 'peace' sign, giving me the pussy eating gesture.
'Day's not over yet...'
Chapter 19
Olivia
Past
Bastien opened the door on my side of the truck. It startled me because he was gone for so long. We'd been driving for what seemed like forever, then when we arrived, he told me to wait in the truck for a while.
“Are we at a beach?” I stepped out and one of my heels sunk into the dirt and broken gravel of the aged parking lot.
“You might want to take those off,” he motioned to my suddenly impractical heels. He was lit by only moonlight. The sound of the tide receding in the distance gave him, and this place, a hint magic.
“You want me to go barefoot? I'm in a prom dress.”
“You can take that off too, if you like.” His dark eyes seemed to twinkle with mischief. That look always melted me, especially because I knew he wasn't kidding.
I shivered in the crisp air. Summer was supposedly right around the corner, but New England didn't seem to care. Bastien covered me with the heavy work coat that his had dad left in the trunk. It looked absurd over my dress, but it was too warm to complain. We both kicked off our shoes and he led me down the deserted beach.
“What's in the bag?” I asked about the satchel Bastien had swung over his shoulder. The ground wasn't cold enough to make my feet go numb so I was able to feel the sand between my toes.
The sky was clear, which made the white sand almost shine. The black ocean was alive with crashing waves and a brilliant wavering reflection of the moon and stars. I could see all the way to the horizon and felt like Bastien and I were the only two people in the world.
