by Jackson Kane
“Aside from the fact that I legally own her for four more months?” Delvin didn't look concerned in the least. “Or that I'll lead a high-profile manhunt to find you, which will result in you being arrested for kidnapping. And now that you're eighteen, you'll be tried as an adult and thrown into prison.”
Shit, I hadn't thought of that.
“We'll just wait until she turns eighteen, then we'll run off together.” There was nothing illegal about two adults running off together. Even if Delvin didn't allow us to see each other in the meantime, I could wait for her.
Delvin smiled, it was a dark, knowing expression that put me on edge. It was the kind of smile that I imagined psychopaths had when they were about to run someone down with their car. “Trisha and I are going to get married, I'll see to that personally.”
“The fuck?” What the hell? I knew they occasionally did some work together, but that's a hell of a leap. “Trish isn’t famous, what could you possibly want from her?”
“You really have no idea how any of this works, do you?” Delvin's words were dry and wicked. “It's the Hollywood fairytale. I marry far beneath my own status, and instantly become relatable to the public, which in turn doubles my marketability. Marrying a teacher is perfect for my image.”
“You have to know that I'll tell her everything you just said.”
“Why would you do that?” Delvin looked genuinely confused, as if the notion was absurd.
“You're kidding, right?” I expected him to attack me physically when I pulled in. That I could handle. I didn't know the rules of the game he was playing now. I was caught off guard by all of this. “Because you're a fucking lunatic. I would never let her marry you.”
“You would rob Trisha of a life where she'll never have to worry about anything ever again?” Delvin's tone was so matter-of-fact that it sounded like he was reading the newspaper aloud. “Trisha needs financial security, stability, and to be taken care of. All things that you couldn't possibly ever provide for her.
“She’s losing her house, did you know that? Where will she go once it's gone? She’s under a crushing amount of debt, especially since she took you in.” He sneered.
The long silence that followed haunted me. She'd been working such long hours lately and just recently picked up a second job. She never let on that we were in that much trouble. I felt so stupid, how could I not know? Was I letting my own anger blind me? I loved Trish, she shouldn't have to work so hard just to scrape by.
“Face it, boy. I'm the best thing that will ever happen to Ms. Lane. Instead of struggling through a messy bankruptcy, all of her wildest dreams will come true.” Delvin's tone never changed. His flat smile never faded.
I couldn’t find the words to reply.
“Then there’s Olivia.” Delvin casually plunged his hands into his deep pockets. “If she runs off with you, I will disown her. She'll be blacklisted from the industry and will never act in anything that matters. She will be a broken shell of a person, and you will be at fault.”
“Why are you doing this?” It seemed crazy that he could ever think about doing that to his own flesh and blood.
“To protect my family's legacy. If that means sabotaging Olivia's career...” Delvin let the implication linger, then shrugged indifferently.
“She's your own fucking daughter!” Outrage flared within me. Olivia deserved better than this. “Olivia's mother would be disgusted with you.”
“Olivia’s mother is dead because of her.” Delvin's calm demeanor snapped. “She is no daughter of mine!”
No daughter of mine? I must have really hit a nerve.
“Holy shit.” I staggered back a step at his heartlessness. “You blame Olivia for what happened to your wife, don't you? What kind of monster blames a kid for something like that?”
“By virtue of her inheriting the Ward name,” Delvin collected himself and completely ignored my accusation. “Olivia is eventually bound for a life of wealth and fame. Whereas, you've been arrested several times already. You're nothing more than a violent loser. What kind of life could you possibly give her?”
“You can't have her fucking up that last name of yours by hanging out with a 'loser', right?” I was angry. But not just at Delvin, I was angry because…he was making sense.
I felt like I had run into a dead end, and now I lashed out because I didn't have any choice.
“In the face of what either of us can actually provide, are you truly thinking of what's best for her?” Delvin paused, and then drove the point home. “Or what's best for yourself?”
I swallowed hard.
Delvin was an evil, self-serving asshole, but it was hard to disagree with the facts.
What could I give her?
I cared more about Olivia than anyone I'd ever known. Was I being selfish by staying in her life?
I thought about her last play, Romeo and Juliet. They chose each other and it ended so poorly for them. Olivia wouldn't die if I stayed, but her dream might. I couldn't live with myself if I crushed that sparkling hope in her eyes. I hadn't even known her for a full year.
Who was I to do that to her?
“There is no winning for you here.” Delvin saw that his words were having the effect that he wanted. He tossed the money clip at me. It bounced off my chest and landed on the pavement. “If you truly care for my daughter, don’t make her a loser like you.”
Whatever this game was, I had lost.
I stared at the bulging fold of cash on the ground while Delvin got back into his luxury car and drove off. I tossed the bill fold onto the grass, then got back in my truck. Delvin might have been right, but he still couldn't buy me.
I had to do what was best for Olivia
“I'm sorry, everyone.” I started the truck, having no idea where I was going. The only thing I knew was that I couldn't stay there any longer. The thought of Delvin and Trish made me sick and angry. And thinking of Olivia just made me sad. “I'm so sorry, Olivia.”
This wasn't my home anymore.
I tossed my cell phone onto the lawn as well. If I didn’t sever all my connections, I might have been weak and come back. It was better for everyone that I left for good. I threaded Olivia's pendant to a shoelace and tied it around my neck. At least in this small way, she'd always be close to my heart.
Then I drove away from this life.
Present
I tried like hell to stay away from her, but I couldn't.
This past week, I'd been going out of my mind thinking about what was going on at set. She never wanted to talk about work when she got home, but I could tell that it took a heavy toll on her. I packed her a lunch which was a weak excuse because all her meals were catered.
I just needed to see her.
Everyone had just taken the lunch break when I walked into the warehouse set. I heard Olivia arguing with someone. Were they trying to change the script on her again? How long had this been going on?
Goddammit, Olivia, why didn't you tell me?
I passed several elaborate sets inside the sound stage building. One was a courtyard, and one was a lavish ballroom, all of which only worked from one angle. It was crazy to see the exterior of a massive stone castle wall, but when you rounded the corner, it was all just plywood and two by fours holding it up.
It was behind the castle set that I saw Olivia arguing with Phillip. Her fluffy blouse was ripped down the side. She had it pinned to her chest, to keep it from exposing her tits. Phillip was grabbing and groping at her.
Anger surged up the back of my neck, and my knuckles tightened. I took a step toward them, but forced myself to stop. What if they were rehearsing a scene?
Dammit, I hated this.
Olivia was right, I couldn't be here. I'd always be a second away from snapping. It was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do, but I forced myself to turn around and walk away. I promised myself to support her, even if I didn't like it.
“Back the fuck off, Phillip!” Olivia's words were nearly a whisper,
but there was unmistakable hardness in her tone.
Phillip was the actor's name, not the character's name!
This asshole really was bothering her. That's all it took. When I turned back around I saw him, one hand down his pants, the other grabbing Olivia's ass. I lost it.
My eyes were burning with rage when they saw me. Phillip's no-one-will-know expression fell away. He immediately searched around for his entourage, but for once, they were nowhere to be found. He must've sent them away so he and Olivia could be alone.
Phillip had the balls to swing first, probably because he knew what was going to happen. I ducked it easily and whipped my elbow up into his chin. There was a sharp crack and Phillip's head whipped backwards. He was unconscious before he hit the ground.
Disappointment washed over me. I hadn't had a good fight since becoming Olivia's bodyguard. And if anybody deserved to get their shit kicked in, it was this guy.
“Dammit, Bastien! Do you have any idea what you just did?” Olivia freaked out.
“That's the shittiest 'thank you' I've ever heard.” I said, rubbing the sting from my elbow. Phillip had incredibly angular, boney features. I'd have liked to mess them up more, but not even I would attack an unconscious man.
“Oh my God! I'm responsible for your actions while you're on set. Do you not get that? They could fire me for this!” She looked at Phillip on the floor and covered her nose and mouth.
“So what?”
“What?” Olivia's face puckered with indignation.
“You heard me.” It was one thing to support her dream and passion, but I couldn't stand around and watch her let people take advantage of her. “They've treated you like shit since you've been here. You come home feeling worthless every night. You don't deserve to be here, Olivia, surrounded by these pretentious assholes. You're not like them and you never will be. You're better than all this.”
Olivia's face was firm, but her eyes were floating in tears. “You should go, Bastien.” A tear broke free and streamed down her cheek. It took all the strength I had not to brush it away. “Leave now.”
“Fine.” I wasn't a fucking caveman. I wasn't going to drag her out by her hair. I was just disappointed in her. I thought she was smarter than this. Maybe it was me I was disappointed in.
I shouldn't have come back at all, what did I really expect? I didn't belong in this world.
“I'm done, Olivia. I won't be at the apartment when you get back. I was wrong. Looks like you'll fit in around here just fine.”
Later at the apartment.
“Yeah, it's me.” I was already on the phone with my contact, Abeo, when I closed the apartment door behind me. Romeo greeted me with a crazily wagging tail. I scratched under his chin. At least someone was happy to see me. “I need a fight.”
“That's what you said last time,” Abeo grumbled. “I had to cancel last minute. You made me look like an asshole.”
“I had this family thing, but that's over now.” I fed Romeo. “Are you going to hook me up or not?”
After a short silence, Abeo replied. “Tonight, south central L.A. But Bastien, listen to me, this one's no joke. It's going to be a glass fight.”
I frowned. That was the most dangerous of the blood sports. It was the only kind of fight that I'd actually seen men die in. I thought of Olivia. This time she chose her career and hollow lifestyle over me. If I didn't have her, then what did I truly have left to lose? “Sign me up.”
Olivia kept a pad of paper on the counter. I tore a page off and scrawled out some instructions for Romeo...just in case I never made it back from the fight to pick him up. Then I wrote down the address Abeo gave me. When I ended the call, I put it into my phone's GPS.
And just like that, for the second time in my life, I walked away from the one person I loved the most.
Chapter 21
Olivia
Past
“Bastien is gone. You need to deal with that and move on.” My father snapped.
I felt like hanging up on him right then, but of course I didn't. I stood on the balcony of my condo that overlooked the beach. It had been a few years since that perfect night where we had our own prom, but I still remembered every moment.
I missed Bastien every day.
Why did he abandon me?
“Stop being so fickle, you need to start dating or the media will start to make assumptions.” I wish my father found me as many auditions as he did dates. Every time it was the same thing. Handsome but tame upcoming celebrities, carefully picked for what they brought to the 'Ward' brand.
I was so sick of it.
I wasn’t finding any men interesting enough anymore. If I started dating again my father would definitely not like who I chose.
“I need to focus on my career right now.” That was always my go-to excuse. It was also true. Acting was the only thing that distracted me from Bastien. When I was acting I could become someone else, someone less broken inside.
“That's all well and good, but how you arrive is just as important as actually arriving. Remember that. Another thing, stop pursuing theater roles. We're a screen family, not a stage family.”
“But I like those roles. They're much more challenging for me than a bit part in a Rom Com.” I especially loved the beauty, elegance and depth of Shakespeare.
The darkness of his characters really called to me.
“Exactly. Olivia, that world is far more intricate than film. It will look horrible for us if you crack under that kind of pressure. I have a limited reach there, and won't be able to make excuses for you when you mess up. So get that silly notion right out of your head.”
As supportive as always. Thanks, dad.
“Alright.” I sighed. There was never any arguing with him, especially after the last time I disobeyed him to run off with Bastien. Nearly a full year passed, before he even let me go to any auditions. No Bastien, no acting, and no real friends. That was the darkest time in my life.
My father was this domineering shadow that loomed over every decision I made, or had made for me. It made me miss Bastien that much more. I wish I remembered the exact words he used when he told my father off.
That one night, I truly felt alive, like a bird released from a cage.
“That's a good girl.” My father talked at me until he was finished, then hung up. That's how most of these conversations went. I had grown so used to it that it barely bothered me anymore.
All I wanted to do was watch the waves crash, and drink champagne. Or rather, sparkling apple cider. The memory of the look on Bastien's face when he found out that it was nonalcoholic made me smile.
Then it made me break down into tears.
Present
“Your lunatic bodyguard is banned from all production sets for the duration of filming!” Allen, the director was furious. He nervously glanced around. “He's not still here, is he?
“No, I asked him to leave.” I'd spent so much time wishing for Bastien to come back and now I’ve asked him to leave...
It only took a few minutes after Phillip was found by a production assistant for everything to go nuclear in the building. I knew that the producers, and maybe even the police, would be involved when Phillip recovered his faculties. It's why I didn't want Bastien to be on set, but I hated myself for telling him to leave. All he'd done was protect me.
I felt horrible.
“Good!” Allen raised his voice, now that there was no fear of repercussion. “That man is a Neanderthal. What he did to poor Phillip!”
“Phillip,” is a spoiled, entitled child! I caught myself, swallowed my opinions and then continued. “Phillip will he be alright, he—”
“He's resting right now. His people are deciding what he feels fit for, but the filming day is ruined!” Allen became an animated parody of himself, his face reddened and his fists shook. “I knew Bastien was trouble the second I saw him!”
“With all due respect, Mr. Woodrow,” Bastien shouldn't have hit Phillip, but I refused to listen to hi
m be insulted for coming to my aid, “Phillip crossed the line. He was aggressive and lewd and wouldn't keep his hands off me, despite me telling him several—”
“And we're lucky to have him! He's the most sought after young actor in the world right now. Any film he's in gets asses into seats, not to mention the academy nominations.” Allen talked down to me, shaking his head. I was getting real tired of being interrupted. “Let him do whatever he wants.”
“Excuse me?” I eyed the man.
“Olivia, you're a good actor.” Allen put a hand on my shoulder. It was probably supposed to be some sort of parental gesture, but it came off as incredibly creepy. “But that's not why you're here. You're here because Phillip wanted you. I suggest you start thinking about ways to make it up to him, if you want to stay on this project.”
There it was, all laid out. I was basically brought in to be a booty call for the lead actor. Bastien was right, they didn't value me at all. Was this really what I wanted, to be surrounded by psychopaths?
I felt so foolish. A good man had put a bad man down and I punished him for it. I was no better than them. I sent away the only man that really cared about me. I looked at the fake, practiced sympathy on Allen's face, and came to a long overdue realization.
Phillip was only a few years older than I was. Our fathers were both famous actors, we had a very similar background in most regards. It chilled me to think that if I didn't have Bastien keeping me grounded when I was younger, I might have grown up to be just like Phillip.
My time with Bastien in the past few months alone changed me, he'd reminded me who I really was and who I wanted to be. I had lost that for so long... I was searching for love and acknowledgment in all the wrong places.
I glanced at all the people still left on set, the ones that thought it was my fault for what happened to Phillip. I didn't need their respect and I didn't want them as my peers.
