Spotlight

by Traci Hunter Abramson

  “Thanks a lot.”

  Brent ignored Craig’s sarcasm and was too cheerful when he said, “You’re welcome.”

  Brent lifted a hand in greeting to Sienna as he passed her. Sienna waved in return and continued forward.

  Craig squared his shoulders and braced for what he expected would be a difficult encounter. His jaw clenched in anticipation.

  “Craig, I’m so glad you made it back okay.”

  Craig shifted his gaze to Adam.

  Sienna motioned to Adam. “Craig, this is Adam Pratt. Adam, this is the friend I was telling you about, Craig Simmons.”

  “Good to meet you, Craig.” Adam extended his hand.

  Craig hesitated briefly before shaking the other man’s hand. “Yeah, you too.”

  “Hey, I’m really sorry about the whole publicity thing. I didn’t realize Sienna was in a relationship when we planned it out.”

  Craig’s eyes narrowed. “Planned what out?”

  “Our date to the Oscars. My publicist and I thought it would be great hype for the movie if we made people think we had a thing going while working together.”

  “A thing,” Craig repeated, not sure he was understanding Adam correctly. Was Adam really standing here telling him his relationship with Sienna that had been blasted all over the news was completely fake?

  The expression on Sienna’s face made him think that was exactly what Adam was telling him. “I was going to e-mail you when we got back from California, but then we got into an accident, and everything got crazy.”

  Not sure how he felt about Sienna and Adam’s revelation, Craig remembered why he was really here. “What did happen with the car accident?”

  “We were sitting in the back, so we didn’t see anything, but George said someone deliberately threw a couple old tires in our path so we would crash,” Sienna told him.

  Adam’s attention shifted to where the crew was unloading the car. He looked back to Craig. “Are we good?”

  “Yeah, we’re good.”

  “I’ll catch you later.” Adam went over to check out the car and talk to some of the crew members.

  Craig watched him go, and when he looked back at Sienna, he found her staring up at him, looking vulnerable. “I’m really sorry about all the hype surrounding me and Adam.”

  “What I don’t understand is why you would put yourself in that position in the first place,” Craig said. “And why you didn’t tell me about it in one of your e-mails.”

  “Honestly, I didn’t think it was that big a deal. Publicity is part of the job description,” Sienna said. “I didn’t realize Adam and his publicist had decided to say we were really dating until we were standing in front of the cameras. By then, I was trapped.”

  “Whether that’s true or not, the fact remains that the whole world thinks you’re dating Adam Pratt.” Craig folded his arms across his chest.

  “You’re the one I want to go out with.” Sienna waved toward Adam. “I told you, everything that happened with Adam while you were gone was an act for the cameras. Nothing more.”

  “That doesn’t change the world’s perception.” Craig didn’t want to admit how much it had hurt when he’d thought Sienna was dating someone else, but he could explain why it still bothered him. “The last thing I need right now is to get caught up in a media circus and some love-triangle story.”

  She jutted her chin up in a challenge. “If you kiss me here, with Adam in the background, the rumors will stop right now. Everyone will know last weekend was just for show.”

  Craig stepped closer, and he saw an awareness on Sienna’s face, that look he had seen the moment before he had kissed her the first time. He was tempted and annoyed at himself for it. He surprised both of them when he shifted to stand beside her. He leaned down slightly and lowered his voice so only she would hear his words. “What happens between us is not for public viewing.”

  Without another word, he stepped past her and tried to ignore the tangle of emotions he didn’t want to feel and the regret he was certain would dominate before the day was over.

  22

  Regret, annoyance, frustration. Each emotion flooded through her. Craig’s presence only magnified their intensity. She closed her eyes, harnessing her feelings and turning them outward to be seen by millions.

  “Keep the cameras rolling,” Marcus told his cameramen, indicating he wanted them to continue filming after he stopped the action so they had more film to edit from. He shifted his attention back to the set and called out, “And action!”

  Sienna turned to face the car speeding toward her and lifted the gun in her hand. She squeezed the trigger three times, the blanks producing corresponding sounds. Bullet holes would be added to the Mustang’s windshield during editing, but she pretended she saw them now.

  She held her pose, counted to three like she’d rehearsed, then shifted to her right and shot two more times. After another second, the director yelled, “Cut!”

  Sienna relaxed, even though the car was still speeding toward her. For the next take, they would back the car up again and shoot from behind so her stunt double could stand in for her when she was supposed to get hit and roll off the hood of the car.

  “Sienna! Watch out!” The combination of Craig’s voice and hearing her real name startled her.

  She turned, saw the car hadn’t slowed down, and froze. An instant before the car reached her, someone grabbed her arm and yanked her out of the way.

  A fraction of a second later, the car crashed into the barricade at the end of the street, finally coming to a stop.

  Sienna’s throat closed up, and she couldn’t breathe. Her shoulder throbbed from the sudden jerking motion of her arm, and the soreness from yesterday’s accident resurfaced. She turned her head to see Carter had been the one who had grabbed her.

  “Are you okay?” he asked, his eyes wide.

  “What happened?” Sienna managed. She stared down the street at the totaled Mustang.

  “I don’t know. The driver wasn’t slowing down, and he was heading right for you.”

  “I know that’s how it’s scripted, but my stunt double was supposed to take the hit, and I don’t remember a crash in the script.”

  “There wasn’t a crash in the script.”

  Craig reached her side, with George right behind him. Craig put his hand gently on her arm. “Are you okay?”

  “My shoulder’s sore, but I think I’m all right.” Sienna looked once more at the car. “I wonder if the driver is okay.”

  “Brent and the cops are checking him out.” Craig looked over at Carter. “Sienna was lucky you reacted so quickly. That was a close call.”

  Looking a little startled himself, Carter blew out a breath. “I guess all those years of working action flicks have paid off.”

  “Thank you, Carter,” Sienna said. “Seriously. You probably saved my life.”

  “Just in the right place at the right time,” he said. “I’m going to see what’s going on over there.”

  “I’ll come with you,” George said. He turned to Craig. “You’ll stay with Sienna?”

  “Yeah.”

  Sienna watched George and Carter head toward the accident. The whole scene truly did look like it belonged on a movie screen. She replayed the incident in her mind and focused on Craig. “You yelled out. How did you know there was something wrong?”

  “The director had already yelled ‘cut,’ but the car didn’t slow down. It was obvious the car wasn’t supposed to hit you, especially once the action had stopped.” He motioned to her injured arm. “Let me take a look at that shoulder.”

  She held still while he prodded around her shoulder joint. When he hit a particularly sensitive spot, she moaned in pain.

  Craig released the pressure he had put there but continued to gently knead the area. “The good news is that it’s not dislocated. You might want to get an MRI to make sure there isn’t any tissue damage.”

  “I think the soreness is mostly from the accident yesterday. W
hen Carter grabbed my arm, it aggravated it.” She turned her head and shifted so she was facing him. “How do you know so much about injuries?”

  “Everyone in my job goes through advanced medical training, but most of what I know is from firsthand knowledge. Ten years in martial arts leaves you with a few bumps and bruises.”

  “I bet.” She stared up at him, pleased he seemed to have forgotten his earlier frustration with her. “Have you decided to forgive me yet?”

  He pondered for a moment. “I’m still thinking about it.”

  “While you’re thinking about it, do you think we could go find someplace to talk that isn’t in front of the cameras?”

  “Maybe.”

  They both looked up when Brent and George approached them. “Well?” Craig asked.

  “Brake lines were cut, and the steering wheel had locked in place,” Brent said. “The driver couldn’t stop, and he couldn’t steer.”

  “Sabotage.” Craig said distastefully. “How is the driver?”

  “He has a concussion and a possible broken ankle. The ambulance is on the way.”

  George motioned across the set. “I’m going to talk to the director. I want to get Sienna out of here. We’re done for the day.”

  “I agree.” Sienna looked over at the far end of the street, where George had parked their car. “I hate to ask it, but what are the chances you guys could look over our car before we go back to the hotel?”

  “I’ll take care of it.” Brent fished his car keys out of his pocket and held them out to Craig. “Craig, why don’t you take Sienna back to the hotel? George can drive me back, and we can talk strategy then.”

  Craig reached out a hand. “Are you sure?”

  “Yeah. I think the sooner we get Sienna out of here, the better.”

  * * *

  “Craig, the hotel is that way.”

  Craig didn’t have to look to know she was pointing in the opposite direction. “I know. I want to make sure no one is following us before we head back over there.”

  “It’s not like everyone doesn’t already know where we’re staying. The whole cast and most of the crew is staying there too.”

  “Have you considered changing your accommodations?” Craig asked. George had briefed Brent and him on the car accident the day before and the lighting mishap. Both sounded a little fishy, but seeing that car heading straight for Sienna had put Craig’s protective instincts into overdrive.

  “Not really. I haven’t had any trouble at the hotel.”

  “If someone can manage to get past security on the set, I’m worried they might try to get to you at the hotel.”

  Sienna’s face paled. “Do you honestly think someone is trying to hurt me?”

  “Until that car almost ran you down, I thought it might have been Adam who was the target. He was closer to the light that fell.” Craig glanced over at her.

  “But why? Why would anyone want to hurt me?”

  Craig turned inland. “I was hoping you could shed some light on that. Has anything like this ever happened to you before?”

  “Not to me.” Her voice trailed off.

  Craig guessed where her thoughts had wandered. “But this kind of stuff has happened to your sister.”

  “Yeah.” She shuddered and fell quiet. A minute passed before she spoke again. “I don’t think it was like this with Kendra.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “The guy who was after her was on our security team. He set an explosive at one of her concerts to freak her out. The FBI thinks he believed Kendra would turn to him for help and fall for him.”

  Craig’s fingers tightened on the steering wheel. “And when that didn’t happen, he stalked her until he found her.”

  “Yeah.” Sienna let the word out on a sigh.

  Craig considered her comments, choosing a random turn and starting to backtrack toward her hotel. “You’re right. It is different. All of the incidents with you could have left you injured or worse. The question is why would someone want you out of the way?”

  “Out of the way of what?”

  “That’s exactly the question we need to answer. It could be someone else believed the story about you and Adam dating—maybe an old girlfriend who wants him back.” Craig considered. “Or another actress who thought she deserved your role.”

  “If you’re talking about Adam’s old girlfriends, I’m afraid the list is long, and the list of people who want to date him is even longer.”

  “We don’t have to consider everyone. Just people who have access to the set.”

  “Actually, there were a couple of break-ins at the beach house right before we started shooting. George was really frustrated because the security company that was supposed to be monitoring it wasn’t doing a good enough job.”

  “How did George know there had been break-ins?”

  “He stopped several of the attempts himself, and he figures there were probably at least a couple that got by him.”

  “I’m sure the cops will look into that angle.”

  “What have I gotten myself into?” Sienna asked.

  “We’ll find a way to tighten security so you won’t have to worry anymore. If it is someone who isn’t on the cast or crew, we should be able to catch them if they make another attempt.”

  “And if it is someone on the cast or crew? What then?” Sienna asked. “That would mean whoever is doing this is someone I know.”

  “Which is why we’re also going to run background checks on everyone working on this project. People don’t do things like this without a motive. Something will pop up eventually.”

  “I don’t want to wait for eventually. I’m ready for this to be over now.”

  “You and me both.”

  23

  Sienna could feel the tears welling up in her eyes, and she blinked hard against them. She didn’t want to cry. She didn’t want Craig to see her cry.

  For the past several minutes he hadn’t said a word. He had driven silently, taking one turn after another until she had no idea where they were. She stared blindly out the window, barely noticing when the ocean came into view in patches between tall hotel buildings.

  Craig pulled into a parking lot and turned off the engine. “Come on.”

  Sienna looked around. “Where are we?”

  “About a mile from the hotel. I thought we could both use a walk on the beach.”

  Emotionally exhausted, Sienna blinked hard again, willing her tears to subside.

  Craig circled the car and opened the door for her. She shifted to climb out, unnerved when she stood and saw the quiet understanding in Craig’s eyes. A tremble worked through her body, and she folded her arms tightly to prevent the sensation from repeating. “I can’t do this anymore.”

  “It’s going to be okay,” Craig said automatically, but Sienna could tell he was trying to believe his own words.

  “No, it’s not. This is twice. Twice I should have ended up in the hospital.” Sienna paced three steps away before turning back to him. “If you hadn’t shouted and Carter hadn’t been close enough to pull me out of the way, I’d probably be dead right now.”

  A tear spilled over, and Craig reached for her, pulling her into his arms. “It’s okay,” he said again soothingly.

  Those two words were all it took for all of her pent-up fears and emotions to spill over. Her tears flowed freely, and her body trembled as she sobbed. All the while, Craig held her, running his hand over her hair, speaking softly to her.

  Sienna linked her hands around his waist and held on tightly as though she could hide from the world right there in his embrace. Minutes passed, her tears finally slowing. She felt Craig’s lips press against her forehead, and she shifted to look up at him.

  His eyes met hers. The compassion reflected there quickly turned to something else. He lifted his hands and used his thumbs to brush away her tears. She could only stare at him when his hands came to rest along her jaw, holding her in place as he lowered his lips to hers. A t
hrill danced up her spine, and she let herself get swept away in the moment.

  She could smell the salt, hear the rumble of the water rushing up over the sand. The wind coming off the ocean should have made her cold, but all she could feel was a warm sense of belonging.

  Craig changed the angle of the kiss, and Sienna was surprised her bones didn’t melt into a puddle right there in the parking lot. When he pulled back, he lowered his hands to run them down her arms. “I missed you.”

  “I missed you too.”

  “Come on.” He took her hand and locked the car door. “Let’s take that walk.”

  * * *

  Craig walked along the beach, Sienna’s hand in his, and wondered how his life could change so completely in such a short period of time. This morning he hadn’t wanted to think about Sienna, hadn’t wanted to ever hear her name again for the pain it had caused. Now he didn’t want to think about anything else.

  Her vulnerability ate at him, especially knowing how much she craved normalcy. He supposed that was why the rumors about her and Adam had hit so hard. Never had he considered the rumors not only to be false but to be scripted as well. The fact that Sienna hadn’t told him about her date with her costar and that she had subjected herself to the rumors of a relationship with Adam still grated on Craig.

  Water under the bridge, he reminded himself. As much as that situation hurt, Sienna’s safety was his top priority now.

  “Should we head back?” Sienna asked after ten minutes.

  “Actually, I thought we could walk the rest of the way to your hotel. We’re over halfway there.”

  “What about Brent’s car?”

  “I can jog back and get it later. I figure we’ll have an easier time getting into the hotel unnoticed if we arrive on foot and go in the side entrance.”

  “It’s a great idea, but the paparazzi tend to cover all the entrances, especially when they know there’s a story to go with their photos.”

  Sienna rubbed her arm with her free hand.

  Craig studied her clothes, the same ones she had been wearing when the car had nearly hit her. Jeans, some kind of knit top, and a blue hooded jacket. “Hold on a minute.” He let go of her hand and motioned to her. “Take off your jacket.”