Breaking Bad: 14 Tales of Lawless Love

by Koko Brown

  While Lena recanted the horror that was her first day, I got the feeling someone was watching me, that itch under the skin that doesn't go away. I looked to my right and found Holly eye-fucking me. She bit her lower lip and winked with a sly smile.

  I offered a strained smile and crossed my arms over my chest to finish listening to Lena. The very last thing in this world I was about to do was get nailed for screwing around with a minor. And that Holly girl? She was pure jailbait.

  "Anyway." Lena segued awkwardly out of her story after catching the look on my face. She briefly glanced at Holly before grabbing my arm. "I should introduce him to everyone else. We'll talk later, Holly."

  "So excited to work with the both of you!" Holly gushed, clasping her hands together across her chest. She gave me another all-over look before flouncing away.

  "Damn."

  "I know." Lena sighed. "She's gorgeous but desperate."

  "Someone needs to tell her you can get through Hollywood without fucking someone at every door step."

  "Probably, huh?" Lena bobbed her head back and forth before shrugging. "Eh. She'll figure it out."

  "Who's the dude who looks like he wants to eat me?"

  "Josh Bowen." Lena flashed me a toothy grin. "He wanted your role. Word is producers were pushing hard for it. If you hadn't come in, he'd be our Eddie Bowser. Lucky you."

  "Lucky me." I nodded to the guy across the table, who looked like he was equally horrified of me and disgusted by me. I could pound the guy to pieces without trying and he knew it. Nothing like starting the next three months of my life with someone who hated my guts.

  What had I gotten myself into?

  "Who is he in the film?"

  "A supporting role. But word is he's secretly your understudy, so stay healthy, my friend." Lena nudged me playfully. "He's a nice kid, but pretty average. Definitely not memorable."

  "Have I seen him in anything before?" I studied the guy. He looked so very....average Hollywood. Decent looks, good shape, hair styled in a very trendy and non-offensive way. Safe. Hollywood didn't like safe. Fans didn't like safe. It was the fastest way to forgettable.

  "Lots of things, actually." Lena listed off a few movies I'd never heard of or got around to seeing. "He's never really the forefront, but he's always there. I think he thought if he had your role, he'd finally break the cycle."

  I popped my neck and smiled at this Josh dude, who looked immediately uncomfortable and disappeared into the fray. "Guess you don't always get what you want, eh?"

  "Dream killer."

  "Every day of my life."

  "There you are!" A familiar voice called out behind me. "I'd been looking everywhere."

  Alison stood behind me, looking flushed. I gestured around to my costars. "What, you mean with the other actors?"

  She flushed hard and Lena had to excuse herself from laugh-coughing. "I didn't think you'd be here yet."

  "Ah. I guess I sort of set myself up for that one during auditions."

  "A bit." Alison offered a small smile. "Can you come with me? We need to finalize your contract and go over some things. I've already talked to Denver. They aren't ready to begin yet, anyway."

  "Oh, great," I said stupidly. I followed her out of the room and down a dark, quiet hall. "So. Come here often?"

  I saw the grin creep across her face before she swallowed it down. "Every day."

  "Great. It's actually my first time here. Think you can show me around?"

  "Would love to." She threw open a heavy door to a tiny office, cramped with stacks of tapes and folders and more televisions than any one room should have. "Forgive the mess. We are trying to move digital, but some studios are a little slower than others."

  "This is where they keep you?" I could touch both walls without overextending my arms. "Shame. Someone as pretty as you should have a bigger office."

  "Unfortunately, Mr. Steele, the only half of the industry that favors looks over skill sits in front of the camera, not behind it."

  Touché. I liked her. Feisty.

  "I suppose you worked everything out with my agent?"

  She nodded. It was now that I noticed she hadn't looked at me once during this entire stretch we'd been together. The girl who put her goods on display just so I'd read a script couldn't look me in the eye anymore?

  She wasn't this quiet after I kissed her during the audition, either. Which, by the way, was amazing and I high-fived the fuck out of myself later for that. And by high-five I meant...never mind.

  "Is there something in here I need to be worried about?" I didn't take the pen she held out for me.

  "No. Everything was approved by your agent. He told us your terms and Denver was willing to meet them."

  And that asshat said I didn't want this role? Denver Latmini! Gave me everything I wanted! Despite everything that happened, all the press, the reputation I'd garnered around this shitty rock, he wanted me here.

  So why did she look so...upset?

  I leaned against the wall and studied her, trying to crack open her secrets because she looked as open as a young clam right about now. Alison was beautiful, the kind of beauty that hit me deep. Smooth glowing skin that reminded me of secrets and lust, a headful of beautiful curly hair, eyes as dark as embers, and curves that made me think incredibly impure thoughts. And she had one tiny dimple in her left cheek that flared when she smiled.

  Every item on my mental check list met. The night she danced for me was one of the best nights of my life. And here we stood, with her not throwing her panties at me. I hated it when that happened.

  I pretended to rifle through the contract, but we both knew I wasn't reading it. Bobby and I made a great team because he knew exactly what I wanted and how to get it. That, I wasn't worried about.

  "Tell me." I broke the silence she was holding. "What is it?"

  She dropped into a chair and swiveled around for a moment before fidgeting with every goddamn thing on her desk.

  "Alison."

  She closed her eyes and sighed. "There's been some... concern."

  There it was. The proverbial shoe that lived solely to kick my ass. "About me. On set."

  She nodded. "No one can deny you're talented, but—"

  "I get it." I kept my voice light even though her barbs dug deep. Fuck, couldn't a guy ever catch a break in this place? And god forbid I ever let them know this shit actually bothered me, because my career really would be over and I'd have to make money by doing shitty endorsements or flipping burgers or some shit. And everyone would come by to point and laugh at the asshole who tried to make movies and still ended up asking if you wanted pickles on that. "But I still have a contract here."

  "You do. They asked me to personally keep an eye on you."

  It didn't really register what she was saying until she finally met my gaze. The girl looked nervous as hell. "So if I fuck this up, I fuck it up for the both of us."

  "Something like that." She looked away.

  "Hey." I reached over and grabbed her hand. It took her an extra second to pull away. Point for Jack. "Listen, I'm not an asshole and I'm not a selfish bastard, okay? I know what they say about me. I'm not fucking stupid. I also know I got this role because of you and I'm not going to make you regret that. Okay?"

  Alison nodded, still not looking thoroughly convinced. I got the impression she didn't have to deal with actors much on set. Well, I wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth. Besides, this meant I got more time on set with her. I'd win her over to my side. Eventually, she'd be throwing those panties with a fervor.

  "Besides." I tossed her a wicked smile. "After that performance you put on at the club, how I could I pass up the opportunity to have you around?"

  She looked almost horrified. Almost. The rest of it was a hint of pride. See, feisty. This was going to be fun, aside from that whole Producers Don't Trust Me shit. "Get out of my office."

  "I'd hardly call this an office."

  "Out."

  "I'm only going because De
nver is waiting for me and a responsible actor would not keep his cast waiting. But while I'm here—"

  "Go!" Alison laughed. "Out. My office is too small for your ego."

  I shot her a wink before disappearing back into the labyrinth of the set. Having a babysitter was bullshit, but having a hot babysitter was a turn on. Wicked.

  SIX

  ALISON

  I did not become a casting agent to babysit actors. That was the director’s job. That was why they got paid the big bucks. It wasn’t all uncomfortable seats and yelling ‘Cut’. It was dealing with egos and attitudes and nobodies thinking they could delay production simply because they got to see their faces on a big screen.

  I wasn't getting any sort of compensation for following Jack Steele around on set... aside from being able to watch him every day. Perks, however, were no good to me unless they were green and featured several old dead white men. Sarah told me I was looking at things the wrong way, but staring at Jack's ass six days a week wasn't paying my student loans any faster.

  "You've become a corporate sellout." She raised her eyebrows at me while turning one of the extra's board-straight hair into a mountain of ringlet curls. "There is more to life than a mountain of money."

  "Like what?"

  "Like a mountain of really sexy dick."

  The extra giggled enough for the both of us, so I could pretend to be offended. "Who said anything about getting dick?"

  "Well, not yet maybe."

  I rolled my eyes. "Can you remember where we are right now? This is work, you ass."

  "I'm just saying." Sarah danced her way around the chair. "Everyone's been talking about how lucky you are to keep him by your side."

  "He's not my toddler. I just have to make sure he comes to work and doesn't make a mess."

  It was quiet for just a minute, and then the extra chimed in. "Do you also make sure he takes his naps?"

  Sarah dissolved into a pile of giggles and high-fived her. "Nailed it!"

  I conceded a small smile, enough to show I had a sense of humor, and then checked my watch. "You guys suck. And as much as I love to stand around here and talk about one of our employees...."

  "I wonder what his muscles feel like." The extra chimed in, ignoring me. "I've never seen someone built like him before. I didn't think those people really existed."

  "Girl, have you never seen Dwayne Johnson? Oh, they exist."

  "Did you ever work with him?" Her eyes were wide. "Did you get to touch him?"

  I laughed for real. "Oh my god. All you actors are the same. It feels like skin, sweetheart. He is a real person, not a demi-god."

  "Debatable." Sarah winked at me. "I'll be sure to mention that the next time I catch you checking out his ass."

  Extra Girl high-fived her.

  "Whatever. I need to go."

  "Tell little Jack-Jack it's time to go night-night!" Sarah called after me. "Don't forget his blankie!"

  I raised both hands and flipped her off until I rounded a corner and disappeared from sight. Her laughter followed me all the way down the hall. The whole thing, truly, felt ridiculous. Babysitting a grown man? No matter how hot he was. Technically, my job here was done. I should be packing up the office, moving on to another gig, another client. There were background checks to run and tapes to sort through. Already, the head of the studio was emailing me about an animated movie they just signed. That almost always meant working with the BIG names in Hollywood, which was a double-edged sword. Working with the A-listers? Awesome...until their egos came into play.

  Speaking of egos. Music pumped out of Jack’s trailer—trendy country music about girls and booze and full of what had to be an artificial twang. I shuddered a bit before knocking. Country music and I didn’t jive. Also, that accent was totally fake. No one talked like that in real life. No one.

  I knocked three times before trying the handle. It was time for his morning check-in and I had a list of other things that I needed to do for the studio that didn’t involve this movie. Also, maybe I didn’t really need to check in on him so much as maybe I wanted to see him, because it wasn’t an issue until he was late for filming but whatever, shut up, get off my case, brain.

  “Come in!” As he yelled, the music dropped about eighty decibels. Thank god.

  “Hey Jack. Just wanted to—” The words froze in my throat.

  Jack was pacing around his trailer, script in hand. Working. Reading lines. He had that whole ‘I’m concentrating very hard’ look about him that should have been very reassuring to see. Except….

  He was stark naked. Naked as a newborn baby. Pacing his trailer with no clothes on.

  And oh my god, those rumors about his dick? Pretty accurate. And he wasn’t even, you know…..hard.

  “I’m so sorry!” I managed, trying to force my eyes up past his waistline. Was it hot in here? I was suddenly so warm. “I didn’t…you said….”

  “No need to apologize. I let you in.” I could hear the glee in Jack’s voice.

  I needed to stop looking at his dick. Right now. Okay, right now. “Why did you invite me in if you were…not dressed?”

  “It’s just a body.” He grinned slyly at me when I was finally able to look at his face. “Nothing to be ashamed of.”

  “Y-you…. If I was...” I closed my eyes tight and tried to focus. “Jack, this could be a huge sexual harassment issue…”

  “It’s my trailer.”

  “You invited me in.”

  “You knocked. I said I was naked.”

  I paused, trying to rewind what just happened in my mind, but I couldn’t seem to unstick the tape past the part when I discovered him naked. “Did you?”

  “Yep.”

  “I… okay.” I cracked my eyes open and kept them on his collarbone. I couldn’t even look him in the eye. He was absolutely delicious everywhere. Muscles stacked on muscles, a dick that could give any dildo some serious envy…. I’d slap myself right now if this wasn’t already insanely embarrassing. “Well, do you need anything? Someone to help run lines?”

  There was that sly smile again, floating in my periphery. He sauntered toward me and I fumbled for the door but couldn’t find the handle. “I think there’s maybe something you could help with. Maybe something you want to help with. There’s been so much stress lately with how fast I landed the role, and all the press jumping everywhere. I’ve seen it on your face too.” He gently took my hand and pulled it down.

  Horror flashed through my mind. He was going to make me touch his dick. He thought he could just fuck me because… because what? Because he was Jack Steele? He thought he could have whatever the fuck he wanted?

  I ripped my hand out of his and shoved him back. “Remember what I said about sexual harassment, Jack? This isn’t a club. This is a workplace. I suggest you get on some goddamned clothes and get your shit together. You have to be on set in forty-five minutes.”

  I found the doorknob and marched right out, shaking. I knew the rumors about Jack, so why was I so surprised? This was exactly the kind of bullshit people like him pulled. That I was even moderately interested in him made me sick to my stomach. How dare he?

  My feet took me straight to Denver’s office before I realized it. I should tell him. This kind of bullshit couldn’t continue going on. It was rampant on every set but I was not going to be known as the girl who slept with the people she cast. I’d get blacklisted so fast.

  Then again, if I did…. What would happen? Would they fire Jack? Would this turn into an I told you so scenario? Gerald would never shut up about it.

  I took a deep breath and walked back to my office. Maybe there was a misunderstanding. Maybe because of the kiss during the audition, or maybe he could smell my crush like a perfume, and thought I’d be willing to fuck him just because of who he was. The atmosphere in Hollywood wasn’t exactly…friendly.

  Things would just be strictly professional from now on. I would make sure Jack was on set when he was supposed to be, check in on occasion to make sure he
hadn’t destroyed anything, and that was it. I’d worked too hard to have my career go down the toilet.

  SEVEN

  JACK

  Okay, sometimes I could be a real dick. My best friend had repeatedly told me it was a defense mechanism, but I wasn’t sure what for, especially with Alison. She stuck her neck out for me, got me this sweet gig in a movie that I was hoping would help me break out of the bullshit ‘Jack Steele is a terrible actor to have on set’ cycle that seemed to plague me everywhere I go.

  I probably shouldn't have tried to make her touch my dick. She was just bangin'. Hard. I thought maybe...

  Maybe, right?

  By the time I hit the makeup chair, it was pretty clear I fucked up bad. What if she told Denver? What if my ass was roasted by the time I made it on set? I needed to apologize, make up for me making assumptions. I didn't want to sound like an arrogant asshole, but girls were usually trying to get in my pants. Fucking helped me concentrate.

  Sarah was the makeup artist for the day. She immediately set to work, talking about fuck knows what, while I sat stewing in my mistakes. This was probably the shit that added to my reputation. I really needed to fix this. How could I tell her it was all a misunderstanding and that some old habits die hard? I wanted to do better, it was just...

  "Hey." I cut off Sarah while she bounced around like a bird. "Is that Alison?"

  Sarah looked behind her at the picture stuck on her mirror. She grinned. Sarah was also a pretty girl, but she was outshone by Alison. "Yeah. We've been best friends for years. Roommates, too. This is actually our first time being able to work together! And thanks to you, she's on set a lot more than she would be usually. I should thank you for being such a bad boy."

  Sarah winked at me, like it was supposed to be a compliment, but it just made me feel like shit. "Happy to help."

  "She acts like she's put off by having to watch you, but I think she likes it because it gives her more time out here. She's usually all behind the scenes, before the cameras start rolling, but now she gets to watch the fruits of her labor. And man, did she labor."

  A strange feeling crept over me. One I didn't feel often.