Maximus: #1 (Luna Lodge: Alpha Squad)

by Madison Stevens

  “Yes. I insist.” Chris looked around. “And it doesn’t look like you’re in the middle of anything more important than me.”

  “Fine.” Selena stepped back and gestured inside. “Then be my guest.”

  Chris entered the room and closed the door behind him, his smug smile all but demanding a slap. He carefully surveyed the room with disgust. They were in the same hotel, he just had a nicer suite on a higher level, so the arrogance was misplaced. But misplaced arrogance defined Chris.

  He sauntered into the center of the room, the vague look of distaste not leaving his face. His face twitched into something approaching a smirk, and he sat down on the edge of the bed.

  “Things aren’t going well, you know,” he said.

  “Meaning what?” Selena asked.

  “Meaning Bill is furious over the location. He’s continued to say how you’re ruining his artistic vision.”

  “I’m working on that. I’m still working some angles. I have to go somewhere later, and I’m hoping by tomorrow morning I can get this all cleaned up.”

  Selena didn’t get why the talent and the director didn’t seem to appreciate or care about practical considerations. She was supposed to be the inexperienced one, but was far more in touch with reality.

  Chris clucked his tongue. “I’ll admit that I understand how hard it can be to get things, so I appreciate your efforts. Bill can be a tad… unreasonable. I mean it is a perfume commercial.”

  “Exactly.”

  “Before we continue, let me thank you for everything you’ve done for me so far. I understand that I can be a bear, too, and I wanted to reset our relationship.” Chris offered her a winning smile. “I think I got caught up in Bill’s negative energy, and it made me a sour man.”

  “Oh.” Selena blinked, taken back by his sudden politeness. It was the longest he’d gone without insulting her in days. “Uh, you’re welcome. It takes a big man to apologize, and so I really appreciate that.”

  Okay. This wasn’t so bad. She could survive this if at least the talent was on her side. She would even forgive him for being a Fake Butt.

  “The question is where we go from here.” Chris shook his head. “You’re a talented and driven woman. I understand that, and I think you could go far, but not if Bill fires you. So we need to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

  “I think we’re both in strong agreement there.”

  Something was off about this entire conversation, but even her paranoid mind couldn’t conjure a realistic scenario in which Chris was part of some criminal conspiracy related to the shoot. He was the talent. If they didn’t end up filming the commercial, he would be out money and reputation. Besides, Bill was being an idiot.

  “I’ve got some ideas,” he said. “On how to save your job.”

  “I’m going to secure the permits, and then my job will be fine,” Selena said, lowering her arms. “Everything’s under control, but I appreciate your concern.”

  “Is it?” Chris raised an eyebrow. “Can you look me in the eyes right now and guarantee that we’ll be filming at that site soon? Bill’s so obsessed he’s not even looking into other possibilities. You’ve heard him. We all have. The man’s certifiable.”

  “That’s stupid.” Selena scrubbed a hand down her face. “We’re on Maui! We could film all sorts of beautiful places. It doesn’t have to be that exact spot.”

  “He’s a bit of an auteur when it comes to commercials. That’s one of the reasons I agreed to do this. That and the money.” Chris chuckled. “Just trying to keep it real.”

  “You’re saying that no matter what happens, we’re going to need the site. I get that. It’s why I’ve been working on things. I visited the office this morning, and after that I did some other checking. And…”

  Selena didn’t need Chris to understand all her insane plans involving checking out the site and forcing the permit office into compliance. He only needed to understand she was working on it. If he was serious about being on her side, then that’s all he needed to know to put in a good word with the director.

  “I’ll have the permits in hand by tomorrow night,” she said. “I guarantee it.”

  Chris burst out laughing. Selena blinked and didn’t respond as he continued. His harsh laughter continued over several long moments until trailing off.

  “What’s so funny?” Selena asked.

  “Don’t ever guarantee things in this business, sweetie,” Chris said with a smirk. “I know you’re used to lower-key operations, but you’re not going to last long in the big leagues saying things like that.”

  Selena frowned. She liked polite Chris a lot better than smug Chris.

  “This permit thing is just a mix up,” she said, trying to keep the anger out of her voice. “I can handle it. I just need you to back me up on this.”

  “Can you handle this?” Chris stared at her, his eyes narrowing. “And are you going to take responsibility if things don’t work out?”

  Something changed in his tone. All the kindness and understanding from before had vanished. The disdain was thick.

  “I…” Selena began.

  “Will you?” Chris leaned forward, an easy-going smile returning. “Because that ends with you losing your job.”

  “But it’s not my fault.”

  “Life’s full of things that aren’t people’s fault. But you’re the one talking about guarantees. Mean what you say, or don’t say it at all.”

  “Just give me time to work my angle,” Selena said. “I’m still trying to figure out everything. Besides, I don’t need you in here telling me all of this. Bill’s made his position very clear. I thought you were on my side.”

  Chris walked toward her until he was only inches away. She wasn’t sure if he was trying to intimidate her. He wasn’t glaring or scowling with his stupid little smile.

  “I could help you,” he said quietly. “I’ve got some influence, and if I talk to Bill, I could convince him to use a different location. I’ll feed him some crap about how the negativity surrounding the original location is screwing up my motivation.”

  “You’d do that?” Selena asked, daring to cling to a strand of hope.

  Chris nodded. “I would, but you know, I’m a nice guy, just not that nice. I’d need a little something in return. This isn’t about being on your side. This is about being on my own side. That’s how the world works. Quid pro quo.”

  Selena swallowed. Her stomach tightened. She didn’t like where this was going. His earlier attitude and subsequent change now made a lot more sense.

  “And what exactly would you want in return?” she asked. “I’m a junior production assistant. You want me to get you more pretzels?”

  Chris reached toward her cheek, licking his lips. She jerked back with a frown. The son of a bitch had come to her room with one idea from the beginning.

  “Come on, Selena,” Chris said, his smile broad and his lustful gaze raking her body. “You’re not some fresh-faced intern from some tiny-ass country town. You know how this goes. I’ve slept with hotter women, but what can I say, I’m in the mood for a feisty redhead.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding me,” Selena spat out.

  He scoffed. “You think you can do better than me? Better than Chris Silvers?”

  Selena groaned. No one should ever talk about themselves in the third person. It was a screaming warning sign.

  “I’m attractive, rich, and going places.” Chris ran his tongue along the inside of his cheek. “I get it. It’s hard to be ready when someone shows up out of the blue, but we don’t have to go all the way right now.” He gestured to his crotch. “Just a little down payment, and if you do that, I’ll do everything I can to make sure you not only do well on this job, I’ll put your name in at some production companies I know.”

  “So let me get this straight.” Selena sucked in a breath. “If I sleep with you, you’ll help my career?”

  “Exactly. What a smart girl you are.” Chris grinned. “And this is a pret
ty cheap deal that works out to your advantage.”

  “Huh?”

  “I’m not asking you to be my girlfriend, sweetie. I just want a little distraction while I’m on the shoot, and it’s too much trouble to call a pro. I had to pull some strings not to end up busted on my last shoot for that kind of thing. There are certain… agreements that will get violated if I get caught again. Besides, I’d prefer someone who doesn’t do it for a living. It’s more enticing that way.”

  Selena rolled her eyes and stepped away from Chris. Her hands curled into fists, and she continued to take deep, even breaths. Chris had moved from punchable face to “Man Who Needed A Tire Iron to the Crotch,” but she suspected living out that fantasy would end with her not only fired but also in jail. The immediate problem was getting the bastard out of her room before she committed a major felony.

  “Get out,” she said quietly. “I’m not going to sleep with you for my job, and I’m never going to sleep with you for any reason.”

  Chris’s brows knitted together in an expression of genuine surprise. “Oh. I get it.” He looked disappointed. “It’s a shame to have a nice body like that and play for the other side.”

  “Other side?” Selena blinked, confused.

  “Not that I have anything against it.” Chris shrugged. “It sucks when a lesbian is a hot. It’s like, a waste, you know?”

  Selena groaned and scrubbed a hand down her face. “I’m not going to screw you because I’m a lesbian. I’m not one. I like men, but I’d become a lesbian if you were the last man on Earth. I’m not going to screw you because you’re obnoxious, arrogant piece of trash whose ego vastly outstrips his alleged talent.” She paused before adding, “And I know you use a body double for sex scenes, Mr. Fake Butt.”

  Chris staggered back, his eyes wide. “Who told you that? There are NDAs! No, that’s not true. Nothing but lies. It’s my butt!” He shook a finger at her. “You tell anyone that, you stupid little bitch, and I’ll sue you to take whatever ten-year-old piece of crap car you have at your tiny pathetic apartment.” His lips twisted into a snarling grimace. “You think you can do better than me, you bitch? You’re nothing. You’re a piece of furniture compared to me. An end table.”

  She almost laughed. No one had ever called her a table before.

  “Keep going, Chris.” Selena scoffed. “You’re exactly what I thought.”

  “What are you going to do? Sue me?” Chris sneered at her. “You’re nothing.”

  Selena raised her hand and curled it into a fist. “I’m strongly considering punching you in the nose. It’ll be kind of hard to be in commercials or your show if you’ve got a broken nose.” She nodded over at the nightstand. “If my fist doesn’t work, I could use that. Let’s see which is harder, your head or a piece of furniture.”

  Despite being larger, Chris stumbled backward, swallowing. “You wouldn’t dare.”

  “Just keep trying me.” Selena inclined her head toward the door. “Let’s keep this professional, asshole. I’ll get you the crap that is in your rider and work on those permits, and you can go to your room and take care of yourself.”

  “I don’t even need to get you fired, you incompetent bitch.” Chris stomped toward the door and threw it open. “I only need to wait until you screw up and Bill fires you. But don’t worry. I’ll do everything I can to make sure you don’t get a new job.”

  Selena flipped him off. “Keep trying.”

  Chris slammed the door shut behind him. Selena sighed and dropped to her knees, her heart pounding. The adrenaline of the moment had already ebbed, taking some of her bravery with it. She’d taken some self-defense courses, so she was confident she could at least keep him off her long enough to get away, but that didn’t do anything about the fact that she’d now not only alienated the director but also the talent. If she didn’t get the permit situation handled, she was done.

  Her phone rang in her pocket. She reached toward it slowly, her stomach churning. There had to be more bad luck coming.

  Selena pulled the phone out and blinked, surprised at the caller ID and unsure whether it represented good or bad luck. “Max?”

  “Did I catch you at a bad time?” he asked.

  If Selena hadn’t already been on her knees, they might have gone weak and forced her down. There was something about his deep voice that ran right through her all the way to her center. She’d never reacted to a man like that in her life. They probably taught him seductive phone call techniques at Hot Mobster school.

  “Uh, no.” Selena tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled, the confrontation with Chris all but forgotten. “Um, what did you need?”

  “I wanted to take you up on your offer.”

  “Offer?”

  “A date,” Max said. “I know it’s short notice, but what about tonight, if you have time? I’m assuming you weren’t planning on wandering around the forest at night.”

  “No, that would be stupid.” Selena forced a chuckle. She didn’t want to admit she’d considered the possibility, but it might not be so crazy if she took along a large man to help protect her. Maybe he worked for a different mob family than the one responsible for her troubles, assuming any of that actually explained what was going on.

  She thought it over. The night might end with her getting shot in the back of the head in the forest, but at least she’d have dinner with a hot guy first and would die somewhere beautiful rather than a hotel room.

  “Is it okay if I don’t dress up?” Selena asked. “I didn’t bring much but a casual wardrobe. I think I might have a decent skirt.”

  “It’s okay. You’re gorgeous just the way you are.”

  Selena sucked in a breath, a warm tingle traveling through her. “How about in an hour?”

  Chapter Nine

  Maximus sliced into his ribeye and lifted the juicy piece with his fork. The beef was expensive for its quality, but he supposed that was the price one paid, literally, for being able to have a steak dinner on a beautiful island thousands of miles from the mainland. Isla Luna had its charms, but it was no Maui.

  He had finished exchanging pleasantries with Selena. She’d already gulped down half a glass of wine. Her cheeks were red, and her tongue had become looser as she slipped into a discussion of her childhood. His size and hybrid metabolism gave him a much greater alcohol tolerance, but this wasn’t a date, so he avoided alcohol. It was pre-recon. He couldn’t risk any slow thoughts.

  “It’s funny that I ended up where I did,” Selena said with a wistful sigh. “After Dad disappeared, Mom went to nursing school. She’d wanted to do it before, but he always insisted she didn’t need to work, and then he runs off because he can’t keep it in his pants. How is that for crap?”

  “He sounds like a piece of garbage.” Maximus frowned. “You still in contact with him?”

  “I last talked to him a couple of years ago. It got heated. I called him things I never thought I’d say aloud.” Selena shrugged. “I said a lot of things about what I thought about him and how he didn’t even have the decency to be there at her side when she needed him. We both agreed that we’d be better off going our separate ways.” She twirled a red strand in her finger and smiled warmly. “It’d be more accurate to say that he decided to never have anything to do with me after I threw a drink in his face and told him that he’d better never come near me again if he didn’t want me to stab him with a fork in the eye. I even told him that if he needed a kidney in the future, I’d sooner feed it to dying sharks than give it to him.”

  “That’s one way to end a relationship.” Maximus laughed.

  Whatever else he could say about the woman, he admired her spirit. There was something appealing about a woman who could stand up for herself.

  “That must make me sound like a real ballbuster,” Selena said, wrinkling her nose.

  “Nothing wrong with a woman who won’t put up with somebody else’s shit.” Maximus’s smile disappeared. “Besides, a man who can’t take care of his own woman a
nd his child is no kind of man. You should have done a lot more than thrown a drink in his face. Not saying you should have stabbed him in the eye with the fork, but maybe the hand.”

  Selena snickered. “Trust me, I almost did, but I didn’t want to end up in jail.” She sighed. “Anyway, getting back to what I was saying. I always thought I’d become a nurse. It’s good pay and steady work. It’s also a career where you can feel like you’re helping people.”

  “And why didn’t you become a nurse?” Maximus asked. “It seems like your Mom liked the job from what you’ve said.”

  “She did.” Selena smiled. “But… she died. Healthy and good shape her entire life, and dead in a year, in the summer after I graduated high school. Aggressive pancreatic cancer. That’s why I was so furious with my dad. He couldn’t even be there at the end.”

  Maximus nodded slowly and tried not to growl. Her father sounded like a real son of a bitch, and the man better hope he never ran into Maximus in an alley.

  “I’m sorry to hear that,” he offered quietly.

  He understood the pain of parental loss despite never knowing his parents. In a sense, he’d grown up grieving his entire life for the mother and father he would never know. He’d been raised as a tool and an experiment, his only parents the scientists and soldiers prodding, training, and testing him.

  “Thank you, but it’s fine,” Selena said. “It hurts, and it hasn’t been as many years as I would have liked, but it changed everything.” She stared into her half-empty glass. “We had a conversation shortly before she passed about my future. Mom asked me what I wanted to do with my life, and I told her that I wanted to become a nurse. She asked me if I wanted to be a nurse or if I was doing it just because I thought it was good, stable work.” She shrugged. “I was honest, and that annoyed Mom. She told me that she’d become a nurse not just because it was good work, but because she genuinely enjoyed working with patients. She also told me that she’d worked with too many nurses who hadn’t entered the field for the right reasons, and that even if they were good people at heart, the years sanded them down until they didn’t care like a nurse should. She said no one should enter the field unless they truly wanted to become a nurse from the bottom of their heart.”