The Movie Star's Sextape

by Brandy Blake

  She was breathless, her eyes steady on his as she felt everything in her begin to heat and burn. Tristan’s lips were parted and his breaths were swift and unsteady as he took a step back from her, regaining all of his composure. He touched her cheek softly.

  “Thank you. I’ll see you soon, I’m sure. Have a good night, and sweet dreams.” He gave her a crooked smile and she smiled back with a nod.

  “Good night and sweet dreams to you, too,” she answered, and then she made herself turn and walk into her house, closing the door behind her as he stood on her porch, watching her. She didn’t want him to stay outside, she wanted him to come in with her, but she knew that the last thing that either of them needed in their precarious situation was any kind of complication.

  The door clicked shut and she slowly reached for the lock and turned it. She waited a few moments before she looked out of the peephole in her door and watched Tristan as he climbed back into the limo, and the driver closed the door behind him.

  With a long sigh, she watched as the car disappeared into the night. Her shoulders sagged and she turned on the spot and leaned her shoulders against the door, closing her eyes and pursing her lips. She moaned softly and shook her head, covering her face with her hands as she dropped her head.

  100“I can’t do this,” she whispered to herself. “I can’t feel like this about him. This can’t happen. It’s work, Val,” she told herself. “It’s just work. Keep your head in the game. Tristan is not yours, and he’s not going to be yours. Keep it straight. Keep it all straight.”

  ***

  Morning sun glowed through the windows and woke her from the sweetest dreams she had ever had, all of them about Tristan. She stretched her arms above her head and pushed her toes out as far as she could reach, feeling every part of her body stretch and wake up.

  She pushed herself from her bed and went about her morning routine, brushing her teeth and showering. She dressed and went to the far end of her bedroom where she kept her cell phone. She made a habit of turning it off when she slept and not keeping it next to her bed. She had discovered that she slept better and she had let go of the urge to constantly reach for it and check it.

  When she turned it on, her mouth fell open as she stared at the number of messages in her voicemail, unread emails, texts, and social media notifications that seemed to keep growing and building as she stood there watching the screen. Her phone was almost literally blowing up. She had never seen anything like it.

  She had no idea where to even start to answer everything that was coming through; she was completely overwhelmed. Deciding to try to handle it with as much sense as she could, she picked up a notebook and pen, and walked into the kitchen, setting them with her phone on the kitchen table.

  Valerie made a pot of coffee and got herself a light breakfast. When she was settled with all of it, she sat down and began to look through her emails and texts, only keeping the ones that she knew were really important. She couldn’t believe all of the ones she had received from people who she didn’t know who seemed somehow to have gotten her contact information.

  There were endless suggestive emails and texts from people who wanted to have sex with her as a result of her sex tape, and people who claimed to be porn film directors and producers who wanted her to star in their films, and she deleted every one of their messages and blocked them all.

  It was an hour later before she was able to get to her voicemails, and her voice mailbox was full. She was able to get through it pretty quickly, making notes about who she wanted to call back and which messages she should just delete and forget.

  Twenty minutes later, she leaned back in her chair and stared straight ahead of her, stunned at the response that she had received overnight. After refreshing her coffee and getting some water, she began to call back all of the people who were offering her legitimate work.

  She could hardly believe the big names in the modeling industry who wanted to feature her, and the big names in the entertainment industry who wanted to interview her for talk shows, radio shows, and print media in the way of newspapers and magazines.

  By the middle of the day, she had all she could take of talking to people and dealing with incoming calls and messages, because even though she had gotten all of the ones from the night before cleared off her phone, while she was calling the people back who had left her messages, new messages were still coming in. It was an unending stream.

  After lunch, she shut her phone off and went to see her grandmother, promising herself that she wouldn’t touch her phone until later that evening.

  Valerie took her grandmother for another round of chemo that afternoon, and then when the hospital released her, she took her home and worked side by side with a nurse to care for Evelyn and help her through the sickness that overtook her.

  Her grandmother slept a while, and then she woke up just as the sun was setting, and Valerie was right at her side. Evelyn looked up at her and tried to smile with what little strength she had.

  “Baby, I’m so grateful that you’re here, and I want you to know how much it means to me that you’re helping me.” She took a long slow breath and exhaled it as slowly as it was drawn in.

  Valerie nodded and patted her grandmother’s hand. “Of course, Grandma. I love you. I’m always going to be here for you. I just want you to get better.”

  Her grandmother gave her a miniscule nod and watched her in silence, too weak to really do anything else.

  Wanting to cheer her up as much as she could, Valerie decided to share some of her news.

  “Grandma, I’ve had a little more publicity lately, and I got a bunch of new modeling jobs this week. It’s going to earn me so much money, and I’ll be able to help you take care of the house and all of your bills. It won’t be any problem for us at all, just as soon as that money starts coming in, and it’s going to be so soon. You’ll see. We’re going to be alright!”

  The old woman smiled a little again and took another deep breath, and Valerie knew that she wanted to say something.

  “I am so proud of you, honey. My beautiful girl doing so well. Thank you for your help.” She grew winded and took a moment before she could take another long breath and continue speaking. “I wanted you to know that I contacted the manager at my bank and had him put you on all of the accounts, so he’ll talk to you as my power of attorney. His name is Mr. Tate. If you need anything, you call him. He’ll work with you for us.”

  Valerie nodded and looked intently at her grandmother. “Thank you, Grandma. I’ll be sure and call him. We’re not going to have any more problems now. It’s all getting better.”

  Her grandmother nodded and a moment later, she fell asleep.

  ***

  Tristan’s phone rang and when he looked at it, it was with enormous trepidation. His cell phone had been ringing off the hook just the same way that Valerie’s had. He felt his breath catch when he saw that it was the director of the film that he had just auditioned for the day that he ran into John Phillips in the studio parking lot.

  He swallowed hard as he swiped his finger over his phone and answered it. “Hello?”

  “Tristan? This is Ethan Granger. You came and auditioned for me recently. How are you doing?” he asked, his voice light and friendly.

  “I’m good, Mr. Granger. Thank you for taking the time to call me.”

  Everything in Tristan began to race as he hoped with all of his heart that something had finally gone his way for once and he had gotten the role he wanted so desperately.

  “Oh, please call me Ethan.”

  “Great! Thanks, Ethan. How are you doing?” Tristan asked, trying to sound more casual and friendly than he felt. His nerves were live wires dancing all throughout his body.

  “I’m good. I wanted to ask you to come in for a second audition today if you are able to,” Ethan said simply.

  Tristan’s eyes grew wide and his heart began to palpitate. “Yes, of course! I can come any time. Just let me know when and where and I’l
l be there.”

  “Good! I’m glad to know I caught you on a free day. Well, it’s at the same studio. Can you be here in two hours?” There was a hint of urgency in Ethan’s voice.

  “I’ll be there!” Tristan answered with a single shake of his head.

  Determination flooded every part of him. He was going to get the role if it killed him to do it.

  “See you then.”

  Ethan said goodbye and ended the call and Tristan gasped and whooped loudly, letting out some of the pent up energy inside of him. He closed his eyes and drew in a long slow breath, telling himself to get control and focus on the role. That was going to be how he won it.

  Two hours later he was sitting in the same waiting room that he had been in the first time he had auditioned for the role. His nerves weren’t much calmer than they had been after he had gotten off the phone with Ethan, but he was considerably more focused and he was ready for the second audition.

  As he was thinking about it and trying to monitor some even breathing for himself, the door to the studio opened, and Ethan smiled and waved him in. “Hey, Tristan. Come on in.”

  Tristan got up and smiled back at him, shaking his hand as he walked into the studio. “Thanks for the callback,” he said earnestly.

  Ethan shrugged. “Well, we’ve got it down to two people, and I really liked what you did last time. I wanted to see you do a different scene so that I can see what you do with it.”

  “Let’s do it!” Tristan smiled at him.

  Ethan handed him a few pages of the script. Tristan studied it for a couple of minutes and then handed it back to Ethan, who was just as surprised the second time at Tristan’s ability to absorb the words and scene as quickly as he had done the first time.

  Tristan gave it everything he had, surpassing even his first audition for the role. Ethan let him go as long as he had the first time, until Tristan reached the end of the piece of the script that he had been given.

  Ethan had him do it a second time, and when it was done then, Ethan called him over and shook his hand.

  “You were great. I need to see the other guy for this to make the final decision, and then I’ll call you and let you know either way.”

  Tristan nodded and gave Ethan a smile. “Of course. Thank you for your time, Ethan. I look forward to hearing from you.”

  He turned then and took a few steps before stopping and looking over his shoulder at Ethan. “Just out of curiosity, I was wondering who the other actor is. Would you mind telling me?”

  Ethan hesitated and then gave him a nod. “Sure. It’s John Phillips.”

  Tristan pursed his lips for a moment. Of course it was John Phillips.

  “Thanks, Ethan. I’ll wait for your call. Let me know if there’s anything else I can do for you on this.”

  With that he turned and walked out of the studio, hoping with everything in him that he would land the role, even more determined than ever to get it.

  He got into his truck and sat there in silence for a few minutes just thinking about it and decompressing from the stress and strain of the audition and the knowledge that he was competing against John Phillips for it.

  When he had calmed himself, he picked up his cell phone and called his brother. Gavin answered after a few rings.

  “Yeah, brother, what’s going on?” he asked casually.

  Tristan looked around a little as he answered. “I just got a call back for a second audition for that role I went for the other day. I’m really hoping that I get it. The director says it’s just down to me and one other guy… so… here’s hoping.”

  Gavin grew excited. “Yeah? That’s great news! I’m sure you’re going to get it! You’re quite the notorious celebrity now!”

  “God, I hope you’re right. I want this role so much. I really feel like it will be the gateway to the best years of my career, if I can just… get my foot in the door. One great blockbuster and I’m in. I know it. I can do it; I just need the chance. I need this to be it. It has to happen.” Tristan closed his eyes and ran his fingertips over his forehead, massaging it a little bit.

  “Well, do you think you’re going to beat the other guy? Do you know who it is?” Gavin asked curiously.

  Tristan sighed heavily. “Yeah, it’s John Phillips.”

  “Again? That guy again? Seriously! Does he follow you around and try to take all of your roles?” Gavin asked in instant irritation.

  “It feels like it sometimes,” Tristan answered honestly.

  “Well, not this time. Not by a long shot. That role is yours and you’re going to get it, and that’s all that there is to it.”

  “From your mouth to God’s ears, brother. Here’s hoping,” Tristan wished aloud, staring out of the window toward the studio.

  He wanted it so much that he could feel it in every part of him. It had to be his, and he hoped that the rush of publicity that had been overwhelming him since the sex tape was released would be some help to him, rather than hindering him.

  Chapter7

  Tristan was drinking a cup of hot coffee the next morning, reading the newspaper and staring at images of him and Valerie, when his phone rang and he saw that it was Ethan Granger.

  He set his coffee down on the table and tried to keep breathing as he answered his phone. “This is Tristan.” He said it in as friendly and casual a tone as he could manage. His heart thudded against his chest and he gripped the phone tightly in his fingers.

  “Tristan! Ethan Granger. Listen, I’m going to skip the formalities and just let you know the outcome. You got the role. It was a tough call, but you acted it better than John, and I have to be honest, you’re quite a big name right now. This film needs that. Show up next Monday at the studio and we’ll get it started.” Ethan sounded satisfied.

  Tristan could barely control the excitement that shot through him. “Mr. Granger… Ethan, you made the right choice. I’m going to make sure that this is the best work I’ve ever done, and you’re going to have the biggest grossing film you’ve ever had on your hands when we’re done with this. That’s a promise.”

  Ethan chuckled. “Good! That’s the kind of dedication to work and commitment that I like to hear. Thank you. I’ll see you soon, and Tristan… congratulations.” He sounded as if he genuinely meant it.

  “Thanks again.” Tristan’s breath gushed out.

  “Say, Tristan… we’ll be having a cast party, sort of a mixer so that everyone can get to know the rest of the cast. That’s going to be at my house on Saturday night. You should come, and you can bring someone if you’d like to. Maybe that model… Valerie Martin? It would be nice to have you both there,” Ethan added as an aside.

  Tristan grinned and tried not to sound as giddy as he felt. “Yes, of course. I’ll see if she’s free. I’m looking forward to meeting the rest of the cast. Thank you.”

  “See you then,” Ethan replied, and they said goodbye.

  Tristan set his phone down and leaned his head back, closing his eyes as he let the excitement and bliss wash over him. It had happened. It had finally happened.. He had beaten John Phillips out of a role he really wanted, and he was in.

  He reveled in the realization that he had finally made it, and after a few minutes of letting it soak in and him finally catching his breath, he picked up his cell phone again and called Valerie. He needed a date to the cast introduction party.

  She answered after the second ring and he breathed a sigh of relief. “Valerie! Oh… Valerie, you’re not going to believe this. I…” He stopped himself then, remembering that she was going through a pretty hard time with her family. “Hey, before I dive into what I was calling about, how are you doing? How is your grandmother?”

  There was real concern in his voice and she heard it.

  “She’s still having a hard time. We’re both getting through it, day by day. There’s no telling yet how everything will go, but for now it’s kind of just getting through each day and that’s it. As for me, I’m doing pretty well. I’ve gotten a ridicu
lous amount of job offers as a result of our little tape.” She shook her head at the thought of her calendar. It was nearly filled for the foreseeable future. “What about you? Are you getting bombarded, too?” she asked, wondering if it was the same for him.

  “Yes, constantly. It’s like nothing I’ve ever experienced. I wasn’t expecting it at all. Actually, that kind of has to do with what I’m calling you about. I went for an audition recently; one that I really wanted. I think this film is going to be a huge blockbuster. Anyway, I got a call from the director yesterday and went in for a second audition. He just called me and told me that I got the part. I’m totally amazed. I can’t even wrap my head around it really.” He laughed lightly in astonishment.