Passion Tempted (Masquerade Part II) Read Free Page B

me but I can’t imagine how she got that impression. We dated, that’s all.
    I ended it months ago. I guess Christina isn’t used to being dumped. She even got this outrageous idea that we’d be engaged. No, actually, that we are engaged.
    Funny, how I could be engaged and not even know it. I read it in the tabloids like everyone else. At the time, I shrugged it off. Rumors fly in Hollywood. But now I think she purposely leaked that to the reporters.
    She wants us to be engaged. I told her it’s just not going to happen, ever.” Ryan’s shoulders slumped with the weight of his troubles.
    Daniel thought there were worse problems than having beautiful women after y ou. But then, Christina was hot- tempered and emotional. She was known for it. Even directors had to deal with her moods.
    “It’s clear, she’s out of line,” Daniel confirmed.
    “Well, I’ve told her to leave me alone. We’re through. Imagine her nerve. She leaves me a text saying Heather isn’t right for me. How in the Hell would she know?
    And that’s what is making me crazy. She doesn’t know. I thought she was going for publicity but I got the feeling when I just talked to her that it goes beyond that. She has her claws in me, or thinks she does anyway.
    Join the club. I’m tired of the game, tired of doing what’s good for my reputation, my career. I’m my own man. Nobody owns me but they sure try.”
    Daniel could only shake his head, knowing too well what Ryan dealt with, day in and day out. He’s highly paid for his movie roles but it doe s n’t mean they own his soul.

8 – Goodbye
     
    Ryan loved the view from his balcony. It was a great place to unwind, sitting for long periods, looking at the lush scenery. He’d plopped into his comfortable chair to take a few moments to recover, then remembered the note he’d slipped into his pocket.
    He ripped it open, quickly digesting the message. She may as well have ripped his heart out and stomped on it. He couldn’t accept the idea that he couldn’t be with Heather. He didn’t care about his so-called “image”.  Heather meant more to him than the façade he sometimes was forced to live.
    He didn’t doubt for a second that she meant what she wrote. He knew he hadn’t gained her confidence yet. Looking from her point of view, he really couldn’t blame her. She hadn’t asked to be pulled into his world.
    He couldn’t think of going on without her, not now. Things were different and she was a big part of that. Could he admit he loved her? He knew he had to have her, of that he was sure. He had no intention of hurting her, so he knew he’d have to handle things better than he had so far.
    He’d do it, no matter what it took. A plan began to form in his mind. It could work - it had to work. He started making calls, setting things up. Money was no object. This had to be done right. If he could pull it off, he’d have a chance of winning her over.
    Heather was at her office, not that Ryan would have any way of knowing where she was . She’d avoided Monica, not willing to recount to her gossi py manager how her meeting at Ryan’s house had gone . Oh, why did things have to get so complicated?
    Jenna sat pertly at her desk typing something with vigor. She did everything with gusto, something Heather admired. Many days were brightened with Jenna’s vibrant energy.
    Heather checked voicemail. Her cell phone had been ringing non-stop, so she’d turned it off. Now, hearing Ryan’s voice in the messages was ripping her heart out. This was hard enough. He didn’t seem to be acquiescing to her decision. She really couldn’t blame him. He wasn’t used to not getting what he wants.
    “Jenna, you delivered my note to Ryan’s office, right?” Heather stood and walked toward the front desk where her favorite secretary worked intently at the computer.
    “Absolutely, I personally handed it to Patricia, his assistant. She gave me her assurance that he would get it as soon as he got o ut