flailing. “I don’t mind it. Like I told you, I’ve slept in some crazy places in my life. A smaller bed won’t be the worst place I’ve ever laid my head at night.”
She thought for a moment, still not feeling right about this. In Calabasas, when she had picked up the phone, she hadn’t been sure who she was going to call. Her fingers had automatically dialed his number. When he hadn’t answered that number, she dialed one that he had given her for emergencies. “Thank you,” she told him softly.
“That’s not to say I’m gonna let you stay here without asking some questions first.”
The fierce glint in his eyes told her that she wouldn’t be able to talk her way out of it this time.
“What do you want to know?” she sighed, wringing her hands together.
“Do I look like the type of man that does anything half-assed?”
Those words scared her, and she ran her tongue over suddenly dry lips.
“I don’t want to make you uncomfortable,” he assured her. “But you came here for some reason, and I need to know what I’m facing. You have got to be honest with me, Jessica.”
Since the night the two of them had met, he’d called her Jessica a handful of times. “It’s not that I don’t want to tell you…” she started.
With a voice that could only be described as one used by a drill sergeant, he cut her off. “Then tell me.”
Fighting for the words, she opened and closed her mouth.
“Tell me,” he commanded again, his tone growing harsher.
“I wanted to disappear.”
“But why?” He ran a hand over his head. The peach fuzz was left over from his Army days. He couldn’t tolerate to have hair as long as the rest of them. “I’m gonna tell you this once and once only. You can’t be honest with me; you can take your shit and leave. I don’t put up with liars.”
His words shocked her. She had never known him to speak to anyone that way.
“Don’t look at me like you’re scared of me. I’m being honest with you. Now you be honest with me.”
Her face burned. “Tomorrow a story is going to drop in gossip magazines and on gossip sites along with some pictures.”
“Pictures? All of this over some pictures? Give me the whole story, Jess.”
“They’re nude pictures,” she blurted out.
His eyebrows were almost touching his hairline. “Seriously?”
If Jessica wasn’t mistaken, Layne looked interested. “Yes, seriously.”
“Those pictures are a dime a dozen. Most of young Hollywood has them now.”
“They do,” she nodded. “But there’s a problem with mine.”
He rolled his eyes to the ceiling. “There’s always a catch where I’m concerned. What is it?”
“Two things, actually. One, I have a morality clause in my contract with the studio that’s produced my last four films, and there are a handful of sponsorships that I’m going to lose. The contracts that my dad signed for me before I got emancipated have not been able to be voided. Not only am I screwed, but he’s also going to lose a lot of money. Two, I had the only copy of those pictures, and three days ago my home was burglarized—those pictures were stolen along with other personal items and writings.”
The way she said personal items caused goose bumps on his arms. “What do you mean personal items and writings?”
“Underwear, my date book, a private notebook or two.”
“So whoever this is knows a lot of information about you, as well as where you’re supposed to be for the next few months.”
“Yes,” she nodded. “It scared me.”
Layne could see exactly why she was scared. He wasn’t sure she had a stalker, but someone was very interested in her personal life. “No need to be scared here.” He put his hand on her arm. “Anybody who comes after you while you’re with Heaven Hill will have to go through me.”
That was exactly what she had counted on, and for the first time in days, she breathed easier.
Chapter Three
T he room was still and quiet, the only sound coming
She thought for a moment, still not feeling right about this. In Calabasas, when she had picked up the phone, she hadn’t been sure who she was going to call. Her fingers had automatically dialed his number. When he hadn’t answered that number, she dialed one that he had given her for emergencies. “Thank you,” she told him softly.
“That’s not to say I’m gonna let you stay here without asking some questions first.”
The fierce glint in his eyes told her that she wouldn’t be able to talk her way out of it this time.
“What do you want to know?” she sighed, wringing her hands together.
“Do I look like the type of man that does anything half-assed?”
Those words scared her, and she ran her tongue over suddenly dry lips.
“I don’t want to make you uncomfortable,” he assured her. “But you came here for some reason, and I need to know what I’m facing. You have got to be honest with me, Jessica.”
Since the night the two of them had met, he’d called her Jessica a handful of times. “It’s not that I don’t want to tell you…” she started.
With a voice that could only be described as one used by a drill sergeant, he cut her off. “Then tell me.”
Fighting for the words, she opened and closed her mouth.
“Tell me,” he commanded again, his tone growing harsher.
“I wanted to disappear.”
“But why?” He ran a hand over his head. The peach fuzz was left over from his Army days. He couldn’t tolerate to have hair as long as the rest of them. “I’m gonna tell you this once and once only. You can’t be honest with me; you can take your shit and leave. I don’t put up with liars.”
His words shocked her. She had never known him to speak to anyone that way.
“Don’t look at me like you’re scared of me. I’m being honest with you. Now you be honest with me.”
Her face burned. “Tomorrow a story is going to drop in gossip magazines and on gossip sites along with some pictures.”
“Pictures? All of this over some pictures? Give me the whole story, Jess.”
“They’re nude pictures,” she blurted out.
His eyebrows were almost touching his hairline. “Seriously?”
If Jessica wasn’t mistaken, Layne looked interested. “Yes, seriously.”
“Those pictures are a dime a dozen. Most of young Hollywood has them now.”
“They do,” she nodded. “But there’s a problem with mine.”
He rolled his eyes to the ceiling. “There’s always a catch where I’m concerned. What is it?”
“Two things, actually. One, I have a morality clause in my contract with the studio that’s produced my last four films, and there are a handful of sponsorships that I’m going to lose. The contracts that my dad signed for me before I got emancipated have not been able to be voided. Not only am I screwed, but he’s also going to lose a lot of money. Two, I had the only copy of those pictures, and three days ago my home was burglarized—those pictures were stolen along with other personal items and writings.”
The way she said personal items caused goose bumps on his arms. “What do you mean personal items and writings?”
“Underwear, my date book, a private notebook or two.”
“So whoever this is knows a lot of information about you, as well as where you’re supposed to be for the next few months.”
“Yes,” she nodded. “It scared me.”
Layne could see exactly why she was scared. He wasn’t sure she had a stalker, but someone was very interested in her personal life. “No need to be scared here.” He put his hand on her arm. “Anybody who comes after you while you’re with Heaven Hill will have to go through me.”
That was exactly what she had counted on, and for the first time in days, she breathed easier.
Chapter Three
T he room was still and quiet, the only sound coming
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