“Sweet dreams, movie star.”
I yawn, wiggling closer to him and close my eyes. For the second time in a week, I don’t need to take anything to help me fall into a deep sleep.
When my alarm goes off, I stretch out beside Hayden and he kisses me more awake, causing those butterflies in my stomach to really take off. There’s a banging on my door that has both of us shooting up in the bed, widening our eyes at each other.
“Yes?” I call to whoever’s standing on the other side. It could be anyone. Hopefully anyone but Lisa or my manager.
“Hey, Ster, you up yet?” My manager’s voice has me sliding away from Hayden and searching for my clothes.
Helping me, he jumps to the ground and retrieves them for me. After tossing them my way, he puts on his own and disappears into the bathroom.
My manager knocks again and I rush forward, yanking the door open. She steps inside, looking around. “It’s not a mess in here like I was expecting. That’s good at least.”
I blink my eyes at her, placing a hand on my hip. “Is there something I’m supposed to be doing? Did I miss a meeting or something?”
“No.” She frowns. “I came in here to reschedule dinner for tomorrow. I’m not going to be able to make it after all. Got an emergency call from another client who lives in the area, but you and Kathy can still go.”
I sigh, knowing exactly what she’s doing. She’s been trying to push me in the direction of some socialite to help get my name out there more. To get me in more of the headlines. I have zero interest in using others to work my way to the top, especially when it’ll only leave me unhappy in the end. Plus, I see this as the perfect opportunity to sneak off somewhere with Haydenagain. Did he mean what he said about whatever was happening between us not ending when filming this movie does?
How could that even work? We both travel a lot and it’ll probably lead to opposite schedules. Unless . . . he could come to dinner with us tomorrow, and he can charm Kathy the way he has me. Imagining working on another movie with him has me smiling and getting caught in my own head again.
My manager clears her throat and my eyes grow wider. “Sorry. Guess my nap wasn’t long enough, but I think I’ll go ahead and reschedule with you. I’m going to use the time to look over the script and finally read that damn book I brought with me.”
She smiles, nodding in understanding. “I’ll see you tomorrow, then. I sadly will have to bow out for the rest of the day.”
Good. That’s one less set of eyes keeping tabs on me. Lisa sometimes stays later or drops by randomly when she forgets to do something earlier in the day. She didn’t check my trailer yesterday, and let’s hope she won’t today either. Not that it matters if she does. The filming is almost done. What’s she going to do? Tell me to leave before shooting the last scene?
“Okay, let me walk you out and we can discuss restaurant choices for tomorrow.” I usher her out the door and she willingly follows. I keep her from looking back by pointing ahead and saying something about how good the movie set is already looking. We keep talking and talking until I’m waving her off from the sidewalk as she takes off to the parking lot. She shouts goodbye, and once she’s in her car, I walk back inside where Hayden is talking to one of the other camera guys, watching me as I walk to my dressing room.
I don’t have to worry if he’ll be joining me or not. His primal stare told me he was on his way soon and that I wouldn’t have to wait for long. The door opens minutes after I strip out of my clothes, and he locks it behind him before slowly making his way to me. One of his hands lands on my hip and he kisses my neck,and I don’t notice the strap on his shoulder until he’s setting a black bag down.
“You ready for our third movie, baby?”
“Yes,” I rasp, my heart jumping around in my chest, my body in overdrive from the anticipation.
He lifts his camera from the bag and stares at me, the lens pointing downward as he shoves me to my knees. “Get ready to take my cock out when I start filming.”
I nod, knee walking closer to him until my knees are hitting the tips of his shoes. I wait patiently with bated breath, my shoulders relaxing when he finally says, “And action.”
This is different from my other films. I only have to worry about showing up to be me while knowing the person who watches it will be as happy as I am. I’m the best star I can be when I’m not trying. Not because I think that, but because the man standing in front of me says I am.
Fifteen
Sterling
The machete was real. Blood is spraying everywhere and everyone is staring at me with a look of horror as I stand there with a dripping blade. My heart is nearly wanting to escape my chest, and there’s a delicious shiver running through me. No. That’s the wrong response. Yet I’m smiling on the inside and can’t stop, stiffening my expression to keep it from seeping through.
Everyone is screaming and the weapon slips from my fingers, hitting the floor with a clink. The loud noise echoes around me. Bodies scatter and frantic expressions filling the room.
“Sterling.” Someone calls my name but I can’t make out the voice, everything coming at meout like static.
Kathy is holding her arm to her chest, the bottom half barely hanging on. What have I done? I could have stopped this, but I didn’t. I lifted the handle high above my head and brought it down with a quick swipe. A scream curled in the air and I did it again. Then everything went foggy as I realized I was making real cuts and her skin was tearing from the bone.
“Call nine one one,” Lisa shouts. “Someone, someone please help Sterling. I think he’s in shock.
I could have killed someone. I look over at Hayden and his camera light is still green. Is he getting all this? Did he forget to hit stop? Why isn’t he freaking out like everyone else?
My name is called again, and I blink my eyes as one of the other actors lays a hand on my arm. “Sterling. Let me take you back to your trailer. We’ll get you some water.”