“Looks like lunch might be a little later than planned,” Rachel says, shuffling beside me.
“Yeah,” I say stiffly. Oh yeah, lunch. How could I forget? It’s hard to think of anything else right now when Sterling and Justin are laughing together.
The next few minutes go by faster than I realize, and Lisa storms back into the building, snapping her fingers. “Alright, people. Third time’s a charm. I could be eating steak for lunch right now with a friend, but instead here I am having my time wasted.”
Sterling curses under his breath, and Justin gives him an encouraging arm rub. Where does this guy think he’s coming from? Why isn’t Sterling pulling away like he usually does? He’s staying where he is with a half-smile, saying something I can’t quite make out when he puts a hand in front of his mouth as he whispers in Justin’s ear.
The veins in my neck are on the verge of bursting at any fucking moment. Lisa calls places, and Justin gives Sterling a thumbs-up before breaking away.
Sterling looks at me more when he thinks I’m not paying attention to him. He’s pretending not to care, but the desperation streaming from him is palpable. He takes a breath before action is called, and he’s determined to get the scene right. He does too, laying out every line perfectly.
He picks up the fake machete, and I can tell he’s testing the blade with his fingers. I didn’t switch them out today. We wouldn’t ever make it out of this damn building if I did, and I have other shit going on in my life that I need to get to.
It doesn’t mean I won’t gift him the original all the same. Not here, though. It wasn’t easy sneaking into Lisa’s office to switch it out with another one covered in pigs’ blood. I did it, though. All for my little star. He needs to do something for me now. He needs to tell me why he doesn’t want me to go eat with Rachel, and where he’d prefer I go instead.
Nineteen
Sterling
Hayden is looking everywhere but me on purpose. Then when his eyes go to her as I’m finishing up my scene, I nearly lose it. I keep my breathing steady, channeling the negative energy to use for the character I’m portraying. He’s trying to get to me and doesn’t realize he’s actually helping. He’s doing it without trying. Lisa claps her hands together, screaming, “And that’s a wrap.” Her eyes are beaming in my direction. “You did it, Maxwell. We can all go home now.”
“Thank fuck,” someone says, and Justin is quick to jump to my side, asking what my lunch plans are. There’s only one man I want to leave here today with, though, because if I don’t, Rachel will, and I won’t fucking let that happen.
He wants to know my reason why, and as he’s about to walk out the door after her, I push past everyone else, grabbing his arm so I can tell him. “Can I see you for a minute?”
“I don’t know. Can it wait? Rachel’s waiting for me at my car.”
“Let her wait.” My eyes pierce his and his expression is hard to read. How is he so good at that? I thought I was the actor here.
People squeeze past us and Justin gives me a wave on his way out. “Let me know if you change your mind. I’ll be at my hotel not wanting to eat another burnt burger from the lobby restaurant.” His laughter trails behind him as he walks backward to where the curb is.
I force a laugh, faking a blush, and that’s all it takes for Hayden to pull me back through the doors. When we’re the only ones left in the building, he pins me to the nearest wall. “What did you need to tell me, huh?”
His lips are so close, his hot breath causing my lips to tremble. “I don’t . . .” I rub my lips together. “I don’t want you to go with her because . . . because I want you to leave with me instead.”
“Why?” His fingers dig into my hip.
“Because I . . . because I don’t want a fling with you.”
“What do you want?” His voice is heady.
“I want . . . I want . . .”
“Tell me, baby.”
The terms of endearment are back. No more Mr. Maxwell. It was like nails on a fucking chalkboard to my ears. I don’t ever want to go back to that, and I know what I need to do so I don’t. “I want everything.”
“Then let’s take it together,” he says lowly, hauling me off to my fitting room.
He rips my clothes from my body and then he scatters his over the floor next.
“Hayden,” I choke out.
“Yes, my little star?”
“I’m on the verge of rupturing on the inside every minute that goes by that you don’t touch me.”
“Let me help you with that, then.”