Twenty-Three
Sterling
9 months later
Hayden is sitting beside me holding a glass of champagne and looking absolutely sinful in a black blazer and matching slacks. The converse he’s wearing only adds to the appeal, making his look even sexier.
“This is some premier party,” he says, before taking another sip.
“Yeah.” I spin side to side on my bar stool, dabbing my mouth with a napkin. “It’s been fun, but I’m ready to go home and sleep so I can be well rested for all the celebrations to come.”
“This was a great movie we came to see tonight, but ours will be better.”
“Yes. Ours will.” I smile, thrumming my fingers on my glass as I look back at the next victim to star in our new film. She’s just the person for the scene. We’ve seen her strong and crass. Now we’ll see how well she can play the begging damsel. I laugh, chugging the rest of my drink as I wave at Lisa.
She waves back, rolling her eyes at me as if I’m inconveniencing her. Oh, she has no idea what that is. She will, though. I chuckle, causing my champagne to bubble, and Hayden laughs with me as if hearing exactly what’s being said in my head. Picking up my hand, he places a kiss to the back and strokes my fingers with his thumb.
Lisa wrinkles her face, making a sound of disgust as she looks at us, and then turns back to her friend, or whoever it is she’s pretending’s her friend until she gets what she wants from them. That’s what she’s all about. All she cares about.
Hayden’s hand goes back to his glass as Rachel struts our way, her long blonde hair bouncing behind her. “That was some good camera work you did, Hade.”
She gave him a nickname. Gag me. I press my teeth together to keep from saying something. We’ll be out of here soon and she’ll have to go flirt with someone else. She should get her fill while she can because we’ll be looking for another side character soon. Someone to run from me and scream. Something tells me she can scream really loud too. I wonder if it’ll be as pretty as the rest of her.
I laugh to myself, nails digging into the wood of the bar as I watch her straighten my boyfriend’s sleeve and tug on his jacket collar. He lets her because he wants to fuel the monster inside me. I feed his and he feeds mine. We both give to each other while only taking from others. Only the ones who I feel owe us something. And this bitch keeps adding to the list of reasons why she does, laughing and rubbing her breasts over Hayden’s shoulder.
I’m already thinking of ways she could die while the camera is filming. By fire . . . by boiling in a metal stock tank sitting over a fire. The possibilities are endless. Our movie ideas are too. I don’t think we’ll ever run out either. Not when Hayden’s the best muse I could ever ask for.
Rachel’s name is called by some random guy, and she scurries off to where he is. As soon as she’s far enough away, Hayden leans into me. “I did that for you.”
“I know. Now take me home and let me do something for you.” My gaze drops to his crotch and he smiles against my ear.
“Gladly.”
Epilogue
Sterling
Three months later
Lisa’s body hangs from the tree, her wrists tied to the branches with rope. Her feet sway side to side and her dress has a giant gash in the center with her guts falling out. She really wanted a machete used in all her films . . . well, she got to have one used on her in one of mine. Not much has changed. I’m still doing all the same kind of scenes in front of a camera. It couldn’t be real for Phil or Ben, or anyone else I played but this is me I’m showing to the audience now, everything I do will be very real.
Her eyes are fixed, pupils enlarged, and her lips are parted enough to see a little bit of teeth. Even in death she looks annoyed.
“That was a great first take,” Hayden says, wrapping his arms around me from behind and kissing my ear.
“It was perfect.”
“You’re perfect,” he says, pressing his lips to my blood-splattered cheek. “This view, not so much.”
I laugh, rubbing my nose against his. “Help me clean up and I’ll show you a better one once we’re back inside.”
“Deal. I don’t think this mess can be left for tomorrow.”
“It’s okay. We can bury this body off camera. We can finish that scene using a body double. Since Lisa liked using those so much, we can do it in her honor.”
“I think she would have appreciated that.”
“Me too.” I look up at her again, resting a hand on his hip.