or that he dropped her. Neither option would surprise me.
I just want a shot. Another shot. Fuck, I’m a prick. A mother fucking— My cell rings. It’s my manager, Denise. If I don’t answer she’ll keep calling and texting until I do.
“What is it, Denise?” I ask, irritated. “I’m driving, so make it quick.”
“Zane is out.”
I slam on the brakes, causing the car behind me to knock and skid. I swerve off the highway and put my Porsche into park. “What the fuck do you mean?”
“He’s gone. Like, he’s disappeared and no one has any idea what happened. The production company is still backing the film, but no one is sure who’s running it. Nigel and Scarlett are thinking of walking off the project.”
“Can they? We all signed a contract.” I run a hand over my face. Check my reflection in the mirror. I’m sure Cadence has the answers.
“Tell them to hang on. I might know something in a while.”
“Really?” Denise asks. She sounds doubtful. “You and Mr. Zane aren’t exactly close. In fact, the last I heard he was saying things that’ll put you out of the game for good.”
“He’s a lot of talk,” I say and try to sound confident. I know better than anyone that he can do what he threatens. “You start digging. Do the shit you're good at, and if I hear anything, I’ll let you know.”
“Fine, John. Just,” she sighs, and I know I’ve been a pain in the ass lately. More so than usual. “Don’t do anything stupid, 'kay?”
I chuckle. “I’ll try.” I hang up before she can yell.
Checking out the window, I press the gas and pull into traffic.
When I pull up to the address Cadence gave me, I’m shocked. The house is amazing—grand, but not as bad as I thought it would be. Zane always seemed like such a pretentious ass, I’d expected more.
I turn off the car, walk up to the door, and knock.
And wait.
When the door finally opens, I’m edgy. Nervous, like I’d been on my first date when I was twelve. As soon as I see her face, that emotion is replaced by happiness and a little worry.
“Hey,” I say. “You ready?”
Cadence seems a little lost. “Yeah.” She steps out and then stops. “Hang on, I’ll be right back.”
She runs into the house. I lean against the railing, wishing I had a cigarette. I know they’re bad, but when I’m stressed there’s nothing better. That first drag… I love it.
Cadence comes back, closing the door behind her. She’s got a big bag slung over a shoulder.
I stand. “I can take that,” I say.
She clings to it like it’s her life preserver. “Nah, I’m good.”
“Sure.” I walk over to the car and open the door. “You wanna put the bag back here?”
She looks at me. Her eyes are crunched, like she’s trying not to cry. I try not to be pissed because it looks like she’s really sad the son of a bitch is gone. What the fuck? Does she regret the time we spent together? Maybe she’s still pissed. I don’t know, but I’m going to do all I can to make it up to her, to really get to know her.
“I’ll hold on to it,” she says, sliding into the seat.
I shut the door and take a deep breath.
We drive in silence until we’re on the highway. “Where to?” I finally ask.
She doesn’t answer.
“Cadence.”
“Ummmm.” She sniffles.
“Want to go back to the hotel?”
She wipes her eyes. Fuck. “What did that mother fucker do to you?”
“Nothing,” she whispers.
“Please don’t be mad, but I’m going to take you back to my room.”
She leans her head against the head rest. “Thanks, Cruze.”
“Of course.” She closes her eyes and I focus on the road ahead. When we get up to the room she sets down the big duffle.
“Mind if I take a shower?”
“Not at all.” I walk into the bathroom and turn on the water. She’s standing in the doorway. Her shoulders are slumped. Her eyes are down. I move to her and touch her cheek. She raises her head.
“I’m really
I just want a shot. Another shot. Fuck, I’m a prick. A mother fucking— My cell rings. It’s my manager, Denise. If I don’t answer she’ll keep calling and texting until I do.
“What is it, Denise?” I ask, irritated. “I’m driving, so make it quick.”
“Zane is out.”
I slam on the brakes, causing the car behind me to knock and skid. I swerve off the highway and put my Porsche into park. “What the fuck do you mean?”
“He’s gone. Like, he’s disappeared and no one has any idea what happened. The production company is still backing the film, but no one is sure who’s running it. Nigel and Scarlett are thinking of walking off the project.”
“Can they? We all signed a contract.” I run a hand over my face. Check my reflection in the mirror. I’m sure Cadence has the answers.
“Tell them to hang on. I might know something in a while.”
“Really?” Denise asks. She sounds doubtful. “You and Mr. Zane aren’t exactly close. In fact, the last I heard he was saying things that’ll put you out of the game for good.”
“He’s a lot of talk,” I say and try to sound confident. I know better than anyone that he can do what he threatens. “You start digging. Do the shit you're good at, and if I hear anything, I’ll let you know.”
“Fine, John. Just,” she sighs, and I know I’ve been a pain in the ass lately. More so than usual. “Don’t do anything stupid, 'kay?”
I chuckle. “I’ll try.” I hang up before she can yell.
Checking out the window, I press the gas and pull into traffic.
When I pull up to the address Cadence gave me, I’m shocked. The house is amazing—grand, but not as bad as I thought it would be. Zane always seemed like such a pretentious ass, I’d expected more.
I turn off the car, walk up to the door, and knock.
And wait.
When the door finally opens, I’m edgy. Nervous, like I’d been on my first date when I was twelve. As soon as I see her face, that emotion is replaced by happiness and a little worry.
“Hey,” I say. “You ready?”
Cadence seems a little lost. “Yeah.” She steps out and then stops. “Hang on, I’ll be right back.”
She runs into the house. I lean against the railing, wishing I had a cigarette. I know they’re bad, but when I’m stressed there’s nothing better. That first drag… I love it.
Cadence comes back, closing the door behind her. She’s got a big bag slung over a shoulder.
I stand. “I can take that,” I say.
She clings to it like it’s her life preserver. “Nah, I’m good.”
“Sure.” I walk over to the car and open the door. “You wanna put the bag back here?”
She looks at me. Her eyes are crunched, like she’s trying not to cry. I try not to be pissed because it looks like she’s really sad the son of a bitch is gone. What the fuck? Does she regret the time we spent together? Maybe she’s still pissed. I don’t know, but I’m going to do all I can to make it up to her, to really get to know her.
“I’ll hold on to it,” she says, sliding into the seat.
I shut the door and take a deep breath.
We drive in silence until we’re on the highway. “Where to?” I finally ask.
She doesn’t answer.
“Cadence.”
“Ummmm.” She sniffles.
“Want to go back to the hotel?”
She wipes her eyes. Fuck. “What did that mother fucker do to you?”
“Nothing,” she whispers.
“Please don’t be mad, but I’m going to take you back to my room.”
She leans her head against the head rest. “Thanks, Cruze.”
“Of course.” She closes her eyes and I focus on the road ahead. When we get up to the room she sets down the big duffle.
“Mind if I take a shower?”
“Not at all.” I walk into the bathroom and turn on the water. She’s standing in the doorway. Her shoulders are slumped. Her eyes are down. I move to her and touch her cheek. She raises her head.
“I’m really
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