Page 27 of Bound By Brielle (Crave & Cure Productions)

He nods. “I came here for a job but he’s why I stayed.”

Aug. He’s talking about Aug, and he knows that I know. He’s…trusting me.“You like it at Crave though?” I ask, mouth parched.

“Fuck yes,” he answers quickly, unwilling to let the question linger. I like that, that loyalty and devotion.

He’d make agreatboyfriend.

And Lance said he likes me. Whichwasa little surprising to hear. And though we sit there for twenty more minutes, swapping facts about our lives, I leave more confused than ever.

So theywerean item.

Okay.

But now… I want thembothmore than I did before, and have no clue how to go about getting what I want.

Or if I’m even allowed to want it.

twelve

Suddenly, everything is different.

augustus

I love directing.It truly fulfills me. Every piece of me comes alive, the dark places become vibrant and gushing with colors, my energy has purpose. It’s everything.

And watching Lance so easily fall into a role of direction over the years has been surreal. I don’t think I have much claim to it. Still, his natural abilities and effortless confidence makes my chest so tight I feel it could burst.

Experiencing the same with Brielle? A woman whom I thought I’d surely despise due to her short-sighted thinking about the adult film industry. Not to mention, the first day she came here when I caught her fucking spying on me in the hallway, I could smell the entitlement on her, stronger than her perfume.

Yet, she’s proven to be an insightful, driven, and dedicated student and I’ve never been so happy to be sogoddamn wrong.

The thing that makes that sexy as fuck? I think she proved herself wrong, too. She did come in here with a chip on her shoulder and a disposition for hate, but now, she’s so receptive to everything, and much more inquisitive. A person who can change themselves for the better is attractive to me. I’m a masochist, apparently and Ivery muchsee the irony.

Knowing that Lance and Brielle have gone out at least once—the time that I know of—watching them flourish in the mentor and protégé roles… It's destroying me.

I’ve never felt so obsolete and trivial. And I deserve it.

I don’t want to direct. Not while I’m feeling like this.

I force myself up from my sling chair, coming to stand between Lance and Brielle. I turn to her, the brilliant young beauty. Her blonde hair falls in romantic waves, and with her wide eyes framed in thick lashes, her shining smile and hourglass curves—she’s a knockout.

She looks great with him.

I’m jealous of her, but not angry at her, because it’s my fault I’m here.

“Your first evening shoot is tonight. We’re rolling at 8, and we haveat bestuntil ten before 9. So we can’t waste a minute.” I give her a controlled, curt smile, one that says,are you following so far, and notplease don’t fuck the man I lovethat I want to give. “You have the next three hours to take a nap or get some food, whatever you want. But come back a quarter-til and bring a list of scenes you think would be best shot in the moonlight. We’ll improvise some.”

She nods, and my chest aches when her eyes drop to my lips for a moment. God, this woman. I want her, and how fucking crazy do I look? Liking the woman that now wants to suck Lance’s cock.

But the truth, I was guiltily attracted to her before she asked him out. No matter how I reframe it to punish myself.

“Okay,” she breathes, her lean fingers wrapping her neck as she rubs a knot, head falling to the side. “I’ll be back in a bit. I think I’m going to get some coffee.”

With him?I wonder but hold a small smile on my face. “Enjoy.”

I don’t concern myself with Lance’s plans during our few hours off. I trudge down the hall, holding my head up in an effort to appear unbothered and not supremely depressed, and I leave them there.

Together.

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