Page 85 of Good Enough

“The daily visits are on the daily reports, Craig,” she reminded him. “Waters was just efficient enough to give you a compiled listing. I’m sure you’ll see everything matches up exactly.”

Big Bird grunted and went back to reading, and damned if the asshole didn’t go down the list, line by line, to match up each infirmary visit to each day, looking for something, anything, to nail her for.

Demon and Kubrick made small talk about filming on some of her previous projects while Waters watched the producer like a hawk. The man was up to something. The only thing he knew could go sideways were the invoices that originally matched up with the inventory, but would the man catch the fact that the original tallies no longer matched the current inventory? Since the original inventory aligned, Kubrick could hardly be blamed for supplies that went missing under someone else’s guard at a warehouse over ten miles away. And yet he knew Big Bird would find a way to make it her fault if he found the discrepancy.

Demon stood up from his seat. “Thanks for the coffee, Kubrick. See you at dinner tomorrow.” He flashed a quick look at Waters, his smirk a little larger than before, and exited the kitchen.

Waters had been so focused on Big Bird that he hadn’t heard Kubrick extend the dinner invitation to the man. He could feel his teeth grinding.

“Serrano!” Big Bird called her name, sounding like there was an “A-ha!” behind her name, distracting her from watching the doctor leave.

“Yes, Craig?”

“What’s with these invoices for additional supplies?”

Well, shit. So much for missing the orders.

Kubrick shrugged. “We needed to order some additional effects and batteries. Hardly out of the ordinary.”

“It is for you. Most of the time, you end up returning inventory on your projects.”

Time to wade in.

“Those orders were at my suggestion. We loosely discussed adding some additional effects sequences. I checked the budget, and we have the room, so I thought it would be better to have the items on hand if needed, knowing they could always be put into backstock for another production if we ended up not needing them. No sense having to sit and wait for supplies to arrive if we ran out. Wasted production time if we have to sit, which means spending more money than purchasing extra supplies.”

His gaze never faltered from Big Bird, but he could feel Kubrick’s narrowed gaze. He had a sneaking suspicion that he was in for an argument for stepping in but damned if he would let her take the hit on this.

“I wasn’t speaking to you.”

“I know you weren’t. But since the call was mine, I answered.”

“If those rounds aren’t used, or the picture goes over budget, then it comes out of your consulting fee.”

Waters knew the producer was spouting crap, so he just returned the man’s stare. Arms crossed over his pecs, hands in his armpits, legs crossed as he leaned on the counter, he gave all the impression of being nonplussed by the feather-shaking. Inside, he was seething at the constant attacks on his woman, but he kept it in check for her.

“All right, gentlemen. Stand down,” Kubrick ordered as she stood up. “Craig, you’ve been at this for over two hours. I have digital copies of my reports. If you want to keep at this, be my guest, but I’ve got an early morning tomorrow, and I’m going to bed.” Pushing her chair in, she left the kitchen without a backward glance.

There was a beat of silence before Waters spoke. “I don’t know what you’re up to, Stapleton, but I’m not stupid.”

Big Bird smirked. “I doubt that, boy.”

Not showing the disgust he felt, Waters turned to follow Kubrick.

“That’s right, grunt. Follow after her like a puppy dog.”

Waters wanted to continue down the hall without dignifying the man with a response, but his body had a will of its own and turned back to stalk into the kitchen to get right in Big Bird’s face. “Make no mistake, Stapleton. I would follow that woman to Hell if necessary, and she wouldn’t even need to ask. She’d be worth every tortuous moment of it. You aren’t fit to be her judge, let alone her boss. Leave. Her. Alone.” With that, he turned on his heel and went after Kubrick.

And following her to Hell is exactly what I’m doing. Sweet Christ, I’m just going to admit it. I’m fucked. She’s mine, and that’s all there is to it, damned be the consequences.

31

MARCH 27TH-28TH

Kai

She heard Waters enter the War Room, closing and locking the door behind him. He went no farther, just stood there, hands at his sides, looking across the room at her. It felt like her head was on fire, and her heart was going to explode.

Men are such assholes!

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