Page 23 of The Actor and His Secret

I haven’t once thought to open the minibar now that I’m back in the luxury hotel in London. Not once.

Selina is down in the spa, enjoying a well-deserved morning off. She’s tried to entice me into a few treatments to ‘loosen me up’, but the thought of having another person’s hands on me, whether sexual or not, makes me shiver.

Honey had touched me last. I want to keep it that way.

I check my watch and read the hands pointing close to midday. As per the schedule in my calendar, in twenty minutes a driver is coming to collect us for an afternoon of filming content at the book publisher. My punishment for leaving the premier is haunting me, the studio filling our schedule with as much press as possible - literally squeezing the lemon dry.

The only thing I want to do is make it through the day to five pm. Because, according to Google, the average London work hours finish at five. Which means Honey will be leaving his job and heading home.

I may not know his name, his number, even his favourite colour - but I know where he lives. Creepy or not, I need to see him. To explain myself, but also to ask him not to tell anyone about what happened between us.

I’d be lying to myself if I wasn’t worried. Even now, as I stand waiting for the next twenty minutes to pass, I’m checking socials for any mention of Nikos Ridge one night stand, a steamy night of passion with a fan…etc, etc. Every time I check, my heart is in my throat, until I find nothing but film reviews and the countless messages calling me daddy or asking me to mount them like a dragon.

There’s only one person I wish to mount, and even I know that ship has sailed. Regardless if Honey has worked out my true identify or not, I can’t afford to act so carelessly. It isn’t only my reputation on the line, but Selina’s and my entire team’s.

Not to mention the most common message I’m seeing is about a petition for a second film. That idea alone is enough to make me feel sick.

My contract with the studio was for one film and one film only. Regardless of the demand from fans, the money offered, I can’t do it. I won’t. Because the more money and fame I’m offered, the more I have that can be taken away from me again.

I shut off my phone screen, pocketing the phone as thoughts of Honey quickly melt to my father.

It’s been almost two full days since I saw him at the film premier. The silence that followed has been long and excruciating. It’s only a matter of time until he worms his way out of the woodwork and explains what, exactly, his ominous words meant.

A wave of anxiety breaks over me. But before I’m swallowed by it, I take out the post-it note and fiddle with the frayed paper. The feel of the dull edges against my hands stills the worry enough to think straight.

I don’t release the post-it note until Selina texts me, letting me know she’s in the lobby and that the car is waiting outside for us. I adorn my mask, leaving the scared child behind me as I step out of the hotel as Nikos Ridge - the man whose life is perfect, until you look close enough to see the fucking cracks.

I don’t know what I expected to find at a book publishing office, but what waits for me in the main entrance was not what I could’ve ever imagined.

A front desk is glowing with string light spelling out Sky High Press. Behind it is a wall framed with books, the most recognisable being the original cover of An Age of Dragons beside the new movie-tie in editions which I’m on, unrecognisable as Armin Wolfe, dressed in leather pants with nipples on full display.

But that’s not what captures my attention.

‘Honey?’ I exhale the name, eyes fixed on the man half-stood, half-leant up against the front desk. He's inspecting his nails as Selina and I enter. No, not his nails - a post-it note.

My post-it note.

I can see from his stare that he’s lost to a memory, no doubt the same one that has haunted me for every second of the day since we parted.

It takes him a moment to hear me, or register the name I used. But when Honey looks up, his eyes flaring wide and mouth parting, I swear my groin aches.

Selina is shaking the hand of a beautiful woman who introduces herself as Megan. If not for being so focused on Honey, I would pay more attention to the way their handshake lasts longer than it needs to. Or the glittering interest filling my manager’s stare.

‘Welcome to Sky High Press,’ Honey says, his voice devoid of emotion. He hardly looks at me, even though I cannot take my eyes off him. My body refuses to move forwards a step and take his outstretched hand.

We greet each other like strangers.

‘Nikos,’ Megan says, eyes looking between me and Honey with a hint of expectance. ‘It is so lovely to have you stop by. Thanks for taking time out of your - no doubt busy - schedule for this.’

It’s rude of me to ignore her, but I just cannot take my eyes off of Honey.

Honey still has his hand outstretched. He’s seconds from lowering it before I strike out and take it. ‘Hello.’

‘Nice to meet you, Nikos Ridge,’ Honey says, his reaction suggesting this interaction is not a surprise to him, as it is to me.

So he had worked out my truth. A spark of distrust ebbs into me. Maybe he always knew, and he was playing me, using me like everyone else does. But then I see him shoving the the post-it note in his other hand into his pocket, and I know he’s angry.

‘And you,’ I reply softly. Selina is staring daggers into the side of my face, and I can tell she’s trying to work out why I’ve left my confident bravado back in the car. ‘Can I have your name?’

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