Page 32 of Ruthless Passion

"I got my black eye because campus security pulled me off of some asshole who was hitting the wall next to his girl's face. She flinched every time he did it and he got off on it so I told him to do it to me. When he tried, I hit him. Security tried to get me off him but I thought it was one of his friends so I threw a punch and then they threw punches. Is Duke the guy who hit you in the face?" he asks.

My eyes dart to Jo who turns a deep shade of red.

Collin's eyes grow wide. "You hit the guy who's putting you in a movie?"

"It was for the role. An audition of sorts," I tell him.

Jo rolls her eyes. "You enjoy telling people I hit you in the face far too much."

"I do. I wear the strength of your frustration like a badge of honor because you are going to make one hell of a killer siren."

"Siren? Like a mermaid that lures ships to crash into deadly rocks in the ocean?" Collin asks. Jo nods and he continues to gush over the news of the film. "That's going to be so cool. I can't wait to see it!"

"Um, I don't think I want you to see that film. There's going to be love scenes in it," Jo says, shaking her head.

"Jo, you have a kid," Collin replies.

I laugh because he has no idea what she means.

"But you didn't watch me make one. Believe me, Captain Chaos, sit this one out. You can see me in the sequel. The siren's victims get their revenge as zombies resurrected out of the watery deep."

His eyes widen. "Can I play a zombie?"

"I don't see why not," I tell them. That sets off an entire discussion about movies and how I make them. I'm in my element, impressing Jo and her brother. We order food. I get my car towed and pass out on the sofa to be sure that Duke doesn't give them any more problems tonight.

My eyes beat the sunrise, opening as birds chirp while my back cracks from sleeping on a couch too short for my height. I can't forget my run-in with Vito's goons at Trips. I should have got looked at in the hospital. I'm certain it's only soreness and nothing a few laps in my pool won't fix. I make my way upstairs to let Jo know I'm heading out, and she follows me to the front door.

"Call me if that asshole comes back here before you get to the office," I tell her.

"I'll call you and the police. I'm probably going to get a restraining order if Duke doesn't stop this madness. Thanks for everything, Luca."

Someone moves around outside the door, drawing our attention. I pull it open to see some woman adjusting her clothes as if she's been out there all night.

"Miss, can I help you?" Jo asks her.

The woman holds up her phone to snap a picture of us and says, "Mr. Devlin, is there any truth to the rumor you put two of your actresses in the hospital to make sure your girlfriend gets the starring role in your latest film? Josephine Hansen, how do you feel about the Scream Queen curse where the actresses seem to have mysterious accidents while working on Luca Brisco productions?"

Jo's brows knit together with worry as she says, "Um, no comment?"

13

JOSEPHINE

The woman pushing her phone into my face doesn't appreciate my refusal to answer her question. She huffs out a breath and rephrases. "Come on, Miss Hansen. As the newest star to feature in a Luca Brisco production, surely there's something on your mind about the actresses landing in the hospital?"

"She said no comment," Luca reiterates for me as Jett makes his way down the stairs. It's way too early for him to be awake, but I could say the same for the woman pestering me for a quote. "Please leave. This is private property and you're trespassing."

The woman stomps her foot before shouting into my closing front door. "Fine, I'm leaving. I wanted to give you the opportunity to control the narrative before word gets out that the casting couch leads to a hospital bed."

That pisses me off, causing me to yank the door back open. I wag my finger in her face. "I don't know who you think you are or what you think you know, but there's nothing inappropriate about what I'm doing or how I land any of my roles. You want a comment? Go fuck yourself."

I slam the door, padding to the kitchen, where Jett's gorgeous blue eyes stare at me half-awake with a dry bowl of cereal sitting in front of him at the table.

"Kid, go back to bed. You don't have to be up for another two hours," I tell him, smoothing down his bedhead curls.

"But Luca's awake," Jett replies with sleep coating every syllable. "Successful men beat the sun to work."

"Now, where did you hear that?" I ask. It's oddly specific.

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