Page 26 of Fool's Gold

If you can’t be strong, carry a big gun.

I’ve got both those things, and Greg… Well, Greg is an actor.

He’s used to a polished life, with things going his way. Money and women and awards. The sooner he learns what to expect now, the better off things will be.

When his eyes are wide and he’s suitably rattled and biting his tongue, I release him, smoothing out the wrinkles in his collar.

“No, we’ve never officially met.” My grin is anything but friendly. “And I’ve heard good things about you, Mr. Bates. I have. Unfortunately for you, I am very overprotective of the young starlet who plays opposite you. She may no longer be my ward, as you’ve no doubt already heard, but she is my client. As such, I expect things done in a certain professional manner.”

I wait for him to say something about the headlines he no doubt heard, the stories printed about me and Empire that are anything but fucking true.

Greg is a smart bastard. He knows when to talk and when to listen. It should work well for him on this production.

I keep my hands on him and smooth out the rest of the wrinkles on his shirt, although there are none. His red polo shirt and chinos are immaculate except for the spots where I’d held him.

“Now, I’ve drawn you aside to make sure you understand a few key points. Empire is new at this. She has no acting credits under her belt, and frankly, after her last experience on this set, she is not in a good mind space. I need you to be patient and respectful with her,” I say, maintaining a razor-sharp edge to my tone.

If Greg doesn’t believe my seriousness, he will soon. He’ll either learn the easy way or the hard way.

“This new schedule is going to be hard for everyone but especially for her, as this is her first major motion picture and she doesn’t know what to expect. I’ll be here every step of the way, and I hope I can count on you to show her the ropes. Yeah?” I don’t wait for him to respond before I launch ahead with, “Now, you’re a decent actor. And you’ve managed to stay out of the tabloids, which is more than we can say for me. You’ve got a good manager and a good team around you, and when we’ve traveled in the same circles, you’ve been professional.”

Except for that day on set, the after-hours scene, filmed without the intimacy coordinator, and Greg hadn’t said a peep.

Greg supposedly told Empire, “Things are done a certain way for certain reasons” I’ll remember that.

“I have to head into makeup,” Greg says at last. “This has been an enlightening interaction, Mr. Ortega.”

His time in the makeup trailer will emphasize the lines around his eyes and the threads of gray in his goatee. We’re the same age, but he’s got to gain a few years to play this part.

“Off you go then, Bates. Good chat.” I pat him on the shoulder and stand straight, waiting for him to walk away first. I narrow my gaze on his back.

Filming starts within an hour.

My phone bleats with an incoming message from Celeste that I promptly leave on read. The bitch can blow up my phone for all I care. I’m not going to do a fucking thing about her except let her spy and report back to Stanic that there’s nothing amiss.

Fuck them both.

Wretched is going to get done, and I’ll make it the best goddamn release they’ve ever had, if only out of spite.

Standing back with my arms crossed over my torso, I watch Belinda and her minions maintain control of the set. Empire is a vision as Alicia. It’s the perfect part for her.

They’ve darkened her skin tone a little with a spray tan and lined her eyes. She looks a little strung out for this scene, which plays in perfectly with Alicia’s declining confidence and increased vulnerability. Her hangover could work in her favor.

Maybe it’s because I’m a huge prick. Maybe it’s because, in order of filming, this scene was next on the docket. But we have to begin with the chase scene between Alicia and Mr. Patterson.

“Before we start, I want everyone to know I’ve got your back, and we are going to kick ass. I’m not accepting anything less.” Belinda keeps a keen eye on the scene. “Action!”

She knows what she’s doing.

This is a trial by fire for Empire, however.

The last time she’d been on this set, she had a bad experience. I came swooping in to save her, but I was no angel, no hero. For her to have to dive right in with this scene, knowing where it led and what she’d have to do…

Even having the intimacy coordinator standing by makes no difference in my mind.

Empire, however pale faced and wide eyed, runs through her dialogue smoothly. There’s too much of her mother in her to do anything else. My wicked heart gives a beat of pride. Drunk, throwing her script around like confetti, and she still manages to pull this out of her ass.

The scene is damn awful. Not because of the quality of the writing or the acting and not because of the dialogue.

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