Page 36 of Fool's Gold

There’s no reason to hunt Empire. The tracking app on my phone pings once. She’s at River’s house. It might not be the best protected, but at least I know she’s not going anywhere.

I should have guessed she’d run away.

After a hard day of shooting, there’s only so much a sane person can take before they crack. Celeste’s presence is enough to push anyone the rest of the way off the ledge, but I know this goes beyond a stressful day.

Empire zoned in on the lipstick.

And I’d been too slow to block her before she made a run for it. Too distracted to do anything except yell after her and hope something would stick. Hope she’d have compassion on me when I can’t muster anything for her.

I sent off a round of texts to my people to get security in place to watch River’s house. With that accomplished, I open up the message thread between us.

Take tonight to get your shit together.

Be back on set tomorrow, 6am.

If she doesn’t show up tomorrow, then we’re going to have a massive problem, especially considering Greg’s absence. The shoot schedule absolutely has to go off without a hitch.

I stare at the screen until the words blur, but no dots appear to show me she’s typing. Hell, she hasn’t even opened the text, and no amount of brooding is going to change it.

With a glass of scotch in my hand, the dregs left over after Empire’s rampage last night, I stare at a spot on the wall. I let my head drop back against the couch, sighing, running my tongue over my teeth and hoping the scotch will wipe away the wintergreen taste of Celeste.

Being back in my apartment isn’t as great as I thought it would be. Maybe because I’ve spent most of the day in here beating my fucking head to the wall, waiting for logic to intercede.

Logic where I’m not driven by a primal need to defend the spoiled brat. Logic where I’m finally able to separate my emotions from my thinking mind and make the right decision to protect her. The same goal is still in place; I’ve just made it that much harder.

And somehow, the apartment isn’t home anymore.

I don’t feel like me.

Losing my shit on Greg was a mistake. I don’t regret a single punch or ounce of blood spatter, but there are better ways to handle things, ways that draw less attention.

Security booted me off my own set. Not permanently, of course, only until I calmed my ass down.

It hasn’t happened.

I’m a bomb ready to explode and destroy everyone around me.

I debated getting shit faced during the day and decided it was a waste of time. A better use would be getting reacquainted with Stanic’s organization and the things that have changed over the years.

Turns out, not a whole lot is different.

He’s managed to carve out a few more inroads into the industry, things he would rather me not know but must have figured I’d find on my own. Breaking through their firewalls hadn’t taken me long at all.

The information is there like low-hanging fruit ready to be taken.

I glance at the phone again to see the screen black, and the press of a finger doesn’t show me a reply from Empire. The message indicates that it’s been read, but she hasn’t bothered to reply.

Why would she? I’ve pushed her, confronted her, tormented her. I am literal scum, and while I don’t blame her for taking off, I wish she’d have stayed to talk to me. To let me apologize.

And she’s still at River’s place. The silent treatment is only going to last so long before something cracks. The phone vibrates in my hand, and I swallow the lump in my throat. A small smile tugs at my lips at the caller ID.

“Well,” I answer. “You’re certainly a sight for sore ears.”

Sherry chuckles, the sound dry and overworked. “You have no idea, Marcus. No idea what your little girlfriend said to me. I took a little time off for myself and must have lost track of things.”

“Little girlfriend? I’m intrigued.” I shift on the couch to get more comfortable. “When did you speak to Empire?”

The other day, Sherry took it upon herself to have Empire sign the papers dissolving my guardianship. But I haven’t had a fucking chance to ask my assistant about it yet. Relief at hearing from her, safe and sound, takes precedence.

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