Page 107 of Falling Like Stars

She gives a maddeningly little smug tilt of her lips and a shrug. “Oops.”

I stare at her for a moment. A million emotions are at war, but none of them win. I’m just numb. I right the chair I knocked over and sink into it, hold my head in my hands.

“Jesus, Eva. You made me think I was going to be a dad in the most fucked up way.”

“Oh, Zach…”

I hear her come from around the counter to kneel in front of me, her hands on my thighs.

“I’m sorry it went down like that. I didn’t mean—”

“Don’t fucking touch me,” I snarl, brushing her hands away, my eyes glassy. “You didn’t mean…what? Tell me exactly what you’re sorry about, Eva.”

Her face crumples and she begins to cry. “You’re so angry with me. Like you hate me. And I’m sorry that things got so bad between us. But it’s only because I felt like I was being abandoned by Hollywood. And you. We were both in the spotlight and it was so warm there, you know? I was popular and in demand, and then it all started to go away. Do you know what that’s like? To have a taste of that fame and then watch it wither and die? It made me crazy.”

I sit back in the chair, hands clutching the arm rests, staring, unmoving.

“But you and I, we’re good together. You know that,” she says through tears. “I want you back.”

Tentatively she takes one of my hands. I snatch it away.

“You’ve got to be joking.”

“You know we’re a better fit than some poor girl off the street. No one understands the stresses of our business like me. No one understands you like I do. No one can ever love you like I do.”

I shake my head slowly. “You don’t love me, Eva. I don’t know what you think you’re doing, but it’s fucking sick. I think you’re sick and you need help.”

I pull away from her grasping hands and head for the door.

“I need help?” she shrieks in a sudden fury. “How dare you! You’re the one who needs help, Zach. You’re the one who’s terminally pathetic. You have everyone fooled. Hollywood’s golden boy when actually, you’re a pussy who can’t get it up.”

I ignore her and keep going. I got what I came for.

“If you leave like this,” she seethes, “I’ll make it so much worse. You know I can.”

I turn.

Eva’s beside the counter, arms crossed, trembling with rage. “I’m sure The Scandal Sheet would love to hear all about how the magnificent Zachary Butler’s new girlfriend is a thief.”

Calmly, quietly, I pull my phone from my top jacket pocket. I turn it to face her, so she can see that Voice Memo is still recording, then I hit stop.

“I have you on here, admitting to physical abuse and attempted assault. Admitting that Laurent has stolen before. That he’s stolen from Rowan. If you or he even think about publicly accusing her of anything, I’ll ruin both your careers.”

The color drains from Eva’s face.

“You’re also going to clear up the rumor about the pregnancy,” I continue. “You’re going to tell everyone about your friend’s ‘baby shower.’ If you don’t, I’ll send a copy of this memo to The Scandal Sheet, Inside Edition, Perez Hilton… Hell, I’ll take out an ad in Variety and post the transcript. But before I do any of that, Eva, I’m going to take this straight to Rob and hit play.”

“You’re pitiful, Zach,” she breathes, jaw quavering. “You’re going to share with the world how a big strong guy like you got slapped by little ole me? You’re going to accuse me of sexual assault? Who is going to care? Or believe you? You’re six-two…and I’m…but you couldn’t stop it?”

“I was fucking drunk, Eva. If the situation were reversed, would it be okay? If I screamed at you all night, slapped you around, then fucked you while you were passed out, would we be having this conversation?”

“It’s not the same for a man…”

“Yeah, keep telling yourself that,” I say, stuffing the phone in my jacket pocket. “Set the record straight about the pregnancy and clear Rowan’s name. I’m not fucking around. You have twenty-four hours.”

I turn to go.

“Give me that phone, Zach,” she says, and there’s real fear in her voice for the first time.

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