Page 89 of Her Dark Angel

But the berating and hurtful words still linger back there, next to the demons licking their lips, waiting for a chance to throw the words back at me.

“I had nothing to do with Nash getting caught by the paps,” I say through gritted teeth. “I don’t know what happened, okay? But the photos are out there now, so all that’s left to do is damage control.”

“You could be doing more, Kin,” Mom presses, her voice slightly strained. “You need to protect your image as it’s the most important thing you have right now. If your image goes down the toilet because of that man, then you can kiss any future projects goodbye. Fix this.”

There she goes again with the public image rant. I could recite it word for word at this point. It’s ingrained in my mind—a constant reminder of what I am to my mother. I’m nothing more than a means for them to get money into their bank account. If I don’t book new jobs, then they get nothing.

That’s all I’ll ever be to them.

“I’ve got to go, Mom. I’ll talk to you later.”

When the conversation ends, I blow out a long breath and close my eyes. My mother’s reaction just now is the reason why I have been avoiding her calls. I knew she would act this way and, after what happened with Nash, it was the last thing I wanted to deal with.

I barely get through a full minute of breathing quietly when a knock sounds at my door. Lifting my head, I spot Wesley standing in the doorway, awkwardly rubbing his hands together.

God, it’s just one thing after the other today.

“Hey,” he says casually with a dorky smile. “I just want to congratulate you on finishing the movie. I think we created something amazing together.”

Despite my feelings toward him, I can’t deny this film is going to be great once it hits theatres. Our on-screen chemistry is a stark contrast to our relationship in real life. I was pleasantly surprised at how easily we gelled together when the cameras were rolling.

“Yeah, you too,” I say with a small smile.

He steps further into the room, his brown eyes trained on me. “Are you okay, Kin?”

I blink at him. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

Wesley scratches the back of his head, his eyes unable to meet mine. “Well, I saw what happened with Nash on the news. I wanted to make sure you’re okay. You haven’t talked about it at all since it happened.”

I haven’t seen Nash since I confronted him the night the photos hit the tabloids because my schedule has been so crazy.

It was all a blur, really.

I was filled with so much rage I couldn’t see straight. I couldn’t believe he would be so stupid to fuck up our deal like that. But I was more angry at the fact it happened the next morning after I gave myself fully to him.

When I saw those photos while on break at work… I felt like a fool for lowering my walls and allowing him in. I was hurt, to say the least.

I still am.

The annoying part is I know I shouldn’t be surprised because it’s a typical Nash Beck move, but I was naive enough to think he had changed.

I’m such a fucking idiot.

I swallow hard and lean back on the couch. “I’m fine, Wesley. You don’t need to worry about me.”

“I should worry about you,” he insists, his voice firmer than usual. “You’re dating a washed-up rockstar who clearly doesn’t care about you.”

My mouth falls open. In the time I’ve been working with Wesley, I have never so much as heard him raise his voice before, so to hear him speak this way is a shock to the system.

“Wesley, don’t speak about him like that.” The instinct to defend Nash kicks into overdrive. Nash may have hurt me, but I won’t allow Wesley of all people to speak badly about him. “You don’t know him.”

“I know enough about him to know he will only end up breaking your heart.” His brows are creased as his eyes bore into mine. “He only cares about himself, Kinsley. Nash Beck goes through women like he does toothbrushes, so don’t think you’re so different. Sooner or later, he’s going to break you.” A humorless laugh slips past his lips as he shakes his head. “It’s no wonder Nash doesn’t love you. How can a man whose parents didn’t even love him love someone else?”

Anger bubbles deep within my soul. The fucking audacity of this man to speak such words about someone he doesn’t know has me seeing red.

I slowly stand, my eyes locked with Wesley’s. It’s taking everything in me not to unload the anger bursting at the seams on him because that wouldn’t be professional. Even though Wesley overstepped a boundary with his words, I’m not going to stoop to his level. No matter how much I want to.

“You need to leave.” The venom dripping from my words shocks me, but I carry on. Pain shoots up my arms due to the pressure of my nails embedded deep into the palm of my hands. “You can take your opinions about Nash and get out of my dressing room. Now. We’re done here.”