Page 90 of Rinkmates

I stand frozen in the doorway, my heart racing as I watch Grace open and close her mouth like a guppy.

“You told her to lose weight?” a producer turns to Grace, and I see her shift in her seat, swallowing her red lips.

“I didn’t call her overweight. She isn’t. Her curves are just gathering an audience we don’t want.”

“Says who?” Riley barks out.

“The comments on each of her videos,” Grace says, but the way she looks makes me believe she actually regrets what she’s said to me.

“Well, then be happy someone is interested in your show. That could change. Especially once they hear how toxic the work environment is,” Riley says.

Grace stays silent.

“This isn’t acceptable,” the director says. “We’re sorry about this, Miss James.”

Riley nods to Grace. “Go on, apologize, or we’re out of here.”

My stomach drops. He can’t say this to her. No.

Finally, Grace nods stiffly. “Understood, Mr. Huntington.” She then looks to me. “I’m sorry, Miss James. It won’t happen again.”

Riley gives a curt nod, his eyes still blazing. “Good. See that it doesn’t.”

He then turns on his heel and stalks out of the office, leaving me to hurry after him once more, but hell, I’m fuming. Tears sting at my eyes, and I don’t know what to say, but I’m ready to kill this man.

He had no right to do this.

I can feel Grace’s wrath brewing. She’s going to make sure I regret this at the next show. I just know it.

Riley gets in the car, but I keep walking on the sidewalk, determined to take the subway. There’s no way I’m getting in that car. He crossed a line—no, he jumped over it and soared farbeyond. Grace is going to hate me for this, and she’ll never forget it. I’m only three shows in. The money I’ve earned so far isn’t nearly enough.

I just can’t believe he did that.

Riley drives alongside me, the window rolling down. “Get in,” he barks out.

“No.”

“I said get in.”

“I said no.” Idiot.

I keep walking, straight ahead.

“Liora, I don’t even know why you think you should be angry with me, but I beg you to get in my car.”

Okay, fine. He asked for it. I can’t hold back any longer. “You shouldn’t have done that,” I burst out, my voice shaking. “What if they fire me now? You had no right to interfere like that, Riley!”

His whiskey eyes are molten with intensity. “They’d be idiots to fire you. You’re their star. And I’m not going to sit back and watch them tear you down. Not now, not ever.”

I shake my head, tears pricking at the corners of my eyes. “It wasn’t your fucking place. As if they’re going to drop this! They are probably writing me out right now! Planning on getting rid of me!”

“It’s a live show. They can’t.”

“Oh, you have no idea what they can do. Of course there are scripted parts.”

“Get in.”

“No!”

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