Page 91 of Off Script

Jada’s pen froze midair. “Excuse me?” she said with a tight smile. Avery gave one back, a disappointed gleam in her eye.

“I know that you saw Daniel at Tristan’s premiere. Seriously, Jada. You think you could say a simple hello instead of screaming and storming out in tears.”

“In tears?” Jada repeated.

“Bawling like a baby in the theater. It’s entirely unprofessional and uncalled for. Especially since Daniel went there to make amends.”

Jada set the pen down, steeling herself.

“You know what’s unprofessional, Avery? You. Every fucking thing about you.”

“What did you say?” Avery gasped at Jada’s boldness. Without a doubt, none of Avery’s clients had ever spoken to her this way. But for Jada, it was long overdue—and felt damn good.

“You heard me. You treat me like shit, all because you think I wronged you.”

“Where are you going with this little tantrum, Jada?” The agent had reined in her shock and was now reclining in her chair with seeming indifference. But there was an edge to her voice as her eyes darted away from Jada’s accusatory glare.

“You know exactly what I mean. I made you look bad by secretly dating your son and supposedly almost destroyingFallen Creatures.But guess what? My mistakes don’t justify your son’s indiscretions. They don’t absolve him, and you don’t get to punish me in his place.”

As the truth poured out of Jada, she felt the burdens she’d been carrying for so long finally lifting. She’d dealt with Daniel and confessed to Tristan. At last, she’d worked up the courage to confront Avery, to reveal the real reasons behind the woman’s resentment. Avery kept up the charade on her end, examining Jada coldly.

“Trust me, Jada. I don’t spend my spare time thinking of ways to sabotage you. You do that all on your own.”

“Maybe so,” Jada admitted. “But that doesn’t change the fact you are asuckyagent. That you have never pulled your own damn weight in this relationship.”

Avery’s face turned a very interesting shade of maroon. Jada had struck the nerve to set off the agent’s powder keg. The older woman shot up out of her chair, attempting to tower over Jada.

“That’s it! You can’t talk to me like that! You’re—”

“Fired? Never going to work in this town again?” Jada jumped up from her chair as well, staring her fearsome adversary down.

“No, Avery.You’refired. You don’t own me, Bitchery Kane. And I’ll be damned if I let you run my life—or my career—anymore.”

“Well, we’ll just see what Logan Wentworth has to say about that,” Avery shot back.

“Don’t worry. I’ll let you know,” Jada said, waving her cell phone at her.

Then she turned on her heel and marched out of that office like a fucking boss and loving every minute of it. As she made her way out of the building, she managed to nab Logan’s assistant and explain her situation. The CliffsNotes version, of course. The lady was perfectly pleasant, saying how Logan had mentioned his desire to work with Jada. She assured Jada he’d still be open to signing her, and to let them know if she found different representation.

At “different representation,” only one name came to mind. After a few excruciatingly long rings, Doug picked up her call.

“Jada! It’s great to hear from you.”

“Really?” she said, surprised.

“Why the shock, lollipop?”

“One, please don’t ever call me that again. And two, didn’t Tristan tell you?”

At Doug’s obliviousness, Jada took a deep breath and launched into the torrid story all over again. Doug also made the pertinent exclamations at the right moments.

“So, you see why I’m in a bit of a pickle,” she said as she reached the end of her recap. “I don’t want to stir up anything between you and Tristan, but I also can’t go back to Avery. But honestly, if we’re talking cold, hard business, you know taking me on is a good deal.”

“That it is.” Doug hummed in agreement.

“I want this job, Doug, and I also want you as my new agent.”

“Why, Jada! That’s the surest I’ve ever heard you sound about anything.”

---