Page 50 of Overexposed

“Is he always like that?” Stella asked, staring after Seven with a curl to her lip that said everything about how very little she cared for him. With how he treated her, I couldn’t say I was shocked.

“Yes,” Gem said, right at the same time as I said no.

Rolling my eyes, I grabbed wineglasses out from behind the bar in the side of our living room. “Gem, don’t be an ass. Sev is just…a little upset about the whole Clara Belle situation.”

Stella wrinkled her nose. “Why? She’s awful.”

Gem snickered, rubbing his cheek. “You can say that again. He’s not actually upset. He’s just pissed off because Clara knew perfectly fucking well that was me in the photos and broke up with him anyway, because it painted her as a victim and that, in turn, gave her a boost in popularity.”

“Sounds like he should be thanking me, then,” she muttered, wandering closer to where I was pouring our wine. “I’m only staying for one glass, okay? I still need to drive home.”

I smiled back at her. “Sure. One glass.” Then I proceeded to hold eye contact as I filled hers well above the waist of the glass, pouring until it almost touched the rim.

She pursed her lips like she was trying not to laugh as she shook her head. “Did no one ever teach you how to pour wine, Ollie? That’s a pour that’d get you fired in most bars.”

I shook my head. “Actually, no. We all missed out on a lot of those life skills.”

She winced, clearly thinking she’d hit a nerve, since the twins and I had all started our acting careers as literal toddlers. It was all we’d ever known, and it was no secret that we’d been well intomillionaire status before we were even old enough to get a “first job” like most teens.

“I’m teasing, Snow,” I reassured her softly, offering her the overfull glass of wine. “I just want an excuse to keep you here.”

“Flirt,” she accused, then took a sip of the French chardonnay I’d chosen. “Ooh, this is good.”

Gem’s phone started to play a happy little tune, pulling both our attention as he fished it out to scowl at the screen. It was after midnight, so the only people calling him at this time would be a headache.

“No…” he groaned, reading the caller ID. “Goddamn it. Hello, Ricky, what’s happened?”

Well, that couldn’t be good. But on the other hand, at least it wasn’t Jerry calling with some wild scandal hitting the morning papers. “Ricky is the stunt coordinator onKeeper’s Pursuit,” I explained to Stella as she watched Gem curiously. “They’re meant to be filming a scene tonight with Seven’s new stunt double.”

She blinked a couple of times, with those sexy, long lashes framing her green eyes beautifully. “Gem isn’t doubling for him anymore?”

Ah. I forgot that news hadn’t broken to the media just yet. “Not…really. But that’s in the vault, all right?” I shot her a wink and she smiled back as Gem wandered away to continue his conversation with Ricky. “Gem has been trying to separate himself from Seven’s career for a while, butKeeper’s Pursuitis the first time he’s refused the job entirely. Things are not going great with his replacement, though.”

“You’re joking!” Gem exclaimed to whatever Ricky’d just said. “Well, shit, what do you want me to—” Pause, then deep scowl and a regretful glance Snow’s way. “Come on, man, right now? I’m not even totally sober so?—”

Ricky must have started talking again, and I knew Gem would give in. Everyone working theKeeper’sfranchise knew exactly how to push his buttons. As much as they butt heads, they were still identical twins and loved each other fiercely. Seven was the whole reason Gem hadn’t quit show business way back when they got emancipated from their parents at age fifteen.

“Are they asking him to go to the set?” Stella asked, checking her watch and gasping. “But it’s the middle of the night!”

I nodded. “Time means nothing on set. All that matters is that the lighting is right.”

She seemed genuinely worried as she glanced over at Gem, who was rubbing his eyes as he listened to whatever Ricky was saying. Then he blew out a long sigh. “Fine. I’ll be there in half an hour. You fucking owe me, Ricky.” He ended the call and returned to us with a huge pout on his lips. “Well. This sucks.”

“What happened?” I asked, sipping my own wine as I leaned on the bar top. “Someone break their back?”

Gem huffed a laugh. “I would rather that’s what happened. Jean-Claude, my replacement, is apparently allergic to latex. He’s broken out in a huge rash and can’t wear the makeup that actually makes him passable as Seven.”

I scoffed, shaking my head. “What’s the stunt scene they need to film?”

Gem raked his fingers through his hair, messing it up in a way Seven would never be caught dead doing. It always confused me how people couldn’t tell them apart. Physically, yes, they were identical. But they werenothingalike.

“Car chase, flip, and wreck.”

“What?” Stella squeaked. “That sounds dangerous.”

Gem’s lips curled in a sly grin. “That’s the job, Slick. It should be a quick one. I reckon I can get it nailed in less than five takesand be back before you finish that glass of wine, which looks like it was poured by a fucking firehose.”

I snickered. “Five takes with Tai Sun Yamato as your director? Good luck, bro. You’ll be lucky to escape with less than fifteen.”

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