Page 86 of Overexposed

Stray snorted under her breath and I squeezed her elbow in warning.

“Stella, baby, this is Janice Greenbriar, senior photographer forNotoriety Magazine.”

I’d somewhat expected some fawning or awe for meeting such a well-established and highly regarded photographer. Surely that was the position all paparazzi aspired to? Photographing celebritieswiththeir consent and gaining accolades for their artistic merit, rather than just the salacious content? But Stella just looked Janice up and down and gave a tight-lipped smile.

“Hi,” she offered, folding her arms under her breasts to make it clear she wasn’t going to shake hands or anything.

I wondered briefly, as Janice ushered us inside, whether Stella could sense how little I cared for Janice and was emulating my vibe or if she was just always rude to people she’d never met.

Little explanation was necessary when we entered the studio space, and I was quickly ushered into wardrobe and makeup, leaving Stella to her own devices for a little while. It irritated me that I found myself anxious to know what she was thinking. She remained quiet, sitting on a stack of pallets and watching Janice set up the lighting.

I didn’t like shooting with Janice, butNotorietywas one of the biggest magazines right now. It wasn’t an offer I could turn down easily, so I gritted my teeth and reminded myself I was an adult and a professional as Janice posed me how she wanted.

Janice, unfortunately, liked to behands onwith her posing. I used to think it was just her artistic style, but after speaking with some colleagues, that was not the case.

“Whoa, what the fuck?” Stella exclaimed after twenty minutes into the photoshoot, pullingeveryone’sfocus. I was wearing nothing but a white button-down—unbuttoned—and a pair of white briefs, and trying to keep my head in the zone. Professional. “Did you seriously just adjust the position of Seven’s dick with your hand, Janice?”

The photographer’s spine stiffened and her lips tightened before spinning to face Stray’s accusation. “I posed my model to get a better shot, yes,” she snapped. “Do you have a problem with that?”

Stella’s wide eyes swung to mine, then back to Janice. “Is that a joke? Yes, I have a problem with that. You can’t just grab a man’speniswithout consent, regardless of your profession. What the actual fuck?”

Janice must have been fuming, her shoulders were shaking but she had her back to me. All I could do was shake my head at Stray and silently ask her to let it go. The shoot would be over soon, and we could leave.

I had thought that bringing mygirlfriendwould mean Janice kept her hands to herself. I’d also hoped that theNotorietyeditor was going to be here, so I could introduce Stella and maybe help her get her foot in the door at the magazine. Apparently, I was wrong on both counts.

“I didn’t—” Janice spluttered. “Seven consented to this shoot and as such?—”

“Sev,babe, did you tell Janice it was okay to touch your special place? Are you comfortable with her groping your meat stick in the name of photography?” Stella fluttered her lashes at me, the sarcasm loaded on heavily.

I almost laughed. Almost. It would have been funny if we weren’t literally talking aboutmy dickhere.

“I’d prefer she didn’t,” I admitted out loud, since Stella had already burst this can of worms right open.

Janice whirled back to stare at me in horror, like I’d just accused her of sexual assault. “Well, I never. If that’s how you feel, Seven, then I think we’re done here.”

“Great idea,” Stella agreed, not letting me say otherwise. “And before you go feeling like the victim here, Janice, consider how this all might have played out if the genders were reversed.If an oldermalephotographer was caught adjusting a younger actress’s vagina flapsfor the photos, I seriously doubt that’d be acceptable, do you?”

Janice seemed shocked speechless, as was I.

Stella needed no response, though, striding over to wardrobe and grabbing an armful of my clothes and shoes. “Come on, Seven, we’re leaving. And, Janice? Don’t be shocked when you see Sev’s written complaint to your boss about this inappropriate conduct. Bye!”

Stunned, confused, and bewildered…I followed.

“Stray, what the fuck?” I whispered as we reached my car. I was still in nothing but my underpants and shirt, barefoot, but she wasn’t waiting around for me to dress. The moment I unlocked the car, she was tossing my stuff inside and strapping into her seat.

Shaking my head with disbelief, I just got in and started up the engine, driving us out of the lot.

Neither of us spoke for a good portion of the drive, then I said the only thing that could fully form in my head. “You’re not like other girls, Stella.”

She snort-laughed so hard, I thought she was going to hurt herself, tears leaking from her eyes as she shook with mirth.

“Oh my god, Spawn, do you ever hear yourself speak? I’m just like every other girl. Literally a dime a dozen. If I’mnot like other girls, then you’ve been spending way too much time around vapid airheads like Clara Belle. You’ve lost touch with real women. Don’t worry, precious. I’m here now to bring you back to earth.”

Great. My own personal reality check. Just what I always wanted.

Then, an even more disturbing thought crossed my mind.

Had Stella just saved me from sexual assault? Was I the helpless princess in this fairy tale?Fuck.

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