Page 89 of Overexposed

He shifted his position to meet my gaze with his unreadable expression. “Then prove it, Stray.”

It was my turn to stare at him. “Excuse me?”

The corner of his mouth kicked upward. “You heard me.” Then he picked up my bowl of cereal and handed it over. “You shouldn’t let those get too soggy.”

“I won’t. I don’t use too much milk anyway.” Then as if to prove the point, I took a crunchy bite of the cereal. It bought me a little time to consider my next words. I glanced at the photos again, then Seven.

His eyebrows raised in silent challenge. “Are you up for the task or not?”

I scoffed, nearly choking on my delicious cereal. “I’m more than up for it. But I need to get a studio. If we’re doing it, we’re going to do it the right way.”

“You can’t just take the photos here? We have light. You have a camera, a shiny brand-new one thanks to the bullet holes you’re putting in my bank account.” There was just a touch of mocking to his tone.

I shrugged, not rising to the bait. “Sure I could. But it wouldn’t be my best work. If you want me to play, then we do it my way or we don’t do it at all. Honestly, Seven, I have nothing I need to prove to you so if you’re happy to letNotorietypublish that crap…have at it.”

Folding his arms, Seven tucked his chin for a moment. He seemed to be calming himself, smoothing over his irritation. When he raised his head, he seemed far more patient.

The desire I had to pop that mood and make him lose his temper wasrightthere. It actually caused me some physical pain to bite back the urge.

His expression was back to carefully neutral again, making me remember how very different he was to Gem. His twin was an open book, all the time. “Tell me what you need and I’ll make it happen.”

Well, shit, he must see how bad those images are after all.I wasn’t about to deal with him booking some random studio. He knew all about film and the conditions it took to get the right lighting. If he didn’t, he should.

No, he just wanted control back and to probably make me prove myself in some shitty environment with fluorescent lights or some crap. Absolutely not.

“How about I just tell you whenandwhere to be, what to wear, and what to do? Will that work for you, Spawn? Because if not”—I pushed the shitty photos across the table to him again—“Janice has you sorted.”

“Fine,” he said with gritted teeth. “Dazzle me with your brilliance.”

“As if that will be hard.” I pulled out my phone, scrolled through my contacts, then called in a favor. The whole time I spoke to the studio owner, I could practicallyfeelSeven trying to figure out what the rub was, what game I was playing.

“Sunday afternoon?” I flicked a look at Seven. He nodded his head slowly. Good to know. “I get the whole place, no one else?” The affirmatives were the answers I was waiting for. “I’ll cash app the money to you. Thanks, Patton!”

Off the call, I pocketed the phone and reclaimed my cereal. “Sunday afternoon.”

“So I heard,” he said. “What time?”

“Noon until seven. But I can extend it to nine if I give them ninety minutes’ notice.”

“Think I’m going to need that much time?”

“Honestly? The thought had occurred. You seem to be as good of a model as you are an actor from what I saw.” Then I took a bite of the cereal before it really did lose the crunch.

He huffed, but it held an edge of amusement. “Am I going to need a safe word?”

I glared at him. “Don’t push it, Spawn.”

chapter

thirty-three

Stella

Iworked miracles this week, including sitting through the weirdest “publicity” date with Seven so far.Instead of an event, private home, or restaurant, we’d gone to a regular movie theater where they were airing a Seven Harrison marathon. We were seated near the back—the last row had clearly been set aside for us. Unfortunately, with Gem tied up on set once more as Seven’s stunt double, I actually had to attend these dates with Seven himself, rather than Shadow Seven—as Gem jokingly called himself.

The first movie to air was the schlockiest, most insane fantasy movie I’d ever seen. I barely recognized any of them from their parts. Gem and Seven shared the role of the prince, until the prince was cursed. Then Seven and Gem battled outsiders and each other as the competing parts of the prince’s personality. As for Ollie? I may never let him live down the pageboy haircut they made him wear.

Overall it was ridiculously cheesy and kind of adorable.

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