Page 40 of Lucky Star

“I can do that,” I replied without looking up from my hands. Hands that were clenched so tight they felt like my fingers might break.

From this day forward, I’d never look at Broderick the same way again. And not viewing him as a friend or an ally, I realized, allowed me to approach this conversation as the business transaction it really was. I looked up. “How does this affect my pay?”

“Straight to the point. That’s one of the reasons I like working with you so much. I always know where I stand, never worrying you’re thinking one thing but saying another.”

Little did he know I was very good at thinking one thing and saying another. “That’s me,” I responded dryly.

Blinking at the lack of enthusiasm in my response, Broderick said, “Let’s go with an extra twelve thousand a year—that’s one thousand per month—and a bonus based on the performance of the films you work on.”

I’d listened to my dad’s lectures about finances long enough to know how to approach this negotiation. He’s always told me never to accept someone’s first offer, especially since I was a woman. “Let’s say fifteen thousand a year, and I want the bonus structure laid out with exact percentages and dollar amounts before I sign a contract.”

“Thirteen-five on top of your current salary,” Broderick shot back immediately, “plus half a percent of The Ties That Bind’s opening weekend.”

“Domestic or international?” I asked.

“Total. Both domestic and international.”

“Fourteen thousand, plus six weeks of paid vacation a year, and you have yourself a deal,”I tossed out as my final gambit. The vacation ask was a bit extreme, but I hadn’t gone on one in years.

He crossed his arms and peered at me through shrewd eyes. “I’ll tell you what, Sarah. You’re giving up a lot for this movie, so let’s make it the fourteen thousand, plus the half percent for opening weekend, four weeks of paid vacation, and I’ll throw in an all-expenses-paid week at our place in Maui.”He stuck his hand out for me to shake, and I was assailed with feelings of doubt.

If he hadn’t thrown in that bit about me giving up a lot, I might have been able to convince myself this was a performance-based promotion.

Might have.

But then memories of Cameron openly flirting with Jillian and then walking out of the conference room without so much as a backward glance bombarded me. For a very brief moment, I was half tempted to tell Broderick to stop fucking around and just offer me two million dollars to walk away completely. I wouldn’t have taken the money, but it would have been amazing to see the look on his face. Because we both knew everything we were discussing right now was really just hush money.

“You know what? I think you can do better. Like you said, I’m giving up a lot here. Make it worth my while.”

The color drained from Broderick’s face, and he swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing. He cleared his throat. “I have to admit, I didn’t see that coming.”

I smirked. “I know. You thought I’d just roll over and accept you ruining my life.”

“That’s not what we’re trying to do here.”

“I don’t care if it’s what you’re trying to do or not, it’s what’s happening. You may not have noticed, but Cameron wouldn’t even look at me back there.” I flung my arm out, pointing in the direction of the conference room. “You guys did this.”

Broderick sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “How can I make this right?”

“You can’t, Broderick.”

“So, what are you saying then?” He shuffled a pile of papers on his desk, avoiding my angry gaze.

“I’m saying we both know this isn’t a real promotion, and that all this talk of raises and bonuses is your way of keeping me quiet. You can’t fire me, because you know I could sue you. So instead, you want to pay me for my silence.”

“Okay, fine. You’re right. Are you happy now?” he asked, his eyes glinting with anger. Broderick hated being challenged, and that it was his assistant doing the challenging did not sit well with him.

“I don’t care how you structure the deal, or what sort of contracts you have to get drawn up, but I want two-hundred-and-fifty-thousand-dollars.”

“That’s ludicrous,” he bit out from between clenched teeth, his face turning crimson.

“What’s ludicrous is I haven’t called a lawyer yet. Or, called all my new blogger friends and told them Jillian and Cameron’s relationship is just for show so you can manipulate audiences.”

He sputtered, and the pulse in his neck thumped wildly. I knew he wanted to argue—to tell me to go fuck myself—but if he’d had me between a rock and a hard place before, I’d done the same to him just now. He was getting off easy, and he knew it. Because if I really wanted to, I could take down this movie.

He nodded once. “Fine. I’ll have the lawyers draw up the contract. Now get the fuck out of my office.”

“Gladly.”

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