Page 18 of Dirty Big Sins

“Not really,” I lied. “I know enough now to know I need to stay away from him.”

She sighed, looking disappointed. I didn’t like that look. It made me wary. As I bit at my lower lip, I barely refrained from questioning her further. No matter how much I tried, I did want to know everything.

Luckily, she let it go and I sat still and quiet for the remaining ride trying to get my thoughts back under control.

By the time we got to the club, made it inside and got settled into the VIP section we were given, my anxiety had risen to the point I needed a much stronger drink. The girls mistook my rapid downing of two shots and a cocktail as a desire to party hard, but I wasn’t going to correct them now.

“Uh oh. Look who’s here,” Julie said from the railing overlooking the rest of the packed club. “I probably should have told you he’s been texting and calling since before we ate dinner...”

My muscles seized as I turned in the direction my assistant was watching, frightened beyond belief of what I’d find.

It wasn’t what I expected. Instead of finding Vincent striding through the door, determination stamped across his face, I found Zack and our lead cameraman. Something akin to relief swept through me as I watched both men make their way through the club and up the stairs to where we were stationed.

“Zack, what are you doing here?” I whispered, even though I didn’t need to ask. Logan, our head camera operator, had one of his smallish handheld cameras in his hand already filming.

“If you’d answer your phone or read the million text messages I sent you, you would know.” His normal go with the flow attitude had disappeared as he stared at me with obvious frustration coming from him in waves.

“Shit. I left my phone in the suite. I needed a break from the world. I didn’t even think about the fact you might need something tonight. What’s going on?”

“The network’s not happy with the lack of footage we have so far. They’ve been up my ass for a week to send them something from the kitchen. The kitchen you have refused to set foot in.”

“I’ve been working my ass off. Not everything about this job is glamorous or exciting. A lot of it is paperwork and bullshit.”

Now I was getting angry. I’d needed this time to not only take care of some of the many mundane details, but also as a break from the spotlight. At least until the news about Vincent began to settle down. Supposedly, news like this never lasted long. Just until the next big thing came along. But nothing bigger had materialized and the last thing I needed was some intern putting two and two together and figuring out I was the female in that shit show.

“As cute as you are in pajamas working from your suite, it didn’t exactly make for spellbinding television. We need more action.”

“Fine. Tomorrow morning we can shoot something new. In the restaurant. Whatever it takes to get them off your back.”

Zack shook his head. “It’s too late.”

My stomach sank. “What do you mean? Did they cancel us?”

“What’s wrong?” Nina touched my arm. “Is everything okay?”

No. I wanted to scream the word. Cancellation was my worst nightmare. Or so I thought.

“You were supposed to let me tell her,” Julie hissed, interrupting the conversation.

“You’re obviously taking too long,” Zack fired back.

“Oh my God. Tell me what? Someone needs to let me know what the hell is happening.” My voice rose and more of the women turned their attention toward us. None of which calmed the rising panic currently seizing my stomach.

“Zia, honey. Take a breath.”

I glared at Julie. “If you tell me to calm down, you’re fired.”

She raised her hands in surrender and clamped her lips together.

“The network has decided to exercise their contractual rights and make some changes to the show. They’ve hired someone new to co-star, and in their words, light a fire under you.”

“Wait. What the hell does that mean? Who? Why?”

Zack took a cautious step back at the alarm in my rapid-fire questions. “Another chef. He’s going to be your designated sous chef.”

The blood drained from my face at the same time my blood pressure rose. “Well, that’s not happening. No one is stepping foot in my kitchen that I didn’t vet first. Absolutely out of the question.”

Zack looked downright ill as did Julie. There was more they weren’t yet telling me and I wasn’t going to like it.

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