Page 49 of Ignacio

“I see them,” she murmured, her voice steady despite the sudden awareness prickling her skin. She hoped the photos were flattering. She had her hair secured in a ponytail and had kept her makeup minimal.

“The pictures will work in our favor. Keep the conversation alive about us.”

Delta nodded. “True,” she said, though she didn’t know how to feel about their situation anymore. They were having sex, kissing, and touching like a normal couple, and Ignacio expressed concern for her as a caring lover would.

A couple of days ago, she caught him staring at her, and when their eyes met, he simply smiled. Later that evening, he tried toconvince her to tell him who had hurt her at sixteen, but she refused. She would never tell.

She wanted to forget the worst day of her life. She had done a lot of work to move past the trauma, but she was also afraid—of what Ignacio would do.

She cast a sidelong glance at him.

If he went after this man, there could be repercussions for her and her family right when her career was picking up again. There could be repercussions for Ignacio too. The executive was powerful and his influence far-reaching. He had much more power and influence than when he had abused her, and he could jeopardize Ignacio’s deal with Brockwell Media and harm his career in other ways.

After a short drive, they arrived at the restaurant, and Randall and Ava stepped out of their respective vehicles. Randall led the way inside, with Ava following behind Delta and Ignacio.

They entered the small restaurant with its dingy glass windows and a handwritten sign near the door announcing the day’s specials. The low hum of conversation mixed with the sizzle from the open kitchen, where a cook flipped slices of beef on the grill, and from which the scent of savory spices floated through the air. A narrow counter ran along one wall, lined with jars of homemade kimchi and pickled radishes.

A young waitress greeted them with a nod as she stacked bowls onto a tray. Then she paused and stared at them for a moment. Delta recognized the expression. She was starstruck—shocked to see them enter the establishment.

The waitress snapped out of her trance and told them to take any free booth. Most of them had cracked vinyl seats, some patched with duct tape. Delta and Ignacio found a table near the back and sat across from each other, with their bodyguards taking a table nearby. Delta took a moment to peruse the laminated menu she pulled from a rack on the table.

Despite the humble surroundings, the food was as delicious as dishes in any Michelin-starred restaurant. When she had visited in the past, she had waited in the car while an assistant or one of her bodyguards came inside to pick up the order she had placed over the phone. The restaurant wasn’t very crowded at the moment because it was after two o’clock, but around lunchtime, every table would be occupied, and one time she had seen a line out the door.

After a few minutes, the same waitress came and took their order. To her credit, she left them alone without mentioning that she recognized either of them.

“So, are you going to keep me in suspense? How did the meeting with King Brockwell go today?” Delta asked.

Ignacio’s team and the Brockwell team had been negotiating over the past couple of weeks. He had gone to their offices today to sign the contracts and take promotional photos.

“All done. We signed the contracts.”

Delta gasped and let out a little squeal. Ignacio laughed at her reaction.

“So it’s a done deal?” she asked.

“It’s a done deal.”

“Oh my goodness!” She covered his hands with hers. “Congratulations, baby.”

As soon as the endearment left her mouth, she realized how it sounded—intimate, familiar, something a girlfriend would say.

Her cheeks warmed, and she immediately wished she could take back her outburst. She tried to pull her hands back, but he grabbed them, holding her in place. His light eyes searched hers, and she inhaled, holding her breath, wondering what he would say.

“Thank you.”

Phase one of their agreement was complete. He had officially secured funding. Next, she had to finish her album and release a single. “When do you expect to start filming?”

“King has a writer in mind to look at the script and make revisions. Once we’re in pre-production, there’s a lot of work to do—assembling the rest of the cast, scouting locations, and working on the shooting schedule. I don’t expect us to start production until next year, after I’m finished with my next film.”

“But you should have the movie shot, edited, and released in time for awards season, like he wants?” Delta asked.

“I don’t see why not. With an indie film, we won’t have the same restrictions as a big production.”

The waitress arrived with their drinks, and Ignacio released Delta’s hands. Feeling bereft, she sipped her soda, fighting the urge to reach for him again.

“How do you feel about the album?”

“Good and bad—mostly good. I still haven’t decided on a name yet, but I’m tossing around a few ideas. I also have a couple of songs I want to include that I wrote. I talked to Dad about it, but…” She shook her head.

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