Page 45 of Broken Rules

“I don’t have to do a damn thing,” I reminded him.How was I so blind?I couldn’t really blame him.He was only behaving as his nature made him.I was the one who walked willingly into the trap.Forcing myself to forget everything I knew, and for what?A big dick?I had betrayed myself, and now there was a ruined movie to show for it.

“I didn’t do that.”When I laughed at his lies, he grunted out, “Summer, I swear, I didn’t!”

“So it was magic?The movie I made, a movie with heart and soul and intelligence, mysteriously turned into a brainless, testosterone-fueled mess?You expect me to believe that?How gullible do you think I am?No, don’t answer that,” I added, almost spitting the words.“I know exactly how stupid you think I am.”

He blew out a trembling breath and was quieter when he spoke again.“Please, let me explain.I know, I should’ve told you?—”

“So you admit this has your fingerprints all over it!“

“No, dammit, that’s not what I mean.Yes,” he barked out.“I knew the sort of movie Dad wanted.The studio needs a win.But all these months, I’ve bent over backward trying to convince him the movie you made is that win.”When I didn’t react right away, he asked, “Why don’t we sit down?”He even had the nerve to gesture toward the sofa, like I was going to be so easily placated into having a sit-down talk where he would undoubtedly feed me more lies.

And damn him, I wanted to believe them, which was why I couldn’t give him the chance.“I have nothing to say to you,” I whispered, shaking my headandbacking away when he reached for me.

His arms dropped to his sides.“I’ve been behind you from the beginning.”

“There’s a joke.”I snarled.“From the beginning, you told me who my cast would be.What my timeline was.I’m supposed to believe you didn’t go in and edit my film until it’s practically Swiss cheese?I lost count of all the plot holes now that scenes were taken out and moved around!It doesn’t make any goddamn sense!”It came out as a cry straight from my heart, and I wasn’t only talking about the movie.Nothing made sense anymore.

When all he did was stand there with his mouth hanging open, bitter tears welled in my eyes.He had no defense because there was none.He knew what he had done.He knew what it meant.Between hitching, silent sobs, I whispered, “I will never forgive you for this.”

He pushed up his sleeves, grunting as he did.Glaring at me now that he knew his lies wouldn’t get him anywhere.“I’ve been fighting for this movie from the beginning.I refused to give my father what he wanted.I only wanted the movie you wanted to make, Summer.I don’t give a shit whether or not you believe me.It’s the truth, and I know it.I guess that will have to be enough.”

“Oh, you fucking hero.”I smirked, giving him a slow clap.“And when they make a movie of your life, who do you think will play you?I mean, a story like this should be shared with the world.Make sure they include the gripping climax where you climb over my carcass to claim your place at the head of the studio.”

“Sure.Take it out on me.”He sneered.“The only goddamn person who’s been on your side through all of this.”

“Newsflash, genius!You have not been on my side because you allowed that to happen!I don’t care if you did it yourself or not, it happened under your nose.You’re supposed to be fighting for us!”

Before he could plead with me and insist he had, I held up my hands in surrender.“You know what?Save yourself the trouble.I don’t want you to fight for me, and I don’t need you to.I forgot I’ve never been able to depend on anybody but myself.But thank you for the reminder,” I concluded.“Get the hell out of my sight.”

“You think it’s that easy?”he demanded as his face darkened along with his eyes.“You think I’m going to just let you walk away?”

“You don’t have a choice.”I was almost sorry for him.He was that deluded, that sure of his power over me.

My reaction made him growl before he muttered, “Remember, you’re contracted.The press junket.The premiere.”

Dear God.I was so busy falling apartthatI forgot all about that.The idea of sitting around and pretending to be proud of the piece of shit I was just forced to watch made my stomach turn.“No way.I’m not doing it.”

“It’s nice that you think you have a choice, but you don’t.”He shrugged, folding his arms.At the end of the day, it was always going to boil down to the studio and his image and money.

“Sue me.What the hell do I care?No, you know what?”I asked when a better idea came to mind.“Aside from what I’ve spent already and the money I used to pay Claudia, you can have the rest back.The entire balance of my fee for this film.I’ll pay the rest back if I have to.That’s how determined I am to have nothing to do with any of this.”

“You would do that?You would shoot yourself in the foot just to prove a point?”Before I could answer, he shook his head.“What the hell am I saying?Of course, you would.This is who you’ve always been.Listen to me.”He surprised me by approaching, the urgency in his voice written on his face.I backed away again, bringing him to a halt before he sighed.“What I saw back there?It makes me sick to see what they did.But I am not giving you permission to walk away.You don’t get to wash your hands of this.”

“What are you, my father?Don’t tell me what you will or won’t give me permission to do!”Could people hear us outside?Did I care?Hell, I hoped they did.All those people walking around, kissing his ass, treating him like the second coming.They deserved to know what a spineless, cowardly piece of shit he actually was.

His shoulders heaved.His hands tightened into fists.“You know it won’t be that easy.Though the way you’re acting, it might be better if you don’t participate in the press junket.”Still, his eyes narrowed in a steely glare.“But you will show up at the premiere, and you will play nice.The rest of it, we can brush under the rug.”

“Yes, I’m sure you’re very good at that.”

“Don’t do this,” he whispered, like a last-ditch effort.“Don’t push me away.We need each other now.We can find a way out of this.”

Wouldn’t that be nice?To fall into his arms and believe whatever he said.To betray myself again.“You can take your false promises and shove them up your ass,” I whispered back.

“But…” he blew out a deep breath, trembling, “… I love you.”His voice was soft, desperate, vulnerable, and it almost was my undoing.There was no way I could survive.Not once I heard those words come out of his mouth.

I love you too.My heart screamed it loud enough that I was surprised he couldn’t hear.“Another lie,” I whispered, making him cringe.“Love?”I snorted out, throwing my hands up as if the universe had just cracked a cosmic joke.“Well, that’s another lie.The only person you love is your goddamn self!”

My bag was on my chair.I grabbed it, as it was the only thing in the room that was really mine.My laptop and everything else were at the apartment.“As for me, I’m going home where I belong.See you at the premiere, Mr.Landry.”

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