Page 2 of Threat of Danger
This time, without a weapon, her opponent wasn’t so eager to rush in. He circled with her, looking for an opening.
When he was finally between the edge of the roof and Jess, Jess charged him—full force, full weight. And she kept going, until they were over the edge, nothing but air beneath them. Falling.
Far below, cars inched along in traffic, the crowded sidewalk rushing closer. Then the harness jerked and cut into Jess’s shoulders as the wires caught her weight. Pain shot across her neck muscles as she dangled high above the city.
Breathe.
She didn’t let in the fear that hammered against her brain. If she did, fear would devour her with a thousand sharp teeth.
“Cut!” Marvin Molnar shouted. He was the most sought-after director in Hollywood, with the dark good looks of a marauding Hun and the brain of a true virtuoso.
He directed shoots like the best conductors directed symphonies, acutely aware of a hundred moving pieces and able to hear the notes together as well as each separately. He was able to share a vision of true art that the cast could embody together. Marvin Molnar didn’t simply direct. He inspired. For anyone in the business, working with the forty-year-old director was an honor.
“Well done, Harvey.” He jumped from his director’s chair and strode forward. “Brilliant, Jess.”
The crew behind the cameras clapped, everyone grinning and patting shoulders. They’d been holding their breath. Marvin had left the most dangerous stunt until last. Now—the stunt done—a palpable wave of relief spread through the set.
The tech crew reeled in the lines. Jess and Harvey had solid ground under their feet once again. Dangling over the city was part of the job—high jumps had stopped bothering Jess a long time ago—but she would have been lying if she said she wasn’t glad to be finished. Her gaze immediately sought out Eliot on the sidelines, easily finding those spikes of roasted-chestnut hair, the intent, matching pair of eyes that watched her.
Tonight’s the night.If all went well.
The thought made Jess breathe harder than the flying leap into the abyss had. A date with the man who was technically her boss was a different kind of leap, but no less exhilarating. Blood raced in her veins.Tonight.
The assistants ran over and unhooked the carabiners to untether her and Harvey.
“Thanks.” Even as Jess rolled her shoulders, she was already walking off the set, making room.
Karli Winston took her place, wearing an identical skintight black bodysuit. Karli would perform a toned-down version of the fight, the cameras shooting close-up footage of her famous face.
At age twenty-seven, the actress already had three Oscar nominations and a win. She also had flawless skin, the slimmest of limbs, sultry eyes, and a pouting bottom lip. As soon as she appeared, smiles bloomed wider, and the assistants tripled in number, fawning, nearly bowing.
“Water, Miss Winston?”
“Is the light bothering your eyes, Miss Winston?”
“Does the costume feel all right, Miss Winston?”
Marvin too only had eyes for Karli. The director’s smile turned warmer, more personal. Rumor had it that they were sleeping together.
When Karli appeared, Jess became invisible—as stuntwomen should be, in any case. When the movie played in theaters, if Jess had done her job well, nobody would even know that they’d seen her.
She liked being invisible. She only wished she’d developed the skill sooner. But she cut off that train of thought because it led to the past, and she refused to think aboutthat.
Aron, the new guy on the tech team, passed by her, dragging a coil of black cables, admiration in his brown eyes—not for Karli, but for Jess. He was the exception to the rule. His love was for stunts, not for starlets. He was a wiry twenty-two-year-old geek, still learning the business. He’d been nervous, but his hands had been strong and steady, his focus remarkable.
“Great job.” Jess gave him a thumbs-up. “You handled that like a pro.”
He lit up and blushed at the same time, turning awkward under the praise. “You think so, Miss Taylor? Man, I was scared shitless.” He winced. “Sorry.”
She laughed. “You weren’t scared. You were excited about the opportunity.Restate and reframe.My first stunt coach taught me that.”
“Restate and reframe?”
“You never tell yourself you’re scared. You tell yourself you’re stoked. You tell yourself you’re excited because this is the biggest thing you’ve ever done. You tell yourself that’s not fear pounding in your veins—it’s adrenaline. Your body is giving you a boost and keeping you sharply focused so you’ll succeed.”
He looked ridiculously grateful for the advice, and maybe even a little awed. “Thank you, Miss Taylor.”
She picked up her towel from the ground and wiped her face and neck. “Call me Jess. And, Aron, I’d work with you anytime, anywhere.”
