Page 89 of Callback
He slowly lowered my feet back to the ground, his chest heaving, panting, both of us catching our breath. “Now, it’s your turn. Go get ’em, Marlena Taylor.”
*
Two hours later,I was going down the same line of producers and casting directors, shaking hands again.
I paused as I reached Eve, sitting behind the table, spine rigid, and extended my hand to the professional submissive. I’d been shocked when I found Eve in the audition room. But I had only stalled briefly. Only stuttered for a moment before I picked myself up and continued.
Eve took my hand slowly, her frosty pink lips curving into a small smile. “That was incredible, Marly,” she said.
“Thank you, Eve.”
Inailedthe audition. I knew it. Eve knew it. Everyone behind that table had to have felt it. Every line, every movement, every feeling I had in that reading was spot-on. Perfectly imperfect Holly. There was only one problem.
Jude wasn’t here. His absence in the audition was like a storm cloud over my head. Maybe he was too busy managing the PR shitstorm himself? My stomach squeezed in spite of this rational and totally plausible possibility. But something just felt wrong. After how hard he worked to help me land this role? And how adamantly and vehemently he didn’t want Layla to have it? Why would he miss the callbacks?
Maybe he was giving me space—hell, I had askedfor it. And he said he removed himself from casting. Maybe that removal meant he couldn’t be in the audition room at all? But of course, this was my own fault. He had tried to call. He had stopped by. And I had ignored him. I inhaled a deep, calming breath, feeling his absence like a gaping hole in my chest. I assumed that I’d be reading for the role of Holly with Jude.
Richard Blair, the CEO of Silhouette Studios took my hand firmly in his, snapping me out of Jude-infused thoughts. Mr. Blair’s smile was firm as it lifted to his eyes. “That was a damn fine audition, Marlena. I hope you didn’t mind us throwing a few new faces into the mix today,” Richard said, gesturing to Eve and a couple other new people I didn’t recognize. “We thought it would be a good idea to have some people in the lifestyle in the callback room today.”
“It didn’t bother me at all. That’s a great idea,” I said. It would have been better if it was a submissive who didn’t have it out for Jude and his happiness… but my only solace was that however much Eve didn’t like me… she must hate Layla more.
Warmth flowed through my veins like I had taken a shot of tequila. “Thank you so much again,” I said to Mr. Blair, trying not to sound giddy. On one hand, I wished I could have read those lines with Jude. Looked into his eyes as I recited and repeated lines that I now felt in the depths of my soul. On the other hand? Reading the sides with the random production assistant reassured me that I was meant for this role. It reminded me that I was a good actress. It wasn’t just my real feelings for Jude shining through when I read the lines—I had found my inner Holly, even without Jude being front and center.
Richard Blair gave another smile before releasing my hand, and I moved to the last person in the line-up. Ash Livingston.
“Great job, Marlena,” Ash said, taking my hand firmly. He leaned in, whispering, “And don’t worry. Jack’s been officially blacklisted from ever working for Silhouette.”
A blush crawled up my chest, heat flooding my face. Omar had forced me to look at the photos the paparazzi took of Jude and me in bed before I came to the audition. The image from Jude’s bedroom was dark—blurry at best. Jude’s face was clear, but all they could see was my back. All you could see was that Jude was in bed withsomeone.And yet, the magazine still ran the story.
And the photo Jack took in the club was blurry. Just two people making out—one of which looked like Jude and the other looked like a nondescript brunette. Jack’s petty, vindictive bullshit backfired, and not only was he banned from LnS, but apparently Jude had kept his promise and blacklisted Jack from Silhouette.
“Thank you, Mr. Livingston.”
Even though he released my hand, his gaze still bore into mine. “I look forward to seeing you soon.”
I swallowed, ducking from Ash’s gaze. As I dipped my hand into my purse to grab my keys, my fingers brushed the cool metal of Jude’s watch.
The leather pants scuffed against the insides of my thighs with each step, and I could feel Ash’s hot gaze on me as I headed toward the door. My blazer was slung on the chair near the exit. I blinked, swallowed, and turned back, making eye contact with Ash once more before flicking a glance at my jacket and walking out the door, intentionally leaving it behind.
On a slow breath, I counted to ten and as I made my way down the hall, a recognizably husky voice called for me from a few feet away. “Marlena Taylor,” the voice said, low and sultry.
“Layla Hutson,” I whispered, my throat dry as I turned to face the brunette bombshell. And like a bomb, she was just as volatile, ready to explode at any moment and take out everyone in her path.
Even though Layla’s smile was spectacularly beautiful, it was hollow. She flipped her long raven hair behind her shoulder and quirked her red-stained lips in a condescending smirk. “Well, well, well… hello. You must be the woman fucking my husband.” Layla held out a hand and I took it, jaw dropped and speechless.
“Excuse me?”
Layla rolled her eyes. “Oh, sweetie. Come off it. LnS? That dark wig? It’s pretty obvious what you two were up to this past week.”
I swallowed, tipping my chin higher. “We weren’tup toanything,” I said. “And last time I checked, he was yourex-husband.”
Layla checked her reflection with a compact mirror, not even bothering to look up. After smoothing the blood colored stain on her lips, she snapped the compact closed with one hand. “Right, yes. Ex-husband. Whatever.” She snorted a half-laugh kind of thing, her lip curling with it and strode to the door. Pausing, hand to the doorknob, she spun back to face me. “Tell me again—what color was that wig he put on you? And let me guess—red lipstick? Probably—” she tossed me the tube of lipstick she just put on and I caught it, turning it over.
“Sunlit Poppy…” I read aloud the same time Layla said it.
Pushing her bottom lip out, she shot an exaggerated pout toward me. “Don’t be too sad, cupcake. I’m hard to forget. Jude was madly in love with me… and he always will be.”
With a click of her tongue, she moved to pull the door open, but I was there first, slamming it shut before she could go inside. “You know what’s really interesting?” I asked in a whisper. “I actually brought the wig myself. You know, for anonymity’s sake. And when I put on that dark hair and Sunlit Poppy lipstick… he pulled away from me. The first thing he had me do was take off the wig and wash my face before he made love to me. That’s right—made love. He loved you at one point in his life, but believe me… he’s over that.” I smirked and pushed off the door, backing up. “So, yeah… maybe you are hard to forget. But if I had to guess, I’d say it’s for all the wrong reasons.” I tossed the lipstick back to Layla whose mouth hung open like a caught fish.
