Page 42 of Beautifully Scarred

I suck in deliberate breaths until sleep overcomes me.

Chapter Seventeen

JIMMY

“And cut,” Scott says. “That was great, you two.”

“Thanks,” I say.

“Why don’t you guys take a quick break while we set up our next shot?” he says.

“Perfect. I need to use the facilities,” Adelaide says.

We smile at each other and she heads off, which is perfect for me.

I left Keane in my trailer when I was called to set early and I’m hoping he’s still there so we can finish our discussion. I jog off the soundstage and step out into the bright California sunshine. I race up my trailer’s steps and look inside to see Keane is right where I left him. Sitting on the leather couch, typing something into his phone. The man probably set up his office while I was away.

“Good, you’re still here,” I say, pulling a water from the fridge. “Want one?”

He shakes his head. “Of course I’m still here. It’s not every day you call me down to set, insisting that we talk right away.”

“True enough.” I chug some of the water before catching the dribbles on my chin with my sleeve.

“What’s happened? You knock up the director’s daughter? Piss off Bernie Butler?” he asks, sliding his phone into his interior suit pocket.

“Not exactly.”

His forehead creases. “What is it then?”

I bite the bullet because Keane is my guard. He’ll be able to navigate us through the shitstorm of my life with a clear head. “How much do you know about my childhood?”

He shrugs. “Only what you’ve told me, which is next to nothing.” Keane raises a brow.

“True enough.”

I pause, unsure how much I should reveal. I trust Keane implicitly, but the last thing I want are looks of pity. Besides, it’s not just me giving this confession. By proxy, it’s Lilah too.

I explain my mother leaving and her reason for doing so. I leave out the dirt-poor living on a mountainside part of my history and I mention none of what Lilah had to deal with. Instead I focus on why my mom has been trying to contact me.

“Shit, man. That’s harsh.” He leans forward in his seat, his elbows on his knees.

“Agreed. But I’m not telling you this so you’ll feel sorry for me. I need something from you.”

“Say the word.”

“I need a good lawyer who can draft an agreement that will force my mom to keep her trap shut if I give her what she wants. Then I want an investigator, someone who can keep their mouth shut too, to look into what she’s been up to since she left.” I set the bottle on the kitchen counter and lean back against it with my arms crossed.

“You sure you want to pay her? People don’t usually go away after the first payment.” He pulls out his phone because Keane works fast. A quality I hired him for.

“You let me worry about that. I’m going to make it worth her while.” I push off the counter. “I had better get back to set.”

Keane rises from the couch. “I’ll take care of both for you.”

I clap him on the shoulder. “This is why we work well together. You’re a smart guy.”

He rolls his eyes. “Yeah, yeah. I’ll text you when I have something.”

“Sounds good.”

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