Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 67510 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 338(@200wpm)___ 270(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67510 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 338(@200wpm)___ 270(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
“Bailey,” he coaxed in that fatherly tone I hated as well. “You want to disappoint your fans?”
I rolled my eyes, not backing down. If I did, I’d lose him.
Aires.
“Please don’t act like a child.”
I wasn’t a child.
I’d never been a child.
My life didn’t allow it.
“The events, parties, charities, socializing, and connections you’ll make from playing this next role would be unbelievable. Not to mention, the sponsorships. Do you need me to keep going?”
“Why does that matter?” I questioned, already knowing the answer.
Everything and anything in this industry counted. No matter how big or small, it all mattered. I just didn’t know what the right or wrong answer would be when it came to my future, and that scared me more than anything.
“Come on, Bailey. You know why. This entire business is based on who you know and what they can do for you. As queen bee of this industry, there is no reason for you not to take the throne with this next role. I’ll be damned if I let you mess up your career when we know what’s best for you.”
I reacted, blurting, “Last time I checked, your 10 percent clears every month.”
“And who gets you all that money? Those roles?! Those contracts? All the publicity and exposure? Me! Because last I checked, Bailey Pierce-McGraw, I was the one who made you the star that you are!”
Before the last word flew out of his mouth, the door to my trailer flew open, and the person I expected hauled ass over to Robert with that murderous glare I was all too familiar with.
I instantly gasped, yelling, “Aires, no!”
He didn’t hesitate to roughly grip the lapels of Robert’s suit jacket and get right in his face.
Gritting out through a clenched jaw, Aires warned, “Raise your voice to her one more time, and watch what I do to you.”
I was completely aware—Aires meant every last word.
Aires
Bailey sprang into action. “Stop! Don’t do this!”
It was her panic-ridden tone that made me defiantly let go by shoving him back. Bailey instantly placed herself between us with an expression on her face I was all too familiar with.
“What are you barging in here for?” she snapped at me, almost knocking me on my ass.
It wasn’t enough that I overheard the way he spoke to her in private, but now she was giving me shit for wanting to defend her.
Robert sneered, “What the hell is he doing in here?”
Bailey abruptly turned around and set her hands on his chest, giving him a much different response than the one she just gave me.
“Please, Robert! I’ll handle him.”
I resisted the urge to tell him who I was to her, simply because I needed to hear it from her mouth. Wanting some sort of validation of who I was to her. It didn’t help that I could feel her nervousness, her turmoil, and all her conflicting emotions radiating off her skin and burning into mine.
“Is he the reason you want a vacation?”
“He’s… I… he’s—”
Anger rose, but I swallowed it back down. Hesitantly moving my glare from his face over to the side of hers, I quickly noticed the sweat glistening on her temple, how her cheeks were bright red, and the way she moved her head back and forth, internally battling something.
Question after question tore through my mind at full force, like there was a loaded gun to my head, waiting for it to go off when she replied. I could hear the ticking of the clock, her accelerated heart beating out of her chest, her breath leaving her lips and with her mind racing for the right answer that would clearly end it all for me.
“This guy is obviously affecting you. Look at you… what has he done for you? What has he got on you? Did he get you into something bad?”
“No.” The gun aimed at my head now shifted over to my fucking heart as soon as she confirmed, “He’s just my friend.”
He reluctantly nodded, backing away, only glaring at me. His stare spoke volumes, and I learned right then and there that Robert was a snake in the grass. He knew what he was doing.
I hated him instantly, and I called myself a great judge of character, particularly when it came to this industry and the people who worked in it. Bailey may have been holding the gun, but Robert made her pull the trigger.
After he left, I didn’t waver. The adrenaline coursing through my veins wouldn’t let me. “I’m just a friend?”
She didn’t move one inch with her back still to me. Her hands rested on the doorframe, like she didn’t know how to handle me.
Or worse.
How to respond...
To me.
chapter sixteen
Aires
“Aires, please…”
“Turn around, Bay,” I demanded. “And tell me to my face that I’m just your friend.”
“Aires, please don’t do this.”
“Turn around, Bay.”
“Aires—”
“Fucking do it!”