“Exactly. Reeve would never choose a skank like you over me, but continue to daydream, you delusional bitch.” I move to sidestep her, because I’m done breathing the same toxic air as her, but she grabs my wrist, halting me.
“I’m going to enjoy taking him from you, and I’m going to rub it in your face in the most public way.” Her nails dig painfully into my skin as she twists my wrist, and I attempt to wrench my arm back, but she’s got hidden strength I can’t shake off. “You’re such a stuck-up prissy princess. I bet you’ve been handed everything on a silver platter. Reeve included. Consider this my gift to you. It’s time for a wake-up call, and I’ll get enormous pleasure delivering it.”
I stomp on her foot, digging my stiletto heel into her flesh, enjoying the murderous scream she emits as she finally drops my hand. My wrist is throbbing, and I cradle it against my chest. “You don’t know me, and you don’t know Reeve.”
Her eyes narrow, her jaw tenses, and she glares at me with such unrestrained loathing, I take an automatic step back when she advances on me. Prickles of awareness dance over my skin, and I rein my anger in, because she’s unpredictable right now. She looks like one hell of a scary bitch, and I wonder if I haven’t underestimated her, in part. The evil glint in her eyes sends a spike of fear shooting through me. She is shaking with visible rage, and I wonder if she isn’t more than a little unstable. “I know he was hard during every single sex scene. I know the moans we both made when he thrust his giant cock against my pussy during filming was real.”
Her words poke holes in my fragile heart, and she continues digging in the knife.
“Reeve is mine.” She shoves at my shoulders, and I stumble a little. “He might not have accepted it yet, but he wants me as much as I want him. He is mine. Not yours. Mine. You don’t fucking deserve him. I do!” she yells. Her eyes dart wildly around the place, and something is definitely off. Scrutinizing her more closely, I can tell she’s on something, because this mania isn’t like her. She’s been nothing but cold, calculated disdain in all our previous encounters.
Saffron paces the tile floor, and I bite my tongue, some inner voice of self-preservation warning me not to push her any further. “I will be the one wearing his ring and having his babies. Me, not you!” She jabs her finger in the air, waving it at me. “It will take minimal effort to dispose of you, so either back off or prepare to be defeated.” She laughs as I edge toward the door. “You’d do well to be afraid of me, bitch,” she threatens. “You don’t know where I’ve come from. The people I know.”
Feeling braver now I’ve reached the door, I level a parting shot. “I know your crazy is showing, and if you think I’m keeping this conversation a secret from Reeve, you are truly delusional.”
She lunges for me, and I open the door, racing out into the corridor, slamming headfirst into a familiar warm solid chest. Reeve’s citrusy scent wafts around me, and I grab him, grateful he’s here. “Oh my God, Reeve. Thank God.”
Saffron comes barreling out of the bathroom, slamming to a halt and crumpling to the floor the instant she sees him. “She attacked me!” she shrieks, clutching her foot and sobbing.
“You have got to be kidding me.” I shake my head in disgust. “You really are a piece of work.”
“Viv. What the hell is going on?” Reeve asks, his blue eyes turning stormy as his gaze bounces between us. Sighing, he pries my hands off his chest and takes a step back, glancing anxiously over his shoulder, fearful of an audience.
My heart dips to my toes when I realize he’s more concerned about being seen than my feelings. Exhaustion washes over me, mixing with emotional lethargy, and I speak quietly, just wanting to get out of here. I don’t have the strength or stamina to deal with this anymore. “I can explain, but she hurt me first.”
“Dude, what’s going on?” Rudy asks, materializing behind us.
“Can you get Saff out of here?” Reeve asks, glancing over my head at his friend. “I need to talk to Viv in private.”
Rudy walks around us and helps Saffron to her feet. She lets out a pained sob, clinging to him like a legit damsel in distress. “I don’t know if I can walk,” she cries.
Anger resurfaces, waking me the fuck up. “You had no trouble chasing me out of the bathroom,” I hiss.
“That’s enough!” Reeve snaps, rubbing a spot between his brows.
“Baby.” Saffron reaches for Reeve, but he moves back.
“Go with Rudy,” he barks, glaring at her. “And I don’t care how fucking sore your foot is. If you go out there and make this into anything, I’ll walk.”
A muscle clenches in his jaw, and her lower lip wobbles, as tears leak freely from her eyes.
Man, I’ve got to give it to her. She can turn on the waterworks at will. Pity she didn’t invoke some of those acting skills on the screen. She was a lukewarm Abby at best, and I can’t imagine the die-hard series fans will be happy at all with her lackluster performance.
“Please, Reeve. This wasn’t my fault,” she pleads, reaching for him again. “I did nothing wrong. You’ve got to believe me.”
“Fuck off, Saff,” Reeve snaps, and I’m silently fist-pumping the air. Maybe he’s finally seeing the light where his costar is concerned. It’s about damn time.
Rudy half-carries Saffron down the hallway, and I release a relieved breath the second she’s out of sight.
“Ow,” I cry, as Reeve grabs my sore wrist, pulling me into the nearest room, which is a small office of some sort. “You’re hurting me.”
He loosens his tight grip, turning my wrist over and examining the raised, red nail imprints on my skin.
“She did that, and I only stabbed her with my heel because she wouldn’t let go of me.”
“What the fuck is going on, Viv?” Reeve drops my hand, dragging his fingers through his hair as he steps away from me.
I quickly explain what happened, telling him everything she said, word for word.
He shakes his head. “I know you two don’t like one another, but lying about it doesn’t help.”
What the actual fuck? “I’m not lying,” I yell. “Why would I do that?”
“Maybe because you want to ruin things for me? God knows you’re trying hard to suck all the enjoyment out of this experience.” He slams his fists down on the desk, and I jump, unused to seeing Reeve so angry and wound up. “You couldn’t just give me one night without all this shit? You didn’t even congratulate me! I am so sick of the two of you in my ear, and it’s got to stop!” he shouts.
Forcing my pain aside at his hurtful words, I latch on to my anger instead. “What the fuck do you think I’ve been doing all night? I was sidelined so you could have your moment in the spotlight with her. You haven’t even spent five minutes with me, so when the fuck was I supposed to congratulate you?! When Reeve?” I throw my hands in the air. “She’s been clinging to your side all night, and I’ve put up with it even though my heart feels like it’s being ripped apart. Do you have any idea how hard tonight has been for me, you selfish self-absorbed prick?”
“I’m selfish?” he roars, putting his face all up in mine. “That is fucking rich, coming from you. Your selfishness is ruining my career!” His eyes roll back in his head, and I step back, horrified as realization dawns.
“You’re on something. You did drugs with her!” I clamp a hand over my mouth. “My God, Reeve. What is she doing to you? What are you doing to yourself?” Reeve is notoriously anti-drugs, having seen how it’s destroyed the careers of many people in Hollywood. I just can’t believe how quickly he has let go of all his beliefs and his morals. How easily he has let himself be manipulated by the lifestyle and the people around him who profess to care for him but only care for themselves.
“So, what if I did?” He shrugs. “We all did a line after the premiere. It’s not a big deal.”
“Maybe not to you. But it is to me.” I move toward the door. “I don’t even know who you are anymore, Reeve.”
“I could say the same thing to you.”
“Then I guess we both know what to do.” Without saying another word, I exit the room, feeling like someone has taken a machete to my heart.
19