Her voice is low enough that I barely hear it. Every word is laced with pain and regret. “I thought you could change.”
He laughs. “For you? Get up. Get up!” he repeats, yanking her to her feet as the gathered crowd gasps. “Stop blubbering,” he growls as he drags her off set.
I feel a ball of emotion in my stomach, strongest of all is the desire to hurt Jason. Even if he is just following the script, I wanted to hurt him before I watched the scene. I’m also blown away by Makayla’s talent. I knew she was special, but seeing it first-hand is something else. She really could do better than this show.
Ed nudges me and gives me a big, toothy smile. “See what I’m saying?”
I surprise myself by laughing a little. I can’t help but like the kid. “Yeah. You’re spot on, kid.”
He beams. “You want coffee or anything Mr… I never caught your name.”
“Slade. Jesse Slade.”
He quirks an eyebrow. “That’s good. You should audition to be the next James Bond.”
“Nah,” I say. “Not for me. No thanks on the coffee, either.”
“Suit yourself!” he says, jogging toward the back exit of the set.
A few minutes later I catch up with Makayla once she’s changed out of her outfit for the scene she just did. She showered too, and her thick hair is still wet. As far as I can tell, she’s not even wearing makeup. I can’t think of a woman I’ve ever seen who looks as good. She’s wearing a black t-shirt and jeans, but seeing her so dressed down is sexy as hell. I love the way she doesn’t even have to try to look fuckable.
I mentally steer myself away from that line of thought. She’s not fuckable, Jesse. She’s my client. I shouldn’t even be thinking about that. The moment I start getting distracted with thoughts like that, I put her in danger. I need to be on my game and thinking about the job, not that perfectly tight ass of hers.
We head to her apartment so she can gather some spare clothes and toiletries to take back to my place. She lets me in and I’m surprised by how small and simple her place is. She could definitely afford a nicer apartment. Even the amount she’s paying me for the week would cover the rent of a nicer place for a full year. The apartment is meticulously clean, and she seems to be making quick work of getting her essentials packed.
I wander the small apartment while she gathers her things and look at the pictures on display. There’s a picture of her and Hubert smiling in front of some rolling green gardens and a palatial white building. There’s also a picture of her and Jason. It’s mixed in with a collage of pictures she has with various members of the crew, but seeing them, faces pressed cheek to cheek and smiling makes me want to hit something. I don’t own her though. I have no right to be jealous of what she does or who she sees. I especially don’t have a right to get pissed over the past. I’m the one who threw her away. Of course she moved on.
She wheels out one small black suitcase. “All set,” she says.
Her hair shows some of the natural curls toward the ends as it dries and I have to fight the urge to spear my fingers through it. “Good,” I say a little stiffly. “Let’s go.” I keep thinking about how I nearly fucked her last night. I still remember how perfect her tight ass looked when I yanked her pants down and almost spanked her. The thought of punishing her for all the little games she has played with me makes my cock hard, but it’ll have to remain a thought. After seeing the way she basically ran away from me, I’m sure she wasn’t ready for me, let alone my particular tastes.
Sex for me has become something I would have barely recognized ten years ago. It’s nothing like the sweet, slow, and thoughtful sex Makayla and I had all those years ago when she gave her virginity to me. Now I can only get off when I push the boundaries. Most women are reluctant at first, but I always give them the night of their lives and leave them wanting more. But me? It doesn’t feel like a release. It feels like every time only makes the anger worse. And now I realize I would’ve hated myself if I had fucked Makayla like that. She deserves better. No punishment, no pain. It’s a silent vow I make to myself, even though I don’t plan to let things get that far.
Jesus. It’s only our second night together and I’m not even sure if I can keep my hands off her for another day, let alone the rest of the week.
“Kennedy is coming over to work on lines with me,” says Makayla. “I told her she’ll have to come to your place.”
I nod. “Yeah. That’s fine.”
I help her load her suitcase in the back of my car and when I’m walking to get in, I notice a van parked at the other end of the parking garage. The engine is running and someone sits behind the wheel. Something about it makes my hairs stand on end. “Wait here,” I say to Makayla.
She gives me a strange look, but stays put.
I jog toward the van and increase my pace when I hear the engine rev and see it start to back out. I’m nearly to the vehicle when the driver guns the gas, making the tires squeal and rounds the corner. I stop short, watching after it helplessly.
“What was that about?” she asks. Her voice is a little strained, even though I can tell she’s trying to sound disinterested. I guess her acting ability doesn’t completely translate to real life.
“I had a feeling about that car,” I say, realizing how dumb it sounds as I get behind the wheel and start the engine.
She grins. “So you decided to just run at it? What were you going to do? Touch it?”
“I was going to make sure they weren’t following us.”
“Why would someone follow us? I mean, I know there are the stalkers and all that, but what’s the point of just following us around?”
“They could be gathering information, looking for patterns of behavior, trying to find the ideal time to make their move. Anything.”
“Wouldn’t it have been smarter to watch and see if they followed us? You know… instead of running at them like a big barbarian and scaring them off?”
I grip the steering wheel in annoyance. Yes, it would have been, but my feelings for you are clouding my judgment. My need to see my cock plunge in that perfectly tight pussy of yours has me completely and utterly distracted. “Why don’t you let me do my job?”
She shakes her head and sits back in her seat, looking out the window as I drive us to my place.
32
Makayla
Kennedy arrives at Jesse’s apartment shortly after we do. Jesse lets her in and I watch with annoyance when she eyes him up and down. She bites her lip and looks to me, raising her eyebrows suggestively, apparently not caring that Jesse can see what she’s doing.
“Stop it,” I mouth at her while Jesse isn’t looking. “Jesse, do you think you could do your whole brooding thing somewhere else? Out of Kennedy’s field of view, maybe?”