Billionaire's Trust (Billionaire Erotic Romance: Never Never Man Series Book 5) (10 page)

He looked at me in silence as he decided. They were a
long
few seconds.

“Go on,” he said at last.

I nodded in acceptance of his willingness.

“Well, it’s just that I think you should at least reconsider,” I said. Without wasting any time, I started right up, pursuing the idea Katy and I discussed. “At this point, the picture is almost halfway finished. Now that I’m better and have no distractions at all, I can be here seven days a week for however long it takes.”

I paused for a moment to let my opening statement sink in before I started to appeal to his ego. Satisfied he’d heard me, I continued, “You told me you believed in me when you gave me the part Trevor. Was that a lie?"

Trevor remained motionless for a second or two. It was as if he were waiting for me to slip up and reveal my true intentions by accident. Yet, as his gaze lingered on me, I remained steady.

“Hmm, no,” he said as he shook his head, breaking eye contact me for a moment. His voice took on a tone of authority. “You’ve got some real talent as an actress, Maddie. It’s the way you conduct yourself that’s holding you back. Like they say, actions speak. Over the past few months, yours haven’t said many good things about you. You do understand that don’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, well. I’m not doing this to just punish you or something. I don’t trust you right now. I mean, put yourself in my position for a minute. How can I be expected to run a production where the lead actress behaves like you have been?”

Nodding as he spoke, I agreed. “I understand, Trevor. I can’t undo the way I’ve behaved. All I can do is apologize for it and tell you it won’t happen again.”

Trevor chewed his lip as he looked up at me. He sat there in silence for several moments tapping his pen on his desk as he considered what he’d say next. But before he could speak, I decided to lay my case out in a logical way and appeal to his business sense.

As I began, I took a seat in the chair across from his desk. “Trevor, look. The studio already has several million invested in the project. I’m no fool. There’s next to no chance it won’t be finished. And why shouldn’t it? It’s a wonderful script and Susan is a fabulous director. Not to mention everyone else involved, yourself included."

Trevor nodded and pursed his lips.

“So, if this is your way of punishing me or getting revenge against me by being obstinate, then well, I’m afraid you leave me with no choice. I’ll have to go over your head, Trevor. I don’t
want
to do that. I want to work it out between us, right now. But, if you force me to, I will.”

“Uh huh,” he replied. He appeared underwhelmed with my offer, to say the least. Continuing, he added, “No, I think you’ve learned your lesson at this point.”

Leaning away from him, I wrinkled my brow. “Lesson? What are you talking about?”

Trevor waved off my question with a flick of his hand.

“You’ve gotten a little too high and mighty for my liking,” he began, as he glared at me. “So, I stopped filming on purpose. I had the discretion to keep things going, of course. But, after seeing you come begging like this, it’s clear you’ve gotten the message.”

As he finished, he leaned forward. Narrowing his eyes like a serpent, he hissed his insult.

“I would do it all over again if I had the chance. Watching you squirm like this makes it all worthwhile.”

It took every bit of self-control I had not to leap across his desk and wring his neck! I couldn’t believe the words coming out of his mouth. Of all the rotten, low-down, dirty tricks he could have picked, this was by far the worst.

All those people who worked on the film were laid off because of his childish behavior. As I looked across the desk at Trevor, I wondered what the hell I’d ever seen in him. Grey might be a lot of things but he would never,
ever
do something like this to his employees. I had a good mind to go straight to him and tell him exactly why Trevor had put a halt to the production.

But, if I did, I’d be no better off and still relying on him to fight my battles for me. Like it or not, I was going to have to let Trevor win this battle so I wouldn’t lose the war. So instead, I reined in my disgust and let out a long, slow exhale through my nose. The heat escaped from my nostrils like an enraged bull staring down a matador.

“Okay, Trevor,” I began, as I nodded in surrender. “I’ve gotten your message, loud and clear. So it’s a go then? Filming will get back underway?”

He shook his head. “Nope. Not so fast.”

I drew my lips inward, pinching them together in disgust.

“What…” I muttered.

“Well I’m not doing anything until you apologize to me first.”

I felt my eyelid twitch as I looked at him. “Apologize?”

“Yep,” he said as an evil grin spread to his lips. “And you better make it good.”

I’d reached my limit. If he pushed me even the tiniest bit further, I’d bring the wrath of Grey down on his ass. I swallowed hard and without asking what I’d done or why I had to be sorry for it all of a sudden, I got on with it. For emphasis, I draped my hand across my chest as I began the greatest acting performance of my life.

“Trevor, from the bottom of my heart, I am sorry. I know that those are just words but they’re all I can offer right now. I swear to you that I’ll never do anything to put you or the production at risk again. All I’m asking for is a chance.”

“Mmm hmm,” he grunted. “And what about all that stuff you said earlier? About me being the problem in our relationship?"

Dodging his attempt at trickery, I shrugged.

“I was just upset, Trevor. Really, I don’t hold you responsible for anything.”

As I looked at him, Trevor flashed a close-lipped grin at me. He stared me up and down for another moment or two before offering his verdict with a casual shrug.

“Fine,” he muttered.

“What?” I asked, as I leaned towards him. “What does ‘fine’ mean?”

“I’ll get the production back on track,” he replied. “The current project wraps next week. As soon as it does, you can come back.”

I smiled.

GREY

You know the first time you step outside of your comfort zone in life, it can be goddamn disorienting. Even in my line of work, there are always new situations coming up you’ve never encountered before. But as time goes on and you learn to handle them, well, you’re better prepared for the next one, no matter what it might be.

As for the way Maddie handled the situation with the picture, I couldn’t have been more impressed. She hadn’t come to me once during the process and hardly three weeks since our discussion on the matter, production on her movie was underway once more. In spite of all her erratic behavior, it looked as if she’d turned a corner at last.

In fact, I was proud of her and so the first chance I got to head back out to the coast and tell her, I took it. Unfortunately, it had been nearly a month since I’d last seen her, but during that time, I kept close tabs on the progress of the movie. There wasn’t much time left until they’d wrap Maddie’s scenes and be done for good.

So, before that happened, I managed to block out a bit of time. I arrived on the set during filming one afternoon and headed for her trailer. During a break she came back and after a brief greeting, we sat down to have a bite to eat when something caught my attention.

“Maddie,” I began, as I gestured towards her hand. “Where’s your engagement ring?”

She shrugged. “Oh it’s at home, in the safe. Why?”

Leaning away, I let go of my fork and it clanked against the plate.

“Why is your ring at the apartment instead of where it belongs? Namely on your goddamn finger!”

As Maddie finished chewing her food, she raised her eyebrows in surprise. Lifting her napkin to her lips, she dabbed at the corners of her mouth.

“Sweetie,” she hummed. “It’s simple. I can’t wear it during filming. If I left it in the trailer, what would happen if it got stolen? I’d never forgive myself. And anyway, what difference does it make? I haven’t told anyone we’re engaged. It would lead to nothing but questions.”

I frowned. Grabbing my napkin from my lap, I tossed it down on the table and stood. I gestured in the direction of the movie set.

“Well, so what the hell difference does it make now? Who cares if we’re engaged?”

Maddie smiled and after folding her napkin and placing it on the table, she stood and walked towards me.

“Honey,” she cooed. “Why are you getting so upset?”

I grimaced and exhaled as she spoke. Before I even realized it, Maddie stepped in my direction, pressing her body against mine. It was a goddamn pleasure to feel it. My torso flexed in response. Perhaps sensing this, Maddie snuggled up, reached towards my face and dragged her fingertips along my jawline.

I snatched her by the wrist. “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing right now. I’m pissed at you.”

Innocence defined her features as she looked up at me. “What am I doing?”

“Watch it, woman.”

A small smile curled to the edges of her mouth. “Or what? Will you fire me?”

I let go of her wrist and pursed my lips as she teased.

Just then, she grabbed hold of my tie and yanked it. “Or fuck me?”

I chuckled at her confidence. Hard to deny its appeal. And yeah, even though I may have wanted to fuck her, I wasn’t about to let her dismiss this issue without discussion.

“I want you to wear your ring, Maddie,” I began. “Now I’m willing to be flexible when it comes to having it on during filming, but when you aren’t, I want it on you.”

As I spoke, she shook her head. “No, Grey. I won’t do it.”

I thinned my lips at her continuing refusal.

“But,” she said as she tried to cozy up towards me once again. “I don’t want to keep it a secret either.”

I nodded. “Okay, well, what did you have in mind?”

She shrugged. “How about the wrap party? That’s as good a time as any. And besides, if we wait until then, I won’t have to deal with any casting couch innuendo.”

I chuckled. “Casting couch, huh?”

“Mmm, hmm,” she whispered.

“So you suppose that’s what people will think then? That you got this role because of that?”

“Mmm, hmm,” she purred.

As she finished speaking, Maddie reached towards me and ran her fingers along the lapel of my jacket. She hummed as she traced lazy lines up and down the length of it while occasionally stealing glances at me. I watched her for several seconds. I’ll admit, she still had the ability to distract the shit out of me when she wanted something.

“So the wrap party huh?”

Maddie licked her lips.

“Mmm, hmm,” she moaned.

As she finished, she pushed herself up onto the tips of her toes and kissed me on the cheek. It had been a long time, too goddamn long and out of instinct, I snatched her and prepared to take what I needed.

“No,” she said with a soft smile on her lips. “I have to work honey. Now I don’t hang around your offices sexually harassing you when you’re trying to do your job, do I?”

I scoffed. “You don’t know where they are.”

Giggling, Maddie spun away from me. “True. But, even so. I have work to do, so you’re going to have to be a good little boy until later.”

I shook my head at her behavior. I had to admit, it was pretty fucking sexy. My eyes followed her ass as she walked around the trailer gathering up her belongings before returning to the set.

“So the wrap party?” I said, as she turned to go.

Maddie walked in my direction.

“Yes,” she said with a devious tone. “I mean, don’t you think all the other girls will be jealous when they find out they can’t sleep with the owner of the studio?”

I reached towards Maddie and grabbed her at the waist. “What’s the goddamn rush? You’ve got time. Tell Susan to wait."

Maddie flashed a mouthful of white at me. “I’m sure you’d love that wouldn’t you?”

“Fuck yes.”

She reached towards me and pressed her palms flat against my chest. Smoothing them down the length of my jacket, she looked into my eyes.