Boxed Set: Intercepted by Love (The Complete Collection): Books One - Book Six (28 page)

The next morning, Andie crawled to work feeling as lazy as a tree sloth. She’d finally gotten that hot, steamy shower with Cade after choking in the dust of the orderly evacuation of the cemetery. She had to hand it to the Angelenos. A transformer had blown, and the movie was cut off at the climax. It was pandemonium, almost. People were screaming, but also laughing hysterically. Dogs barked and strangers poked her in the dark, saying “boo.”

But heck, these folks were probably so used to inching along on the freeways during rush hour traffic, enjoying the radio talk shows or listening to audiobooks, they didn’t even mind the slow shuffling crawl, lit by a few emergency lamps, past tombstones and monuments to the packed parking lot.

Andie, being a New Yorker, would have been bleeping everyone and driving herself nuts. But as karma would have it, they’d still had a few extra lobster rolls, so it had been a good time to chow down.

The elevator arrived at her floor. Andie hunched and unhunched her shoulders, ready for work. As soon as the elevator doors swung open, she knew it was going to be a bad day.

Declan Reed stood in the lobby with a crowd of reporters.

Oh no. Had he signed the deal for
The Love Lives of King David
? It looked that way, else why would he be at Silver Studios giving an interview?

She let the doors close, but someone punched the button and the doors swung open again. Her boss, Ronaldo, greeted her.

“You’re late.” His gaze dragged over her from top to bottom and back. “You’re presentable, as a librarian.”

What didn’t he like about her grey power suits? She’d paid a pretty penny for the name brands at a consignment store where Wall Street bankers dumped their clothes. So what if they were a couple of years out of style?

“What am I late for?” Andie shook cobwebs from her brain.

“Negotiations to close the deal with Declan Reed. Didn’t you get my text message?”

“Uh, why would you need me?” Andie’s cell phone had run out of charge since she was unused to being tethered by an electronic device. “I thought Leroy and I were going to a museum to look at ancient Philistine fertility rites.”

“Later. Your husband’s signing with the condition you’ll play a role on the movie.” Ronaldo was still standing halfway inside the elevator with his hand on the door, preventing it from closing. “I know you don’t have acting experience, but how hard would it be to be a serving maid? All you have to do is keep your face to the floor and walk in and out carrying trays and kneeling.”

“Serving maid?” Andie’s heart flailed against her chest, flabbergasted. Was that a backhanded slap or what? If anything, she should be Michal, David’s wife, but having two redheads in today’s ancient Israel drama would have critics raising eyebrows, even though redheads did exist in the ancient Near East and were considered to be descended from the gods.

“Yes, David’s favorite maid.” Ronaldo wiggled his bushy eyebrows. “The one who turns down his bed, draws his bath water, serves him meals, and trims his hair and beard.”

“I thought Michal did that.” Andie stepped out of the elevator so Ronaldo could let go of the door. At least the chronicler in
Michal’s Window
made a big deal about hair trimming and bath time, with Michal joining in to give him a real thorough and steamy cleansing.

Ronaldo ushered her past the reporters interviewing Declan with a hand at the small of her back. Behind them, Declan preened in front of the reporters, but didn’t glance at them. Stuck-up ass. The only thing she wanted from him was his signature on the divorce papers.

“What kind of historian are you?” Ronaldo sneered. “Everyone knows David had hundreds of concubines, and I’m sure he had a favorite.”

“Concubines? We’re including them in the show?”

“Of course, and if you knew your history, you’d know concubines were serving maids a master had sex with. You think they just let them hang out and file their nails all day long?”

“Of course, I knew that.” Andie brushed past him and headed for her cubicle. “When Absalom rebelled, David left his concubines behind to keep house.”

“Right,” Ronaldo said, following her. “We thought having a commoner in the kingdom and telling everything through her point of view would be much more personable and relatable to today’s audience. You’ll, of course, be suitably jealous of all of his real wives, since they get to sit around and do nothing, whereas you have a lot of work to do.”

“Wait, I’m going to be the narrator? I don’t know how to act.”

“No worries. There will be a voice over, not you, of course, but a voice actress. She’ll narrate while you silently serve. Sort of like what’s going on in your head, while on the surface, you’re being the demure and submissive concubine.”

Didn’t sound like a very glamorous role, but then, it was a foot in the door. Except it would mean more face time with Declan, not less. Not only would she have to work with him on the historical accuracy of his portrayal of David, but she’d also have to rehearse with him and go through take after take of all his scenes. This was something she should discuss with Cade first.

“What if I say no?” Andie propped her hand on her hip. From the corner of her eye, she spied the denizens of her part of the cubicle jungle peeking out from their cubbyholes with various levels of amazement and shock etched on their faces.

Guess no one ever said ‘no’ to Mr. Silver.

“You want to go home or stay at this job?” Ronaldo’s voice turned gruff.

“I want the research job, but working so closely with Declan would be a decidedly hostile work environment.”

Ronaldo spread his hands wide and looked up, not quite rolling his eyes, since that wouldn’t have been boss-like. “It’s Hollywood, baby. We don’t usually take untrained actresses, but Mr. Reed insisted. His only condition for signing is for you to play his concubine. He even agreed to our terms as far as compensation. Everything. Don’t tell me you’d ruin this for the entire team here at Silver Studios.”

Gosh, he seemed to act as if they’d all be out of a job without signing Declan and that it would be up to her to take one for the team.

“Surely there are other actors in Hollywood.”

“Are you CEO of Silver Studios or am I?” Ronaldo crossed his arms and lowered his eyebrows. “Don’t forget who signs your paycheck.”

“Sure, of course.” Andie’s mind whirred. Shouldn’t she get something out of this? If she was going to have to poke her finger down her throat and work as Declan’s serving maid, then she had demands, too. “One condition. Mine’s really easy.”

“Oh, ho. I love easy.” Ronaldo’s mouth slid into a leer. “Spill it.”

“He signs the divorce agreement the way it is. I’ll only be his concubine on screen if we’re divorced in real life.”

Ronaldo pointed both index fingers at Andie. “You drive a hard bargain, little missy. I’ll see what his agent says.”

“Oh, no. I’m going to tell him directly.” Andie pulled the envelope with the divorce papers from her desk and headed for the lobby. She grabbed a pen from Sylvia’s desk and unsheathed it, ready for battle.

“Fine, fine, your name is Dinah. You’ve known David since childhood. You used to play healer together, you know, the ancient Israeli version of playing doctor.” Ronaldo marched after her. “I’ll have papers for you to sign this afternoon.”

“Only if Declan signs the divorce right now.” Andie charged toward the lobby where Declan held court.

As soon as she emerged from the cubicle section, a sharp-eyed female reporter broke from the crowd and rushed toward Andie.

“Miss Wales, or should I say, Mrs. Reed, care to explain the pictures of you and a certain football player at a cemetery last night?”

Blush. Of course she and Cade had planned on this, showing off their relationship, despite her being still married. Oh well, this was Hollywood, and she had nothing to lose with a little notoriety.

“What’s going on between you and the Flash quarterback?” another reporter asked. “Especially the PDAs.”

“Public display of affection? This is public display of perversion.” A particularly florid man huffed.

“Quiet, quiet.” Andie waved the divorce contract at the mics. “My husband here is about to become my ex-husband. Watch him sign. If he wants me to be his concubine, then we can’t be married, since concubines are sidepieces. Of course, we, at
The Love Lives of King David Series,
have to be historically accurate in every detail.”

She shoved the pen and paper at Declan and said, “Sign if you want me to play your serving maid. That’s my final condition.”

The arrogant, upturned face of her soon-to-be ex tilted in a regal fashion. He pressed the papers on the wall and scrawled his signature so hard it ripped into the paper.

With a backhanded toss, he threw the signed paper at her. “I’m only too glad to sign now that I’ve seen what you’ve become—a tawdry tramp. You’re showing your true colors, and I’ve got you exactly where I want. You and I both know illicit sex is a lot spicier.”

The surrounding coworkers cheered and huzzahed while Declan clamped his arm tightly around Andie’s shoulder and kissed her on the lips.

Gross. Yuck. Poo.

Only she had committed to acting the role, and she had to at least not struggle. No, a concubine might not crave the attention of her master, but she was also not allowed to protest. She had to take it. She had no rights.

Her life was only going to get worse, but at least she’d gotten the papers signed. Not only was she a free woman, she was about to become an actress, too.

Hollywood really was the town where dreams come true.

Nightmares, too, apparently.

Andie clamped her mouth shut, teeth clenched while pushing away from Declan’s greedy lips.

How much had she just sold her soul for?

# # #

“Hustle, hustle, move, move,” Coach Settles yelled into the megaphone.

It was hot, in the upper nineties, possibly hitting the century mark. Cade was sweating bullets under his shoulder pads and gear, running up and down the field working throw and catch drills with the receivers.

The first exhibition game against the San Diego Surfriders was this weekend, and everyone on the squad would get to play. The first string first quarter, second string second quarter, and so on. Every special team member would be rotated in, because the goal was to allow the coaches to determine the starting roster for the fall season, not necessarily to win, although winning was always preferred.

The heat of the sun blazed down on Cade, but he was hitting all his targets left and right, drilling the ball deep and short, whichever play the coach called, he did.

“Looking good.” His buddy Joey bumped his fist. “Todd’s off today. Favoring his right knee. Not good for a right hander when he drops back to pass.”

“Yeah, well, I’m kicking him on points.” Cade glowered at the starter. “If I review better on the videos, I might get to start on Saturday.”

“Cool beans. Let’s get some water.”

“Ice bucket for me.”

“Damn, what happened to Jake?” Joey pointed at the rookie tight end lying on the turf being drenched with ice. His face was flushed and the team medic was hovering over him.

“Kid has diabetes. Has to be extra careful. Real talent, though.”

“Yeah, he’s no wuss,” Joey said. “Hustles like a mad dog.”

Cade smiled with relief when the medic handed Jake Burns an icepack and gave him a thumbs up. He rather liked the kid and was rooting for him, especially since his job was to protect the quarterback during passing plays.

“Way to go, buddy. Ready for Saturday?” He gave Jake a brothers’ handshake.

“Got your back, man.” Jake grinned. “You’re going to kill it this weekend.”

“More like kill the Super Bowl.” Todd Irvin ambled by, his face in a dark scowl. “How much did your sister bet on the game?”

“Shut up.” Cade faced him full on. “It was cleared up by the commissioner. No one even knew I was going to play in the Super Bowl.”

“Except I’m going to prove you got the opposing team to injure me—to pave the way.”

“More lies and slander. What if it was you who was in cahoots to get injured?” Cade retorted, shooting him a full on glare.

“That’s too stupid, even coming from you.” Todd’s lip curled into a sneer. “Got the paternity test results yet?”

“What’s it to you?” Cade grabbed a bottle of ice water and sucked it down. “You’re not the father.”

“I’m an interested party,” he replied between his teeth and walked away.

Cade wasn’t going to entertain any more rumors, although he couldn’t see how being the father of Roxanne’s baby could possibly have anything to do with the starting quarterback position. The allegations on gambling fixing were far more serious, but there was no way the sequence of events could have been predicted. True, there had been a pact by the opposing team to injure Todd, but that was true of every quarterback in every game. They were always the targets.

As for the Super Bowl loss, he’d been cleared of wrongdoing. Too many coincidences. First, Todd had to have been injured sufficiently enough to be taken from the game. It had to be bad to take the starter from the Super Bowl. Secondly, on the play in question, Devon Davis, the running back he was supposed to hand the ball off to had stumbled and twisted his ankle, forcing Cade to drop back and go long into the end zone.

That had resulted in the game losing interception.

No one could have foreseen any of that, except … a chill scratched the back of Cade’s neck.

Had Devon stumbled on purpose? But why would Devon want to lose the Super Bowl ring? He was the owner’s son and Todd’s best buddy, but still … this entire gambling plot seemed ludicrous.

Cade glared in Todd’s direction. Why did he want the job so badly when his knee was about to give out? There was pride, of course, but certainly not at the cost of his health. Whatever. He’d better watch his back, especially with Todd snooping around Roxanne and his baby.

“Hey you.” Coach Settles tapped Cade on the back. “You’re playing first this Saturday. Now go out there and kick some ass.”

“Sure, Coach. I’m ready,” Cade replied, putting on his helmet.