Page 247 of Promise Not to Fall for the Rich & Famous

"I gather that you’re aware of the roses I’ve been sending over the years.”

Ellie nodded.

“The gesture is reserved for your first day on a new set; however, last time, I sent them to you on a different day.”

“When they told me about the contract,” Ellie said.

“Right. But your father wasn’t being honest with either of us. You see,Iagreed to forfeit the remainder of my contract, including any monies for this final movie deal, as your father said you hoped it would be your last.

“I wanted to grant you that, and I also wanted you to have the money for yourself. I didn't want any part of it, and I didn't want your dad to take any part of it…"

He slammed a fist on the table before pulling in a breath and smoothing out the tablecloth. "That,” he said in a softer voice, "was the original agreement. I suspected that agreement had been breached when notified about the supposedlyleakedcover images of you two on the tabloids. It didn’t take long to get confirmation from an inside source of mine. And while these guys haven’t leaked your name yet, that’s sure to come; they wrote that into the contract—not to make the movie do better—but to make you more cooperative when it was time to meet some demands."

"What demands?" Nash asked. "All Ellie has to do was finish out her movie deal."

Wolf eyed somebody coming up behind them.

The waiter slid their drinks on the table one by one and then stepped away with a quiet nod.

"I'm getting to that part," he said to Nash. "Now, if you remember, I’d like you to hold your questions until I'm through.” He pinned his eyes back on Ellie. “I warned your father—all these years—that there were worse people to do business with than me.

“You see, you remind me of the daughter I lost.” He paused there, his nostrils flaring as he pulled in a slow, deep breath. “My Miley died when she was just eight years old, and that was the very age you were on the day I struck the first deal with your dad. What nobody else knew, was that it was also Miley's birthday. She would've been nine that day. So when your father showed me your photos and told me of your ambitions, I saw a young girl with a hardly-fit-to-be-a-father like myself, and I thought maybe this was my second chance. I wasn't a good father to Miley, and I’d never have the chance to make that up to her. But perhaps I could be like a…clandestinegodfatherto you.”

Ellie took a sip of her Diet Coke as she tried to take all that in.

“Let's shift gears to what happened today on set. That explosion was not caused by me or my guys. It was detonated by the men your dad made a new deal with. Men who wanted much greater compensation than what their cut of the movie deal would bring.

“The intention behind the blast was to put you in limbo, if you will. They knew you’d be stuck in Dallas for days on end, possibly unprotected and vulnerable, which aided their plan to abduct you.”

“To what?” Nash growled.

“Abduct?” Ellie’s came out in more of a squeak. Nausea rumbled through her.

“Thenwhat?” Nash came again.

Wolf took a sip of his whiskey, smoothed a hand over the tablecloth once more, and cleared his throat. "Prepare to be sick for this part,” he said lowly, “but they then plan to deliver you to the highest bidders. Turns out there’s been a bidding war on the dark web since your father had you sign that new contract.

“What they’re bidding on is a night with you.”

Nash slid his chair back and shot to a stand.

Wolf mirrored the action just as quickly, extending a hand across the table. "Whoa, whoa, whoa," he smoothed a hand down his suitcoat and glanced toward the bar.

All four men were on their feet as well, eyes set on the table and ready to draw.

"I wouldn't want my guests to misread your body language right now,” Wolf cautioned. “We don't want bullets flying, do we?"

Nash clenched his eyes shut, jaw angry and tight and he pressed his fingertips to his forehead. "No, we do not."

“Good. Now, I appreciate your outrage, and more than that, I share it. But let's sit back down, and you can hear about my efforts to see that this little plan never goes into action."

Nash took a seat and began rubbing his hands together under the table. Ellie felt the uproar of emotions emanating from his rigid build. From the corner of her eye, she saw the men at the bar taking their seats, too.

Wolf reassumed his seat last, then rolled his shoulders back, took another sip of his whiskey, and set the glass back on the table.

“It’s going to get a whole lot worse, so buckle up.”

Nash groaned. Another knot rolled through Ellie’s stomach.