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"A missed opportunity!" Her voice was almost a shout. "For who? You? Don't forget who you work for, Natalie." The older woman's eyes widened. Her shock with Khloe's uncharacteristic angerregistering.
Bernie showed where his loyalty lay. "And don't forget who the experts are at turning wannabes into superstars. You need to learn to trust us and say thank you." His threat was clear. She either put up with their heavy-handed shit or they'd cut her loose as aclient.
FML
"Hi there, sweetheart. I'm getting wet out here. You ready to hit thecarpet?"
Her cheating ex-boyfriend, Dean Reynolds, had dared to lean into the back of the limo. His handsome face was mere inches from Khloe. Her right palm itched to slap the arrogant smile off hismug.
"Don't you dare call mesweetheart."
His smile never wavered as he countered, "For the next few weeks, I'll call you whatever I need to to keep our adoring public thinking we're still a hot item. The producers demanded we hold off announcing our breakup until after the movie is out, so that's what we'lldo."
Khloe hated the helpless feeling that washed over her. She was Khloe Fucking Monroe. She was supposed to have power now, yet she seemed to surround herself with people determined to ignore her wishes. She felttrapped.
Shewastrapped.
Fans screamed her name not far away. Flashes of cameras reminded her they were already on stage. It didn't matter that Dean had blindsided her with his appearance. For a moment, she remembered how he'd looked the last time she'd seen him. Naked. His cock pounding the married pussy of their good friend, Gloria Mining, as the older woman hung suspended from a hook in Khloe's ownbedroom.
That she had to reach and place her small hand into his and let him help her out of the limo like the gentleman he pretended to be, galled her. That she had to plaster on her public smile as he placed his hand intimately–possessively–at the small of her back as they moved down the red carpet, infuriated her. But when he pulled her close to plant a wet kiss on her for the line of reporters waiting like vultures, she wanted to throwup.
But shedidn't.
She smiled. She waved. She put on her celebrity-diva-smile and tried not to let Dean's presence ruin this special night for her. Like the actors they were, they each played their newest role. Star-crossedlovers.
And they did itwell.
They moved from one media booth to the next in the grand lobby of the theater, answering interview questions. Posing for pictures. Flirting and kissing like the lovers they no longer were. By the time they made their way to the VIP seats inside the theater, even she'd begun to forget they'd broken up. That's why the sudden appearance of Gloria Mining and her husband sitting in the seats directly next to theirs figuratively knocked her on herass.
Khloe stood grounded as their friends stood to greet them. Daniel Mining hugged her, placing small kisses on both of her cheeks. "You look ravishing, Khloe. It's so good to see you again. I hated that you got called out of town and missed the opening of the play on Broadway inFebruary."
She almost missed his words, too distracted by watching Gloria and Dean embracing intimately right behind him. Their bold display nauseated her. It was a slap in the face to both her and Daniel. Righteous anger consumed her at their audacity of flaunting their affair in front of hundreds of fans, the media and even Gloria's spouse. As Khloe looked up at Gloria's director husband, ready to fill him in on all he'd been missing, she knew immediately she was the one out of the loop. The raw sexual hunger on his face as he leaned down to whisper in her ear had her wobbly on herfeet.
"Gloria and I are hoping to celebrate your and Dean's success a bit more privately tonight. The three of us are already checked into the suite down the hall from yours at The Plaza. We had a key made for you. Be sure to go to the ladies’ room to powder your nose with Gloria. She'll fill youin."
Khloe would have toppled over if he hadn't hugged her closer. The price for his chivalry was feeling his erection poking her tummy. Their eyes met again. This time she saw amusement. Her shock was funny to him. It made her want to lift her leg to knee him in theballs.
That would knock the fucking smile off hisface.
The next two hours moved by in a blur. It was surreal watching the movie she'd worked so hard on over the previous two years play on the big screen. The finished product was even better than she could have ever dreamed. Normally critical of her own performances, she lost herself in the drama. When the final credits rolled and the theater lights came up, for the first time in her career, she felt like she deserved the standing ovation she wasreceiving.
All eyes in the theater were on her and Dean. He was terrible boyfriend material, but he was a very talented artist, and like it or not, they would forever be linked by their partnership on this film. She hated to admit it, but the producers had been right. He deserved to be here as much as shedid.
The party was really starting as they returned to the grand foyer. She excused herself from Dean, anxious to be away from him, if only for abit.
Tables of food and drinks lined the walls. Her stomach growled loudly as the heavenly aromas of the room reached her. She'd barely eaten in days, yet as much as she'd love to splurge tonight, the thought of having to squeeze into the already fitted gowns for the next three release parties kept her from partaking in the heavy filet mignon being carved closest to her. She instead made her way to the dessert table to grab a plate of smallpastries.
She'dsplurge.
"Khloe! I've been waiting for you. I brought a chocolate éclair just for you. I know you don't like the calories, but since it's your favorite dessert in the whole wide world, I knew you'd wantone."
Several seconds ticked by while her brain tried to comprehend why the man dressed in a waiter's outfit looked familiar. "Peter? What are you doinghere?"
The gangly young man with unfortunate pockmarks and an active patch of acne on his receding forehead beamed that she'd remembered him. "I wouldn't miss tonight. The studio hired me to help serverefreshments."
It seemed odd they would spend money flying a coffee runner across the country for a one-night event, but he'd told her once he was the nephew of a studio bigwig. She suspected he had a learning disability based on his awkward social skills, but he was a nice enough guy who kept her flush in hot coffee while onset.
"Thanks so much. That's very thoughtful." Khloe reached out to take the offered dessert that had more calories than an entire day's allotment. "Everyone will be jealous that I'm the only one who will getone."
