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“It pertains to James. The two of you being so close, you’re probably the best person to help me.” The ice in his glass clinks as he circles it, motioning to the crowd.
“What is it?” My heart hammers in my throat. No way he knows, but I’d rather clear it here than have a meeting.
He shrugs. “Nothing we want to discuss with so many ears around.”
I step back and look through the crowd. “Let me get James and we can—”
“Maybe you’re not understanding the severity here.” He touches my arm again and I turn around.
Our gazes lock, and there’s an undercurrent of something I can’t decipher in his eyes.
“Well, I’ll tell James and we can schedule a meeting.”
“No James,” he says abruptly.
I pull my head back.
“Trust me, Lilah, we don’t need to add more weight to James’s plate. The movie is enough and with all the magazines and gossip circles after you overdosed, I think he’s got enough going on. This is your opportunity to help him out for once.”
I inhale a breath. His jab hit its mark. He’s clearly not going to accept no as an answer, and I don’t want to cause any more problems for Jimmy than I already have. “Sure, okay, let’s set something up.”
“Great.” He smiles like a wolf who knows he’s caught his prey before actually catching it. “I’ll have my secretary call and set something up.” He lifts his glass to me and nods before taking a sip.
The urge to rip the glass from his hand and down the remaining contents is fierce, but I push away the impulse.
“I’ll see you soon then.” Without waiting for a response, I spin on my heel and head toward the bathroom.
The itchy feeling on my skin intensifies with each step. I’m almost lost to it before I remember what Jimmy said. When I reach the restroom and enter my stall, I lock it, lean back against the cool metal door, and exhale, picturing the reason for my suffering right now. I can see me, healthy and happy, in the future, married to Jimmy, with a child or two running around in the grass. All of us laughing with full hearts.
That’s why I’m doing this. That’s why I will not numb myself. I wantthat.
I keep breathing, and after a few minutes, the tension eases until I no longer want to peel out of my skin.
When I step out of the bathroom, Jimmy’s waiting for me, his hands in his pockets and a look of concern directed my way. He gives me a head-to-toe sweep with his eyes, assessing me.
“Everything okay?” he asks, pushing off the wall.
“Yeah. I had a moment there, but I got through it.”
He cups my face. “That’s my girl.”
I kiss him, holding on to his wrists.This is why I’m doing this.
“You ready for me to take you home and ravage you?” He winks.
“More than ready.”
With my hand in his, he leads me through the crowd.
It wasn’t a perfect night, but the most important part is that I got through it.
Another step in the right direction toward my new life.
Chapter Thirty-nine
JIMMY
I’m close to signing a contract for another movie. If I do, it’ll be my first eight-figure deal. All the buzz aroundThe Regulatorhas worked in my favor, and I’m more in demand than ever.
