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"One-hundred million dollars. That’s a lot of money." Nikolai Solonik, the New York-based head of the Bratva in the US, taps his fingers together.
Rick’s a managing partner in the security agency run by Karina Solonik Beauchamp, who’s Niko’s brother, as well as my brother Arpad’s wife. She wasn't happy when I told her of my plan, but finally agreed to help.
"It’s a fraction of the kind of money you and I are used to dealing with," I drawl.
His lips curve a fraction.
"If it were that easy to drum up this kind of financing, you wouldn’t be here."
"And if you didn’t want to be a part of Tinseltown, you wouldn’t have agreed to see me." I raise a shoulder.
He tilts his head, a considering look in his eyes. "You think that’s why I’m entertaining financing your film?"
"To have your name up there as one of the producers of a possible Oscar-winning, box-office thumping movie? Fuck, yeah."
His smile widens. "You’re not wrong. But there are easier ways of making money. In fact, as you and I know, there is a ninety-nine percent chance I'll never see this money again."
"And you know I wouldn’t be here if I weren’t ninety-nine point nine-nine percent sure about the bankability of this film." I cross my ankle over my other knee.
"You’re here because, while you have financiers lined up and you’re pouring your own money into it, you still have a gap you need to fill."
So, he’s aware of the financing structure of my film. Just as I’m aware of how keen he is to find a legal route to investing his money. I tap my foot on the floor. "A gap right up your alley."
He narrows his gaze. "It still leaves a margin of doubt on the return of my investment."
"A risk well worth it for the kind of fame and entrée to Hollywood this movie could give you."
He drums his fingers on the table between us. "It’s true, I’ve wanted to get a foothold in Hollywood for a while—"
"And to do it with the leading star in the industry? You’ll never get this chance again, and you know it."
He stills his fingers. "I’ll invest the money."
I lean forward in my chair. "But?"
He blinks. A look of respect comes into his eyes. "Smart of you to realize just the admission into Hollywood isn’t enough for me to invest the money."
I hold his gaze. "What’s your condition?"
41
A month later
Solene
“Champagne, I need more champagne.” I glance up and down the long table. "Where is the champagne, anyway?"
We’re at my friend Abby’s wedding to Cade Kingston, captain of the English cricket team, and while I’m happy for her, I can’t wait to put this event behind me and focus on figuring out how to revive my singing career. A career headed for a huge collapse, the likes of which only a pop star with a number one chart hit can face when the fans decide they don’t like your music anymore.
"Uh, we wanted to avoid any accidents, so the champagne is on that table.” My friend, Summer, points at the table at the far end of the room.
"Accidents?" Declan scowls at her, then turns to me.
I hold his gaze for a second, long enough for those blue eyes as unfathomable as the depths of the sea to widen. A-n-d there is the other reason I want to be as far away from this table as possible—my boyfriend. I haven’t seen him face-to-face in a month, and I’ve been evading him since arriving at this wedding.
I jump up and head toward the bubbles. I reach for the bottle of champagne and begin to pour it into a glass.Thud-thud-thud. Why is my heart pounding so fast? Thud-thud-thud. That's not my heart.I turn to see why everyone at the table is yelling, but before I can fully turn, something goes sailing through the air, blocking my view. Not something, but someone, or rather, someone’s dog. Isla’s Great Dane Tiny snatches the bottle of champagne from my hand and turns it upside down with the head of the bottle somewhere down his jaw.
Whoa, that’s some acrobatics. And whoever heard of a dog drinking champagne, or rather, a champagne-drinking dog? I'm so amused by him, I don't even realize I've lost my balance. The world tilts, and that’s when I realize the result of the dog’s bottle stealing tactic is that I’m falling, falling. I brace for impact, which comes.
