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CHAPTER1
Candace
“Did you see the damn news reports this morning?” My agent’s pissed off voice wakes me up at the ungodly hour of five in the morning. I’m not a morning person. Never have been and my bleary eyes won’t focus as I sit up and push my long, blond hair out of my eyes.
“What?” I answer him, my voice husky and tired.
“You went to a freaking open-air cafe and met your damn brother for coffee? What the hell were you thinking? You have a squeaky-clean image that gets you all the damn jobs you want! So you decide to piss it all away by meeting your damn mafia brother forcoffee? Have you lost your mind?”
The fog starts to clear out of my mind.Oh shit!This is not good. I thought that I wouldn’t be seen at that time of the day and in a disguise.
I must have said that part out loud because my agent snorts. “Really? You thought that was a disguise? I could see through that with my eyes closed.”
“Ugh. I didn’t really think it would be that big a deal.”
“You met a man who is readily recognizable as a made man and you think it’s not going to be news?”
“I didn’t think he was readily recognizable.”
“Well, when the paparazzi gets a look at you trying to hide yourself in some ridiculous costume and you’re with a man…naturally they’re going to try and figure out who he is. And they did.”
I sigh and sit up in bed, running my fingers through my hair. “So…? What do I do now?”
“You lay low and hope this all dies down. But you know how the press and public feel about those kinds of guys since Pamela’s divorce from that one last year. The way he dragged her through court and made a mockery out of her. It just went so bad that it left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth. And so far, they haven’t figured out that you are related to him which we have to hope that stays the same. Your squeaky-clean image can’t take that kind of press.”
“I think I can.”
“You better hope you don’t have to find out,” he grouses. “Now…I’ll see you this afternoon to go over our strategy and check and see how bad this all looks after morning press comes out.”
“Sure. I’ll see you later, Bob.”
“Yeah, sure,” he mumbles and then hangs up the phone.
‘Shit,” I mutter and drop my head into my hands. This is so bad. Thank heavens nobody has managed to find out who my brother is. He’s one of Xavier Compano’s newest enforcers. Calvin doesn’t sound like a mob guy and I’ve tried to get him out of this life but sadly, our father was another made man. Our mother left our father when I was just five and she took me with her. Cal went with our father and became a part of that kind of life. I did my best to forget all of it and stay the hell away from it.
But I love my brother and it hurts me that I can’t be with him. Can’t see him.
So when I saw the news stories about Club Curve and I saw him in the background, I knew I needed to see him face to face.
And now it’s gonna bite me in the ass.
I stand up and stalk over to my mirror, staring at the dark shadows under my eyes and the pale pink of my lips.
I look just as exhausted as I feel. My blue eyes are so damn tired and there are crows feet at the corners of my eyes. I’m only thirty five for god’s sake! When the hell did I get crows feet and what am I gonna do about them now? My job as an actress doesn’t have room for wrinkles and crows feet.
I stumble into the bathroom and begin my morning routine, washing my face and carefully applying moisturizer and sunscreen. Then I head back out to the heart of the house and into the kitchen. I groan when I see that it’s too early for the coffee pot to turn on.
I hit the button to get it going and then grab a banana and some yogurt for breakfast. My stomach grumbles but I ignore it. I’m used to ignoring it. I’m not a tiny model size but I can’t have too many rolls when I go on camera, as I’ve been told by my publicist and my agent. So I guess I’m used to being hungry.
I growl under my breath and try not to worry too much. I’m sure everything will be fine. I just need to wait it all out.
I throw my trash away and run down to my in-home gym to work out. My AirPods play my favorite playlist and I jump onto the treadmill, grinning.
Time to get my sweat on!
After forty-five minutes on the treadmill and then another half an hour of weightlifting, I’m ready to hit the showers.
Singing along tunelessly, I scrub my skin with my favorite loofah until it glows and apply my moisturizer. My skin gleams with health and I smile. I might have a few wrinkles but I still look good if I do say so myself! I can still play the young heroines. At least for a little while.
