Hollywood Hype: A Sexy Billionaire Romance (The Director's Assistant Book 3) by Nikki Steele Page B
Authors: Nikki Steele
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Whenever a woman got caught sleeping with her boss, people would say she ‘ Bellefleured .’ And I bet they would still pronounce it wrong, too.
‘How could such a plain-looking girl attract the attention of a gorgeous, wealthy man like Archer Williams?’ they’d say. ‘ She must really be talented.’ They’d laugh and wink, nudging one another. I’d be picked apart the way buzzards pull apart roadkill.
I was shaken, too shocked to cry. Janus had done this. Janus was ruining my life. And the fact that their sleazy executive had watched the videos? I put my hands over my mouth, afraid I might be sick.
Gradually, the rocking abated. How had they even filmed us, anyway? I thought back to the scenes of our lovemaking, trying to cast emotion aside—trying to think logically. Neither of us had used our smartphones. Could it have been security footage? Or-
I leapt up. The film camera—of course! It had been pointing straight at us. And hadn’t I thought that the tally light—the red light that showed a camera was operating—was flashing, too? That meant there was more to this than meets the eye. I shivered . Could there be a second person close to Archer, working for Janus too?
Chapter 3
I pulled up with a screech at the Guard Gate, flashing my ID and then accelerating into the parking lot. It was a Saturday, and whilst shooting schedules often dictated weekend activity, today it was almost empty.
Now I knew what had happened—for the most part, at least. I didn’t know exactly who the spy was, but I did know that if I could get Archer alone, somewhere off reservation, I would be able to tell him about it, and we could come up with a plan.
Because I knew, to the very core of my being, that there was no way that I was going to give Janus that tape. They deserved to burn for what they’d done, and I was going to be the one who lit the match.
Just the thought that Archer would be by my side gave me strength. Somehow, I felt safer when he was around. As though, when we were together, we could take anything the world threw at us and spit it right back. Alone, I couldn’t fight this. But with him? Janus didn’t stand a chance.
That slime McNamara must have foreseen the way I’d fall for Archer, or how I’d lose my nerve when the time came to deliver. I imagined him sitting in his office, like a spider in the middle of a web. Spinning and spinning, thinking of every possible outcome and the trap he could set against each one.
I’d fallen straight into one of those traps, and taken Archer with me. I had to get through to him. I had to make Archer understand I hadn’t set him up, that I was as much a victim as he was. It was the idea that he would think I’d betrayed him that hurt me the most.
I almost collided with Christian as I entered the building. “Josie, are you okay?”
“Christian, thank goodness.”
Christian took in my tight, drawn face. “Josie, what’s wrong?”
He was a good kid, but I didn’t want to drag him into this mess too. I pushed past him. “Something bad has happened. I need to fix it.”
“The newspaper article?”
My head whipped round. “How did you know that?” I asked, stopping short.
He looked at me strangely. “It was in the newspaper. I do read, you know. Everyone does . I wonder who the mystery woman is?”
I cleared my throat. “I’m sure whoever it is, she had good reason to do what she was doing.”
“Sure—and I can tell you the reason right now.” He waggled his eyebrows. “Several million reasons, if you know what I mean.”
I slumped. If this was what Christian thought, what must Archer be thinking? “I’ve got to see Archer. You’re… you’re right; I think someone is trying to blackmail him, Christian. I think I know who it is, too.”
Christian opened his mouth, but I held up my hand. “No, I can’t tell you. It’s not safe—better if you don’t know anything about it.”
“Do you think he’ll give them what they
‘How could such a plain-looking girl attract the attention of a gorgeous, wealthy man like Archer Williams?’ they’d say. ‘ She must really be talented.’ They’d laugh and wink, nudging one another. I’d be picked apart the way buzzards pull apart roadkill.
I was shaken, too shocked to cry. Janus had done this. Janus was ruining my life. And the fact that their sleazy executive had watched the videos? I put my hands over my mouth, afraid I might be sick.
Gradually, the rocking abated. How had they even filmed us, anyway? I thought back to the scenes of our lovemaking, trying to cast emotion aside—trying to think logically. Neither of us had used our smartphones. Could it have been security footage? Or-
I leapt up. The film camera—of course! It had been pointing straight at us. And hadn’t I thought that the tally light—the red light that showed a camera was operating—was flashing, too? That meant there was more to this than meets the eye. I shivered . Could there be a second person close to Archer, working for Janus too?
Chapter 3
I pulled up with a screech at the Guard Gate, flashing my ID and then accelerating into the parking lot. It was a Saturday, and whilst shooting schedules often dictated weekend activity, today it was almost empty.
Now I knew what had happened—for the most part, at least. I didn’t know exactly who the spy was, but I did know that if I could get Archer alone, somewhere off reservation, I would be able to tell him about it, and we could come up with a plan.
Because I knew, to the very core of my being, that there was no way that I was going to give Janus that tape. They deserved to burn for what they’d done, and I was going to be the one who lit the match.
Just the thought that Archer would be by my side gave me strength. Somehow, I felt safer when he was around. As though, when we were together, we could take anything the world threw at us and spit it right back. Alone, I couldn’t fight this. But with him? Janus didn’t stand a chance.
That slime McNamara must have foreseen the way I’d fall for Archer, or how I’d lose my nerve when the time came to deliver. I imagined him sitting in his office, like a spider in the middle of a web. Spinning and spinning, thinking of every possible outcome and the trap he could set against each one.
I’d fallen straight into one of those traps, and taken Archer with me. I had to get through to him. I had to make Archer understand I hadn’t set him up, that I was as much a victim as he was. It was the idea that he would think I’d betrayed him that hurt me the most.
I almost collided with Christian as I entered the building. “Josie, are you okay?”
“Christian, thank goodness.”
Christian took in my tight, drawn face. “Josie, what’s wrong?”
He was a good kid, but I didn’t want to drag him into this mess too. I pushed past him. “Something bad has happened. I need to fix it.”
“The newspaper article?”
My head whipped round. “How did you know that?” I asked, stopping short.
He looked at me strangely. “It was in the newspaper. I do read, you know. Everyone does . I wonder who the mystery woman is?”
I cleared my throat. “I’m sure whoever it is, she had good reason to do what she was doing.”
“Sure—and I can tell you the reason right now.” He waggled his eyebrows. “Several million reasons, if you know what I mean.”
I slumped. If this was what Christian thought, what must Archer be thinking? “I’ve got to see Archer. You’re… you’re right; I think someone is trying to blackmail him, Christian. I think I know who it is, too.”
Christian opened his mouth, but I held up my hand. “No, I can’t tell you. It’s not safe—better if you don’t know anything about it.”
“Do you think he’ll give them what they
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