“What? No.” His face slackens. “Sid, you’re the best in the fuckin’ biz. You know that. I’m just protective. The press are unforgiving—”
“I’m well aware of what the tabloids and paparazzi are like. I’ve gone through their spin cycle more than once.”
“And that’s why I’m protective. I don’t want you to go through that again.” He reaches for me, his fingers gently circling my wrist before he pulls me back into him. “Be careful, that’s all. You never know what someone with a name like Linden Lee might be up to. The douche sounds like something you clean out of your washing machine.”
“Be nice, Mason.”
“This is me being nice. You should hear the criticisms I’m keeping to myself.” He raises my hand, bringing my knuckles to his lips. “You also can’t blame me for being possessive. It’s a side-effect of blue balls.”
I roll my eyes. “It’s been four days.”
“That’s five-thousand, seven-hundred minutes.”
I don’t fight the laugh that bursts free. It’s hard to stay annoyed at him when I love his addiction to me. Especially when he’s not great at math and must have been pondering those numbers for quite some time.
“Make sure he keeps his grabby hands off you,” he adds. “If I catch him so much as—”
“Don’t worry. You’re the only muscled up, smart-mouthed pretty boy I have eyes for.”
His scowl returns.
It’s all for show.
He trusts me. I know he does. He just struggles with my vulnerability after the world attempted to destroy me.
“I’m not pretty,” he grates.
“I’m positive the last poll on Twitter stated otherwise.”
He releases my wrist. “Now you’re just being mean. I guess I’m meant to blame that on your evil PMS, too.” He chuckles, but the sound falls flat when I glare. “I’m kidding.” He raises his palms in surrender. “Truce?”
The doorbell chimes.
I harden my faux evil stare and start for the hall. “Saved by the bell.”
He follows a step behind, giving a playful pat to my ass. “I love you, kitten.”
I scoff a snicker. Only this man could beg me for sex, taunt me about my mood swings, then confess his love all in the one conversation.
When I reach the entry, I pause and turn to him. “If this is Linden, be kind.”
“I’ll try my best but you know I’m no saint.”
I pull open the door and feel my welcoming expression vanish before I have time to stop it.
It’s not the smart-mouthed, muscled up pretty boy I expected. Instead, it’s a picture-perfect viperous bitch in a stylish charcoal pantsuit and three-inch heels.
“Sophia,” Mason greets. “You’re early.”
The gorgeous blonde glances at her watch, her curve of lips flawlessly seductive. “Only by six minutes.”
“That’s all I would’ve needed,” he mutters under his breath. “Have you met Sid before?” he says, louder.
“Not exactly.” I hold my head high as I answer for her. “But we’re familiar with one another.”
She reaches out her hand for me to shake, her eyes sparkling with friendship that will never be reciprocated. “It’s great to finally meet the woman behind the scandal.”
Cruel cow.
I don’t take her offering. I don’t even lower my gaze to acknowledge it. “I wish I could say the same about the person who created the gossip headline, but Giving Head Doesn’t Mean You’ll Get Ahead is something I would’ve preferred to forget if given the choice.”
Mason’s stare ping-pongs between us. “Tell me you’re joking.” His palm slides over the low of my back, cautiously protective.
Sophia releases a breath of a laugh and waves away my comment. “I’m sure there are no hard feelings, right? We’re adults. I had a job to do. Just like every other writer who was tasked with covering your viral video.”
“Jesus Christ.” Mason seethes. “Sid, I didn’t know.”
I wouldn’t expect him to. The list of reporters who took cheap shots at me is long. “No hard feelings at all,” I lie. “I’m actually impressed you were capable of moving from writing a B-grade gossip column to screenplays for Hollywood. That’s quite a jump. Especially for someone who took a negative stance on getting ahead through sexual favors.”
Mason bristles, but Sophia brushes off the insult with another laugh. “I’ll admit, my father is helping to grease the wheels of this project. He’s got contacts and I’ve put them to good use. All I need is a detailed outline of what really happened behind the scenes of your whirlwind public romance, then we’ll be on our way toward a box-office hit.”
She bubbles with enthusiasm. No shame. No remorse.
I want to scratch her eyes out. But that toxicity bubbles up from a side of me that people like her created. I was never a vengeful soul before the vultures came for me. And I don’t want to be one now.
“Well,” I drawl, “who can say no to that?”
“You can,” Mason murmurs in my ear. “Say the word and this is over.”
I would never do that to him. Not on a project that’s had him salivating since the mere mention brushed his ears.
I give the subtlest shake of my head. “I’ll leave you both to it.”
“You’re not joining us?” she asks.
“No. I’ve got a client due to arrive.” On cue, a black SUV drives up to the property gates to stop before the waiting security guard. “I’ll check in later if I have the chance.”
Sophia’s eyes sparkle. “I get to have the Mason Lynch all to myself?”
My fingernails tingle with the need for blood. “Lucky you.”
“I wouldn’t get too excited.” He steps back, opening the door wider to give her space to enter the house. “Not only do you get me, but there’s also the thirty-page contract my lawyer arranged to make sure nothing I tell you gets spun unfavorably. I assure you this deal won’t go ahead unless I’m one hundred percent satisfied.”
“You’ll definitely be satisfied,” she purrs. “I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure you’re exceptionally pleased with my work.”
CHAPTER 2
Mason
Sophia saunters inside, passing Sid who remains rigid at the door, watching Linden’s car crawl up the drive.
If I’d known the two women had a past I never would’ve agreed to this meeting. I never would’ve even listened to the spiel.
Fuck that.
Sid always comes first. Her feelings. Her thoughts. Her everything.
I haven’t entertained the idea of this movie for my sake.
It’s all for her. My kitten.
After a year and a half together, I jumped at the chance to rewrite history. To change the perception of all those who judged her because of the sex tape I recorded. This movie deal is my attempt to show the world who Sidney Higgins is through my eyes. To demolish the lascivious misconception and replace it with awe and admiration.
“Come on.” I jerk my head at Sophia for her to follow me down the hall. “We can chat outside near the pool.”