Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 76647 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 383(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76647 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 383(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
Carter and Drew were at the worktable when Tristan pushed open the door, tracking snow inside as he carried me to my bedroom.
“What’s wrong?” Drew cried as he rushed to my side.
“Is she hurt?” Carter demanded.
“Back off until I get her in bed.”
Their questions didn’t abate, but I tuned them out as Tristan laid me gently on the bed. My phone was still in his pocket, and I could hear it ring as he worked my boots and coat off, handing each item to Drew whose worried face was visible over Tristan’s shoulder.
“Is that her phone?” Drew asked anxiously, but Tristan didn’t answer.
It was probably my agent. Or hell, maybe it was a reporter wanting to know how it felt to have my supposed sex tape all over the internet.
“Please tell me what happened,” Drew begged, btu Tristan waved him off. Then Carter was there with a pile of blankets that he tucked gingerly around me.
Tristan bent down to kiss my forehead. “Sleep if you can, sweetheart. Don’t think about it, just give your body and your mind some rest. When you wake up, we’ll come up with a plan.”
That was right. Tristan always had a plan. But in this case, it wouldn’t help. There was nothing to be done. Everyone knew that something posted on the internet couldn’t ever be contained. And how something like this would bring out the ugliest side of human nature.
I sobbed until it felt like I had no more moisture left in my body.
I did eventually fall asleep, but when I woke up, I had a splitting headache. For one long moment, my mind raced, trying to figure out why I felt this bad, and then I remembered.
And despair filled me.
I pushed back the covers slowly, one by one until I could slide my legs out. Then I made my way to the door. My feet felt like lead, and I could barely lift them.
They were all three out there when I opened the door.
Drew spoke first. “I’m so sorry, Sierra.”
All Carter said was, “Me, too,” but the expression on his face was pained.
“I need my phone.” My voice sounded like a frog’s croak.”
Tristan had my phone right in front of him on the coffee table, but he hesitated. “Why don’t you get some more sleep first?”
It was very tempting to retreat back into oblivion rather than face this head on, but my head hurt so much I knew it wouldn’t be possible. “I need to talk to my agent,” I said.
“She already called, actually. Rita, right? She wants you to call when you’re able.”
“I’m able.” Maybe. Just barely.
Reluctantly, Tristan brought me my phone. “Why don’t you talk to her out here? We can say with you if you’d like or wait upstairs.”
“No, thank you, I’m just going to call her in here.”
“Don’t watch it, Sierra. Don’t watch that garbage.”
I recoiled as if he’d slapped me. “Of course, I won’t.” Again, I pictured a naked woman writhing on the screen. A woman who looked and sounded exactly like me. “I’d never do that. Don’t you guys, either. I’d die if you…” I trailed off.
Tristan seemed reluctant to let me go. “We’ll be right out here if you need us.”
Rita, who was one of the most practical people I knew, was sympathetic for all of ten seconds. Then she was all business. “I think Ronnie’s right. The studio’s not going to put out a statement. If directly asked they’ll probably wash their hands of it.”
“And of me?”
“No, I doubt that. In fact, as of now, they still want you to go on the press tour.”
Oh god. That was the last thing I needed. “Why?”
“Well, you know as well as I do, this movie series is a star vehicle for Aiden, not you. You’re just in one.”
“So, they’re throwing me under the bus?”
“More like they’re just going to ignore you while you’re under the wheels. Or who knows maybe this’ll provide an incentive for more people to see the movie.”
“Yeah… come see the woman who had sex on the internet,” I said bitterly. “But can’t they just issue a statement that the sex scene from their movie was leaked and then it was doctored or deepfaked or whatever you call it?”
Rita sighed. “By all accounts, you can’t even tell that it was from the movie originally. Almost everything’s been changed or faked except for you and your voice. Plus, even if there were remanents of the actual set, no one’s seen the movie yet, so they wouldn’t know.”
Even though I was completely dehydrated at this point, tears began to flow slowly. “So, what do I do?”
“Well, for starters, I’m getting you out of that god forsaken place.”
“What?” That was the last thing I’d expected her to say.
“Yeah, haven’t you called me often enough asking for an escape route. I’ve been working on it for some time, and now we’re good to go.”