Back inside her apartment, Riley hurried through her preparations, taking the quickest shower that she could and putting on the bare minimum of makeup. She chose a comfortable blouse and skirt to wear, reasoning that since they were just going to be in Mansour’s apartment she didn’t need to look particularly flashy. Riley braided her hair to keep it out of her face, and gathered up her phone, keys, and purse before hurrying back down to her car.
No sooner had she pulled out onto the road to go to Mansour’s place when Riley’s phone rang. Her heart sank when she glanced at the screen to see that it was Alex. Riley pulled to a stop at a light and accepted the call.
“You know,” she said as soon as it connected, “I’m a smart woman, but forgive me if I don’t come up with major plots and schemes all that well when someone badgers me constantly.”
“Cut the crap, Riley,” Alex said sharply. “I know exactly where you’re headed.”
“Is that so?” Riley felt resentment bubbling up at her ex-boyfriend, mingled with fear at the fact that he had somehow managed to discover something that should have been solely between herself and Mansour.
“You’re going to his place. Now’s your chance to give me something that will make that half-million worthwhile.”
Riley’s stomach twisted and she sighed. “What do you want me to do?”
“Your new boyfriend is one of only five people in the entire world who has a complete copy of the Galaxy Wars 3 script,” Alex told her. Riley struggled to keep her attention on the road and listen to him at the same time as the light changed from red to green. “What you’re going to do is get into his office, steal the script, and pass it along to me. I’ll take it from there.”
Riley clenched her teeth, her hands tightening on the steering wheel. “If he catches me, Alex…not only would I end up not getting the script to you, but I’d become totally useless. He’d break up with me and I’d be fired from the production.”
“Better not get caught then,” Alex said flippantly. “You do this and you’ve got the half million, the role in the film, the whole deal. Done and done.”
“I’ll try,” Riley said reluctantly. She hung up the phone before Alex could say anything more and turned the volume up on her stereo so that even if he did call her again, she wouldn’t be tempted to answer it.
SIXTEEN
Riley was unsurprised by the multiple levels of security she passed through at Mansour’s apartment building. She was asked to present her ID to get into the parking structure, and again at the front desk to receive a key card to access the elevator to the penthouse suite that Mansour occupied. She grappled with the demand that Alex had made of her as the elevator moved silkily up through the floors; having got to know the man, she wasn’t sure she could betray him quite so deeply—even if her career was hanging in the balance.
Arriving at the top floor, Riley walked down a short hallway and took a deep breath to steady her nerve before knocking at the door to Mansour’s apartment—the only one on the top floor. She heard muffled noises from inside, and a moment later the door opened, revealing Mansour. He looked as gorgeous as ever, in a pair of well-worn jeans and an unbuttoned shirt, his peculiar hazel eyes almost glowing at the sight of her.
“You look more beautiful every time I see you,” Mansour said, leaning in to kiss her briefly on the lips before letting her into the apartment.
Riley had known that Mansour would have a nice place; but as she looked around the sprawling penthouse apartment, she thought that it might actually be larger than her parents’ entire home in Vegas. Polished hardwood floors peeked out from underneath thick, intricate Persian-style rugs, an enormous fireplace dominated one wall of the living room, and the furniture somehow looked both expensive and cozy.
“I was just getting started on dinner,” Mansour told Riley. “Kick off your shoes and make yourself at home.”
“You’re cooking dinner?” Riley raised an eyebrow.
“I will have you know that there have been times in my life when I was…well, not exactly on my own, but fending for myself,” Mansour said, wagging a finger at her. “I know how to cook.”
Riley chuckled, wandering into the living room barefoot and throwing herself onto the couch; it was every bit as comfortable as it had looked, and she sighed contentedly.
“As long as you don’t expect me to jump in and save you when something lights on fire,” she said jokingly.
“I have a fire extinguisher, I can handle it,” Mansour said. “Let me get you a glass of wine and get back to work—you must be as hungry as I am after the day we’ve both had.”
By the time Mansour brought her a glass of blush wine, giving her another quick kiss that sent guilt-ridden shivers scattering through her, Riley had realized there was no way out of her situation, unless she did what Alex asked of her.
“This place is so big I’m not sure I could find the bathroom in it,” she said, keeping her voice as casual as possible.