“I didn’t.” I knew that arguing with him was pointless. He’d created a false reality in his own mind, and nothing I could say was going to change it. But I did not set this situation up, and I would be damned if someone—even him—was going to blame it on me. “I never called you.”
Steven nodded. “When you set up your security system,” he said. “You called for troubleshooting, and I helped you.” A smile wormed its way across his face, as if he were remembering something so wonderful, and it was scarier to see than the rage. “You were excited about becoming Dr. Falconi. You told me all about it.”
My throat nearly squeezed shut. He wasn’t wrong. The day that I got the security system that Foster so ruthlessly mocked was the same day that my manager told me that I’d landed the role in the Falconi movie. I was so excited that I was telling everyone... and the security IT person had been one of those people.
“I did do that,” I admitted. “I’m sorry that I forgot, but you have to know that I wasn’t saying that I was becoming her for real. It’s just a part in a movie.”
Steven shook his head. “No,” he insisted. “It started out that way, but I’ve watched you. I’ve seen the pictures. YouareDr. Falconi. She’s come to life in you.” His expression darkened. “You were, anyway. Now, you’re... nothing. Less than nothing.”
His words came out like a threat, and I tried to keep my eyes straight and not look around. If he knew that Foster was just across the way, or that Ethan and Callan were stationed behind the counter and in the kitchen, he would bolt... or worse. “Why don’t you tell me what you want, Steven?” I said.
“Renounce being Dr. Falconi,” he said. “Admit to the world that you’re nothing but a slut.”
He wanted me to out my relationships? “I can’t do that,” I said. I might be willing to give up the movie role—it crossed my mind more than once in the last few days—but telling the world about my relationships? That would ruin me and my men. The world wasn’t ready for our kind of relationship. “I’m sorry, but I can’t.”
He looked lucid for a moment, threatening but in a different way. “I could post the information that I have online,” Steven said. “I could sell the pictures.”
“Then why haven’t you?”
Steven’s expression shifted between confusion and rage and something sadder. He was having a breakdown, that was clear, but I didn’t know what to do about it. Where in the hell were the police? Surely, they’d been called by now. “You look like her,” he said. “I want you to be her.”
I shook my head. “But I’m not,” I said. “Dr. Falconi isn’t real. She’s a character. If I don’t play her, someone else will. Maybe someone else should.”
“Hey, hey!”Oh no, I thought. I didn’t notice when Ryan walked in, but he had come in for coffee. He plunked his mug down on the table with the obvious intention to sit down. “Who’s this? Fan of yours?” He held out a hand. “Ryan Jacobs,” he introduced.
“Ryan, it’s not a good time,” I tried to say, but Steven put his hand into Ryan’s and shook it.
“You’re Rutledge,” he said, pumping his hand.
“That’s who I play, yeah,” he said and sat down. “We’re both really excited to share the movie with our fans.”
It was the studio’s party line. Ryan was the best at sticking to it when it came to the movie. “She’s making a cuckold of you,” Steven growled at him, “and you’reallowingit to happen. What kind of man does that make you?”
Ryan blinked. “Excuse me?”
I touched his arm. “Steven has been leaving me gifts,” I said. “Remember? I told you about them.”
He understood immediately. “Oh,” he breathed, and he tried his best to maintain the smile on his face. “You really care about Adrianne, huh? She’s quite the woman.”
Steven sneered. “Dr. Falconi is a goddess,” he said. “This woman is a harlot.”
Harlot was slightly better than whore and slut, I supposed. “We’re having a slight... disagreement about my role as Dr. Falconi. He wants me to quit because I’ve disgraced the character.”
I could feel Ryan’s eyes on me, but I didn’t take mine off Steven. “You can’t do that.” He looked at Steven. “She can’t do that. Filming is nearly finished, and there’s no way the studio would allow her to just quit.”
He was being logical in averyillogical situation. “I don’t think Steven cares about the film schedule, Ryan,” I breathed out.
“Oh, that makes sense. What do you want from Adrianne, Steven?” he asked.
“She needs to atone for ruining Dr. Falconi’s image.”
“Atone?”
I sighed. “He wants me to tell the world about my relationships with my security team,” I murmured.
“Iwantyou to admit that you’re a whore and make amends in the name of Dr. Falconi.”
I balled my hands into fists and dug my nails in my palms. It was hard not to scream at him out of sheer frustration. “Steven, I can’t do that,” I said. “Iwon’tdo that. I appreciate how protective you are over Dr. Falconi, but she and I are not the same person. I can live my life however I want to.” I put my hand on Ryan’s shoulder. “He’s not Rutledge. We arenottogether. I’m not cheating on him in any way.”