“Do you think that I’m stupid?” Steven seethed. “That I can’t see the truth?” He pointed a meaty finger in my face. “You’re trying to make me feel like the crazy one here, but you’re denying the truth.”
“I don’t think you’re crazy,” I lied. “I think you are in love with Dr. Falconi, and you’re disappointed that I can’t be her for you. I think you’re trying to punish me for that.”
Steven pounded the table again, and it rocked it enough that Ryan’s coffee dumped over. The only thing that saved my tea was my grip on it. The mug hit the floor and shattered, and the people at the table next to us got up and left. I could see Foster out of the corner of my eye now. He was wearing sunglasses and a hat to somewhat hide his identity. He held his hand against his ear, and his mouth was moving ever so slightly. He was talking to Ethan and Callan. Relief rushed through me. I wasn’t alone.
A worker at the cafe tried to clear the mess, but Ryan waved her off. “Call the police,” I heard him murmur to her.
“They’re coming,” she replied just as softly.
We were lucky that Steven didn’t hear any of it. I was the sole focus of his attention and anger. “I’m not punishing you,” Steven spat. “I’m getting justice for her.”
Ryan stood. “All right,” he said. “That’s enough. I get that you’ve got a chubby over a character, and that’s all well and good for you, but this woman isnother. If you don’t like that she’s playing Dr. Falconi, just don’t watch the damn movie.”
Something fundamentalbrokein Steven. He stood, reaching into his pocket, and pulled out a black handgun. I screamed, and on instinct, Ryan jumped at the man. Before he could wrestle the gun away from him, Steven swung his arm wide and smashed the butt of the gun into Ryan’s face. Ryan teetered for a second, blood pouring down his face, before he hit the ground with a deafeningthud. Tears blinded me. “Ryan.”
I tried to go and check on him, but Steven stepped over him. “Everyone remain in your seats!” he bellowed, waving the gun but not really pointing it at anyone. “You don’t move while I figure this out.”
I nodded. “Okay,” I breathed out. “Okay.” My eyes kept wandering to Ryan, checking to see whether his chest was rising and falling like it should. So far, he was breathing, but his face was a mask of blood.It’s a head wound, I reminded myself.Head wounds bleed more, but they usually look scarier than they actually are.
“Maybe we should leave,” Steven said suddenly. “We could go somewhere quieter and discuss this without so much emotion getting in the way. I can make you see the truth.”
I was absolutely not leaving with him. “I’m due to the set very soon,” I told him and then gestured down at Ryan. “We both are. If we don’t show up, my team will come looking for me, and our director may call the police.”
Steven started to pace, and I did what I could to remain seated and not run to Foster. The rest of the cafe’s patrons were terrified now. They were all on their phones to loved ones and the police, but Steven didn’t seem to notice them at all. As long as they weren’t moving, he seemed to forget about them entirely.
“Why did you have to fuck them?” he asked. “Why couldn’t you have done the right thing? You ruined this.” He glared at me. “You fucking ruined this, you dumb slut, and now I don’t know what to do.”
I was really tired of being called that. “You could walk away,” I suggested. “You could put the gun down and leave, and I wouldn’t do anything about it. I’d make sure Ryan didn’t do anything about it. Okay? Just leave.”
“That doesn’t fix the problem!” He sounded hysterical, and he was waving the gun around more and more. It wouldn’t be long before he finally started pointing it. I sank as far down in my chair as I could, trying to seem smaller.
“I’ll quit,” I said, going for a soothing tone, but it came out as a plea. “I’ll quit, and I’ll make a video explaining that I’m exactly what you say I am. We can post it on all of my socials. I swear. Just... please put that gun down.”
Steven looked at the gun in his hand as if he just remembered that he had it. “Do you promise to make the videos?” he asked.
I nodded. “I promise. I’ll do anything you want.”
“Get up, then.”
“What?”
“Get. Up.”
21
FOSTER
If he touched one hair on Adrianne’s head, I would kill him. It was the only thing that I could think when Steven pulled out the gun. He was lucky that he hadn’t pointed it at her. He would already be on the ground if he had. I was positioned at a table some ten feet away, looking directly at them. Ethan and Callan were in different spots, but further away. It would be up to me to get there first if things went badly.
“Steven,” I could hear Adrianne as she pleaded. “Put that away, and we can talk, but I can’t go anywhere with you.”
“It’s toolatefor talk,” the man insisted. “It’s already been ruined.” He pointed a meaty, menacing finger in her face. “You’re a fucking whore, and you’re going to get up and come with me right now.”
Like hell was he taking her anywhere, I thought, but I couldn’t take my eyes off the gun. “Can we move in?” I said into the tiny microphone looped around my ear.
“Not yet. The police are on their way. It would be better for us if they take him in,” Ethan said gruffly. “But if he points that thing at her or tries to grab her—”
“He’ll be dead before he hits the ground,” Callan growled.