actor.”
He shakes his head, disappointment scrolling across his face. “A good actor can fake it.”
For most of my life, I have wanted to become an actress. And as I stand on this stage, staring down at this disgusting man, a thought pops into my head.
I’m not supposed to be an actress.
“I’m sorry,” I say as I take the stairs. “I can’t do this.”
“You only get one shot with me,” he growls. “If you leave now, you will never work in this town.”
So, if I sleep with this idiot, I can have a career?
I’ll pass.
“Thank you for the opportunity,” I say with a forced smile. “But I don’t think I’m right for the part.”
He glares at me. “See yourself out.”
Without another word, I exit the theater room, whipping through the hallways until I’m in the foyer. My chest feels heavy as I exit the house. I take in a few deep breaths to keep myself from hyperventilating.
I can’t believe I said no to Dominic Deville. He might be right. I may one day regret not having the opportunity to work for him, but at least I will still have my self-respect.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Ash
Before I could speak to him, Dylan left the house, showered, and dressed in his usual shorts and a shirt that says, I Know HTML (How to Meet Ladies). I laughed and even commented on his shirt. But Dylan blew through the house like a tornado, ignoring me.
We’re still not talking for some reason. All of my texts and phone calls have gone unanswered. Even after Sloan spoke to him and supposedly smoothed things over, he still seems angry. But why? I wish he would talk to me and stop acting like the old Dylan, the person I broke up with years ago.
After Dylan left, I told Sloan about my meeting with Dominic. Of course, he threatened to kill him. Then, we drank for a few hours until we fell asleep on the chairs by the pool. Sloan was gone when I woke up, and Dylan was still fucking off somewhere. I busied myself working on my latest screenplay, and now more energized about my future career as a writer.
I fell asleep with my head on my notebook, the pen still clasped between my fingers. The sound of the front door slamming wakes me with a jolt. I lift my head from the book and wipe the drool from the corner of my mouth. The house falls silent for a moment, and then loud footsteps come toward my bedroom.
I rush to my door and pull it open. Dylan stops when he sees me, giving me a quick once over and then walks past my room.
What the hell is wrong with him?
Irritated, I jog down the hall and get in front of him, blocking the path to his bedroom.
He flexes his jaw. “Move it, Ash.”
I throw my hands out at my sides and lean back against his door. “What is your fucking problem?”
“Nothing. Get out of my way.”
“Talk to me, Dylan.”
“Not now,” he growls, leaning forward, pressing his hard chest into me. “Go back to your room.”
“I’m not a child, and you’re not my father.”
“Ash, please. I’m not in the mood.”
I shove my hand into his chest, and that seems to get his full attention. “You asked me last night if I want this, you and me. I said I didn’t know what I want. Is that why you’re shutting me out?”
He shakes his head, and his hair brushes my forehead. “Go back to bed. We can talk later.”
“You haven’t answered any of my calls or texts. I needed you earlier, Dylan, and you did what you always do.”
“I have a lot of shit going on right now,” he groans. “I need to be alone, okay?”
“The meeting with Dominic Deville didn’t go well. You know what he wanted?”
He closes his eyes and sighs. “Don’t say it, because once you do, it becomes real.”
“He wanted me to dance for him.”
His mouth twists into a painful snarl. “I’ll fucking kill that asshole. Does Sloan know?”
I nod. “I needed you, Dylan. You were the first person I wanted to tell, and you were wherever the fuck you went today.” I shove my palm into his chest once more, and he leans closer. “What are you up to? I thought you and Sloan are good now.”
“We are,” he snaps. “But it’s complicated. You’re complicated. Everything in my fucking life is complicated right now. Because of—”
“Me?”
Dylan stares into my eyes, unblinking, with zero emotion on his