“Of course,” he says and takes my glass from me. “Let me get you another drink.”

“That would be great. Thanks.”

He’s not stupid. I’m not either. I know his handler is still at the door. I can’t leave, so I pull my phone out of my bag and find Asher’s number.

I call him four times before Levi gets back. They all go to voicemail.

“I hope this is club soda,” I say when Levi hands me the drink.

“Why don’t you take a sip and find out?”

His eyes are burning holes into mine. I’m on fire. Not in a good way. I don’t know how to talk my way out of this one.

“I’ll take it back if it’s wrong.”

I take a sip and pray there’s no lasting effect.

“Well?” he asks, but his lips are on my neck before I can answer. When I try to move away, he moves closer. I’m crammed into a corner, half-sitting, half-lying, and Levi doesn’t take the hint.

“Levi,” I say. “Can we slow down?”

“Livi,” he groans into my neck. “I’ve been waiting so long to have you like this.”

“We only met a few weeks ago.”

“And that’s a very long time to have you just in my head.”

“I’m just… I’d rather we just stay friends.”

“Friends,” he laughs and it’s sinister. I see a shift in his eyes. This isn’t the man that romances women on the big screen. This isn’t a man who romances women anywhere. “Like you’re friends with Asher?”

“I’m not—”

“Olivia, you need to know whose bed to sleep in if you want to make it in this industry. And let me tell you: it’s not Asher McGowan’s. It’s mine,” he says into my ear. “And I can end your career before it even starts.”

I can’t move or speak or breathe. He looks straight through me, pinning me further into the couch. I want to scream, but when I open my mouth, no sound comes out.

“Don’t fucking touch me.”

The black velvet curtain flies open. I see Joey against the dim club lights. She’s six feet of pure rage and she’s shaking. I never want someone to look at me the way she’s looking at Levi.

“Get your hands off of her.” She doesn’t give him another option. She drags me off the couch, leaving Levi raw-lipped and furious.

“We keep meeting like this, Josephine.”

“Yeah, it’s kind of funny how you continue to be a fucking vile piece of shit,” she says, tucking me against her side. “You’re gonna rot in hell.”

“Is that a threat?”

“It’s a promise.”

Outside, Natasha is waiting with a car. The cold shocks the life back into me and when Joey looks down at me, I burst into tears.