Emily’s the only one who matters to me, and I think I’ve broken things between us. Maybe forever. Every second on this phone call with Catrina feels like a waste. If it’s not solving things with Emily, then I can’t force myself to care.

“This is a do-or-die opportunity.” Catrina puts on her serious business voice. “And I mean that literally. Take this deal and it’ll make your career. Turn it down and—”

“And it’ll break my career?”

She doesn’t laugh. “Yes.”

Maybe she’s right. Maybe she’s not. I don’t think it’s as cut and dry as she’s making it out to be, but I can’t be bothered to care. “Okay, then. I’m out.”

“You’re… out?”

“Yeah. I’m out. I’m done.”

I just don’t care. I can’t bring myself to care about this deal, or that movie, or producer credits. What the hell kind of life is that? Endless publicity lunches and tours around the world with people I don’t care about?

“Then I’m done representing you.” A series of rapid-fire clicks. Catrina’s typing. No doubt it’s a message to her assistant to have her send me a termination letter. “You’re finished in Hollywood, Mateo. I hope you’ve thought this through, because—”

A notification pops up on my phone.

EBEN CAPE COP MISTRIAL

What the fuck?

I hang up on Catrina mid-sentence. No more time for that. She’s not my agent anymore. Maybe I’ll never have an agent again. Fine. I stab my thumb on the notification until the full article opens.

They’re going to let him walk free. Some bullshit about a technicality. I don’t take the time to understand the full legal ramifications. All I need to know is that he’s going to be on the streets of Eben Cape.

I don’t give a damn if Emily’s mad at me. I sprint through the beach house, fling the front door open, and run to my car. I don’t bother going back to lock up. Take all the stuff inside. I’ll replace it. All of that shit can be replaced.

Emily can’t.

I break every speed limit on the way to the cliff. Liam North is waiting at the checkpoint at the bottom of the road. “I have to get up there,” I shout out the window. “I have to see her.”

“Emily’s fine,” Liam says. “We’ve got this place locked down. I heard the news.”

“She’s fine?”

“Yes. But you can go on—”

I never hear him say through. I’m too busy gunning it up the road. Liam North can say she’s fine all he wants. I want to see it with my own eyes.