Risk Taker by Sonia Stanizzo
Chapter 3
Ethan navigated through the dark streets in his black BMW. Victoria sat in the passenger seat looking into a compact mirror while applying deep red lipstick. Her full glossy lips popped against her flawless, fair skin. Long, auburn, straight hair sat over one shoulder leaving the other bare in the strapless blue mini dress she wore, exposing her smooth toned legs that went on for days. Hollywood’s it girl, was in Australia as his leading lady. They’d met a couple of times at parties in L.A. It wasn’t until they were cast together that they got to know each other better. A lot better.
“We’ll go to The Factory, make sure we’re seen, have a glass of wine, then we can leave. Shouldn’t take more than an hour.” She flipped the mirror closed and placed it in her purse. Moving closer towards Ethan, she trailed a finger along his inner thigh. “I can’t wait to get you home.”
Normally, Ethan’s body would respond instantly to her touch, but nothing stirred. An overly made-up face with wavey honey brown hair and light brown eyes sprang to mind. Her touch, which should not have caused any reaction, because cameras and crew surrounded them, made something else spring up. And he’d needed to stop filming twice to pull himself together, blaming the delay on Holly stuffing up her lines. He had one of the sexiest women in the business next to him. It was the hands of hooker number three—Holly, he had the urge for. What the hell was wrong with him?
Before Victoria’s fingers found their mark, he clutched her hand in his and kissed her knuckles. “We’re nearly at the club.”
She gave him her trademark sultry smile, the one she got paid millions to show on screen, which drove men and some women, crazy. The one Ethan’s body usually responded to. The red, full lips that sent an arrow of lust straight to his dick, now did not affect him. It had been a long day, maybe he was tired? Pfft... He shook away the thought. When was he ever too tired for sex? Never. He brushed his concerns aside as they pulled up to The Factory. A valet eagerly greeted them as he took the keys from Ethan.
“Victoria… Ethan!” Paparazzi waiting outside the club for celebrity sightings, shouted to get their attention. He draped an arm around Victoria’s shoulders, and she put a loving hand on his chest as they made their way inside, pausing a moment to make sure the paps got a few photos.
Inside, the club’s music pounded through his body and vibrated up his feet. They climbed the stairs and entered the VIP section that overlooked the busy room of gyrating people on the dance floor. An American pop singer, a reality star and a B-list horror director were some who mingled in the secluded area. It didn’t take long for Victoria to spot her target, a bigshot producer looking for his next leading lady. She slipped her hand free from Ethan’s and made her way over to him.
Drinks were poured, backs were slapped congratulating actors on their movie’s successes. Flirting flowed as freely as the alcohol but Ethan wanted to go home—alone, take a long, hot shower and crawl into bed. All this schmoozing was too much. If he smiled and told someone how great their horrendous movie was one more time, his face would crack. Ethan rubbed the back of his neck, trying not to let his eyes glaze over at all the bullshit in the room. He hadn’t landed the role of a lifetime yet and therefore would put up with it until he did.
This was part of the job. Be seen, mingle with influential people, and you were more likely to land the dream roles. The dramas that made people take notice of your work. He’d been playing this game for four years now and kept getting cast into action movies. Blow things up, kill the bad guy and fuck the girl. Same movie, different bad guy.
His agent, Ralph Munroe, sidled up to him. “How’s filming going? I hear once it’s released, it should top the box office.”
“That’s what’s going around.” The waiter arrived with a tray of drinks. Ethan declined; his agent took a scotch.
“I was hoping you’d be here. I wanted to call you in the morning, you’ve saved me the trouble.” He downed the amber liquid in one swallow, his gold Rolex flashing with the movement. The sweat on his bald head glittered under the colourful lights of the club and he sniffed and rubbed his nose. Ralph had probably already done a line or two of coke. Ethan only tolerated him because he was one of the best agents around, he was the one who’d scored him massive movies and negotiated a shitload of money that boosted his family out of poverty. And if that meant sticking with Ralph for the high paying jobs, that’s exactly what he’d do. Because he never wanted to experience the struggles he’d gone through as a kid again or be forced to eat frozen dinners most nights of the week.
Ralph’s attention drifted off the conversation as he eyed an up-and-coming actress wearing a pink dress that left nothing to the imagination.
“Ralph,” Ethan clicked his fingers to snap his attention back, “you had something to tell me?”
“Right… yes. I may have a movie role lined up for you. You’re gonna love it.”
When Ralph pitched him a new film, he always said he’d love it. When Ethan first started acting in movies, he did. Who wouldn’t want to be a kick-arse action hero? Once you’ve made seven and did nothing different, it was monotonous. “Another action movie?”
Ralph must have noticed the disinterest in Ethan’s voice. “Now, now… don’t sound so glum. I know you’ve been telling me to find you something different, something that will show off your acting abilities. It hasn’t been easy. I know how great you are and, you could do it. Convincing producers and directors that you can hasn’t been easy. After the flop you starred in for your first movie role, they don’t want to risk it.”
Ethan would never forget his first movie. After landing commercials and roles in T.V shows, he thought he’d hit the big time landing a part in a drama. Until it failed. After that, no one cast him in another role for two years. His acting had pulled his family from poverty and with no work, it scared him they’d end up there again. Luckily, he’d met Ralph at a movie premiere, and he’d scored him an action movie. Since then, no one would hire him for anything else.
“I’ve found something you’re gonna love. Although, when I suggested you to the director, he wasn’t exactly sold on the idea, I convinced him you’ve got the acting chops to take it on.”
“What is it?” Ethan asked again.
His agent steered him away from a group of people and gave a quick glance over his shoulder like they were conspiring to take over the world. “I can’t say too much here. There’re eyes and ears everywhere. Wouldn’t want anyone stealing this job out from under you.” He gave another sniff and rub of his nose. “I’ll send you the script tomorrow.” With that, Ralph slapped him on the back and ambled over to a young blond.
A spike of adrenaline hit his blood. Could he finally be cast in a role that would see him as more of a serious actor? About fucking time.
He scanned the small crowd for Victoria. He’d had enough with this scene for the night and spotted her flirting with a guy from a popular sitcom. Ethan and Victoria weren’t exclusive and were free to flirt or do what they wanted with other people.
“I’m heading home,” Ethan said.
The sitcom guy, Ethan couldn’t recall his name, put a hand on Victoria’s hip. Not an ounce of jealousy washed over Ethan.
“Okay, let me say goodbye to some people,” Victoria said.
“No, stay. I’m beat. I’ll be no fun tonight and you don’t have to be on set until later tomorrow. You might as well enjoy the night.”
Victoria frowned, well as much as the fresh Botox injected in her forehead allowed. “Are you sure?”
The sitcom guy had a triumphant smirk on his face. He got to take Victoria home.
“I’ll see you at work.” He turned to leave.
“Wait,” Victoria called after him. “I’ve changed my mind. Take me home.” She gave an apologetic smile at sitcom guy and his expression dropped. “Maybe next time,” she said to him then, linked her arm through Ethan’s.
Once outside, the valet drove his BMW to the front of The Factory. They both waved at cameras before dashing into the car.
“I saw you talking to Ralph earlier,” Victoria said as they drove away from the club. “Looked very secretive.”
“He has a movie for me. Said it was different from the usual.”
The lights from the dashboard lit up the surprised expression on her face. “Oh? What is it?”
Ethan shrugged. “Not sure, he’s sending me the script. I’ve waited a long time to try something new, something with more guts.”
“Pfft, give me an action flick any day, everything else is a snooze fest.” She flicked her hair over her shoulder and said, “You’re too good looking to be taken seriously in anything else.”
Victoria’s backhanded remark stung. He hoped his acting ability came down to more than just a pretty face and a fit body. He’d spent most of the time shirtless in movies and it annoyed the crap out of him. Maybe he should grow a beer belly so the industry would take him seriously. Because it was true, he did get cast for his looks, he had so much more to offer if only they’d see past the exterior and give him a chance.
“Looks won’t last forever,” he said glancing in the rear-view mirror as they stopped at a red light. A white car pulled up behind them that had been following them from the club. He’d given the paps photos. What more did they want? Although the paparazzi weren’t as invasive as the ones in the U.S, it still annoyed him he couldn’t drive home without them tailing.
“Oh please,” she huffed. “Men are lucky. You can be in your sixties and still be a lead character shagging a twenty-five-year-old leading actress. It’s women who are sitting on a ticking time bomb. We eventually get cast as your mother.”
The light turned green, hoping to lose the car following them, he navigated through dimly lit streets lined with old sandstone buildings.
“Maybe you should think about the future too.”
Victoria swung her head around and glared at him. “Are you saying I’m getting old?”
At thirty-three, she was hardly old, but in show business, it’s like aging in dog years. “Not at all, it was just a suggestion.”
They got caught up in traffic as people poured out of the theatre and jumped into waiting taxis. He couldn’t tell if they were still being followed, but he kept an eye on the rear-view mirror just in case.
“Well, Dr. James will keep me young and fresh for a few more years. I won’t be playing anyone’s mother for a while. I’ll worry about it when I have to.”
By the time they crossed Sydney Harbour Bridge and pulled up to Victoria’s house in Lavender Bay, he was sure he’d lost them.
Ethan leaned out of the open window and punched in the code to let them in through the gates. When they opened, he drove up the long driveway lined with manicured hedges and parked in front of her house.
Victoria lifted her purse off her lap, swung the gold chain over her shoulder, and raised an eyebrow at Ethan. “Why is the car still running?”
“I told you in the club, I’m going home.” He flicked his wrist to glance at his watch. “It’s late.”
She slid closer and laid a hand on his chest. “Now that you’re here…” Her fingers travelled south and reached for the zipper on his pants and again, nothing stirred. Not even a twitch.
Holy fuck, was something wrong with him? “I wish I could,” he lied. “I’ll see you tomorrow on set.”
The scowl on her face told him she wasn’t happy but he knew she wouldn’t press it further. She never begged, she didn’t have to, men flocked to her. This rejection must be a new experience.
His gaze followed her as she got out of the car and sashayed to the veranda, obviously displaying what he was missing out on. Once the front door was unlocked, she waved goodbye before entering the house.
By the time he was halfway home, he’d forgotten about Victoria, and wondered what movie Ralph had lined up for him. On the Hollywood grapevine, a film portraying the story of a wounded soldier was still casting for their lead. That’s exactly what he wanted to dive into. In a role like that he’d finally be taken as a serious actor.
He pulled up to his house overlooking the harbour, lights shone from every room. Entering the code to open the gate, a plethora of cars lined the driveway and he heard music blasting from the open windows. His brother Aiden was staying with him for a few days while his place was getting roof repairs after strong, damaging winds. And by the looks and sounds of it, he’d thrown a party.
Dammit. Ethan wasn’t in the mood for more people.
It should make Ethan happy his brother was entertaining, but he knew Aiden only filled the house with people because he wanted to block out the noise inside his head and the pain in his heart. Instead of joining the fun, he’d bet he’d find his brother sitting in a dark room nursing a bottle of Jack, not giving a fuck about anyone at the party. Ethan couldn’t blame him, after losing his premature baby and his wife Madeline soon after to cancer, Aiden had been through the toughest months of his life. If he didn’t quit drowning his grief with alcohol, Ethan worried he’d lose his brother too. He’d have another talk with him. God knows how many times he’d tried. So had his mother and sister Chloe, so far, no one had managed to get through to him.
Aiden was the main character of Australia’s number one sitcom. It aired in sixteen countries around the world, rivalling the top shows in the US. And if he continued behaving this way, Ethan worried his brother would lose his job. Aiden should have taken the time off the studio offered him, but he’d refused. Now he was jeopardising his career with his behaviour.
If Ethan went inside, he knew he’d get no sleep. Not happening. He reversed the car out onto the street. He could stay at a hotel, but when people saw him, it wouldn’t take long for the paparazzi to hear about it, and they’d camp out front to see what unsuspecting woman walked in the lobby and link her to him which would then lead to a scandalous affair. The only other choice was his mother’s place. Thankfully he had a spare key, so he wouldn’t have to wake her.
Twenty minutes later, as he pulled up to his mother’s apartment and parked, his phone beeped with a text. He glanced at the screen; a message from Victoria.
Swiping to open the message, it read:
This is what you’re missing…
A photo followed. Victoria lay on white silk sheets on her bed, dressed only in black, lacey underwear. Her auburn hair fanned over a pillow.
He messaged back.
I’m an idiot.
And he really was. What normal man would give up sex with Victoria? Tonight, the erotic display didn’t interest him. Instead of black lace turning him on, images of a woman wearing a gold bra, black miniskirt and come-fuck-me heels sitting in the makeup trailer grabbed his attention. Her face, clean of heavy makeup, wasn’t movie star pretty, her nose slightly crooked and her mouth a little too wide, was more like the cute girl next door. It was Holly who made his body stir. And from the evidence in his pants, nothing was wrong with him after all. Thank God.