I GOT A SOLID HIT IN before he could even say ‘good morning’.
“Fuck you, Melvin!”
It would have laid anyone else out flat, but Mel just rubbed his chin and glowered at me. The overhead light swung, set in motion by the force of my punch.
“This is about the Sinclair girl, isn’t it?”
“Too fucking right it is!” I swung at him again, and he blocked it, twisting my arm and pinning it against his side. I stepped into him and kicked out my foot. He went down on one knee and slammed his fist into my ribs. I folded, then grabbed his collar and pulled.
“Corey, stop.”
I couldn’t hear anything but my own blood pounding in my ears.
“You fucker! You fucked this up for me, you son of a bitch!” I set one foot against his shoulder and pushed, nearly ripping my arm out of its socket as it came free from his grasp. He fell back, looking up at me with an expression I’d never seen before. Not fear. Something else. Surprise, maybe?
I brought my foot down again, onto his chest, and he blew out a breath. Why wasn’t he getting up? I dropped to my knees, straddling him, reaching down, my hands closing around his jacket. I was having trouble seeing. Why was everything blurry?
“Corey, stop.”
He brought his arms up between mine, breaking my hold. His hands closed around my wrists and squeezed. I could feel my bones grinding together. He was faster; stronger. He always had been. Why wasn’t I flat on my ass?
“Corey.”
I finally recognised my own name. I glared down at him, my breath coming hard and fast. There were drops of water on his cheeks and forehead. I looked up at the ceiling. Was it raining? Was there a leak in this shitty trailer? Everything was blurred.
I realised I was crying.
I stopped fighting against him, and he let go of my wrists.
“Well.” I couldn’t see him clearly, but I could hear his deep, rough voice. “This is interesting.”
I stumbled to my feet, swiping at my face, wiping away my tears. My back was to him, but I felt the trailer shift as he stood up.
“Interesting.” My throat felt raw. I found my way to the bench and sat heavily. “That’s all you have to say, you piece of shit?” I lifted my head and stared at him. He was straightening his shirt and jacket. There was a dull pain in my side.
Mel ran a hand over his hair. “What do you want me to say?”
I snarled. “You can start by saying you’re sorry, you fuck!” I stood up again, my hands curled into fists.
He raised an eyebrow. “Will that help?”
“It will make me feel a hell of a lot better, yeah!”
He shook his head. “I can’t do that, Corey.”
I stared at him again, my teeth clenched.
“I’m not sorry.” He leaned against the wall next to the window and studied me. “I did what you needed. What you couldn’t do.”
I growled, low in my chest. “You don’t fucking know what I need, Mel.”
Both his eyebrows were raised, now. “Do you?” he said.
I opened my mouth to spew out a handful of curses, then stopped. Did I?
Yes. I did. I needed her.
I needed Ashlyn. I needed everything about her: her body and her touch; her smile and her grey eyes; her perfume and her sharp wit. Yeah, even her twenty-pound cat, and that fucking disturbing Dali over her fireplace. I’d take it all, every fucking inch of it.
If it wasn’t too late.
I dropped onto the bench again, leaning forward on my arms. “Yes.” I looked up at Mel. “I need her.”
Mel cocked his head. “Are you sure?”
I nodded. My anger was fading. Just thinking about Ashlyn did something to my brain. Calmed me, somehow.
No, not my brain.
My heart.
“I’m sure,” I said.
Mel folded his arms and eyed me critically.
“You’d give it up? All this?” He waved vaguely, encompassing the trailer, the set, the whole business. “For her?”
Somehow, it didn’t seem important without Ashlyn.
“Yeah.”
He narrowed his eyes. “You’re sure?”
I snarled at him. “Stop fucking asking me that.”
He grabbed my shirt, striking like a snake, lifting me to my feet. “You’d better be fucking sure, Corey. Because this isn’t a game. This isn’t a fucking movie. This is real life.”
I swallowed thickly. “I’m sure.”
He let go and watched me as I shrugged my shirt back into place.
“Fine,” he said. He blew out a breath. “I’m sorry.”
I stared at him again, hard. “What was that?” I could feel a grin starting.
“Don’t make me say it again, Corey.” He ran a hand over his hair. “I need a fucking cigarette.” He stomped out of the trailer, and I burst into laughter.
Fucking Mel.
Everything was going to be all right.
#
I WAS READING THROUGH the daily script sides, waiting for my next scene, when I heard a familiar voice.
“I have to talk to him.”
I stuffed the script into my pocket and looked around.
“I’m sorry, sir.” That was one of the production assistants. Thankless fucking job. I moved towards the voices. “Mr Knox is on set. He isn’t seeing anyone right now.”
“Lucas?”
“Mr K.” The look in his eyes was starting to scare me. “There’s something wrong with Ashlyn.”
I frowned and looked at the PA. “Are we locked down?”
The PA shook her head. “No, but –”
I pushed her aside. “What’s going on, kid?”
He lifted his phone. “Something’s wrong. Really wrong.” There was a series of messages there from Ashlyn. Buster was sick. Poor guy; she must be going crazy. As soon as we wrapped for the day, I’d swing by her place and see if she needed anything.
I shrugged. “So she’s not coming in to work today. What’s wrong with that?”
Lucas stared at me. “She said Buster ate strawberries, Mr K.”
I read the messages again. And realised what I’d missed.
Strawberries.
Ashlyn was allergic to them. Allergic enough for her to go white when I’d offered them to her on that first night. Allergic enough to need an epi-pen.
What the hell was she doing with strawberries in her apartment?
“I tried calling her,” Lucas said. “She’s not answering her phone. She’s not answering my texts.” He lowered his chin and looked at me over his hipster glasses. “Something is wrong. I know it.”
My blood ran cold. I turned to the PA.
“Get me the AD. Now.” My tone was dark; she knew not to argue. I handed the phone back to Lucas as Mel came up behind him.
“What’s going on, Corey?” Mel frowned down at Lucas.
“Knox?” Rudy sauntered up to me. “Something wrong?”
I took a deep breath. “Rudy, I gotta go.” He blinked, then narrowed his eyes. “Rudy,” I said softly. “I found her. I have to hold on.”
One corner of his mouth turned up in a smile. “Is she worth it?”
“Fuck, yeah,” I said. “She’s worth all of it. Every last inch. Every last penny.”
He waved at me. “Go,” he said, then pointed at me. “But you’d better be on fire tomorrow, Knox.”
I’d light up the fucking screen as long as I had Ashlyn.
If I wasn’t too late.