Chapter 8

Ethan

The night of acting like a goof with my brother was exactly what I needed. Where my heart ached for Riley's loss, I was still suffocating in the fact that I'd missed out on the opportunity to take care of her. She'd chosen Jace which was a good thing for both of us. I kept telling myself that as I piddled around my large trailer at the back of the set the next morning. Frank wanted to run a few scenes that would need to happen in L.A., and I was grateful for the distraction. Getting up at eight in the morning was a bitch after drinking a little too much with my brother and Cole, but I was managing somehow.

The sound of arguing just outside my trailer pulled me from my mental rehearsal of my lines and had me moving toward the window closest to me. I couldn't make out exactly what the couple was saying, but I could tell they were pissed.

"Deza?" I mumbled and moved the curtain back a little to peek out.

The pretty Hispanic woman with caramel-colored skin, who usually looked calm no matter what was going on, was sporting anger in dark red blotches all over her face and neck. She had her finger in some tall guy's chest and wasn't backing down.

I crooned my neck to see if I could get a better view of him. All I could tell was that he was big and black. Darren. Shit.

Grabbing my shirt, I slipped it over my head and jogged toward the front of the trailer. I didn't have too many concerns about him hitting or hurting her, but better safe than sorry. Some other cock was protecting Riley, but Deza was all mine to care for.

"Hey," I called out as I jogged down the stairs and made a sharp right to head toward them.

"And if you think for one mother fucking second that you have the right to tell me who I can and can't date... you're out of your goddamn mind," Deza spat her words at him.

"Fine, then don't butt into my business either, D. You're a fucking hypocrite and you know it." He took a few steps toward her and towered over her, but God love her, she didn't budge.

"Hey. Back up, asshole." I reached out and pushed at his shoulder, forcing him to stumble backward.

"Ethan, stay out of it." She popped me in the chest and moved toward Darren as anger burned in his eyes.

"I knew it. You're sleeping with this bastard, aren't you? All those years of making me think he was just a client... a little brother... fucking liar." Darren moved toward me as Deza yelled for us to stop.

I didn't give two shits what the big guy thought about my relationship with Deza. He could think I was fucking her ten ways to Sunday while they were married and he still wasn't going to get away with bullying her.

Not sure Deza was capable of being bullied. My thoughts forced me to lose my train of thought as I barreled toward him, ready to get out some of my aggression, though it was stupid on multiple levels. The guy had arms the size of my legs, and while I was making out, he was working out.

"Darren!" Deza cried out as he grabbed the front of my shirt and popped me in the eye - hard.

I hammered him with punches, forcing him back as a growl ripped from my chest.

"Don't touch her ever again. She belongs to me." I gritted my teeth and head-butted him, not thinking twice about keeping my pretty face looking pretty. Deza was the only woman I had in my life that I was willing to take a bullet for. No matter what she and Darren were fighting over, I was getting involved.

"Hey! Stop it! What the fuck-" Frank ran toward us and pulled us apart with the help of a few of the sound guys.

He got in my face as the guys muscled Darren toward the parking lot and scowled. "Son of a bitch. I was coming over here to tell you we were flying out to Rio on Monday for a little more work, but that shit isn't happening now. You're going to have a shiner." He touched the side of my face and glared at Deza as she moved up beside me.

"What were you thinking? He's three times as big as you?" She had tears in her eyes and her voice shook from what I had to assume was fear.

"And? He was fucking with you," I barked at her, still pumped up on my adrenaline. The pain hadn't hit me yet, but I was sure it was coming.

"Get him to Nancy and see if she can carefully cover up the redness around his eye and his forehead. Let's at least try to get in a few hours this morning before he bruises." Frank reached up and pressed at the side of my eye. "Does that hurt?"

"No, Frank. It's not that big of a deal." I turned and walked toward my trailer. "I'll change and get over to Nancy."

"I'll take care of him," Deza mumbled and followed me into the trailer.

"You and I are talking later, Deza. This is getting ridiculous." Frank's words followed us into the trailer as Deza closed the door behind her.

"What the fuck happened? What were you arguing over? For a couple that is done (I lifted my hands and exaggerated using quotes), you guys sure as hell are still giving each other massive amounts of drama to deal with." I pulled my shirt off my head and pushed my shorts over my hips. She hated seeing me naked, but I didn't care. She shouldn't have followed me.

"I know." She sat down and pressed her face to her hand. "I'm sorry you got involved. He was coming by to give me the copy of his mother’s eulogy that I'd asked for before we left for Rio. Things just spun out of control."

I got dressed quickly as she hid her face. "Why did the conversation turn to you dating someone?"

"He thinks you and I are together. You dressed? I don't need any more trauma in my life today."

I snorted and buttoned up my shirt. "And seeing me naked is traumatic because you just can't stop thinking of how to fit something so big inside-"

"That's good." She stood up and let her hands drop to her sides. "He's always been jealous of me being around anyone, Ethan. He's just one of those guys."

"You guys haven't been together in years. Tell him to fuck off and mean it."

"I can't." She crossed her arms over her chest as her eyes filled with tears.

In all the years I'd been beside Deza, and it had been a lot of fucking years, I'd only seen her tear up a few times.

"Hey. No crying." I crossed the room and pulled her into a hug. "There's no reason to get upset."

"Yeah, there is." She pressed her face to my chest and wrapped her arms around me.

To deny that it felt good to be held or to hold someone I loved would have been stupid, but I wanted to. I was too close to cracking and racing after my sexy co-star no matter what the world or anyone else thought about it. I felt like a fucking yo-yo, changing my mind every three seconds on what I wanted to do versus what I was expected to do.

"Why? He's a part of your past, D. You're a beautiful woman. Find someone else."

"I can't." She pulled back and wiped at her tears. "Why am I crying over this idiot? He's not worth it."

"Exactly." She needed me to dig into her pain, but I couldn't. I was still tripping over my own from seeing Jace be exactly who Riley needed him to be the day before.

"I'll see you inside." She turned and walked out without another word.

"Damn," I mumbled and grabbed my script and shoes before jogging down the stairs to the trailer. She was nowhere in sight as I stepped out and glanced over at the skinny guard who was standing watch. I'd yet to meet him, but didn't have the desire to do so now. "See a hot Mexican chick run away?"

"Come again?" His thick country accent was almost entertaining.

"Never mind." I glanced around and let out a long sigh as I walked toward Nancy's small metal building. My face was starting to sting, but concern over Deza kept me from noticing too much. I pushed the door open to the make-up studio and walked in as Nancy glanced up at me.

"Oh wow. Frank said it was bad." She snorted and walked toward me, reaching up and brushing her fingers by my face. "Does it hurt?"

"No," I lied and moved to set down my script and shoes before plopping down in her chair. "Make me beautiful, darling."

She rolled her eyes and walked toward me as I watched her in the mirror. Her blond hair was fading into grey, and her smooth skin was gaining laugh lines and crow’s feet. Where the idea of aging scared me a little, she was doing it beautifully.

"Is Deza okay?" She moved in front of me and picked up a palate of makeup, which looked like paint to me.

"I don't know." I closed my eyes as she started to work on me. The softness of her brush moving across my face had the power to pull me toward sleep fast.

"You didn't check on her?"

"Yeah, I did. Sort of. You know she's a private person. I just wish she and Darren would leave each other the fuck alone." I jerked back as her fingers pressed against the side of my eye.

"Sorry. I'll be more careful."

"It's all right. Does it look that bad?"

"It's pretty red, but I'll fix you up, no problem. Just come back when you're done so I can wash it off. You'll be too rough with it." She continued to work on my face as I replayed the fight in my head.

"Why do you think they're still looking for reasons to get in each other's faces? They've been divorced for years. They should have both moved on by now."

"It's the power of love, Ethan. When you find someone that really makes your heart sing, you're somewhat locked to them forever."

"What?" I opened my eyes and moved back to sneeze.

"Bless you."

"Someone needs to." I smiled and closed my eyes again. "I guess I have no clue what real love looks like then. There's no way I would keep popping up in some girl’s life if she'd once been my wife and left me."

"I'm pretty sure he left her, right?"

"Yeah, I think so. I can't remember to be honest. Either way... they need to get over it and find someone more compatible."

"Maybe they both know that there is no one more compatible for the two of them. They were young and dumb when they got married and divorced. Maybe somewhere inside each of them, there's the hope that love will win. It's the hope inside all of us, right?"

I nodded, but didn't respond. She was right. As much as I hated to admit it, I hoped love would win in my own life. I wasn't sure if it was love or lust with Riley, but I was rooting like hell for whichever it was to pull out a big win at the end of it all.

That wasn't going to happen with Jace in the way, but was I really ready to step into her life despite what Deza and Frank wanted from me?

I didn't know.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, and Nancy moved back. "Need to get that?"

"Yeah." I pulled it up toward my face, praying it was Riley. Nope. My brother. "What's up, man?"

"I had fun last night. Let's do it again tonight. I'm headed into the city for the opening of Deranged. New club in the heart of the heat. You coming?"

"Yeah. I'm down. I'll hook up with you later."

"I'll bring girls so we don't have to deal with the crowds trying to rape you."

"Just not Izabella, all right?" I glanced up to find Nancy watching me with a mother look on her face.

"Such a waste, dude. She was a hot piece of ass and you-"

"Yep. See you tonight." I dropped the call as warmth raced up my throat and coated my neck and cheeks. "Did you hear that?"

"If I said no, could we move to another subject?" She chuckled and reached for her brush but paused. "Let's let the blood drain from your face and then I'll finish up. I'm guessing you're thinking about the hot piece of ass now?"

I groaned and closed my eyes as she giggled. Was everyone out to watch me suffer senselessly?

It would seem so.