Ben's car raced up the long driveway to Russell's home overlooking the ocean in Orange County. The decadence that stretched out in front of him brought Ben's already heated blood to a fast boil. It was one of the most beautiful houses he'd ever seen—and fucking Russell didn't deserve an inch of it.

Hell, he deserved jail.

When Ben was done with him, he'd turn him over to the cops, and then he'd find Aria and do whatever he could to help her get through this. Driving the front tires of his car directly onto one of Russell's rose bushes, Ben honked his horn several times before he threw the car into park and climbed out.

Ben clenched his fists as he stalked up the long walkway to the front door, the warm breeze from the ocean fueling his fury. The perfectly landscaped flower beds he stalked passed sawed at his nerves, and he almost turned around to get back in his car and drive over every inch of his shrubbery rather than only the roses he’d murdered moments ago with the front end of his car.

Destroy his flowers? Have I lost my fucking mind? He didn’t want flowers.

Ben wanted blood.

His fists balled as he took the stairs up to the porch two at a time, ready to break it down if he had to.

The front door to the giant Spanish-style home swung open and a half naked Russell walked out wearing only a pair of linen pants and bohemian jewelry around his neck and wrists. "What the fuck? Who’s honking?" He looked over at Ben's car, then at Ben, and a knowing leer crept over his face. "Well, hi there, Benji."

Ben's arm coiled his back, then launched himself forward. His fist slammed directly into Russell's face with a loud, satisfying crack.

"AAAH! Motherfucker!!" Russell stumbled, clutching his nose. Blood was already gushing over his mouth and jaw. "You broke my fucking nose, you crazy bastard."

"WHY WOULD YOU RELEASE THOSE PHOTOS, RUSSELL?" Ben shouted, not stepping away, but rather forcing Russell to keep moving backward until Ben had him cornered against the tan stucco wall by his front door. "WHY?"

Russell spit blood out on the white marble floor of his front stoop. "Shit, Benji. You could have just fucking asked me that without the fanfare. I'm a pacifist, you know."

What the fuck is he talking about? Ben's mind was swimming with rage, and Russell seemed completely calm. In pain, definitely, but any other emotional reaction was nonexistent. Fucking psychopath. "Do you seriously not give a shit about Aria? About what you just did to her career? You hate her that fucking much?"

Russell frowned, seeming confused. "Are you kidding? I love Aria. I've been in love with her for over a year, and now the whole world knows it."

Ben's mouth fell open, trying to process the information.

"She would have forgiven me and come around," Russell continued, his voice gurgling as he was still holding his bleeding face. "You're the one who fucked that up for me. I see the way she looks at you. Now the whole fucking world can see how she looked at me...first."

Ben punched him again. Square in the jaw this time.

"Motherfucker! Stop that shit!" Russell tumbled back into the wall. "Seriously! I'm going to punch you back."

"DO IT." Ben didn't stand down. "I dare you, you piece of shit."

"Listen, Benji. You gotta stop taking everything so personal. This is just business." Russell was holding his chin in his hand now, massaging it gently. "Fuck, that last one really hurt."

"Just business? This was your film, Russell. Just as much as it was mine or the studio's, or Aria's. You took all of us down with this leak."

"Even bad press is good press, Benji."

Ben was certain in that moment that Russell might be the stupidest, most evil person he'd ever fucking met.

"I'm calling the police. You're going to jail for this, Russell. I know there's no way Aria approved those photos." Ben began walking toward his car, leaving a bleeding Russell on his front stoop.

"She didn't approve them," Russell called after him. "You did."

Ben whirled around and charged back toward the director. "What did you just say?"

Russell’s sly grin showed a row of crimson-stained teeth from the blood dripping into his mouth. "It was your idea to leak the photos to the media." His voice got louder, and Ben took a small step back, unsure what Russell was saying, or why he’d raised his volume. "You were right, Benji. The photos did exactly what you thought they would. I'm glad you approved them before they went out. Selling Aria's tits to the tabloids was the best idea you've ever had."

Ben's mind immediately began clicking through the other afternoon in his office when he'd approved photos of Travis and Aria to be leaked to the press. Holy fuck. I didn't look at all the photos.

A soft gasp behind him pulled Ben from his thoughts. He turned to see Aria standing in the middle of the driveway, her hand on her throat. Her blue-gray eyes were wild, devastated, confused.

"Oh. Hi, sweet pea," Russell greeted her, still trying to wipe the blood from his face.

She didn't look at him, her focus solely on Ben. "Is it true?"

Ben wanted to rush to her, pull her into his arms and assure her that he'd never do anything like that to her. He'd promised to protect her, and he'd never break that. She could trust him.

Except he had done it.

"Ben? Tell me it isn't true. Tell me he's lying," she repeated, desperation in her strained voice. "Please, Ben."

Swallowing hard, he stared at her, unable to speak. He shook his head, searching his brain for anything...damn it, anything. "I…I didn't mean…"

A sob ripped from her throat and tears began to slide down her pale cheeks. "Oh, my God. How could you?"

"Baby, don't worry," Russell interjected. "Everyone loves a scandal. Ticket sales are going to be through the roof."

Ben shoved Russell behind him, and rushed toward her. "Aria, I never meant—"

"Don't touch me!" She jumped back, suddenly shouting. Turning on her heel, she began walking to her car which he now saw was parked behind his.

"Aria!" he shouted after her, but didn't follow her.

"Don't come near me ever again—either of you!" Then she was in her car, speeding down the driveway and out of sight.

Ben stood there, watching her go, taking his heart with her. A lump filled his throat as he realized she would never forgive him, and he'd never forgive himself. There was no coming back from what he'd done, even if it was a mistake.

They were over.

The woman he loved, the future he'd pictured, the dream he'd had for them...it was all gone.

Because of him.

"Awkwaaaard," Russell said in a singsong tone behind him. "Women, am I right?"

A woman stepped into the open doorway, shaking her head. "Jeez, even I thought that was dramatic."

"Marion?" Ben's mouth fell open as he realized his ex-wife had just witnessed the entire scenario. Somehow, the worst days of his life always seemed to involve her. "You're with Russell now?"

She shrugged, a total lack of empathy on her face. "He's putting me in his next movie."

Fucking typical.

"See, Benji? With such similar taste in pussy, we should be friends." Russell draped an arm across Marion's shoulder.

Ben punched him again, knocking him flat on his back this time.

Marion jumped to the side, catching herself from being dragged to the ground with Russell. "Jesus, Ben! Control yourself!"

"You two deserve each other," Ben told her, seething with disgust. He turned to Russell and pointed a finger at him. "I'm so far from fucking done with you, you piece of shit. You're fired."

Russell grunted, coughing as he tried to push himself back up. His face spread into a bloody, sinister smile. "You can't fire me. The movie's over."

Partially true, but damn it if Ben wouldn't find any loophole possible to get this bastard off his movie. "You're fucking done in Hollywood. I won't rest until you're either blacklisted from every studio out there, or in fucking jail."

Ben headed back to his car, desperately trying to think of his next move. He wanted to find Aria, and beg her forgiveness. He wanted to explain everything.

He wanted this not to be the end, and yet, the deep ache in his heart told him it was.

And he'd never forgive himself for it.