Page 16 of Beyond the Spotlight Discreet Version

“Great. And I forgot to mention that I’ll need to run a background check on you.”

She pauses, her fork in mid-air. “Oh?”

“My lawyers are encouraging it. My manager and public relations team, too. Just to ensure you haven’t been to jail.”

She winces and sets her fork down.

“You’ve... been to jail?”

“That man at the bar where I worked deserved to be punched.”

“So, I’m not the first man you’ve assaulted?”

She shakes her head. “This guy grabbed my ass.”

My chest tightens with regret because I tried to kiss her without her consent. Is that why she panicked? Because of what that man did to her? My regret blooms into anger, not only at myself, but at the lowlife who groped her.My woman.

I jolt at the thought. My woman? Except... she’s not mine.

She could be.

Savannah nibbles on her lip, shying away from my reaction. I’ve been told I wear my emotions, a downside of acting, I suppose. My anger must be seeping through to my face. I just hope she doesn’t think I’m furious with her.

“I may or may not have given him a concussion and a broken nose.”

Good girl. I know firsthand that Savannah is a fighter. My jaw still aches with the reminder.

“It sounds bad, I know, but this guy was a serial groper. He’d always manhandle women at the bar, and he touched me inappropriately far too many times that I let pass. One time, I caught him jerking off at the side of the bar while looking at a picture he took of my ass on his phone.”

“Jesus, Savannah.”

She takes a sip of her coffee and I lick my lips, wondering how sweet her mouth would taste right about now.

“I know,” she says and stands, planting her hands on the counter. “I shouldn’t have agreed to meet with you. I’m not qualified. I don’t know what I was thinking. I should have known you’d need to do a background check...”

“One arrest in defense—”

“It wasn’t just one. But I swear all my arrests were worth it and totally justified.”

“How many times have you been arrested?”

She lifts her eyes, locking them with mine.

“Four.”

I flinch. I didn’t mean to, but she saw it.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought.” She walks around the island. “I’m just going to leave now.”

I catch her arm before she passes me, and back her up against the counter, planting my hands on the marble top to cage her in. She sucks in a breath and her pupils dilate, letting me know the move didn’t scare her but turned her on. Good. I don’t want her to fear me.

“Tell me everything.”

She lets out that breath she’d been holding and my mouth waters at the sweet maple, peanut butter, and banana scent.

“My first arrest was in high school for running naked through the hallways on senior prank day. The school resource officer caught me. Since I’d just turned eighteen, I was arrested and charged with public indecency. That shit went on my record. Second time was for vandalism, but to be fair, Callan Ray cheated on my best friend Justine with her cousin who he knocked up. So, we slashed his tires like Carrie Underwood said we should, and spray painted ‘cheater’ on the side of his house. Third time was at a protest in Little Rock for reproductive rights. Fourth time was the serial groper I told you about.”

I’m leaning in close enough I could kiss her. She looks down, and I take her chin between my fingers, lifting her head. I want nothing more than to take all her worries away. To worship her like she deserves so she can forget about her old life and the wanker who cheated on her.