Page 41 of Mr. Wrong (Hollywood Knights #1)

Shit.

I’m caught.

I’m sure you can figure the rest out from there.

Thankfully, the film was shelved and never saw the light of day but Julian still finds a way to remind me of its existence, every chance she gets.

“Production meeting,” I lie to her, ignoring her attempt at dragging me down memory lane.

“Followed by lunch with my agent, so…” I mean to make my excuses for a fast getaway but a flash of red catches my attention.

I let my gaze latch onto it and for just a moment, I’m lost. Long, red hair.

Even longer legs, moving quickly across the parking garage.

She looks familiar.

Something about her—

Like she knows I’m watching her, the woman turns her head and aims a look right at me. Blue. Her eyes are blue. The kind of bright, brilliant blue that almost looks fake, and her face is—

“What’s that little slut doing here?”

Julia’s voice must’ve carried because the woman’s gaze finds her and sharpens to a razor’s edge before cutting away from us altogether. Within seconds, she’s ensconced in a late model hatchback and driving away, her tires squealing on her way out.

“I take it you two know each other,” I say to Julia, suddenly more interested in what just happened than I am in getting away from her.

“She’s one of the sad little starlets on my show,” Julia informs me with another you know how it is eye roll.

“I had her fired. She’s probably here trying to save her job.

” The snide tone she uses to deliver her explanation tells me just exactly what she thinks the woman came here to do in hopes of saving her career.

“Fired? She’s obviously a nobody,” I say, giving Julia an insider smile—the kind you see passed between the elite on the red carpet. A smile that makes her believe I think she’s one of us. “Why would you even bother?”

“Because she tried to fuck my husband,” she practically hisses at me, her filler-plumped lips doing their best to flatten themselves in disgust. “Got naked and lured him into her trailer while I was on set.” She gives her blonde hair extensions a haughty, over the shoulder flip.

“Like he’d even consider it—but you know Brent.

He’s entirely too nice. When he tried to let her down gently, she called security and said she was the one who found him in her trailer naked—can you believe that? ”

Last month, I walked into the bathroom at The Ivy to find her entirely too nice husband with his pants around his ankles and a woman half his age on her knees in front of him. When it comes to Brent Chase, I can believe just about anything.

“Desperate—that’s what she is,” Julia tells me, still ranting. “A desperate, no-talent slut.”

“Julia—you’re a queen in this town and Brent adores you.

” For some reason, listening to her insult a woman I don’t even know makes me angry.

Still, I plaster a smile on my face and give her the full Landon Trask experience because Julia Chase is the most dangerous of Hollywood creatures—she isn’t a queen.

She’s a collector.

She collects secrets. Information. Favors. People. Anything she can use to further her career. Anyone she can use to put its inevitable end off, just a little while longer.

“You don’t think she’s beautiful?” She sounds plaintive when she says it. Like a spoiled child whose new baby sister is stealing her limelight. “All anyone ever does is go on and on incessantly about how beautiful she is.”

“I don’t even know her name.” I give her a slightly exasperated grin that tells her how silly I think she’s being.

“There’s absolutely no reason for you to be jealous of someone like her.

” I give her that insider grin again and chide her gently while I inch my way closer to my car.

“It was nice catching up with you.” Turning, I pull open my car door and slide into the drivers’ seat.

Before I can pull the door closed, a set of perfectly manicured claws reach out and wrap themselves around its frame.

“I’d love an invite sometime,” she tells me, looking down at me with an expectant smile.

“To that cute little beach house of yours… I know you usually meet your women at the Hawthorne but…” She trails off again, that expectant smile of hers taking on a hard predatory edge.

“I could bring a bottle of wine. We could talk about old times. Catch up.”

“I haven’t been out there in ages,” I tell her, my tone light and casual even though I’m suddenly sucking wind. The beach house was Rachel’s place.

Our place together.

I know that Elle takes Cassie there sometimes but not me. I haven’t been there since…

“But you and Brent would love it.” I flash her another smile, completely ignoring her mention of the uite I keep at the Hawthorne or the women I meet there, even though just the thought of the two of them in my house makes me a little sick to my stomach.

“It’s yours—anytime the two of you want a quick getaway. ”

“How nice of you...” Her smile turns frosty, my soft rejection souring her demeanor. “Brent and I just might take you up on that.”

“Anytime.” Giving my door a tug, it slips from her loosened hand and shuts in her face. Starting the car’s engine, I drive off before she can say anything else.

LOOK FOR MR. RIGHT MAY 2022