Page 39 of Play Dirty

“No one said anything about love,” I protest.

“You were never the one-night stand type. Why would you start now?”

“Maybe I need to be,” I mutter.

“Don’t change the man you are because Brenna turned into someone else. She changed—it happens—but you don’t have to.”

“But did she change because it just happened or because of something I did? Did I drop the ball somewhere as a husband?”

“Only you know the answer to that, but I think you do know. It’s just easier to blame yourself for some specific thing you did rather than put the blame where it belongs—on Brenna. If she was unhappy, there were a dozen ways she could have handled it that didn’t include having a third child and then almost immediately having an affair with your teammate. That’s on her. Stop taking the blame. I know it’s been rough but regardless of what went on, you’re onlyhalfresponsible. The other half is all her.”

“I don’t want to make the same mistakes again. Especially not with Stevie, after all she’s been through.”

“So, you know, tell her that.”

I grimace.

Can I tell her that?

Are we in a place where I can bare my soul that way?

I don’t think so.

But it’s something to think about.

Chapter12

Stevie

I haveto be at the sound stage at eight for hair and makeup. I try not to make a face at the scrap of gold lame they’re calling a dress that they want me to wear, and the rap music pounding through the speakers is giving me a headache. No one from L’'l Barracuda’s entourage is even here yet, so I don’t know why we have to have music blasting, but I know better than to complain. That just gives all models a bad reputation. No matter how legitimate the complaint is they always turn it around, call us divas. Or worse.

“You look gorgeous,” the makeup artist says.

I’m wearing so much makeup it feels heavy, but that’s the look they’re going for. There are two other models here who’ll also be hanging on Li’l Barracuda during the shoot, so we chat amiably as we wait for him to arrive.

The shoot is supposed to start at eleven, but when he hasn’t shown up by one, I’m annoyed.

“It’s his dime,” the pretty Asian model sitting next to me says, shrugging. “I get paid to be here from eight until six. After that, my rate doubles.”

I think there’s something similar in my contract but it’s been a while since I did something like this.

“Oh, look—he decided to show up.” The other model, a petite blonde, rolls her eyes.

“Okay, everyone, let’s go.” The director is shooing us like cattle as Barracuda and his entourage take their sweet time getting settled.

I hang back, watching as the other two models hang on his every word. I don’t know either of them, which is odd since I tend to stay on top of the industry I’m a part of. I think both are local catalog models, which is different from what I do. Of course, I’m also the “girlfriend” in this video, as opposed to two hangers-on.

“Stevie.” Barracuda approaches me with an extended hand and a friendly smile. “Hi, I’m Cassius. I apologize for being late. We came straight from the airport but the flight was delayed. Was a long flight from Rio de Janeiro.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” I say politely. “What should I call you?”

“My friends call me ’Cuda.”

“All right.”

“Do you need anything before we get started?” he asks. “I really am sorry about making everyone wait.”

“Part of the job,” I say.

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