Page 148 of Faking the Pass
“The movie’s done so well already in pre-release ticket sales, the studio wants a sequel.”
And there it was—his real aim here. Business. Money.
“Apparently our whole love triangle story drove interest in the film into a frenzy,” he said. “It’s already a blockbuster hit, and it hasn’t even come out yet in theaters. Obviously, we can’t do a sequel without you.”
“You want me to work with you again,” I said in a deadpan tone that made it obvious I had no interest in his offer.
“I need you Rosie,” he said with a smile. “In every possible way. And you needthis. Think about it… you can take this deal, have the career you’ve always dreamed of—not to mention the millions you’ll get paid for the sequel.”
“Or?”
His smile dropped. “Do we really have to go there?”
“Yeah, I think we do,” I said. “All I’ve heard so far is that you think I’m a glutton for punishment and must be the biggest fool on the planet.”
“Not at all,” he said. “You’re a smart girl who knows a good deal when she hears one. Okay, you want me to lay out the alternative? Fine.”
He huffed an irritated breath before going on.
“If you say no to thisgeneroussecond chance I’m offering, I will get my lawyers to subpoena everyone who’s ever met either one of us and force them to come to Rhode Island and testify. I can make this thing drag out for months, if not years.”
He made a little clicking noise with his tongue.
“And Rosie… who are we kidding? If this goes to trial, youknowyou’re going to lose. I mean, how many NDA violations do we haveon video? Think about it, babe.”
“I’m not your ‘babe,’” I growled at him.
But he had a point. A very good one.
Presley and I had no chance in a trial, even if we didn’t testify against each other.
“Maybe not, but youcouldbe a huge star who can write her own ticket in the industry.”
He spread his legs and squared his posture, gesturing with his hands.
“Or… we don’t make the sequel, or make it but recast you, and I tell every director and producer I know—which isallof them,babe—that you’re a total nightmare, and you never work again.”
He pointed to the courtroom doors at the end of the hall.
“I have no wish to go in there and humiliate you both and spend the next few months of my life in this puny little state,” he said.
“And believe me Rosie, you don’t want that either,” he warned. “My legal team costs hundreds of thousands per month. Yours can’t be cheap either. The price tag of this debacle is going to be in the millions, and that’sbeforethe fines for each individual violation. I can afford it, but how about you? How about your new ‘husband?’ Do you really want to wipe him out financially?”
My hands crossed over my stomach to clutch my sides, my shoulders curling forward to make a cave out of my chest.
He was describing my worst nightmare. How much more could I take away from Presley?
Sensing he was making headway, Randy sharpened his tone.
“I hear the quarterback is interested in getting back to playing with his team,” he said. “It would be nice if he got the chance to do that… while he’s still young enough to play.”
Tears pricked my eyes at the mention of Presley and his team. Randy, the predator that he was, noticed and moved in for the kill.
“You can end it right here, right now, and walk out of here today,” he said.
“You’ll have a promising acting career, and he can go back to playing with his team and not be financially ruined,” Randy cajoled. “Haven’t you cost him enough already?”
Damn him. He was using my love for Presley against me.
