Page 10 of Enemies Off Camera
But on the day of my meltdown on that bike trail, something weird happened.
I turned to Jaxon, voice shaking, and asked him directly: Why do you keep picking me?
He just stared at me.
Blank. Like a deer in headlights.
It was odd, because that was his chance to say something smug, call me sticky fingers again, maybe even admit he was keeping me around to torture me.
But he said nothing.
And now, after six hours of watching the show play out like it’s a romantic comedy starring two people who barely tolerated each other in real life, I’m starting to wonder...
Did he know from day one?
Did he plan to kiss all the other girls, lead them on, make them swoon—only to pick me in the end? Knowing he’d never have to actually date me? Or any of them?
Was I the final twist in his fake fairytale?
“That’s it.”
I crawl across my bed to retrieve the remote from where I last threw it.
He knew.
He never meant to pick any of those women. Never intended to date them. Never wanted to fall in love. He played with all of their hearts—for sport.
And mine, for spectacle.
Tomorrow—no, today, technically, since it’s already after midnight—I’m going to give him an earful.
SEVEN
6 Hours Later
Ididn’t eventryto sleep until 3:00 a.m.
The meeting is at nine.
I was seventeen minutes late getting out of the car.
I’m exhausted—so much so I can barely remember the drive from Encino. Only that traffic sucked. But stopping and going, narrowly avoiding collisions… that’s second nature now. I’ve lived in the county for more than ten years. I’m a pro at navigating arguably some the worst traffic in the world.
Before leaving, I chugged three cappuccinos because Ineedto be on my game. I have questions. Concerns. And Anne needs to answer them, put my mind at ease.
Is what they did even legal?
I signed the contract without reading it thoroughly. Anne rushed me, and I was desperate. She promised the terms were standard: I’d be paid handsomely, no nudity, no sex, and I could terminate my participation if I ever felt unsafe.
So technically… this is on me.
They used what was obviouslyvery goodAI to depict me falling blissfully in love with a man Irevile. And I might’ve signed off on it.
Still, I’ve been thinking. I have a few tricks up my sleeve.
I’m running through the options in my head when the parking garage elevator doors open.
And there he is.
