All Chapters of Bright Lights Billionaire: Chapter 161 - Chapter 170
207 Chapters
Protection
RileyI drove to the studio with the window's down and my hair flying around like crazy. It felt good. Freeing.After parking near the front lot, I got out and tugged my bag over my shoulder. Most of the actors took three-day weekends, so there wasn't too much going on for anyone on Mondays. It was a nice change from the busyness that usually left me insecure. Maybe after years of being on set, I would feel like I belonged there.Maybe.I made my way through the main studio and down the hall to the conference room Clayton and I usually met in. We'd shifted our sessions to Mondays until the traveling back and forth to San Diego was over."Hey." I pushed the door open as he glanced up from his clipboard."My favorite pupil." He winked at me. "How are you, Riley?""I'm good." I let my bag drop to the floor and tried to still my racing heart. He was gorgeous and a master of the art. I'd studied him as much as I'd geeked out over Ethan on TV. I wanted to be a combination of both of them. E
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The Kiss
EthanEvery emotion possible raged through me on the way to the studio on Tuesday morning. Two days and nothing from her. Were we back to playing hide-and-go-seek with each other? It sure as fuck felt like it.I parked my Mercedes in my spot at the studio and got out. Anticipation swelled in my chest. Maybe she was there and just had a lot of shit going on. There was an explanation. There always was.Trish stood beside the stage, facing me when I walked in. She gave me a weak wave and went back to talking to the girl next to her.I glanced around to see if Riley was anywhere that I could get to her fast. Of course not. I walked toward Trish, knowing she would take it the wrong way if I didn't stop by and give my condolences on her divorce."Hey." I stopped beside her and a girl I'd never met before."Hey, Ethan. This is Patty."The girl gave me a quirky smile and stuck out her hand. "I am by far your biggest fan. I've seen all your movies at least two million times.""Two million? Rea
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I'm Out
Ethan"Why didn't someone tell me about the video? That's why I'm pissed. And why the fuck isn't Deza answering her phone?" I yelled at Frank as we drove toward the medical center."I figured you knew about the video, Ethan, and stop yelling. I have a headache from listening to someone working construction next to our condo all damn night. The video with Deza is not that big of a deal.""Not that big of a deal? Are you fucking kidding me right now?""You know I hate the F word.""So the fuck what!" I screamed and pulled at my seatbelt. "That video makes it look like I'm the whore everyone thinks I am. The timing is horrible.""All right." Frank pulled the car to a stop at a red light and turned to face me. "Stop being a brat and tell me what the hell you're really upset about.""The video." I gave him an incredulous look. Was the fat bastard blind? "I've said that about ten times.""Yeah, but I've known you all your life. You're upset about something else and deflecting.""Seriously?"
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You Knew?
Riley"Okay, people! Let's run it one more time and then we're going to head back to the studio to meet up with Frank and Ethan." Daniel Barnes clapped his hands together and nodded toward the make-shift stage. "Marco and Vanessa. You're up first. Riley, be ready to enter into the scene at the right time, kiddo.""Yes, Sir." I nodded at the extra director for Eon. He and Frank rarely helped on the same movie, but we were a little behind schedule and Daniel owed Frank a favor or two.Deza stood off to my right, her arms wrapped around her tightly. I couldn't talk to her. She'd lied to me. Made me believe that there was nothing between her and Ethan, but now their secret was out.She gave me a weak smile, but I turned and walked toward the stage instead of acknowledging her at all. She had every chance in the book to explain herself. To tell me that it was a hoax, a mistake, hell... a something. Anything but what it looked like.I watched the scene before me unfold and waited patiently
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Evidence
Riley"Then build your muscle." He released me and took my face into his hands. "Resist him and do what I've taught you to do.""And what about you? Do you want me to resist you too? Were you bullshitting me the other day back at the studio?" The path my questioning was leading us down was dangerous. I respected Clay. I was in awe of him. I was in love with Ethan. In complete lust with him.I hated myself for all of it. It was all a mistake."Yes. Resist me too, Riley. You have to." He leaned down and kissed me as someone cleared their throat in the background.I jerked out of his hold and turned to find Deza standing a few feet from me. "I'm headed back to the studio if you need a ride.""She doesn't," Clayton answered for me. "She's riding with me."Deza nodded once and turned, walking back down the hall. I wasn't sure if I wanted to stop her. With the charade she and Ethan had been playing since day one, nothing really mattered anymore anyways."I love him. Not you." I glanced back
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Improv
EthanThe question on her face left me sick. If Riley didn't believe in me... who would? I was as good as ruined if the woman I loved was willing to walk away from me."All right guys. Let's get busy. We're going to walk through the rain scene. Everything is set up outside. You two pull this off and we're done for the day." Frank walked up to us and patted both of us on the back. "I know we're all going through a lot of shit. No need to overdo anything up here right now.""Sounds good. Can we have just another minute? I need to-" I started, but Riley cut me off."Great. Let's get to it." She pulled back and walked toward the set, leaving me standing there to look like an idiot in front of Frank. It wasn't the first time and it wouldn't be the last.I walked out toward the trailers, not particularly liking the way Clayton watched my woman. She might be pissed at me over the Deza stuff, but it would get cleared up. There was no room for him to move in. I wanted to make sure he knew that
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The Truth Spills Out
Ethan"Ethan! Damn, man. Just do the improv and let’s get rolling. It's a short skit to open you guys up emotionally. Come on already.""Fine," I barked and turned back to her. "I don't know what's going on right now, but I don't like it."She nodded and moved toward me, her expression shifting from something close to fear to the most loving look she'd given me to date. It had the power to melt me."I don't want you to go." Tears filled her pretty blue eyes.I reached out and touched the side of her face, forcing myself into character as bile rose up my chest. Something was ending between us. I couldn't let it happen. I'd rather die than miss out on whatever we could have together. For the first time in my life... I wanted love. Her love."Baby. I'm just going on a quick trip up north." I smiled and leaned down, kissing her cheek and brushing her tear away with my lips. "Don't be sad. I'll be back in a couple of days.""Will you?" She pulled back a little."You know I will, Eliza." I
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Monster
EthanThe moment was surreal.Clayton and Frank standing at the edge of a small make-shift stage, Deza a few feet back, her eyes wide and tears running down her face. It was a moment I could never forget for the rest of my life.Riley's short strawberry blonde hair was matted to her beautiful face, and her lips were so red. Blood red. Sights and sounds echoed in my skull as my heart raced, my balance getting a little off as I felt so damn dizzy all of a sudden.She needed to know that I loved her, but what if I were being set up? Clayton played some part in all that was happening, but what part? Was she his puppet?No. Her eyes told me the truth. Somewhere along the way, she'd fallen in love with me, and not a fan-girl love. Real love. Deep, abiding love that could work to heal my wounds and save me from the destructive path I wanted to race down.I needed something to numb the pain of being alone. Anything. I blinked a few times, coming back into the scene as she lifted her chin and
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Is It Over?
EthanI glanced around the empty living room at my place, hating everything I'd picked out to decorate the white walls with. Memories blasted through me. So many good times with me and Deza cutting up and acting stupid. She'd saved me from myself and had been a mother, a sister, a best friend through everything I'd been through.Why was I pushing her away now?It wasn't like she'd staged the fucking kiss in front of Darren. She was hurting that day too and wanted to shove it in his big ugly face that she wasn't alone. She had me.The hot ball of regret sitting at the back of my throat stung, and caused tears to well up in my eyes again. I hadn't cried off camera more than three times in my life, and I sure as fuck wasn't about to do it then.A knock on the front door pulled me from my thoughts. I reached out and ran my hand over the back of my couch as I contemplated what to do. If it were Riley, I'd throw her over my shoulder and haul her off to the bedroom like a caveman, suffocatin
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Why is He Here?
RileyThe look on Ethan's face haunted me as I drove home. Had I played into some sick game that Clayton was playing with the handsome playboy?No. I knew what I was doing, and it seemed that Ethan did too. I needed him to tell me that he loved me, and he stumbled over it three different times before finally blurting it out in a last-ditch effort to appease me.I knew what real love looked like. A sick smile lifted my lips. I'd seen it in the movies.Tears burned my gaze as I reached up and ran my fingers down my sticky wet hair. Too much hair spray, which I hated anyway. Why had I let them doll me up?Right. Because I belonged to them. They could do whatever they wanted to with me thanks to me signing on the dotted line, and all for what?Fame? Adoring fans that really didn't know anything about me?Ethan's attention?No. None of those things seemed to matter as I pulled into the apartment complex that Charlotte and I were renting. Jace's truck was parked in a visitor spot, and I tho
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