The Director (Hollywood Nights) by Cara North Page B

give them the tools to rebuild a more authentic
self.
    “She didn’t know she was coming
here,” Jed pulled her in close to his side.
    Shay just kept right on taking
deep breaths and letting them out. She was in the worst position of her life.
She had no idea what to say, what to do. She owed Alex so much for helping her
get her shit together, and though he was a ruthless ass, he was the best agent
she had ever had and she owed him.
    Alex considered her a moment,
looked at her carefully, looked at Jed’s hand on her waist and asked cautiously,
“Did you talk to my dad? Does he know you are here with her?”
    “Yes,” Jed said flatly.
    Alex nodded. “Okay then. Bright
and early, Shay.” Alex glanced at her and then looked at Jed and said, “If you
want this to work you need to do the right thing, Jed. You know better than
anyone what this will be like for her.”
    He walked off. She had no idea
what Alex meant by any of that. She was a mess of nerves and anxiety as Jed led
her to the valet station. If they drove past a mall on the way to either of
their places, she would have shopped till the fear stopped.   Instead, they waited for the valet and he stole
occasional looks at her.
    Finally, he asked, “Can you
drive? I have a splitting headache and I don’t feel like driving.”
    “You want me to take you home? I
can call a cab to get back to my place.” She was so uncertain about what was
happening she wanted to give him an easy way to let her out.
    “No,” he said as the car pulled
up and he walked her to the driver’s side. He shut the door and leaned in and
said, “I want to see it. We have to go to your place first. I know you have it.
I just need to see it.”
    Shay could hardly keep her breath
as he made his way around the car. Harvey told him. Of course he did. It wasn’t
something anyone needed to know about, but Jed wasn’t anyone, he was his nephew,
his Godson. Harvey had told her not to worry about it, not to be ashamed of it.
She didn’t do anything wrong. It could have been worse, and a hundred other
things that made her feel better then, but didn’t work right now.  
    They did not speak the entire
drive to her house. He looked miserable and she couldn’t help but wonder if the
knowledge of her presence in a pornographic video had anything to do with it. She
took the time to consider whether or not she had to do this. She could lie and
say she didn’t have it, but she did, and even if she didn’t he would get it
from Harvey.
    “I understand if you just don’t
want to see me anymore,” she said softly. “But I can’t bring it to your house
and let you watch it, judge me, and then send me packing afterwards.”
    “What?”
    “I can’t let you do that to me.” She
sniffed, tried to hold back a tear.   Her
embarrassment was a palpable thing.
    He reached across the seat and
stroked his fingers down her arm and then tugged at her fingers closest to him until
she surrendered them. “I’m not getting rid of you. I’m not judging you. I just
have to see it with my own eyes, Shay. I have to.”

 
    Chapter
7

 
                “Come, sit with me.” He patted the
seat next to him on the couch. He knew this was awkward for her. Hell, it was
awkward for him. He believed his Godfather. He just needed to confirm it. Some
sick part of him just had to see it.
                “I’m fine here,” she said in her
quiet voice. His gut clenched. He hated this for her. She had to face it
eventually. Thanks to his uncle, they thoroughly investigated every single
person on the set and found an underage actress in the scene with Shay. The
videos were pulled immediately. They could remove the one with the underage
actress, including Shay, and re-release it. The company wouldn’t out Shay
without outing themselves for child pornography, even if it was only by a day
the girl was still seventeen. Apparently there was a limited amount released
with that scene anyways because it