Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

Wisteria

Oh my God, what the hell is happening? This woman is talking about nipple pasties and cock socks, the director is screaming and blaming me for everything, and instead of a stand-in for the sex scenes now, Banner wants to do all of them. With me?

The two agents are up and starting to engage in the argument the director and Banner are in, and Mary Jo is looking just as lost as I feel. I look to Vel to figure out what to do but she's too involved in the arguing. I look to the door and think the best thing I can do for everyone concerned is maybe just give them some space.

I stand and take a couple of steps to the door only to have Banner's growled command stop me in my tracks. "Don't move!"

I turn to find his electric blue eyes burning my way. My mouth falls open to tell him what I am about to do. "I…,"

My eyes slide back to the door, but Banner has me by the wrist pulling me right in the thick of things. "This isn't her fault you asshat! She has nothing to do with this. This is all me. I'm the one that can't stand you."

"I need to… I think I might… maybe, it would be better if I stepped out."

"You have pussy on the brain and that is why you don't like me. Her pussy. You want to lay her out and fuck her and would do anything to make her wet for…"

For such a big man, Banner moves so quickly that no one in the room even realizes what is happening until he's drawn back and slams his fist into the man's face. There is so much force behind the punch the director falls back into his chair and flips over in it before the first gasp can be taken. When Banner goes after the guy again, a hand in the middle of my back shoves me towards him causing me to fall into him. Before I can bounce off him, his arms are around me, so I don't fall on my butt.

He turns mad eyes behind us, and I am pretty sure the person who pushed me was his agent who steps forward now. "Banner, she doesn't really need to be here during this. Take her to the car."

Without saying a word, he takes me by the elbow and starts ushering me to the door I so desperately wanted to go out of before all hell broke loose. Now, everything is different. I'm not so sure going with Banner is a good idea. Last time I was around him… I kind of went all stupid when he kissed me and if he tries to do it again, I would not be in the right frame of mind to stop him.

Seeing him totally deck the guy who apparently had issues with me was hot as fuck. Does that say something about me? It probably does, but I don't want to look at it too deeply. Not to mention he probably didn't do it for me. The guy was also mouthing off about him so… he could have just been throwing punches because he was trying to defend himself.

"Come on, sweetheart. Let's give George time to clean this mess up, and then we'll need to talk to Mary Jo again."

I fiddle with my fingers and let him guide me to the waiting car. Thankfully because security has been increased there don't seem to be any photographers outside waiting for us. He holds the door open for me so I can slide in first. I send a fleeting look back over my shoulder before I slip into the car.

When he follows me in and shuts the door, I finally ask the questions I wanted to ask the entire walk to the car. "Are you going to be in trouble for hitting him?"

He shrugs his shoulders like he doesn't much care. "He signed a NDA so if he talks he's in more trouble than I ever will be. Not to mention he realizes I could end his career. So, no. I doubt that little snake is going to be any trouble for us."

"But the movie will be… in trouble? Won't it? I mean, if we don't have a director and we have all these… problems won't that mean the movie is dead in the water - so to speak?"

"Nah. We'll just find another director and move on without him." He finally turns to me. "Look I don't want you to worry about any of this. It doesn't change a thing. We still have a script to learn, we still have scenes to shoot, and we still need Mary Jo, so the best thing you can do is just focus on getting your lines down."

"Oh, uh, okay. Sorry."

"Why are you sorry?"

"You just seemed a little mad that I asked about stuff?"

"No. I'm mad some jackass on a power trip has made you worry about things. I'm mad that you had to hear all the shit he slung before I stopped him. I'm mad that Mary Jo didn't get to finish during our meeting, but I most certainly am not mad at you."

His eyes meet mine and something passes between us, but I don't know enough about him or the circumstance to understand what it means and it's so fleeting that I'm not even sure I saw anything at all.