"Here." Demetri walked up and handed me my phone. It was a godsend. I sent a group text to both of them.

Dani: If you start talking about the birds and the bees, I'm going to punch you in your perfect face.

Demetri frowned down at his phone. "What did I miss?"

I jabbed a finger at Alec.

Alec chuckled. "Wow. I knew I was bad at heart to hearts, but I think I just managed to piss her off more."

Dani: Most uncomfortable situation I've ever been in! And I've walked in on Jay and my sister!

Demetri smirked. "Probably needed a magnifying glass to see anything on Jay though. Am I right?"

I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms.

"I was just warning her," Alec said in a hushed voice.

I stood between the two of them, jumpy and extremely uncomfortable. It was like having two really irritatingly hot and protective bodyguards. It wouldn't come as a shock if they sent me to a nunnery or decided to order one of those chastity belts, not that it mattered. Who screwed around with mute girls?

Tears threatened.

That was the worst part.

That Alec was right.

Lincoln was a good actor — a great actor.

He was doing his job.

He did it well.

Because for a few brief moments, I had felt like the most desired woman in the world. The way he'd looked at me had made me think it could possibly be true. And it was probably better for everyone that Alec was blunt with me about the type of guy Lincoln was.

Because as much as I kept my guard up — he made me want to tear down that wall just to see the other side. Just to remember what it felt like to be normal.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Lincoln

I'D MESSED UP.

Badly.

And I'd done plenty of stupid shit in my life, shit that could have landed me in prison or at least on probation.

If there was a list of the many sins of Lincoln Greene, her name would be at the top of it, circled in red pen, with the word LUST written in giant, all-capital letters next to it.

Double-freaking-shit.

I downed the last of my bottled water and tossed it in the trash while I waited for Pris and Jaymeson to finish the rest of the house scene, where the love fest between her and her real husband, Alec, had started.

My hands shook as I checked my watch, waiting for the damn day to end. I didn't want to have to see Dani. Seeing her would cause me to do something else stupid, like tell her I wanted to kiss her again.

Or worse, actually follow through without warning and scare the crap out of her.

Who did that? Just mauled a girl because he couldn't control himself? The last time I'd lost control like that had been in the sixth grade when someone called my mom a whore.

Granted, it had been true. It had been all over the papers.

But still.

It had pissed me off, so I beat the kid senseless, and when the teacher pulled me off him, I simply shrugged and said, "Should we go to the principal's office now?"

I had been a cocky little shit.

Acting had helped me grow out of some of the anger I'd felt at having such a public life. Weird how sometimes the cause can end up having a different effect.

"Hey!" Alec jogged over to me. Great, the absolute last person I wanted to talk to. He might as well be Dani's father with how protective he was of her. Almost as bad as Demetri, just less vocal about it.

Demetri told you he was going to shoot you then pulled the trigger.

Alec pulled the trigger first then said, "Oh, by the way, you're dead."

"She's seventeen." His first words.

"I know how old she is." I folded my arms across my chest. "I'm also aware she's a female. That was what you were going to say next, right? She's seventeen, underage, a female, off limits?"

His gaze narrowed. "Don't screw with her."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm an actor. I acted. That's my job, Alec." The lie tasted bitter in my mouth; my body screamed in outrage at the outright ridiculousness of the words pouring out. "She's just a girl."

"Really?" If anything Alec looked surprised as his blue eyes widened a bit. "That's all she is to you?"

"I'm her boss." I swallowed and looked away again. Thank God, Jaymeson was finishing up with his last line. "She's a great girl, but she's just a kid. Now, can you please stop thinking about where you're going to bury my body?"

"Seals." Demetri said from behind me. "I had some plans drawn up, paid a pretty penny for them too. Basically, you get eaten…"

I sighed.

"… and die," he finished.

"Good talk, guys, as always."

"Where's Dani?" Demetri ignored me and looked around.

"Last I saw she was—" Shit. Definitely not watching the scene a foot away from me.

Swallowing, she tucked her blonde hair behind her ear and gave us all a timid wave, then looked left, right, almost doing a little circle like she was confused, and walked off.

"Think she heard?" I whispered.

Demetri braced as if he was going to run after her, but Alec tugged him back.

"And if she did?" Alec asked. "What's it to you? She's just a kid, remember? Or were you lying?"

"And before you answer…" Demetri crossed his arms. "… seals, remember the seals."

"How?" I pushed away from them. "All I want to know is how the hell your wives live with you."

"Easy." Demetri smirked. "We're really good in bed. Any more questions? Oh, and the answer's no, I won't be giving you pointers, but if you want to know how to piss a girl off, pretty sure you just did it."