Exposing Alix by Inara Scott Read Free Book Online Page A

working with you,” Alix said.
    Lena’s eyes darted back to Jake, and her mouth tightened.
“I’m not sure why. There isn’t a lot getting done around here.”
    Jake gave Alix a look of apology. “Did Ryker warn you?”
    “Warn me about what?”
    “You’ve wandered onto the most dysfunctional set in
Hollywood,” he said cheerfully. “We’re a mess.”
    “It isn’t funny,” Lena snapped. “Why do you have to try to
turn everything into a joke?”
    “So I don’t kill you,” he replied calmly, though a muscle
jumped in his cheek.
    “Didn’t you say we were wrapping early today?” Lena asked
Ryker. “I have some calls I need to make.”
    “Fine.” Ryker sighed. He introduced her briefly to the row
of people behind him. She nodded and waved at each, knowing she’d never
remember their names. “Now, you can all go, except Amir.” He pointed to a
dark-skinned lanky man with a goatee and row of hoops protruding from his
eyebrow. “Alix, this is my assistant director, Amir Madani.” Amir grunted
amiably at Alix. Ryker continued, “Amir, I need Gunther’s viewing room set up
with those clips we talked about earlier today. And make sure Alix has a car
and hotel information. Eight a.m. call, Jake and Lena.” He shook a threatening
finger at the two of them. “I expect something much better tomorrow,
understand?”
    Lena started to reply, but evidently the thundercloud on
Ryker’s face convinced her otherwise. She nodded and flounced off the set.
    Jake shook his head. “Glad to have you here, Alix. Hope
you don’t mind if I corner you sometime to ask about your films. I really am a
fan.”
    “It would be my pleasure.”
    Jake waved and headed out the door.
    Alix swallowed as one by one, the rest of the group
followed him out. Finally, she was alone with Ryker. She squared her shoulders.
She was in a movie studio, for heaven’s sake. It wasn’t as if he was going to
make a pass at her here. Especially not when she was wearing a gray T-shirt
that was two sizes too big for her and jeans that ended somewhere around the
ankle.
    Ryker surveyed her, his attention lingering on her
glasses. “I’m not sure which I liked better, the gigantic sunglasses or those
monsters. Pilfer them from your grandfather’s closet, by any chance?”
    “I have a very strong prescription,” she snapped. “I spend
enough on the lenses; I don’t need to spend more on the frames.”
    “Of course.”
    She turned away from his probing stare and made a point of
walking around the set. “So this is Salva’s apartment? Looks about right.
Middle-class comfort, with a touch of desperation.”
    “You read the script.”
    “Of course. I liked it. But you didn’t tell me our leads
were at each other’s throats. It doesn’t take an expert to see that.”
She picked up a heavy glass ashtray and hefted it in one hand, feeling the
weight. Later in the film, Salva would use it to knock out an aggressor. It was
good to know Ryker was paying attention to details.
    She stole a glance over her shoulder. He was intent,
staring at her back as if he expected to find the answer to some mystery there.
    With a tight shake of the head, he refocused on her face.
“This is the worst I’ve seen them. They’ve been bickering from the start, but
it’s getting uglier by the day. I thought they’d be able to get past it. I
guess I was wrong.”
    “Get past what?”
    “Jake and Lena? You don’t know their history?”
    She sat down on the sofa. “Nope. Should I?” Thanks to
Gunther, she was actually more up to date on Hollywood gossip than she wanted
to be. But she had no intention of letting Ryker know that. Besides, it would
be interesting to hear his version of the story.
    Ryker barked a laugh. “I suppose I should have expected
that. Jake and Lena were a serious item about ten years ago, when he was still
a model and she had just made her first feature. The tabloids had them secretly
married, or at least engaged. But then Jake got