Playing a Little by Breanna Hayse Read Free Book Online Page A

and, if I feel the videos will help you develop your story, I will allow you access. These are my terms, Arthur. I do not want this girl having to worry about being followed into the bathroom by your camera crew!”
    Arthur’s expression nearly brought Erik to hysterics. His face turned pale, then reddened, then elevated to a lovely shade of purple before he spouted several profanities. Camille’s eyes widened.
    “I will apologize for his lack of manners, Miss LeCroix,” Erik said, staying in character, “he is not accustomed to anyone standing up to him, even when he is wrong. You will have your film, Arthur, but not the way you planned. Camille has not signed the contract yet, so it is this way or no way.”
    “You…”
    “End of discussion. For this to work, Camille needs to trust me to look out for her best interests. She can’t if she is afraid of being judged, even by you. Am I right, Cam?”
    Camille just stiffly nodded in agreement, taken aback by the way in which Erik had stood up to the producer for her sake. With a grunt, Arthur agreed and, before they arrived on set, the contract, with revisions handwritten in, was signed.
    Arthur stood by Erik’s side as Stan and Camille exited the vehicle. “You sneaky little bastard. I didn’t know you had it in you. I know that you love to terrorize every producer and director you work with, but me? I was like a father to you!”
    “This wasn’t a ploy to get them to sign. I am serious about this, Arty. I don’t want anyone having access to those cameras until I look at them. There will be too many things that can hurt her if they ever got out to the public, and I won’t take that risk. Trust me, you will get a movie like you never expected. But you have to allow me to do my job.”
    “You got her to sign the contract. That is all I need. You still pissed me off, Mr. High and Mighty.”
    “You’ll get over it. Now, let’s go show them around the compound. Miss LeCroix? May I do the honors?” Erik asked, holding out his arm for her to take. She accepted with a shy smile, wrapping her cold hand in the crook of his elbow. With a reassuring pat, he led her inside the lake house.

Chapter Five
     
     
    The magnificent structure was named so not because of the massive, ice-bound lake behind it, but because it was built atop a large pool designed to look like a Japanese pond. Inspired by his trip to Japan, Arthur had the house made like a giant dojo, with each room separated by arching bridges and accented with Asian art and luxurious planters filled with blooming flowers and thick ferns. Erik slowly slipped Camille’s jacket from her shoulders as she stood in silent shock, taken by the beauty before her.
    “This is incredible,” Stan stuttered. They stood in the foyer, a large granite platform that stretched into two bridges before them. The walls around them dripped happily with water into the pool below, the occasional stray drops striking tiny hanging chimes.
    “I hate this place. It makes me want to pee,” Arthur commented with a shrug. “I mainly bought it for entertaining, but barely use it anymore. Erik comes here the most to escape. The private living quarters and guest bedrooms are to the right. The left is the community rooms, kitchen, recreation, and gym.”
    “After you, madam,” Erik offered. Camille flushed before him again and followed Arthur to the left-sided bridge. They walked into an enormous, open room decorated in oriental red and black, with high windowed ceilings separated by red timber. Black leather and lacquered furnishings encircled an open fire pit whose black hood sat suspended from the ceiling. Asian artwork, framed in black lacquer, covered the red walls with tiny planters of orchids that softened the harshness of the room. The far side opened to a tremendous kitchen, done in bright chrome and black. Windows inhabited every outside wall, encouraging rays of light to penetrate and bathe the area in the sun’s natural