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“Some good you are.” Gabrielle tore out Hugh’s office with her lawyer Abraham Lacy and stopped at the water fountain. “What the hell am I paying you for?”
“It’s not my fault you didn’t read the contract before you signed it.”
“I read it!” She drank from the fountain. “Lessie and I went through it together and it looked fine.”
“You and Lessie, huh?” He switched his briefcase to his other hand. “See this is why you let your lawyers read your contracts before you sign them. I understand the red tape, you and Lessie don’t.”
“That slick bastard.” Gabrielle watched Hugh in his office, chuckling with his lawyer.
“Yeah.” Abraham sighed. “They have it in the contract you’re obligated to fulfill all duties, including those that benefit partners.”
“Which means I have to be in Hugh’s film or I breach the contract.”
“I’m sorry, Gabby.” He jiggled the briefcase. “This is why it’s imperative you run all your contracts by the firm. We’re here for your best interest. How could you sign a contract without being cautious?”
“I was so happy to get an offer, you know?” She stood against the wall. “I felt so hopeless, and I thought this was my last shot at modeling. Don’t blame, Lessie. She told me to send it to you, but I thought everything was straight.”
“It’s not exactly a bad thing being in a HuMac film.” He smiled. “This thing could be huge, and you might end up getting more opportunities in movies. If so, you won’t even need Iris International.”
“I hate someone forcing me to do something I don’t want to do.”
Abraham moved aside as a woman with a coffee cup breezed through. “You really don’t want to do the movie? Or is this you not wanting to give into Macintosh because of pride?”
“Pride.” Gabrielle got off the wall, pulling at her black blazer. “Momma didn’t raise no pushover. If I have to be in the movie, so be it. I’m not going to just roll over and give Hugh the win though. I’m going to play the game first.”
“What?”
“Hey, HuMac?” Gabrielle stomped into his office.
“Yes?” Hugh sat up straight as his lawyer drifted from the desk.
Gabrielle stood tall. “Are you a fair man?”
“I like to think I am.” He lit a cigarette. “Why? Want to make a counteroffer?”
“You played basketball in college, right? Did you know I played in high school?”
He wrapped his lips around the cigarette, his gaze roaming her body. “No, that’s one thing about you I didn’t know.”
“Don’t let the pretty face fool you.” She held her waist. “I was one of the best point guards my school ever had.”
“Are you challenging me to a basketball game?” He stood, shifting the cigarette to the other side of his mouth. “I don’t think you want to do that, honey.”
“You bet your ass I do.”
“What are you doing, Gabby?” Abraham asked.
“I’m playing the game.” She glared at Hugh. “You and me, one-on-one for four quarters.”
He laughed. “You serious?”
“Dead serious. What’s the matter? Scared to get beat by a girl?”
“Hm.” He took the cigarette from his mouth and gestured to her with it. “I hate to make a girl cry but that’s what’s going to happen if we play b-ball and I put that ass whipping on you.”
“Let’s play a game for my freedom.”
He sat on the corner of the desk. “Your freedom?”
“If I win, I get to stay with Iris International, but I don’t have to be in your movie. If you win, I be in your movie.” She smiled. “What do you say?”
“You seem confident.”
“Oh, I am.”
“Two point guards duking it out, huh?” He sucked his teeth. “You’re such a fascinating woman. Never cease to amaze.”
“Wait until we get on the court, and I’ll show you amazement.”
“It’s a deal.” He laughed, slapping his palms. “You win, you get what you want and if I win, I get what I want.” He put his hand out. “Let’s shake on it.”
“Deal.” She took his hand.
He caressed hers. “Are there any other incentives I get if I win?”
She jerked her hand back.
“Since this is your challenge, name the time and the place.”
“Tonight on the court at your place.”
“I can’t tonight.” He squinted. “I have plans.”
She got jealous, wondering if he meant Sierra.
“Tomorrow night then?”
“That’s fine with me. Seven o’clock?”
“I’ll be there.” Gabrielle looked him up and down. “But be warned, I won’t take it easy on you.”
He smirked, getting off the desk. “I hope not.”
Gabrielle left the office.
“Gabby?” Abraham caught up with her. “What are you doing?”
“I’m taking care of business.” She stopped at the elevator and pushed the button. “My way.”
****
“Miss Sierra?” A jittery Yuricema hurried inside the bedroom, interrupting Sierra’s nap.
“Jesus.” Sierra lay in the soft queen-sized bed, immersed in cinnamon-brown sheets. “What is it?”
Ian charged inside before Yuricema could answer.
“You happy now, Sierra?” He lunged at the bed, with the threat of murder in his eyes.
“What...” She gripped the sheet. “What’s going on, Dad?”
He trekked to her side of the bed. “Don’t act innocent with me.”
The backdrop of the giant tree graphic on her chocolate wall brought an angelic aura to him despite his anger.
“Why, Sierra?” He punched his palm. His hands had always been small for a man his size. “Why do you have to ruin everything?”
“Dad.” She lacked energy thanks to the sleeping pills she’d taken thirty minutes earlier. “Can you slow down?” She ran her hand through her messed hair. “You’re confusing the hell out of me. I was sleeping.” Her eyelids weighed a hundred pounds. “You know I get disoriented when I wake up. Give me a minute to get myself together.”
“Get yourself together? Hell that would take the rest of my life. I’ll be dead before that happens.”
“Dad, please.” The right side of her head throbbed. “I’m not feeling well.” She sipped from the cool glass of juice and placed it beside her pill bottle and tissues.
“What the hell are you doing sleeping in the middle of the day? Join us in the real world, Sierra. Where the responsible people live.”
She groaned, shielding her face with her hands. “Stop shouting. My head’s killing me.”
“Drunk?”
“How could you say that?” She kicked the sheet off, revealing her pajama bottoms. “No, I’m not drunk. I’m tired and stressed.”
“For what?”
“Probably because of being treated like shit everywhere I go and the media making fun of me every minute.”
“Is that why you wanna take things out on me?” He snatched a pill container off her table. “What the hell is this?”
“Sleeping pills. My therapist suggested them. I’m so stressed, and I have so much anxiety I can’t sleep. She wants me on anxiety meds but I refused.”
“How often do you take these pills?” He read the bottle.
“When I can’t sleep.” She scratched her head. “Which is a lot.”
“I don’t think the answer is going from one addiction to another.” He tossed the bottle on the table.
“I’m not addicted. Everything I do isn’t an addiction.”
“Ruining things seem to be.” Ian stomped around the large room, the walls and floors accentuated by various browns and neutrals. “I don’t get you. What is your problem? Let’s figure it out now so this shit stops happening.”
She adjusted her eyes, concentrating on the off-white furniture, sprinkled with gold and metal accents. “What did I do now?”
“You know.” He stabbed his finger at her as if she were still a child. “It’s one thing to be manipulative, but it’s another to lie about it. Getting Dash to threaten me about the movie. What’s your grand scheme with that?”
She massaged her aching temples. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“Oh, we’re pretending now?” He held a twisted grin. “He came by my place and told me he would not do Fatal Honor unless you try out for the leading lady.”