My sister shook her head confusedly.
"But Jenna, I've seen the pictures. It's either you or the best photoshop job in the world," Tina said slowly.
"Yes, that's me, I admit," I said brokenly. "I took some nude photos when we were in law school, tuition was due and I had no options," I said. "I'd maxed out my credit cards so took a gig I found off Craigslist, but it was just me posing naked with cars. They definitely didn't film me, and I've never even heard of Green Guys," I said, referring to the porn production company.
"But are you sure there were no videocameras?" asked my sister slowly. "I mean, it's totally possible that someone stood in the corner and filmed you on the sly, right?"
That really hurt. I turned to her, my voice scathing.
"You think I'd forget if I did two guys, let them spurt all over me, coating me with cum and not remember? Seriously Tina, I knew you didn't like me, but I never thought your hatred went this far," I spat.
"No, I'm just saying," said my sister tiredly, shaking her head, bobbling the baby in her arms. "The old you … the old you was unpredictable and flighty. A threesome wasn't out of the picture at all."
My cheeks colored as I remembered my past. Yeah, I'd done threesomes before, heck I'd done a lot dirtier so long as the boys did my homework and paid my bills. There had even been a time when I did the football team on a whim, as a passing fancy.
But that was the old me. I was different now and my cheeks flushed at memories of my past, heat suffusing my entire being. I shook my head, my efforts to turn a new leaf thwarted. Because the moment the video had hit the mainstream, my career was dead on arrival.
"UP AND COMING STARLET BARES HER BOOBIES!" "EXPOSURE OF YOUNG AND SWEET SENSATION JENNA WALSH UNTHINKABLE!" screamed newspaper headlines.
I'd recoiled with horror, dumbly forcing myself to look up the video. Oh god, the Green Guys site was the first one that popped up after entering my name, and I clicked numbly. The mass of writhing bodies was explicit, the girl in the video bearing an uncanny resemblance to me, so good that I could see how no one would question the likeness.
Even worse, the video had already been viewed twenty million times, with two million thumbs up. It was a nightmare, and I could hardly believe what had happened, the pressure on my chest crushing, my breathing shallow and fast.
Things were only made worse when a nameless employee from my modeling agency called to let me know that Levast had terminated my contract.
"Alright," I'd said woodenly. "I'll deal." I'd expected that one because Levast represents high-fashion brands, they wouldn't want a pornstar on their roster. I just needed a bit of time to prove my case, and then Rafe would hire me once again.
But what I hadn't expected was every single one of my other bookings calling within a day to let me know that I was no longer needed.
"Really?" I'd gasped when Young, Broke and Fabulous notified me that I no longer needed to fly to Malibu next week. YBF is an up-and-coming LA brand known for its sexy, daring beachwear, and they'd walked on the wild side a couple times. Their last show was modeled entirely by Playboy centerfolds, so I'd figured their creative head would keep me on.
"I'm sorry Ms. Walsh, but we just doesn't see YBF customers identifying with hardcore porn stars," said the monotonous voice. "Softcore yes, but not what you did."
I almost wanted to scream into the earpiece that it wasn't me, there'd been a huge mistake. But who would believe that? So I'd hung up the phone and turned to my only ally left. My sister Tina. Family stands by family right, or at least it should, and I'd flown out to San Francisco on the red-eye, covering my head with a scarf to escape recognition.
Thank god Jake, her husband and my ex-fiancé wasn't there. I would have died, he'd be laughing so hard at my predicament.
"Teen, Green Guys must have found a girl who resembles me to do the video for a few thousand bucks. Please believe me," I said forcefully. "Please."
Tina looked skeptical. "Jenna, I'm not sure," her voice trailed off. "And you know there's no love lost between you and my husband, Jake's never liked you."
"I know!" I said, struggling not to raise my voice. "But I need your help, and I need Jake's help in particular. Sterling Pharma has a ton of people working for the company, Jake's dealt with public relations crises in the past. Please ask him for me, won't you?"
"I don't know Jenna," said my sister, her cheeks flushing. "He still blames you for Janie almost dying."
I shook my head resignedly. The Pernacular debacle had nothing to do with me, but somehow Jake thought I was responsible for Janie's ill health.
But before I could speak, Tina interrupted. "Jake's on a business trip right now, but I'll ask," she said resignedly. "I'll do it … for Mom and our family, if not for you."
"Thank you," I said relieved. The Sterlings were my last hope because Rafe still hadn't returned my calls … breaking my heart.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Rafe
"Mr. Connor," piped my secretary from outside, "Call for you on Line 2."
I frowned. This was odd, I'd asked not to be disturbed except in urgent circumstances and it was unlikely that anything would happen now that New York fashion week was over. What was it? Some designer having histrionics because the latest embroidered silk from Italy hadn't come in yet? Some young model giving lip because she was homesick? I sighed. All in a day's work as CEO.
"Fine, send it through," I growled. The phone rang and I picked up.
"Rafe Connor," I barked shortly. This better be good because there were a thousand things on my to-do list, including reviewing our financials and finalizing bonuses. Time was money, and dollars were lost with every wasted minute.
"Rafael, Jake Sterling here of Sterling Pharmaceuticals," said a deep voice.
I immediately felt my hackles rise at the sound of another alpha male. Okay, he was probably in San Francisco, I knew Sterling was one of those biotechs located on the West Coast, but the pseudo-proximity got to me. A nasty feeling ran down my spine but I made myself stay calm.
"What can I do for you?" I said in a deceptively smooth voice. "Sterling and Levast are hardly in the same industry."
The man chuckled over the phone. "No, definitely not except that your clientele seem to ingest a lot of our prescription drugs, but that's a discussion for another day. I'm calling because we have an issue that's troubling us both … Jenna Walsh."
That shut me up. I knew that Sterling had once been engaged to Jenna, breaking it off to marry her sister instead, so there had to be a lot of history there.
"What can I do for you?" I repeated again smoothly, giving away nothing. I wondered if he knew that Jenna and I had been an item, her fragrant hair wrapped around my neck, that sweet pussy squeezing me tight as I erupted again and again into her body.
"Well, if you didn't know already, my wife and Jenna are twins," he said dryly.
I did know that. Jenna had assured me they were nothing alike, Tina a curvy brunette to Jenna's slim blonde. But twins have a psychic connection right? Or was that a myth?
"Yeah, I know," I growled. I didn't want to talk about Jenna, she'd been haunting my nights despite the fact I'd paid her off. Usually buying jewelry for my former paramours wiped the slate clean, mentally and physically. Usually, I felt absolved of all guilt, ready to move on with a new woman, the hottest new thing to catch my fancy, but it'd been different this time.
Despite spending six figures on a piece of jewelry, I'd felt curiously listless afterwards, my thoughts turning towards the girl even though I should have been a clean slate. What the fuck? I shook my head ruefully. I seriously needed to get out, I was getting soft. I made a mental note to take out the newest, youngest girl Jason Alexander had just booked. I'd gotten a look at her comp card and she was pretty, blonde and slim … with big boobs just like someone I knew.
Fuck! This was all wrong.
But Sterling continued.
"So my wife tells me that Jenna came begging for help," he said dryly. "This scandal with the porn video is allegedly made up. Not the scandal itself," he said, "but rather the girl in the video isn't Jenna."
That made me pause. I'd watched that video more than a few times myself, and I'd know if it wasn't her, I'd sampled those creamy curves myself, tasted the ambrosia between her legs. I'd know, wouldn't I?
"I'm not sure what exactly you're saying," I said slowly. "What exactly is Jenna claiming?"
"That the girl in the video isn't her," snorted the other man. "As if. That bitch is a slut, I'm sure she's just manipulating her sister again. Anyways, I wanted to let you know because the papers reported that Levast was embarrassed by her actions, your sales plummeted after the scandal was revealed. I thought you might like to take a shot at the cause of your problems."