I suck in a deep breath before opening the door, knowing it won't give off vibes anything like that of a real home. I'm met with an open space, still ripe with the odor of fresh paint from the dark gray walls. Its contents are minimal, featuring sleek black leather furniture, and modern stainless steel appliances. Not my normal style, but I don't hate the bachelor atmosphere, or the stellar view of the water through a wall of windows in the living room.
Everything's simple and masculine. I wouldn't change a thing. When Evelyn asked if I had any preference on colors, etc, I told her not to make it fancy. She nailed it. I have no idea how she managed to pull it off in such a short time, or how Charlie scored the apartment right next to Angie's, but I'm assuming they have enough money to do whatever they want. I'm going to have to go above and beyond what's expected of me to earn this damn place.
I drop my bags on the modern kitchen tile, and take a quick tour. In the first room, I find an office bigger than my kitchen back home. It houses a complex security system to keep a closer eye on Angie's place. A new laptop and smart phone still in their packaging wait to be opened on the desk, along with a handwritten welcome note from Evelyn. She explains that someone from the security company will be stopping by Monday to give me a detailed rundown of the system. She also provides directions on how to access the safe on the north wall using a combination of my birthday and my parents' house number. I open it to find a black, velvet-lined box with a 9mm semi-automatic pistol. I'm thankful for all the years James and Hunter's dad took us hunting as kids along with the training I received in military school. The idea of having to use it to protect Angie churns my insides even though I know it could be necessary.
Inside the master bedroom, dark wooden floors, black accent walls, and plain black bedding gives the suite a warmer feel that the rest of the apartment. My clothes will look ridiculous in the walk-in closet big enough to be converted into another guest room.
After stripping down to my boxers, I take another sweep of the apartment, finding a case of beer and a decent supply of groceries already in the fridge. Thank fuck Evelyn thought of everything.
I crack a bottle open and take it out to sweat on my new balcony. It's big enough to entertain company with a tiki wood table and chairs, plus a handful of loungers. Beyond the glass half-wall, I'm given a bird's eye view of the property's private swimming pool and a yacht club next door where dozens of boats are moored in the center of the bay.
Living here's going to be something out of my wildest dreams.
When I lean over the railing, I'm able to see Angie's brightly padded furniture next door. She's working until at least ten tonight, so I have several hours to settle in, explore the neighborhood, and do whatever the fuck I want. Only Charlie's paying me a shit-ton to take care of his sister-in-law, so I plan to apply for my conceal and carry permit, find the nearest shooting range, utilize the property's gym, then familiarize myself with Angie's favorite hangouts as well as anyone and everyone involved in her life. I'm taking every minute I'm here seriously.
After receiving a tour of the studio from one of the security guards, I arrive on the set at half past nine. I'm given a lanyard to wear and introduced to the crew before some woman directs me where to stand in the shadows as they finish out the last scene of the day. I've never been behind the scenes for anything, and wasn't expecting there to be so much madness involved.
Takes me a full minute before I spot Angie's pale face behind a beautiful redheaded woman off to the right of the stage. They're both being fussed over by a handful of crew fixing their hair and makeup. The redhead wears tight-fitting leather from head to toe like some kind of dominatrix, and her face is unnaturally pale. I recognize the woman from the show as the vampire obsessed with the character played by Angie's boyfriend. The two women's characters are constantly at each other's throats. But in one episode in the first season, they almost kissed. I won't pretend I wasn't seriously turned on watching it unfold.
When the woman working on Angie's makeup steps aside, I discover Angie's wearing nothing more than a black lacy bra and thong underwear. God damn it, I'm instantly hard … she's so fucking gorgeous. Since she plays the part of a woman brought back from the dead, they've made her nearly the same ghostly white as the redhead. It doesn't take away from her beauty, though. I glance around before discreetly readjusting my strained dick inside my khakis.
Angie and the redhead stroll onto the stage set up like a master bathroom. A young guy in a backwards baseball cap turns the shower lever, waiting for Angie to test the temperature. When she's satisfied, the man walks away, and the redhead joins Angie. The two women share a private conversation, laughing like old friends as Angie becomes soaking wet.
Someone yells, "Action!" and the room falls deafeningly silent.
Angie giggles loudly and stumbles, catching herself on the tiled shower. I almost run to her until I remember they're acting. This job is already proving to be harder than I thought. Watching on with a full chub as Angie stands half-naked alongside a sexy woman is making it difficult to think straight.
"Don't argue with me, Ava," the redhead tells Angie in a deep, scratchy voice. Her dark red lips settle into a scowl. "You aren't leaving this bathroom until you're clean."
"I'm not gettin' naked in front of you," Angie slurs.
The woman sighs, replying with a dramatic eye-roll. "It's nothing I haven't seen before."
"Fine." Angie reaches behind her back, appearing to unhook her bra. When she struggles for a few seconds, the redhead huffs and does it for her. I almost choke on a wad of saliva when Angie's perfect breasts are exposed, beads of water roll over her pink nipples. She stares at the redhead now standing under the shower stream in front of her, water slipping from the woman's red hair onto her leather outfit, disappearing between her large breasts.
The redhead gently pushes Angie's wet hair over her shoulders, then reaches for a bottle of shampoo. "I've decided you and I can help each other, Ava."
They stand chest-to-chest as the woman begins to lather Angie's hair. It's impossible to say whether Angie's turned on by the situation, or she's merely doing a killer job acting under the circumstances. But I finally appreciate why someone told Levi this show is better than porn.
I glance over both shoulders, wondering if this is really happening, or if I'm in some alternate universe. The only person who seems effected is a short, overweight dude behind one of the cameras several yards away. He keeps licking his lips while glancing between the camera screen and the real-life fantasy playing out in front of a room filled with people. I narrow my eyes on him, begging for any excuse to take him out.
With the sound of a throaty moan, I turn back to the women. Angie's eyes are closed, her head slumped forward as the redhead works Angie's dark hair into a lather. It's an erotic visual beyond my wildest dreams, and likely that of every other straight male in the room. My fingers curl up at my sides, ready to take anyone out for getting off on Angie. Exactly how far are they going to take this shit-show?
"I can teach you the ways of the immortal world," the redhead tells Angie's character. "You're not going to learn anything by hanging around a ghost that's just as clueless as you."
"You hate me, Alex. Why the fuck would you want to help?"
"I know what it's like to be thrown into the undead lifestyle without having someone to guide you. The day after I turned, I almost died from walking into the sunlight."
Angie snorts. "Too bad you stopped." Then her eyelids flip open. "What do you want in return?"
"Jacks is completely lost without you. He's angry and confused because he can't get in touch with you, and he's blaming me. He even came to this building looking for you, but of course the bellman hadn't heard of anyone by the bogus name you gave him." "Alex" tips Angie's head back, rinsing the soap from her head. "He's not himself anymore. You have to take him back. It hurts too much to watch him fall apart."
"Okay … but what about the part where you warned me to stay away from Jacks because he's yours, and threatened to tell him the truth about me?" Angie frowns as the woman reaches for another bottle on the shower's shelf. "What's the catch?"
"Make no mistake, he's still mine." Alex begins to spread liquid soap across Angie's chest. "That means we'd have to share him." She leans in, taking Angie's butt cheek in her hand and loudly whispering in her ear, "At the same time."
I hear a quiet grunt behind me, and spin around. The overweight camera guy is reaching inside his jeans. Every inch of my body vibrates with rage as I start for him.
"Hey!" I roar. "The fuck you doing?"
The camera guy pales when he sees me coming, hands shooting up at his sides. "N-nothing!"