Muscle for Hire(37)
“There was that freaky woman with the red hair in here too,” Tilly piped up. “The one Mr. Rhodes caught trying to get into Mr. Huntley’s trailer.”
Chris’s eyebrow shot up. “What woman?”
Nigel dragged his hands through his hair. “Damn it. What the fuck is security doing?”
“Are you gonna call the cops?” Warren asked.
Rowan let out an exasperated breath. “Don’t you think the question should be who’s trying to hurt Chris?”
“Me?” Chris snorted. “Who the fuck wants to hurt me?”
Nigel’s face drained of blood. “Christ, do you think…”
Rowan’s pulse pounded fast in her throat. “Yes, I do think. First the steps on his trailer were deliberately tampered with, and now the beam above his chair falls down?” She gave the director a pointed look. “It doesn’t take a genius to—”
“Chris is right,” Warren cut her off. “Who would wanna hurt him?”
Rowan snapped her glare to his face. “A crazed fan? A pissed-off friend?”
“Okay, Rowie.” Chris stepped forward and directed her hand—still gripping the ice pack—to the back of her head. “That’s enough.”
“My head doesn’t hurt!”
Silenced slammed over the set at her shout. Everyone stared at her. Everyone.
“Let’s go, Rowan.”
It was Aslin’s voice that broke the shocked silence. Calm, but commanding.
She glared up at him, the sight of his unwavering focus on her face sparking jolts of anger in her gut. “Where? Away? So whoever it is who is trying to get at my brother can make another attempt?”
“Rowie—”
“Now, Rowan,” Aslin spoke again, as if she hadn’t uttered a word. He leant forward, wrapped her free hand in a firm grip and pulled her to her feet.
The crowd parted like a wave. Which irritated Rowan more. Since when had Aslin Rhodes become the damn commanding officer of the film set?
“Let me go, Rhodes.”
“Shut it, Hemsworth.” He turned and began walking away, pulling her behind him.
For a split second, the urge to throw herself into a reverse spinning kick and slam her heel into his shoulder stole through her. She curled her fingers into tight fists and tensed.
A heartbeat before Aslin turned to stare straight into her eyes. “I wouldn’t.”
Rowan’s mouth dried at the barely contained menace in his gaze.
Without waiting for her to respond, he turned and continued walking from the set. He didn’t stop, or talk to anyone—including her—until they reached the door of a trailer located next to Chris’s.
Rowan frowned. “Whose trailer is this?”
“Mine.”
His answer was a low growl. He pulled a key from his hip pocket, unlocked the door and pulled it open.
“Yours? Since when do you have a trailer?”
He shot her a look over his shoulder. “Since one p.m. today.”
And with that terse answer, he crossed the threshold, dragging her behind him.
The interior wasn’t as luxurious or extravagant as Chris’s, nor was there anything to indicate Aslin had spent any time in it. Tiny specks of dust danced on the air, picked out by the sun streaming through the narrow windows lining the walls. Rowan took it all in. “Homey,” she muttered.
“It needs a woman’s touch.”
She snorted at Aslin’s unexpected dry comeback, rubbing her wrist when he released it.
“Sit.”
His one-word command made her spine stiffen. “I’m not a—”
Piercing brown eyes locked on her face. “Sit, Rowan. Now.”
She plopped onto the edge of the nearest seat.
“Good. Now put the ice pack on the back of your head and listen to me.”
She scowled at his order. “Aslin, we should be back on set. Chris—”
“Is fine.” He pulled the door closed and leant against the bench beside it, folding his arms across his massive chest. “After the incident with the red-head yesterday I spoke to the head of security this morning and arranged a bodyguard. Someone I worked with often when Nick did high-risk public appearances in Sydney. Your brother won’t even know Liev’s here, but he’ll be protected. The more pressing matter I’m concerned with is who is trying to harm you.”
Rowan’s mouth fell open. “Are you serious?”
Aslin’s eye narrowed. “I know you’re in shock from the accident, but I have to be blunt, and for that I’m sorry.”
“In shock?” Rowan shook her head. “I’m not in shock. I’m furious. Someone is targeting my brother and you drag me away?”