Muscle for Hire(44)
Thick, over-zealous make-up coated the extra’s face.
The extra that was the crazed fan hell bent on meeting Chris.
Aslin ground his teeth. “Fuck it.”
He ran at the group, letting out a disgusted groan when the woman squealed and took off. She stumbled through the extras, shoving aside those in her way in her bid to escape him.
Aslin increased his speed, keeping his stare locked on her back. Exasperation knotted through his anger. When he was finished dealing with her he was going to have a word with security. How the hell she kept getting on site was inexcusable.
With a yelp, the fleeing fan darted right, her feet skidding on the concrete and an incredulous part of Aslin’s mind noticed she was wearing hot-pink running shoes.
How the bloody hell had she fooled Security in those damn—
The woman yanked off her toy-shop helmet and hurled it at Aslin. “Fuck off, Pom!” she yelled, scrambling left.
Around them, film crew stopped and stared.
“Go back to England!”
Aslin ground his teeth and pushed more speed into his legs. He was done being a nice guy.
Crash-tackling her to the ground, he grabbed her wrists before she could scratch him with her nails. “Enough,” he snapped, hauling her to her feet.
The crowd cheered, more than one laughing at the woman’s wild efforts to break free of Aslin’s grip. In amongst her kicking legs and attempts to spit on him, Aslin spied a swarm of burly men dressed in black running toward them.
About sodding—
Sharp teeth sank into his shoulder.
With a snarl, he jerked away from the woman’s bite. “That’s enough.”
“Found yourself a girlfriend, Rhodes?”
The broad Australian accent told Aslin that Liev Reynolds was behind him. The chuckle in the part-time bodyguard’s voice told him Reynolds thought the situation funny.
“She’s a charmer, this one,” the Australian pointed out. “Want me to give you a—”
“Chris!” the woman shrieked. “Chris, it’s me! Belinda! Chris!”
At the sound of her name, the men dressed in black let out a collection of curses.
Leiv laughed. “Think they know her?”
Yanking the writhing woman harder against his chest, Aslin shot Chris, who was standing behind Nigel and a collection of crew a few yards away, a quick look. “Do you?” he asked, narrowing his eyes at the closest security guard.
The man nodded, unclipping a set of handcuffs from his belt. “Yeah. She’s been a nuisance since filming started. Keeps sending requests for autographs. Begging to meet Mr. Huntley. Don’t know how she does it, but she keeps getting on site.”
He stepped forward, snared the fan’s upper arm and tugged her toward him.
“Chris!” She screamed. “It’s Belinda! Chris!”
Aslin turned to the actor, the stunned expression telling him exactly what he’d suspected—Chris had no idea who the woman was. It was an expression Aslin was more than familiar with. Nick had worn it often when confronted by unhinged, obsessed fanatics.
Returning his attention to the guard, he watched the man click the cuffs around the struggling woman’s wrists. “Time to call the cops, honey,” the guard snarled.
“I love you, Chris!” she cried, stare fixed on the actor as the security team dragged her away. “Will you sign my—”
Whatever she wanted signed was muffled, no doubt by the hand of the guard holding her.
Silence fell over the surrounding film crew. For about ten seconds. And then, almost as one, normality resumed. People continued walking to their previous destinations, calls on cell phones were made, conversation continued. The military-dressed extras mingled about, casting uncertain looks between each other until the second unit director hurried over and rounded them up.
“So does this mean I’m not needed anymore, Rhodes?”
Aslin turned his attention to Liev Reynolds, finding the Australian smirking beside him.
“No.” He shook his head. “Not yet. Huntley’s too easy a target and my gut…” He stopped. His gut was telling him something was wrong. Something that had nothing to do with Belinda.
Rowan. You still believe someone is trying to hurt Rowan.
He did. But for some reason he hadn’t pushed the subject with her.
Some reason? Perhaps because you were distracted losing yourself in her body? Making love to her until you could barely move?
Fucking her senseless?
“Rhodes?”
He gave Liev a steady look. “Stay on him, but keep it low. Just in case.”
The bodyguard nodded. “Righto. Will let you know if anything feels off.”
Without any seeming interest in Chris, who was currently making his way toward them both, the Australian shoved his hands in his jeans pockets and ambled away.