Breaking Her (Love is War #2)(9)

I glanced at Demi, who was indeed getting more and more cozy with Mr. Hella Bruh and decided against it. There was no way she'd be so nonchalant around Anton if that were the case.

That settled, we put on a great show for the cameras, frolicking in the surf, canoodling in the sand.

I'm not sure when it happened, but at some point the day went from faking fun for the cameras to actively enjoying myself.

It was possibly around the time that we broke out the bottles of pre-maid cocktails we'd packed in lieu of a picnic lunch. Who needs food when you can have liquor?

We chatted about nothing and everything as we pretended to lay out to tan, when in actuality we were all sunblocked into oblivion and reapplying every quarter hour. Because wrinkles.

"I was sure that Lacy was going to get killed off in the season finale," Farrah was saying, referring to her recurring role as a biker groupie in Anton's show. She was such a hit that they kept bringing her back. "But I just got the script back, and they're keeping her! They're giving her a bigger role than ever in a story arc that goes into the next season!"

"That's amazing!"

"Congrats!"

"They know their audience!"

"Awesome!"

We all congratulated her and meant it. I personally thought she was brilliant in the role. She was a valley girl and an ex-cheerleader, so it was a testament to her talent that she could pull off the role of a hardened biker chick so perfectly.

"Eventually we'll all be on your show, Anton," Leona joked, though who knew if it was a joke. I myself had made a few appearances, though nothing with a speaking role, mostly I'd been an extra with a lot of close-up body shots. Leona had been cast in a similar way, if less times.

That left only Demi, but even as I had the thought, she said, "I'm actually going to be in it too. My agent called me earlier. That role I was up for, the rival club's daughter. I got it."

I blinked at her. How had I missed this?

We all rushed to congratulate her, and I felt like a dick for having no clue about such huge news.

"That sounds like a big role," Harry said, hugging her. "Wow. That could really turn into something, right?"

"She's already scheduled to have sex with me," Anton said, his tone flat and more than a touch riled.

We all looked at him. Okay, I glared, and Demi blushed and looked everywhere but at him.

"What?" Harry asked him, wide-eyed.

"Our characters have a star-crossed affair. She's going to be on the show quite a bit, from the sound of it. They have lots of story planned for her character."

"You don't sound thrilled about that," Demi almost mumbled the words, not looking at him.

"I just don't think the show is a good fit for you," he said brutally.

For that, we were all glaring at him. "What the hell?" I asked him.

"You can get typecast, doing a show like this," he tried to explain. "I just don't think it fits your image. You should be trying for more family friendly stuff. Like one of those princess live-action flicks. Something like that."

"That's why it's called acting," Demi said to her feet, her face red. "I should be able to do both."

Anton was not letting up. He was in a hell of a mood. "This is a cable show. Did you know they're already talking about having you do a topless scene? With me. A topless sex scene in front of the world. That what you were going for?"

Demi, looking more miserable by the second, responded with a forlorn, "Topless? Oh no. My parents are going to kill me."

"I told you not to audition," he continued relentlessly. "This is not a good fit for you. Mark my words."

"Knock it the hell off," I told him. "She's an actress and the path she takes is her business." We had a pretty aggressive stare down, but eventually he broke the gaze. "Now quit being an ass and congratulate her."

"Congratulations," Anton looked very pointedly at Demi, who still wouldn't look at him. "In a few weeks, I'm going to be playing with your naked tits in front of an audience. Hope you're okay with that." He got up and stormed away.

"What the ever-loving f*ck?" I asked anyone that might know what Anton's problem was.

"Asshole," Leona breathed, shrugging off her quiet but clingy pilot boyfriend to go put her arm around Demi. "You okay, sweetie?"

Demi nodded, but she was chewing on her lip. "I think he thinks I'm intruding on his territory. It's his show, he's the lead in it, and I don't think he wants me being a part of it."

That was it. I got up and went after him.

His long stride had covered a lot of distance fast, but he'd stopped as soon as he hit the nearest bar, which was about a foot away once you hit the street, so it wasn't hard to catch or find him.

I took the barstool next to him, glancing around. We were getting some stares. It was a quick walk from the beach, but no one else in the place was wearing swimsuits. Also, they may have recognized Anton.

Whatever.

"That was so out of line," I told him quietly after the bartender left our earshot. "Were you trying to make her feel like shit?"

He sighed heavily. "No, but I think she'll feel like worse shit if her perfect family sees her topless in her first big role. And topless is just the edge of it. They've got a scene written of her . . . servicing me in a bathroom. It's not what I want for her. Is that what you want for her? Her biggest role to date and the world gets to see her topless and on her knees?"