Chapter 6

The city lights shimmered outside my apartment window, blurred by the tears that welled in my eyes. I didn't know what to think or how to feel really. I was in something like shock still. Sebastian had put me in a taxi back home, but I couldn't remember much about the ride. I was still dazed by the sex we'd just had. Stepping out of the car, Sebastian's touch still lingered on my skin, a phantom heat branding my memory. I could still feel him thrusting into me. It was better than anything I had ever imagined.
Reaching my door, I fumbled with the keys, finally unlocking it and tumbling inside.
The sterile comfort of my own apartment felt like a world away from the opulent decadence of Sebastian's house. Collapsing onto the couch, I caught my reflection on the coffee table – a sight that made me blush all over again. My hair was a mess, my lipstick smeared, and a goofy grin stretched across my face. I looked… happy. Confused, too, but undeniably happy.
My heart fluttered. My mind replayed the events of the evening in a kaleidoscope of emotions. I'd always imagined that Sebastian would be great at sex. I'd watched a few of his old videos when he was still in front of the camera, but watching him without someone else was nothing like having him on top of me, inside of me, gripping my hair and taking me apart, stroke by stroke. I shuddered, thinking about the unexpected power Sebastian wielded, the way he'd shifted from powerful CEO to something… else entirely. His touch, his words, the way he'd looked at me – it was intoxicating, a forbidden cocktail I couldn't imagine ever having enough of. It was all I had wanted and more.
So much more.
He'd been great. Better than most of the guys I'd had sex with on camera. Better than any man I'd had sex with off-camera, too. Maybe it had been because I'd wanted him for so long, but maybe it was his skill. I winced at the thought. What if he realized that I liked him? Had I been obvious? Too eager to give in?
Just then, a notification buzzed on my phone. It was a message from Sebastian.
"You impressed me tonight, Yvonne. Consider it an audition passed. I have a new role in mind, and for the first time, you get to choose your leading man. Are you still choosing Zane?"
A spark of excitement ignited within me. It worked. I knew I was better than my ranking said. I swallowed. I felt a little bitter about him calling it an audition.
My fingers hovered over the phone. Jason's name flashed in my mind. The enigmatic top earner, the forbidden fruit Sebastian himself had deemed off-limits. A tiny, rebellious part of me wanted to see the surprised look on Sebastian's face if I requested him. With a defiant tap, I typed out Jason's name.
The reply came almost instantly.
"Jason has declined this particular project."
Disappointment pricked at me, but a part of me wasn't surprised. Maybe it was a test, a way to see if I'd push back against him. I didn't bother. It wasn't like I could be sure that he would renege on the deal.
"Zane," I sent.
This time, the reply took a beat longer.
"Zane, it is then. Consider it a done deal. Details to follow."
The phone fell silent in my hand. Zane. He was on the board. Working with him would boost my sales. The video with Quinton would come out soon, so I was probably guaranteed to get closer to the board. As I drifted off to sleep, the image of Sebastian's face swam before my eyes, a seductive mix of power and desire. My body still tingled, and I dreamed of him again tonight.
He shoved me back on the table and hiked my legs up. He hadn't waited, hadn't paused. Our lips crashed together. His kiss had been hungry and demanding. I melted, wrapping my legs around him and urging him to have me.
"Sebastian, please..."
He shoved me back and unbuckled his belt. Before I knew it, he'd dropped his pants and pulled me onto his cock in one smooth thrust, and he didn't stop. It felt like he was driving deeper and deeper into me with every thrust, pining me down as he took me hard and fast.
It was wild and more than I had ever hoped for.

In the morning, I opened the email he sent me about the shoot. I recognized the title and winced. The achievement of landing the role should have felt like a victory. Instead, a cold knot of unease twisted in my gut.
I knew that the role was supposed to go to another actress. I knew as soon as I got on set, people would be whispering. I got ready slowly. I couldn't help but feel like a replacement doll. When I got there, people glanced at me and whispered. The crew's usually jovial energy felt strained in my presence, their smiles tinged with a hint of pity or knowing amusement. I guess I'd officially become one of those actresses in the industry who slept around for roles.
When Zane was ushered into the conference room for the first meeting, I felt a jolt of something akin to panic. Awkwardness washed over me, a combination of the lingering tension and the unexpected handsomeness of my co-star. His fair complexion seemed to glow under the harsh fluorescent lights, and his jawline was sculpted like marble.
"Yvonne, right?" Zane greeted, extending a hand. His voice was deeper than I remembered from the last time. It was a rich baritone that sent a shiver down her spine.
"Yes," I stammered, taking his hand briefly. Heat flooded my cheeks, and I quickly looked away.
"We've met before, haven't we?" Zane continued, his brow furrowed slightly. "You were in the hallway a couple of weeks back, waiting for your turn with… uh…"
I was mortified. I couldn't believe he remembered me, but his mentioning it just brought it all back to me. The scene that I hadn't really been prepared for, the night before with Sebastian...
I nodded shakily. "Yes. Briefly."
"It'll be good working with you. Quinton had good things to say about you."
I tried to smile, but the memories were eating me up on the inside. I wished the floor would swallow me whole. This wasn't the fresh start I'd envisioned when I'd stripped for Sebastian last night.