UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT Chapter 16

I went silent, my head filled with her—softness under my hands, breathy, wet murmurs.

I knew she was right, but I was already in too deep.

Leaving her place, I felt a kind of confusion I’d never known. Serena, Mia, Chloe—three different roads, each full of temptation and danger.

Serena’s kiss, Mia’s embrace, Chloe’s teasing—three fires burning in my chest.

I told myself, Liam, get a grip. But desire was a poison already in my blood, leaving me nowhere to run.

Serena’s warning rang like an alarm bell, keeping my nerves on edge.

Back at my rented apartment, I lay on the bed replaying her—the slip of her robe, the softness of her lips, and that cold line: “Don’t fall too deep.”

Her perfume still seemed to hang in the air, so sweet it kept me from sleeping.

My phone lit up. A message from Mia:

“Liam, I’m a little nervous about tomorrow’s audition. You’ll come with me, right?”

Her tone was shy, pure as a mountain spring.

I replied, “Of course,” and felt the weight of it.

Mia’s innocence made me want to protect her and fear hurting her, while Serena’s complexity felt like a whirlpool waiting to swallow me.

The next day, I took Mia to an audition for a low-budget indie web series.

The studio lights were harsh, the air a mix of sweat and makeup.

Mia wore a pale blue dress, the hem swaying, tracing her youthful curves. Her short hair was tied high in a ponytail, fresh as a newly opened flower.

She gripped my hand, nervous; the warmth of her palm threw my heartbeat off.

I murmured, “Don’t worry. Just be yourself.” She nodded, eyes full of trust, so pure it made me feel guilty—I could barely protect myself; how could I promise her anything?

The audition went fairly smoothly. The director, a young woman with a gentle manner, wasn’t like Director Lane last time, all innuendo.

When Mia finished, the director smiled and nodded:

“Not bad. You’ve got a spark. Go home and wait to hear from us.”

Mia exhaled, then turned and hugged me, her soft body pressed to my chest, the fabric of her tank top thin enough that I could feel her heartbeat.

“Thank you, Liam!”

Her voice was clear and bright with girlish excitement; it left my throat dry.

I eased her back, covering my lapse.

“It’s nothing. You did great.”

But her smile was like sunlight—warming, and faintly painful.

After I walked Mia back to the agency, I stood alone at the end of the hallway, leaning on the cold wall, my head a snarl of threads.

Serena on her couch kept flashing before my eyes like a brand—the robe slipping, that low moan. But Mr. Carter’s threat hung over me like a blade, ready to fall.

I clenched my fists, nails biting into my palms, the pain clearing me a little.

I decided that no matter what, I wouldn’t let Serena be humiliated by bastards like Mr. Carter again—even if it meant defying the industry’s rules.

Back at the office, I pulled out my phone and found Chloe’s number.

Her warning echoed: “You’ve got to learn to play by the rules.”

But I didn’t want to play by the rules. I wanted to break them.

I took a deep breath and texted her:

“Chloe, are you free tonight? I want to talk about Serena.”

After I hit send, my heart pounded like a drum. I was afraid she’d refuse—or worse, write me off as some cocky kid who didn’t know his place.

A few minutes later, her reply came:

“Eight. My place.”

As curt as an order, but it let me breathe easier.

Chloe’s sharp. She didn’t climb to VP on looks alone—she’s got the brains.

If anyone can help me find a way to handle Mr. Carter, it’s her.

In Too Deep