Wicked Ambition

‘Not really,’ came the curt reply. ‘This is the only opening you have.’

‘I think I’m contagious.’

There was a pause before Donna said, ‘Turquoise, what’s up? You’re never contagious. Come to think of it, you’re never ill. I can’t remember the last time you got sick. What’s going on? You’ve been lukewarm about this project since the start. Is it Cosmo?’

‘No,’ she cut in. ‘Of course not.’ She felt tangled in a web of lies. It was too late to back away; the decline would mean too much, the sacrifice of her future. My little star…

‘Then help me out.’

Every excuse was a weak one. She had changed her mind. She wanted to focus on her music a while longer. She didn’t feel ready, despite the role Sam Lucas described in London having her name written all over it. Only the truth could save her, and in the same blow spell total destruction. She had been abused and degraded and forced to endure untold suffering at the hands of Cosmo Angelopoulos, and it had all come to a shattering head when they had buried a young corpse in the desert one night…one dark, lonely, terrible night…

Now he had her trapped all over again.

‘It’s OK.’ The words took all her strength. ‘I’ll grab a coffee, see if that sorts me out.’

‘Good girl. Il Cielo, one o’clock.’ The line went dead.

His wife was with him. She hadn’t expected that.

When Turquoise entered the bustling restaurant it was with a mixture of distress and relief that she spotted Ava Bennett rising to meet her. Ava looked lovely in a pale shift dress, her silky white-blonde hair secured in a ponytail at the nape of her neck. It was impossible to imagine her in bed with Cosmo. Had he grown out of his perversions? He must have.

‘Hope you don’t mind me coming along.’ Ava grinned. ‘Only this is so exciting! When Cosmo told me you were on board I couldn’t believe it…’

‘Turquoise.’ Sam Lucas stood to kiss her on both cheeks. ‘Gorgeous, as always. Come and sit down. We’ve ordered champagne.’

Cosmo didn’t stand. She was aware of his dark, brooding presence and the conflict of wills she had known would take place. To anyone else just a few seconds; to her an unspoken stalemate. Cosmo still saw her as a seventeen-year-old whore getting screwed on all fours by anything he set her up against. It didn’t matter how famous she got. She was still that girl.

And he wouldn’t deign to speak to her first.

‘Cosmo, a pleasure to see you again,’ she said hollowly. He got to his feet, an amused smirk on his face, and leaned in to kiss her. His lips hit the skin by her ear lobe, sending a grisly chill racing down her spine.

‘You’re glowing.’ His black eyes flashed. ‘Who’s the lucky man?’

‘Exactly what I said!’ trilled Ava, but she waved him down all the same. ‘Come on, don’t embarrass her.’

‘I’m not embarrassing her. Am I?’

‘Never.’

‘Sam, did you bring a copy of the script?’ asked Donna, lifting her champagne for a toast. ‘To the best screenplay and the best cast we’ll see all year.’

‘Well, I’ve got a little news on that front.’ Sam shifted eagerly in his seat, like a boy on the cusp of revealing a secret he knew he shouldn’t. The celebrated director had recently made a controversial comeback with the release of Lana Falcon’s movie Eastern Sky, whose Vegas premiere had been overshadowed by scandal. Insider accounts suggested the ensuing publicity whirlwind had made Sam feel invincible, and his behaviour, at times, erratic.

Donna didn’t like surprises. ‘Oh?’

Turquoise liked them even less. Across the table, Cosmo slid her a smile. It was the same smile he had greeted her with all those years ago at the door to his home, whispering of all the wicked things he wanted to do to her…Her heart dropped to her toes.

‘Cosmo’s been working on a script,’ said Sam, barely able to contain his excitement.

‘Congratulations,’ said Donna politely. ‘What does that mean for us?’

Turquoise knew exactly what it meant. Ava caught her eye and winked. So this was the script she had told Turquoise about that time they met up in New York, the one Cosmo was keeping close to his chest. The one about the murder…

‘I read it at the weekend,’ enthused Sam, leaning back as a waiter came to refill their glasses, ‘and I gotta say it blew my socks off. This guy’s penned a masterpiece.’

Cosmo lifted his shoulders in mock humility and Ava rolled her eyes affectionately. ‘Wise up, baby,’ she crooned, ‘you know it’s good.’

‘We didn’t want to say anything before now because it wasn’t in the can,’ continued Sam. ‘But, if you’re game, we’d like you to take a look at this script instead.’

Donna frowned. ‘What about the movie you talked to us about? What about Gloria, the singer who gets her revenge? That’s what sold it to Turquoise.’

‘Cosmo wanted it to be a revelation. Right, buddy?’