Page 8 of Wicked Fortune

And, yeah, wildly intimidating.

“She just flat-out asked Matthew to give you a shot?”

I shake my head. “Nikki said it felt weird calling him directly, but she knows the head of Human Resources at Hardline, so she made a call. I’ve got an interview with Matthew on Monday.”

“What did you tell her?”

“Well, duh. I told her the truth.”

Bree winces.

I exhale a put-upon sigh. “I told her that I’m out of work and want something steady, and I’d love to work in entertainment, and I’d heard that Matthew Holt needs an assistant. With all the jobs I’ve held, I have killer skill sets.”

“You do?”

She sounds genuinely confused, and I flip her the bird. “Yes,” I say indignantly. “I can handle all software known to man, I can put up with asshole bosses, I order a mean lunch, I can organize the shit out of the most clueless exec, and I can handle angry ferrets like nobody’s business.”

“I swear, I need to buy a leash for you.”

“I’ll be careful. I mean, yeah, I’m going into the killer’s lair, but I’m being smart about it.”

Bree’s expression suggests she thinks otherwise. “He’s smart. He’s ambitious. He’s not a killer.”

“Because you know him so well?”

Her brow furrows. “Sort of. I spent some time with him in Austin. He and Ash are friends, and he really helped me out. I told you all that. Plus, he’s had dinner with us twice since we got back from our honeymoon. And I already told you that we’ve had meetings about the movie. He’s solid. A player, but solid.”

“Maybe. Maybe not.”

“Honestly, you should write thrillers. I’m telling you, he’s a good guy.”

“You’re saying that because of what you’ve seen. Of course, Holt would be on his best behavior for a friend and sometime business partner. He’s doing your movie. And isn’t he an investor in Ash’s new venture? That souped up engine thing?”

“I think it’s a little more technical than souped up.”

I give her the look. “Come on, Bree. I know how Holt built his business. I’ve read dozens of articles about him over the last two weeks. He’s ruthless.”

The fact is, I’ve been reading about him for longer than that. After the party at the Stark estate, whenever I noticed his name on a news stand or online, I dove into the words. And yes, he is ruthless. But he’s pretty damned enticing, too.

That, however, is not something I’m going to confess at the moment.

Bree rubs her temple. “Girl, you need to chill out. You don’t even know the guy. You have no idea what kind of ego he has or how he runs his business or anything at all about him, really.”

I shrug. I’ve been addicted to Hollywood gossip since I was little. I’ve even been an extra a few times, although I don’t have any desire to truly work in the biz. Acting is ten percent real work and ninety percent waiting around. No thank you.

But peeking in on all that glamour? I’m all over that.

Plus, a deep dive into Matthew Holt specifically has shown me that he is not a man lacking in self-esteem. He’s confident as fuck with an ego the size of Alaska. And from what I’ve read, he’s so damn used to getting his own way, that he’d probably freeze up in confusion if someone said no to him.

Maybe Jenny said no.

When I suggest this, Bree scowls. “Like there wouldn’t be another woman he’d be hot for. And, again, I like him. He helped me out, remember? That whole blackmail thing.”

“Of course he helped you,” I say. “He must see himself as the hero. And a man with an ego like his would totally believe he could get away with murder.”

“You’re watching all those true crime shows again, aren’t you?”

“No.” I’m sure she recognizes my words as a lie, but to her credit she doesn’t turn on the television and check my watch history. “I figure if I’m working in his office, I can poke around. He’s the kind of guy who delegates because he has to, but he’ll still keep an eye on every division of his business.”