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‘What the fuck does that mean?’
“It means,” Anthony said, and took a deep breath. “It means they let you out of the contract, but they retain a percentage of your fee if you do work. And it means they prevent you from working outside of the studio for pay.”
Something niggled in the back of his mind. ‘For pay?’
Anthony sneered. “Yes.”
‘So I could work for free?’
At that, Anthony’s face fell into something like shock. “Why would you work for free?”
Well, he wouldn’t normally. He didn’t do shit for free. Not conventions, not appearances, not photo shoots, and certainly not films. He’d never worked for free in his life. But he’d been lining both Eric’s and Xander’s pockets since he’d started in the industry. First Eric, then Xander when Adriano signed him as his agent, had benefited from his film career, and they wanted to see that he continued to provide. The thought made him sick with rage.
‘What if I just pay the fee and refuse the rest?’
“He’ll take you to court,” Anthony said. “It would prevent you from doing any work until it settles, and that could take…”
‘Forever,’ Adriano signed with frustrated hands. He knew Xander’s legal team was capable of it. He’d seen it happen more than a dozen times. It wasn’t always just about throwing money at a problem, and there was every chance they’d offer it so long as it broke Adriano, and he wasn’t going to let that happen.
His phone buzzed in his pocket, and for the first time in a week he didn’t feel frustrated. Maybe it was a text from some website trying to get an interview. Maybe it was a co-star trying to capitalize on all the attention he was getting right now.
But more than likely, it was Noah. More than likely, his sweet, freckle-faced baker, two thousand miles away, was saying good morning because that was a thing that was happening now. If this had been just days prior, Adriano’s entire attention would have been fixed on the situation and how to make sure Eric couldn’t take any more from him, but that message from Noah had changed everything.
He wasn’t even sure why he’d watched it. He’d seen hundreds of fans over the years fumble their way through YouTube ASL trying to get his attention, but something about Noah caught his eye. Maybe it was Noah’s slender fingers or the way his pale skin was marred with dark scars that looked like burns. Maybe it was the way his signs were sweet but classroom formal and a little shaky on grammar.
Maybe it was the way Noah looked just slightly familiar—from a long-dead past he tried not to think about.
Maybe it was just that Adriano needed to reach out to someone, and Noah was convenient.
And that could have been it. At first. Then he’d seen Noah’s wide, soft eyes, and the way he smiled shyly like he wasn’t quite sure he belonged in the world. It was obvious Noah was a fan, but he didn’t treat Adriano like a character or some internet personality. He just talked to him like he understood.
He knew a little about him now. That he was working in a failing bakery, that he was trying to get his brother set up before he had to shut the doors.
A hand waving at him regained his attention, and he rolled his eyes. ‘I need time to think.’
“You have some,” Anthony replied, “but not a lot.”
Adriano’s jaw clenched, but he nodded and rose, extending his hand for a quick shake before storming out. Luca was quick at his heels, but he didn’t attempt to say anything until they were in the parking lot by their cars.
‘Are you going to stay at Pietro’s?’ Luca asked.
Adriano dragged a hand down his face, then rolled his eyes up toward the low roof of the parking garage. ‘I don’t know.’ In truth, his brother was so far up his ass that if Adriano stayed any longer, he might explode, and he didn’t need that over his head while dealing with Eric and Xander. ‘I might head out of town for a few days.’
‘Do you really think that’s a good idea?’ Luca challenged, but at the look Adriano gave him, he backed up and rubbed his fist over his chest in a circle. ‘Sorry. I just want you to be okay.’
Adriano softened a little, and he let his hand rest on his brother’s shoulder for a moment. ‘I’ll be fine. I just need space.’
Luca nodded and let Adriano go without a further fight.
Adriano felt some measure of relief when he got back to Pietro’s house and found the place empty. He wasn’t sure where his brother or the kids were, but he wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth. He gathered Jude to his chest, then laid down on his bed and pulled his laptop up on his knees.
When he had it situated, he opened his phone and found two texts from Noah. The first was a photograph of him—a selfie holding up a bit of something that looked like darkly toasted pastry, and there were crumbs on his cheek.
Noah: This is the last of the jachnun my brother made me. I’m eating it all, even if it’s stale and disgusting.
Adriano laughed to himself and stroked his thumb along the side of Noah’s image. He liked him—God help him. He’d never inflict this life and this stress on a sweet man like Noah, but the more they talked, the closer he felt to him.
Adriano: I need 2 get hell out of here.
