8 The Price of Fame

WARNING!!! The end of the chapter includes a scene of violence. Let me remind you that the book is for adult readers.

'What am I doing here?' thought Andrzej Nowicki as he slowly trudged along one of streets of Wola Grzybowska, one of the districts of Warsaw. 'After all, today was supposed to be my last day at work. There is no reason why I should spend at least one more hour watching Dominik Śliwiński. I will discover nothing more sensational than his romance, and yet I have already decided not to use this information in the publishing house. So why the hell am I going back to this house?'

And yet he was already there, setting up the tripod again and mounting the camera on it. He glanced towards the adjacent windows, but the actor was nowhere to be seen. Maybe that was a good thing, because he wasn't sure he wanted to look at Śliwiński. He saw maybe two films with him and never paid attention to his roles, so he was definitely not one of his fans, and after all the action with selling him photos, Andrzej felt awkward being around him. Not that he had remorse or anything like that, it was just weird and unnecessary. After all, he knew that he would not take any new photos - unless Śliwiński was washing the dishes, preferably in an apron.

And since his thoughts were already at the housework, Nowicki sat down and took out his laptop. He had to choose some boring photos like Śliwiński rubs the dust and send them to the editorial office. Could something so hopeless really attract people?

Because these were private photos of Dominik Śliwiński, an actor who, despite his twenty-four years, was already one of the most famous actors in this part of the world and was considered by many to be the most beautiful face of Europe. Andrzej decided that he would send some decent quality, on which the actor would look quite decent. Hell, it wasn't unusual for a guy to clean his apartment himself. Making this material for a press article was a bit pointless, but since the photos of Dominik Śliwi��ski with a cloth in his hand are better than nothing, Nowicki could try to make them really good. Reviewing the ones he did on the first day, he found that even in the most everyday outfit, even with rubber gloves on his hands and with a dust spray in his hand, the actor presents himself with a special charm. He was definitely eye catching.

Okay, the photos selected by Andrzej should appeal not only to the editor, but also to the readers. He sent an e-mail without delay, closed his laptop and looked at the neighboring windows.

Śliwiński was already in sight and had an unpleasantly nervous conversation on the phone. Since the actor was very calm during all the days of observation and even blackmail did not upset him for a long time, this behavior was rather puzzling. More out of pure human curiosity than reporter's instinct, Nowicki began to observe him more closely, but he had already finished the conversation.

After the call he made, Śliwiński seemed to Andrzej extremely nervous. The photographer was curious about who the young actor was talking to, but he had no way of checking it. Whoever it was, Śliwiński started pacing his living room back and forth, looking towards the door every now and then.

'Oh, so he's waiting for someone. I wonder who?'

For a lover? It flashed through Andrzej's mind as he focused on the camera. His heart, for some reason, began to beat faster. Śliwiński was warned that he had to be more careful. After all, he knows his privacy is not safe even in his own home.

It was time to pass the time by making guesses, but nothing more.

Through the young thujas, Andrzej recognized a silver car driving up. So the lover after all, Nowicki smiled crookedly. Some people just don't learn from their mistakes. A perverse decision was born in his head that if Śliwiński was caught having sex with a guy again, he would have to pay again.

Marczak entered through the gate and did not even have to wait for the door to be opened, because Śliwiński opened it immediately when he saw a car approaching. He let his manager in and started talking right away.

Andrzej would have given a lot to hear his words, because he guessed from his faces, gestures and strange tension in the air that it was not a love confession. Was it a lovers' quarrel?

Possible. Even likely.

Śliwiński was nervous, he was saying something frantically avoiding the eyes of his lover. Marczak approached him quickly and grabbed his shoulders. He put his lips to his. Apparently he didn't want to listen, or was going to use his own arguments. The actor pushed him away and took two steps back. Marczak did not like this. He quickly approached him and launched a punch at his face.

"Oh shit!" exclaimed Andrzej in surprise, watching as Śliwiński thrown by the force of an impact smashed the coffee table with his body.

Śliwiński was stunned. He tried to get up, but his hand buckled under him. The force of the blow must have shaken his body quite well. Meanwhile, Marczak leaned over him, grabbed his wrist and yanked it upwards. He was strong. The actor screamed, but his body was lifted and his arm painfully twisted back. Andrzej could clearly see the pain and terror in his face and eyes.

Wait a minute, what Andrzej suspects is happening there is not happening there, is it?

Pulled from the remains of the table, Śliwiński was thrown to his knees with blood on his lips. With his hand twisted, he could not defend himself. Marczak pushed him harder and the actor landed on his face. The manager's other hand went to his waist…