Chapter 2: In Which I Give Luca A Piece Of My Mind

For a second, I'm completely speechless. We haven't even been in the room together for two minutes and he's completely written me off. Without even bothering to do the scene with me. My dream is slipping through my fingers, and he won't even give me a chance.

I don't know what comes over me then. Maybe it's all the stress surrounding this audition - I hardly slept at all last night - or maybe it's just years' worth of desperation finally bubbling up to the surface. Either way, I'm not about to let him take that away from me - not without at least letting me audition.

I run to the door.

"Luca!" I yell after him.

He stops and turns slowly, one eyebrow raised quizzically. "Yes, my dear?"

"This is bullshit." The words that come out of my mouth shock me. And they appear to shock Luca, too, because his eyes widen.

"Excuse me?" he says.

I know this is a mistake, but I can't stop myself. "You heard me. This is bullshit. BULL. SHIT. So what if I don't have that much experience? I guarantee you won't find anyone better for Isabel. I've spent my whole life preparing for this moment. And even if it takes the entire rest of my life, I'm going to make you regret walking out of this audition. I promise you."

No sooner have the words left my lips than my entire body goes cold. I just yelled at Luca Fontaine. Luca-freaking-Fontaine. The guy whose family practically owns Hollywood. I'm probably going to get blacklisted from the industry forever.

I can't believe I snapped like that. Sure, I've been known to throw a few curse words around, but I rarely yell - if I'm mad at someone, I usually just stew and give them the silent treatment. Now I've lost it at the worst possible moment.

All I know is that I have to get out of here - fast. Unfortunately, my purse and car keys are back in the room, which means facing the Important People one more time before I can make my escape.

Don't show any shame, I tell myself. Don't let them think they've broken you. The only thing I have left is my dignity.

I keep my head up high as I march back into the room. I look right at the Important People as I stride over to the chair where I left my purse - saving a special glare for Dante, since he looks almost amused by this whole situation. Well, fuck him.

I snatch my purse and turn around, ready to make a graceful exit, but to my surprise I find Luca in the doorway, flashing that charming, million-dollar grin right at me.

"Well," he says to the room, "I think we've found our Isabel."

I freeze in place, stunned. "What?"

"Cancel the other screen tests," he says to the Important People. "This is her. You already said she was at the top of your list. I don't even need to see the others."

I'm surprised to hear that Luca has that much power over the casting decisions for this film - but perhaps I shouldn't be. The other people in the room are rising from their chairs, and Kyle Jacobs comes over to me, extending his hand.

"It's not official until everything's signed," he says, "but welcome to Cataclysm: Earth, Ms. Torres."

I blink at his outstretched hand. "What's going on?"

A bright laugh sounds behind me, and I turn to see Luca looking quite pleased with himself.

"Why don't you and I have a chat, Emilia?" he says. "Just the two of us?"

He leads me out of the room, and I can't decide whether the heat in my chest is from anger or embarrassment or something else.

"Emilia," he begins, "...I may call you Emilia, right?"

"Sure," I say, trying not to think about how lovely my name sounds in that voice of his.

His smile broadens, and a small flurry of butterflies erupts inside me. Keep it professional, Em.

"Emilia," he says again, "I trust those people in there when it comes to your acting ability. Which means today was about two things - making sure we'd have on-screen chemistry, and confirming that you could keep up with me. As you know, they specifically wanted an up-and-coming actress for Isabel, but it defeats the purpose if she's just going to fade into the background next to her more well-known co-stars. It also defeats the purpose if she's too nervous and inexperienced to speak up for herself. We wanted someone who could hold her own - and I wanted someone who had the energy and vibrancy to match me scene for scene."

"Oh," I say, finally understanding.

"You passed my test," he says. "Quite well, in fact."

"But that only proved that I can stand up to you," I point out. "Not any of those other things."

"The rest of it was apparent even before my little test." He leans a little closer, trapping me against the wall. "I knew from the moment I walked into the room that you have the necessary presence. Something about you draws the eye, Emilia - but I'm sure you know that already."

My presence is nothing next to his - surely he has to recognize that.

He goes on, leaning even nearer. "You won't fade into the background. In fact, I have a feeling you will light up the screen. Trust me, Emilia - after this film launches, everyone in Hollywood will want you."

The way he says "want" sends a shiver through me. I look away from him, embarrassed again. I'm having a hard time believing that Luca Fontaine, of all people, thinks these things about me.

"You also said we needed chemistry," I say, trying to shift the subject away from my alleged presence. "How can we know that before we've even acted together?"

I risk a glance up at him, and the curl of his lips is positively mischievous.

"Trust me," he says, reaching up and brushing a stray bit of hair away from my temple. "When you've done this as many times as I have, you just know." One side of his smile creeps a little higher, and the effect is devastatingly handsome. "You can feel it. Frankly, I'm surprised that you don't feel it, too." His hand slides from my temple down to my jaw. He hooks a finger beneath my chin, tilting my face up toward his. "I think we're going to have a lot of fun together, Emilia."

I can't speak. My thoughts are all in a jumble.

Luca drops his hand, but his eyes are still bright and wicked as he steps away from me.

Oh, girl, you're in trouble, I think as he walks back to the room.

And it only takes a month before I learn exactly how naïve and idiotic I truly am.