Her Cowboy

Chapter 36

I've been in uncomfortable situations. I've had my share of stalkers or of crazy fans who don't know when too much is too much. It's never gotten out of hand though, due to my mother's omnipresent nature. Those were the few times I didn't roll my eyes at her obsessive watch over me. 

In this moment, the suffocating fear that slowly started to tighten my stomach was almost enough to make me wish my mother was standing next to me. 

But no, it was just me and Kronos. The click of the door behind him seemed to echo menacingly around the little tack room. 

Kronos cleared his throat, then looked at me and smiled. The fear accelerated in my stomach.

However, I schooled my features, taking a deep breath and managing to steadily say, "What do you want?"

His voice was smooth as he answered. "I just want to talk with you about... priorities. Make sure we are on the same page."

"I'm done with the movie, I mean it. Neither you or my mom can convince me otherwise."

He sighed, dragging a hand over an ornately carved piece of leather on a saddle hanging to my right. "As stubborn as your mother."

"What do you want?"

He dropped his hand. "Are you glad to be back at this place?"

I narrowed my eyes. 

When he realized I wouldn't answer, he smiled. "I heard many wonderful stories of your sweet time here. It seems you found quite the home. It seems you met some very special people."

I grit my teeth. What was he getting at?

"When Aphrodite brought up the change of scenery for the movie, I thought at first it would be a distraction to you, and between Athena's stubborn streak and my disapproval, we could have shut it down immediately. But then a thought struck me."

My breathing was shallow, and his voice was getting quieter as he took another step toward me. He was tall, and the dim lighting of the room cast a sickening glow over his broad shoulders. Surely someone would need to come into the tack room soon? Maybe my mom would come looking for me?

"I realized, you have been distracted. And your lovely summer here had much to play the part. But you see, you need to complete this movie." He said it matter-of-factly, like the decision had been made and he knew I would go along.

"I told you I am not—"

He cut me off. "Since Luke hired me as his agent, I've become sort of a saving grace to him." Right. "See, Luke has been having a..." Kronos pursed his lips, cocking his head, "tough couple of years. He's made some poor choices. And, to be frank, he needs this movie to happen, and he needs it to be successful."

I paused. Okay, yes, Luke had been known to be caught in some bad situations. But the way Kronos was talking made it seem like...

"If this movie doesn't bring him the income he needs, he will be bankrupt."

I shook my head. "You're lying."

"My dear, I wish it were so." Kronos inhaled deeply. "Alas, our dear boy Luke has written up one too many debtors."

"Debtors?" I responded, frowning. "Luke? Gambling? No, he wouldn't—"

"Luke is not the man you think you know."

"But..." my voice failed me. My first thought was that Kronos was still lying. Just making this up. But while I had used to know Luke so well, while we used to talk everyday and know each other like best friends, I admitted to myself that we weren't like that anymore. At all. I didn't know Luke.