Tied up ( Book 1 / FREED series)

Chapter 1

MARÍA

The table reading days used to be the longest, most boring days. Now, I welcome this time to get to meet the cast members before we start filming.

The movie I'm starring in, is a love story between a werewolf queen and a vampire king.
The book that the movie is based on has sold millions of copies worldwide.
The producers are hoping the movie is well liked, too.

The ring of my cellphone pulled me out of my thoughts.
- For fuck sake, Mark. Talk. To. My. Lawyer. - I hung up before he could say shit.
I texted my lawyer a screenshot of the call, the twelfth this week, hoping she can do something about it.
I already changed my phone number twice.

The memories of that nefarious day swarm my mind every time I hear his voice, see his face, or even hear him being mentioned.
I lost everything because of him. A part of me I will never recover. Something I won't get to experience again.
He took all my dreams of a future and burned them to ashes.

I was filming the last season of my show " Detective Castro", when the video of Mark fucking some twenty year old girl in a yacht went viral.

I never imagined having to restart my career at age 40, but here we are.

I went up stair, to the meeting room where we were having the table reading.
I approached a group of people chatting by the big, round table.
We were still waiting for the producers,  the director, and the author of the book.

VLAD
The van finally arrived at the address where the table reading was going to be.
It was a gray, foggy day. A huge contrast to sunny L.A. in April.

I have been a model my whole career. This movie is a big change, but a step I have been wanting to take for a long time.

I'm a big fan of the book the movie is based on, and I was thrilled when I got the part.
I'm sure the movie is going to be a success and will lunch my acting career up to a great start.

I went inside the building and followed directions to the meeting room. The sign at the door read " Table reading" "BRIDE TO THE MOON", with the logo of the movie.

I walked in and was greeted by a group of actors chatting by the huge table surrounded by chairs.

I walked towards the group.
I started to introduce myself when the director and the producers walked into the room.
- please take a seat in the spot assigned to each of you. -

I walked around searching for my name until I found it, across from my co-star, the gorgeous María Fox. A latina bombshell.
Her hair is black and falls down her back in waves. Her light brown skin glows under the bright light. But what has me on a grip is her red lips.
I would kill just to feel them on mine.

María caught me staring at her lips.
I froze in place.
I should say something. Apologize or anything.
Blink, Vladimir,  fucking blink.