Scott tried to apologize again, “Look, Bette I’m really sor…”

She put up a hand to silence him, sore at him for breaking into her thoughts as she sorted through things.

“This doesn’t let you off the hook for anything you’ve done,” she said, icy tones returning. “We both know that that’s not how this world works.”

She pursed her lips, “Because of you I left her eventually, and broke her heart.”

“I know … I…”

“Don’t.”

He fell quiet.

“You’ll have to pay, some way, somehow, for that. And we’ll figure out how later, after the film.”

He nodded slowly.

“After we’re done with a just punishment, and I find out you’ve tried this shit again, I can’t promise that you won’t be hurt in ways that you’ll easily recover from, asshole.”

He remained downcast. “I understand,” he said quietly.

“But first you better do your best work on this film that you maneuvered yourself into. Make Tina look good.”

He pursed his lips, daring to look back at her. “You won’t be getting any pushback about that from me.”

“Then I want you to steer clear of Tina, you understand?”

“And put your fucking dick away, you dipshit. A woman says no. It’s no!”

He half-stood, preparing to leave. If Bette had what Spencer had on him, he knew it was mostly innuendo. But it would be enough to isolate him in the film industry, if he’d slipped up one day, and Bette would be there to nail him. In Spencer’s case, Spencer had only been interested in using the information to pressure him to follow through on something he wanted to do anyway.

Bette’s motivation was clearly different, however. And in her cold, steely stare back he saw she could end his future in the industry if she kept this kind of pressure on him.

“I’m getting help for this … um … addiction,” he started to explain.

“Do I look like I’m interested in your life, you prick?” she asked rhetorically, irritated now. “Just keep your hands to yourself. You try anything on anyone, and I will get your ass thrown in jail, you got that?!”

She fixed him with another glare, “You will pour every ounce of creative energy you have into this movie. Redeem Tina. Then you’ll disappear from view.”

He frowned, and looked down on his shoes.

“Your name pops up anywhere near any script Film Features or Tina are associated with… all bets are off.”

He pursed his lips, and then nodded. He turned around slowly, and walked away, as if dismissed, head bent.

Bette heard his faltering footsteps on the opposite side of the screen. Someone had walked up to him, “Hey Scott! Where’ve you been man? We started the meeting without you. Rachel’s pissed about …. Um …what happened, man? You look shaken up …”

Bette didn’t hear Scott’s muffled response, as the men exited the warehouse.

She blew out a breath. Fucking asshole’s messed up my good mood this morning.

Another text came in from Tina. “Sorry, running late. Meet me in the corner of Canal and 6th in 10?”

She texted a smiley face back to Tina, and stood up to walk briskly out the warehouse door.

I guess I should tell her about running into Scott here, she thought. She ruminated about how to break the news without triggering negative emotions from the blonde.

Her mood steadily picked up as she turned the corner to Varick St, heading north, excited about seeing Tina. I hope Liz has good news about our preparations for this insemination.

Looks more and more like I have to fly to Luxembourg soon and look into whatever’s in the storage facility.