Free Hollywood Hero: A Sexy Billionaire Romance (The Director's Assistant Book 4) by Nikki Steele Page A

out,” I said, slumping down into a chair on the very same set Christian had escaped from earlier.
    “Josie…”
    “I mean, he didn’t have time to take it from the camera, did he. So we’re no worse off, even though he got away.”
    “Josie…” Archer interrupted again, more firmly this time. “How do you think Christian was recording this?”
    I shrugged, looking toward Camera One, still pointing at the faerie glade. “He said he used that. I guess he was going to take the tape out and give it to his boss after we’d left.”
    Archer grimaced, then sat down beside me, pulling my hand into his. “Maybe 10 years ago,” he said carefully, “but not today. Unless you’re Tarantino, we don’t use actual film anymore – it’s all digital.”
    I looked at him sharply. “Are you sure?”
    He shrugged. “Well it is my studio, but even if it wasn’t, tapes are a lot louder than digital cameras. I would have known it was running.”
    “So… what?” I asked, worried. “He would have had to put it on USB instead? He didn’t get time to do that either.”
    Archer shook his head. “Raw files are too large for USB. The camera is linked to a central control room, and from there…” he hesitated. “It’s not your fault that you didn’t know this, Josie. I want you to know that.”
    “What? Archer, what’s wrong?” The look in his eyes was starting to worry me.
    He smiled sadly. “From the central control room, Christian could have uploaded it anywhere. I’m afraid Janus now has three tapes of us.”

Chapter 2
     
     
    Mom’s house. I seemed to be spending a lot of time here lately. Archer had gone to see security; they were trying to electronically trace where Christian had sent the tape. I… well, I hadn’t known where else to go.
    Mom wasn’t in the TV lounge, or the kitchen, either. She was in bed.
    “Isn’t it a bit early for you to be turning the lights out?” I asked when I found her. She was sitting propped up against several pillows, watching an old movie on a tiny portable TV.
    I frowned. Now that I’d come to think of it, the kitchen hadn’t been tidied and there were old cups of tea in the lounge room, too. “Are you sick?”
    She smiled weakly. “I’ll be right as rain in no time. Just feeling a bit under the weather.”
    I looked at her suspiciously, mentally trying to count the number of unwashed dishes I’d seen as I walked in. “And how long has this been going on for?
    “Not long.”
    I raised my eyebrows.
    “Well maybe a couple of days. But I didn’t want to call—you seemed busy. It’s just a cold, that’s all. I’m a bit more weak than usual. ”
    It’s funny how you think your life couldn’t get any worse . That’s how I’d been feeling when I rocked up to Mom’s doorstep. And then a few short minutes later, you learn what’s really important. Suddenly a couple of videos didn’t matter at all .
    “Mom,” I said softly. “With your condition—this could be really serious. You should have called me.”
    She sighed. “I’m not a child, you know,” she said, looking at me. “Calling you for something like this only makes a fool out of me—proves you right when you say I can’t look after myself.”
    I fought back the urge to cross my arms. Instead, I sat on the edge of her bed and took her hand. “Mom, I’m not trying to make a fool of you. And I know you can look after yourself. But you’re getting old, and you’re not well.”
    She shot me a warning look, but I didn’t back down. “I won’t apologize. This is too important.”
    Mom withdrew her hand from mine, shaking her head.
    I smiled softly. “Mom, Remember what you said about always being there for me?”
    She nodded sullenly.
    “Well, I want you to be there for me, always. And that’s not going to happen if you kick the bucket because you’re too stubborn to call me so you can go see a doctor.” My eyes narrowed. “Or because you’re not eating. Have you had dinner?”
    “No. I