Free Breaking Hollywood by Shari King

me.’
    ‘It’s what it’s doing for Davie I’m more concerned about.’
    The answer, he suddenly realized, was absolutely nothing. This was a consequence of Jizzo’s death that he’d keep to himself. He wasn’t about to share with the American viewing
public that he was so consumed by the parting of a legend that – for the first time this season – he wasn’t kicking off an episode of
American Stars
with a raging hard-on
caused by an iconic country superstar rubbing his thigh.
    ‘Urgh, you two are, like, so gross,’ Princess spat, without even breaking her focus on the cell phone in front of her. Davie wondered for a moment if he’d ever had a
conversation with her in which she’d actually put that damn phone down long enough to look him in the eye. Nope, not as far as he could remember. But then, this Bitch, with a capital
‘B’, knew her stuff. She’d no doubt uploaded a dozen selfies in the last ten minutes, gained a few hundred more followers from around the globe and boosted her record sales by
thousands – all in the same space of time it had taken him to realize his dick was refusing to be stirred by the fond strokes of a country icon.
    Who was the loser here, then?
    ‘OK, people, here we go. Floor, get some energy in the audience. Titles roll. Panel, stand by. And three, two, one . . . Lauren, we’re on you.’
    On stage, just a spotlight, illuminating the porcelain skin and tumbling red waves of Lauren Finney, winner the year before last and this season’s host. It had been Davie’s idea to
give her the gig this year. It made perfect sense. The girl was talented, beautiful and, unlike the snide, obnoxious Princess beside him, she had a personality that the country had fallen in love
with. On themed shows like tonight, she opened with a song, before digging into the three months of intense training she’d undergone to give her the skills she needed to steer the
American Stars
juggernaut. Davie had been by her side, mentoring her every step of the way. He had a soft spot for this kid and he wanted to make it happen for her.
    In previous years, with different girls, he’d no doubt contravened several rules regarding sex in the workplace. Not now. Lauren wasn’t that girl, and his relationship with Sarah had
made him no longer that guy. At least not in action. There may still have been the occasional incident in his imagination.
    Giving Lauren the gig had definitely been a gamble, but one that paid off. It gave the show credibility. Lauren’s debut album had just gone platinum, proving that
American Stars
lived up to its name. What better way to remind everyone of that than to have Lauren here every week? And sure, it helped that what she lacked in presentation polish she made up for in overwhelming
likeability. Although, as expected, Princess didn’t necessarily agree or appreciate the competition, as evidenced by the murmurs of ‘Fuck this shit’ beside him.
    Mellie heard it too.
    ‘Pipe down there, Princess. Keep your evil for the contestants,’ she warned.
    Davie wasn’t paying attention, too focused on the stage.
    Lauren looked up, blue eyes wide and oozing pain as she picked out an A-minor chord on her guitar and then almost whispered the first line of ‘Cut You’, Jizzo Stacks’s biggest
hit. Back in the 1980s, in Jizzo’s heavy-metal hands, it had been a furious, demonic threat to a lover. The ethereal beauty of Lauren’s incomparable voice transformed it, making it a
haunting lament to lost love, the breaking of a heart that was now spilling blood, captivating a viewing audience of over 15 million.
    For the first time ever, there wasn’t a sound in the audience. Not a murmur. Even Princess had hushed.
    Only when she sang the last line, one perfect tear dropping down her cheek, did the audience react. And what a reaction. Every inhabitant of the Television Center was on their feet, crying,
cheering, emotions raw and laid out for all to see.
    Davie knew three