The A-List Collection: Hollywood Sinners / Wicked Ambition / Temptation Island. Victoria Fox

thirty years, Randy was one of the best lawyers that money could buy.

      He looked between Cole and Marty King, unperturbed. ‘It’s what Rachel Manelli is pushing for, I’m afraid. We need to consider all avenues open to us.’

      Cole shook his head in disbelief. ‘It defies belief that Lana’s doing this to me!’ He turned to Marty. ‘She’s the one who messed this whole goddamn thing up!’

      Randy leaned forward. He removed his glasses and pinched the thin bridge of his nose. ‘As your lawyer I do need to acknowledge that a dissolution would be in our best interests.’

      ‘How?’ Cole spat. ‘By making me the gullible fucking chump? I don’t think so.’ He laughed mirthlessly. ‘I begin shooting in a few weeks, then what? The movie’s scheduled for release in the same month as some bastard offspring?’

      Jesus, he felt awful–and, judging by Marty’s poorly concealed reaction when they’d met earlier this afternoon, he looked it, too. Sleep had eluded him since Lana had vanished, along with his appetite.

      Oh, he knew where she was hiding. She’d only gone and run off to Vegas, thinking she could get a free deal from that hotelier he’d introduced her to. Rita Clay had been to see him on her return: she’d said that Lana would come back, but that she needed time. Time? What a fucking joke. She hadn’t taken time to think about her husband in any of this, had she? Rita had also assured him that if he tried to seek her out they would go straight to the papers and tell them everything. Apparently Lana was willing to risk it–the bitch knew how to hit him where it hurt.

      ‘It will end on our terms.’ Randy poured himself a glass of water. ‘For me, this makes it an attractive proposition. Think carefully, Cole. Your wife is pregnant and unwilling to maintain that the child is yours. If the contract is dissolved we can mitigate damage caused to you. That is my primary concern.’

      ‘Well, my primary concern is how in the hell it’s going to make me look!’ Cole jabbed his chest with a finger. Marty reached out to calm him and Cole slapped his hand away.

      ‘Exactly my point,’ said Randy evenly. ‘Your wife has stated that she wishes to continue with the pregnancy, meaning that she will give birth to a third party’s child with or without your consent. The option given to us is to take control of the story that emerges–up to a point agreed with the other side, of course. If we fight for the contract we will still face the same outcome, only it will look decidedly worse from where you’re standing.’

      Cole had never felt so impotent.

      ‘I always treated her well,’ he lamented, looking at Marty for reassurance. His agent, sensing he was up, nodded obediently. ‘I never hurt her; I gave her everything she wanted …’ Except what she went out and got.

      His eyes hardened. ‘I want this baby to be mine,’ he told Randy.

      ‘It won’t happen. They’ll never agree.’

      ‘We’re still in contract!’ cried Cole hysterically. ‘There has to be something in there that entitles me to have a say in this! Here, give me that.’ He snatched the papers.

      ‘I’m afraid not,’ said Randy. ‘Nothing that covers your wife getting pregnant by a third party.’

      ‘Can you stop freaking saying that?’

      Randy sat back, watching Cole flip through the contract like a man possessed. When he’d finished he looked at Marty accusingly. ‘Great.’

      ‘We’ll talk in the morning,’ said Randy. ‘Once I know the facts we can start building this case. You’ll be frank with me about everything.’

      Marty winced. Cole would love that.

      ‘I’ll talk her round,’ said Cole suddenly, as if a great idea had just dawned on him. ‘When she comes back.’ He looked between the two men. ‘She has to come back, doesn’t she? We’re still maintaining this, right? She’ll listen to me. If I can just get through to her—’

      Randy shook his head. ‘We should avoid discussing this directly—’

      ‘She can’t really want to go it alone,’ Cole went on, his plan gathering pace. ‘What woman does?’

      The other men looked unconvinced.

      ‘Come on, Cole,’ said Marty eventually, standing up. He shook Randy’s hand.

      Cole stayed seated. ‘It’s like you’re both giving up. How am I supposed to work with that?’

      ‘This is bigger than us, Cole,’ said Marty gently. ‘Especially now that a third party is involved.’

      ‘Stop with this third party goddamn bullshit!‘ Cole roared. ‘Soon as I find that jackass I’ll—’

      Marty stepped in. ‘Cole …’

      His client rose from the chair. Even in built-up heels Cole was the shortest man there. His voice was menacing. ‘We invented