Limes With Lipstick


'I didn't mean to rob you,
Inside-job you,
I'm here to take the fall.'

Chapter Twelve: Inside Job

'The clouds used to make me dizzy.'

Jared opened his eyes, hearing his assistant's words in his head, waking him up from his sleep. The voice was young though, too young to belong to her. He must've been dreaming about that child again. He looked over beside him to where Stella was still asleep, her blond curls brushed away from her face.

It would be easy for him to just give in. Dealing with her type didn't require much work. And she was obedient, at least. He reached his hand out to touch her skin, but stopped midway. The desire he felt could not be satisfied by just anyone. No – he needed his assistant. He wanted to make her his in every way he could imagine.

Perhaps he'd fallen way down into his role, too deep to climb back to solid ground. He wanted to possess her completely, even if by coercion. There was definitely something wrong with him, something that was downright predatory.

One look at her and it would disappear, like it always had…

'The tree might fall,' a scared voice said to him, the memory of the young girl from his past caused him to flinch, uncomfortably. 'Stay with me…'

Every time that child was sick, he would be called out into the fray. He always managed to get sick the next day and resent her for it. He'd carry soup and ginger ale to her. He'd even switched out her VHS tapes when one would finish. He'd sat through Disney classics so many times, he could recite them. In fact, most times, he found himself singing along with her.

He covered his eyes with a hand, trying to will away the headache that was coming on. Why was he thinking of her now? That child was long gone. He would never be able to apologize for his cruelty. As a young adult, he was a wretched human being. He regretted leaving her in a sad situation. He was never kind to her, only allowing her to see how burdened he felt by her presence.

"Brat…" He murmured, as he sat up and grabbed his clothes from his opened suitcase. It was time to go to the set for his big shoot, not that he was nervous about it. He'd done crazier things.

He walked into the bathroom and placed his clothes on the counter. He smelled like jasmine and vanilla – unbearably Stella. He wasn't sure if scrubbing her scent off his skin would fully make it go away. He'd still been on his best behavior all things considered. He stepped under the hot spray of the shower and laid his hands flat against the cool tiles.

His muscles were sore from moving about the stage, as if he were still young enough to do so without consequence, even if his looks were deceiving. He'd been told to take it easy by several doctors who weren't too fond of the changes his body had undergone for each role.

Jared hadn't picked up on Stella's presence, until he felt her cold, bare skin against his back.

"Still jetlagged, baby?" She asked, as she moved her down the length of his body, feeling over the hard, defined muscles there.

He closed his eyes, trying his best to be civil by not saying anything.

"That was your excuse last night, right," she said, as she skimmed her mouth between his shoulder blades. "You can't run from me anymore."

He was never running, just avoiding, because he didn't need her. Hell, he didn't even want her. He'd just dragged her here to use her. It wasn't his fault that she was the easy prey. Jared turned in her arms with a broad smile across his handsome face. Her heart pounded hard against her chest, as she stared up at him.

Just as she expected, he was still able to do that to her, when no else could. She'd thought herself inhuman, unable to feel anything from anyone else.

He slid his fingers under her chin, tilting her face towards him. Her blue eyes stared up into his, conveying her desire. She could eat him whole in one just one bite, savor it with the same greed she'd always felt with him.

She wanted him with every fiber of her being.

Just one taste…

As if it would ever be enough…

"Yes."

She breathed, so close now, "Yes?"

He captured both her wrists, stopping her hands from going any lower below his waist, "I am still jetlagged."

Her face flushed, angrily, "Last time I checked, jetlag doesn't render your cock inoperable." She narrowed her eyes at him when he didn't respond. "If you're not going to fuck me, why the hell did you bring me here?"

"To see if things can work between us," He admitted, not entirely the truth, but not exactly a lie, either.

She seemed to calm down by his answer, wondering how genuine he was being at the moment. It was difficult to know with him. She decided to let it go and went about her shower, leaving sex out of the equation. It wasn't the first time they'd ever had slippery bathroom sex, and it probably wouldn't be the last.

All she had to do was show him that she was girlfriend material. Did she even want to go that far? She'd never thought about him beyond financial success and a huge cock. He was an asset, sure, capable of making anything possible. Just by being beside him, she could become famous. She'd always wanted to be a famous hotelier or a designer.

It wouldn't be a bad thing, possibly finding love, and exposing that same love to grant her wishes.

There was a car parked outside to pick him up, but his assistant was not there. It was typical at this point, not to expect her. She was a coward, until the very end. He drew his sunglasses on and stared out the tinted windows.

Stella had her shades on, as well. Her fingers were donned in her most expensive jewelry and she was made up to perfection no matter where she was going, should it be an upscale restaurant or a trip to the hospital. She kept her bag pressed between them and felt the brief stir of excitement in her stomach. She'd never been onset before.

She didn't feel helpless when he had to leave her behind, since he informed the stage crew to take good care of her. Stella followed closely, enjoying all of the questionable glances. Of course, there were more important things to be dealt with, other than wondering about the woman Jared Leto was currently screwing. But she did encourage the little birds watching to spread the rumors.

David Ayer stood with a clapperboard in his hands, thinking back on his career. He'd never jumped onboard such a massive franchise and he knew that there was no room to fuck it up.

"Ready for my crash course in professional stunt equipment," Jared breathed, dressed in a dark raspberry shirt and black slacks. His makeup was especially sloppy for the scene that required him to be soaked the entire time.

"Your assistant assured us that you wanted to do this stunt yourself," David said, unable to mask just how nervous he was about the notion. Jared wasn't exactly known for his death defying stunt work.

"You were informed correctly." Jared scanned the area, unable to find her, "So, where is that little…" Lying, devious, conniving – to list off the non-inappropriate, yet accurate adjectives that described his wonderful assistant. "…worker bee?"

"She's been helping down in the pit." David pointed downward to the large body water. It was a giant pool incased in green screen and lighting fixtures.

"How proactive of her."

"I thought it was nice?" The director said with a shrug, unaware of the dark cloud that had loomed over the actor then.

"Explain the jump to me again." Jared turned on his heel, flashing the director his winning smile. It made the older man feel uncomfortable, like perhaps he was being hit on, but he knew it was mostly his imagination. Jared was flirtatious by nature, but there was something amiss in the actor's eyes.

He seemed pissed off.


The assistant circled what the crewmembers were referring to as 'the pit'. She'd helped with anything they needed, carrying, or adjusting things that anyone with sense would be able to do. Underneath everything, she felt responsible should things go awry today. She somehow knew that Jared would not refuse the dive. He wouldn't allow himself to lose any credibility.

Or maybe he would do it to protect her. She really didn't care to dissect him at the moment, especially since he was probably contemplating her murder. That could be why he wanted her safe at the present.

The water was deep and the jump itself wasn't all too high. Most of the special effects would be added later, making the scene look that much more dramatic. Up above, she could see wires being fitted to an incredibly pale figure. Jared hadn't seemed to notice her, thankfully.

No, he would be busy all day.

Her inner villain cackled and twisted her handlebar groomed mustache ever so slightly. But in all seriousness, thank god he would be preoccupied.

She was helped up onto the main platform, dusting herself off.

"Jared would like to see you," a woman said, listening in on the headset she was wearing.

Everyone rushed around her, even the messenger had disappeared amongst the crowd. She remained completely still, hoping that time and the future events would go on without her. It would be night time when she resumed and she'd discover that she'd already met with Jared. And she would have been brave, not allowing her heart to show through.

The assistant walked up the steps with boundless amounts of trepidation. If she had to see Jared beside Stella again, she really had no idea what would happen. Her heart was in her throat at the thought of it. The fast, melodious thumping of each beat pounded away at her eardrum.

He stood there in full costume, the worn look on his face more visible due to the makeup. Red lips drew together in a thin line. She couldn't read his expression when his eyes finally landed on her, keeping her in place, since she was unable to move.

"Mr. Leto, you wanted to see me?" That's right, she told herself, act normal.

"As my assistant…"

"You shouldn't even have to ask for me," She said, pretending to understand. Venturing away from him was not part of typical assistant protocol anyway. "I had to make sure of your safety."

He tilted his head at her, "I suppose you would worry about that, considering you're the one who placed me in this predicament."

She nodded, unwilling to give herself away, "You couldn't be more right."

"Were you trying to embarrass me or challenge me?" He didn't give her time to answer, when he grabbed her by the wrist and attempted to pull her closer towards the door.

She wrenched her arm away from him and released a shaky breath, "Please don't…"

'Do that… to me…' Her skin burned from where he'd touched, wanting more than just a tug out the door, but an embrace so tight that it would suffocate.

Jared stared down at his hand and laughed short, "Back to being the assistant?"

"I'm…" Why the hell would she apologize? Was she doing something wrong? Why did everything hurt, then, even the air against her skin?

"So, this is where you've been," Stella cooed, as she walked in. "Oh, honey, that lipstick..." The assistant watched, as the blonde's hands touched his face gingerly.

"Sir," the assistant said, as she bowed her head, and excused herself. It felt like she couldn't escape fast enough. It was once again, something she should never do as an assistant. Her feelings were making her irrational. She probably looked like a joke to him and her emotions must be obvious to everyone else.

"Ah!" She cried, as she fell onto the ground, and stayed there for a moment. No one seemed to be watching. Everyone was more concerned with the pit. At least, that's what she wanted to believe. On top of how crappy she already felt, the last thing she needed was spectators to view what was possibly the lowest point in her life.

She didn't want to be seen.

Hell, she didn't even want to exist.

She felt cold hands tending to her ankle. The difference in temperature caused her to jump slightly. The assistant turned to thank whoever had witnessed her embarrassing bout of clumsiness, coming face to face with Jared Leto.

"Have you already forgotten that you can't leave, until I've dismissed you?" He asked, while he slowly skimmed his nails over her bruised skin. "I can't leave you alone, not even for a second, can I?"

She silently watched him, unable to make out if this was real, or just her imagination.

Blue eyes surveyed her closely, taking in her lost expression. It was as though she was gazing faraway at him, like he was out in the ocean and she was standing on land.

"I need you with me for the jump." He said to her, honestly, as he leaned in with both his hands braced beside her. His fingers closed in over hers, keeping her still. Their position on the ground would look oddly erotic to anyone who cared to watch their little moment. "Why won't you say anything?"

No matter how careful he tried to be, it wouldn't be enough. Nothing would keep her safe from him, as ridiculous as the thought was for him to concede. The red color of his lips would leave a stain upon her skin and there was no holding back, as he watched her hold in her breath. She could taste the grease of his lipstick when he kissed her softly. It was short and lingering, daring her to come in for another.

The crisp feel of his shirt, the cold touch of the ground, and the hot caress of his tongue, kept her from dreaming. This was the truth they shared between them that she didn't dare speak aloud. She wound her arms around him and brought him as close as she could get him. It felt so desperate, as she grazed her teeth across his lips. She wanted it to hurt.

The actor moved his hand to the front of her throat and held her gently, "I've missed you."

He dragged his thumb across her mouth in an attempt to wipe away the smeared lipstick. There was no smiling, only an intense quiet that followed his statement. They continued staring at one another, as if holding admiration for the first time.

Jared brought her with him when he stood, "Don't stray too far from me today, since I'm about to leave this world and all."

She shook her head at him, "Yeah, right."

"You're right, I'm feeling way too confident about this..."

She crossed her arms, uncomfortable with outright admitting her insecurity, "No, I mean. You didn't miss me. You had Stella."

"Even if I 'had' Stella, a few times, what would that have mattered? You refuse to give me a chance."

"Now you have someone who will."

"I'm amazed by the things that come out of your mouth, especially when I've just had my tongue in there…" He paused to look over at her, reaching his hand out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. Jared wanted more of her, more than anything else.

He walked inside the building, slipping into a different persona. Stella was there, engrossed in conversation with David Ayer. He didn't seem too enthused to be breathing the same air as her, but it was amusing to watch all the same.

The assistant busied herself with offering the crewmembers water, trying to take care of the people around them. Thanks to her, the actor remained calm. Once the wires were firmly checked and cameras were in position, he allowed himself to fall forward.

The dive looked smooth, yet forceful. It was beautiful to watch and the entire room held in their breath, until he made contact with the water. David Ayer demanded another take. Jared obliged, even offering to do it a third time. The actor watched the recording playback with criticism.

"I'll do it again," Jared insisted, as he balanced, and waited for the callout.

The room grew silent and it was not for the camera that was rolling. They were surprised. Jared's assistant stepped behind him, carefully.

"The first take was perfect and so were the rest. Come on," She said, as she grabbed his hand, one finger at a time. "We'll get you warmed up."

He pulled her closer suddenly, bringing her chest against his back. The front of her clothes was soaked through within seconds. He held her hand to his lower stomach and stared down at the water.

"I'm cold."

"That's what we've been saying. It's okay to stop for today. They have enough footage of your jump."

"Were you watching?" He asked, unwilling to let her go, when she tried pulling away.

"I was…"

"And you didn't close your eyes?"

She stared up at the back of his head, worried, "No."

"And?"

"You were very cool..."

He laughed, all too pleased with himself, "That's right."

"Towels, please," she called meekly, trying to find a distraction. Jared slowly released her, so that she could throw the thick material around his shoulders.

He watched her with an amused look upon his face, despite his obvious exhaustion, "You did well today."

She accepted his appraisal and stepped aside, allowing him to walk past her towards the director. Stella was at his side at once, but the assistant didn't dare look the woman in the eye. Instead, she collected Jared's belongings, knowing that he would need to rest. His body might feel sore at some point.

The kiss they shared flashed at the back of her mind, taunting her. She wondered if Jared would take Stella back to the hotel and kiss her the very same way.

The blond walked over to her, all smiles, and sweet perfume. "I'll be the one taking care of Jared..." Stella extended her hand out and waited for the assistant to hand over the actor's bag. "And we won't need you for the rest of the night."

"I've been given strict orders not to be dismissed without Jared's consent."

Stella leaned in closer, lowering her voice, "I saw you two, you know, kissing out on the grass like a couple of teenagers. It was real adorable, but now he's going to take me back to the room and fuck me 'til I'm seeing stars, because that's what adults do."

"Even so…"

"Excuse me?" She snapped, looking about ready to grab the assistant by the hair and throw her over the edge into the water.

"I don't take orders from you, sorry," The assistant said, as she inched herself closer towards the crowd of people. Maybe Stella wouldn't raise her voice, then. Maybe she wouldn't be able to make a scene.

And what was that, Stella had seen everything, yet she was still this aggressive?

It only made the blond that much scarier.

Clark arrived late to the party, wanting to see Jared do his own stunt. The news had travelled throughout the venue like wildfire. Jai had needed something at the last second though – many some things that led his assistant into being short on time.

"Well, fuck me," he sighed, taking out a pack of cigarettes. He bent his head down, thick brown curls falling into his face.

"Whoa! You there," The female assistant shouted, noticing her fellow comrade. She grabbed the taller man by the shoulders and steadied herself.

"Jared's cute assistant…How my master pines for you on a daily basis. It's actually a routine of his now. He stares out the window and audibly frowns at the sun." He kicked off the wall and thought twice about lighting up a cigarette in front of a lady. "How have you been?"

"You can't just casually ask that after what you just said."

"I'm a shameless fellow and…" He looked up to see an attractive blond woman glaring in their general direction. "So that's what being castrated through eye contact feels like. My, how exciting… Should I invite her on over to play?"

The assistant didn't have to turn her back to confirm, "Uhm, let me guess, is there a woman with gorgeous blond hair staring daggers at me, because she doesn't currently have one in her possession?"

"Yeah, I'd say she has that premeditated murder look going on. Unfortunately, I'm into that kind of mess. Is she single?"

"She's with Jared."

Clark adjusted his glasses, "She's…what…"

"With Jared, she and him, together."

"Thanks for summing that up for me." He wrapped his arm around her shoulder, so that they were both facing away from Stella. "I could probably tell this juicy information to Jai, right?"

"I'd rather you didn't."

"Now why would I shield you from an awesome relationship?"

"For one, you're being biased, and two, you would look better with Jai, than I would."

He corrected her, "I'd look better with that blond, than Jared."

"I'm pretty sure Stella would eat you alive."

"Her name is Stella? Be still my beating heart."

"You're a masochist, aren't you?"

"Perhaps…" Clark brought them over towards Jared. He was engaged in conversation with David Ayer. "Do you mind if I take her for the rest of the evening?"

Jared exhaled, impatiently, "I do mind."

Jai Courtney's soon to be dead assistant laughed, "That's so odd, because I thought for a moment that you wouldn't care."

The actor placed his cup of hot coffee down and crossed his leg over the other, "Your name is Clark, right?"

"You know my name? That's an honor, sir."

Jared smiled, "You're Jai Courtney's assistant. Shouldn't you be tending to him?"

"I actually wanted to come and see you jump today, but I was too late."

Jared patted the seat next to him. "Come sit with us, we'll play the raw takes for you."

Clark looked over at the other assistant with a pleading look in his eyes. He couldn't hold up the asshole façade for much longer. He was broken.

"I'd love that," he admitted, as he sat down and looked at the screen. "Thank you."

She took up one of the empty seats and remained silent, not bothering to join in on the conversation bouncing between her friends and the woman she currently loathed. Stella was between David and Jared, her arms linked to the both of them. Even Clark was sold on her.

'Damn it all,' she thought. 'Was there no justice or loyalty anymore?'


TBC