Dishonorable Intentions Read Online Free Page B

know who you are and why you killed my deal.”
    Stone realized that the man was already drunk. “You never had a deal at Centurion,” he said, “but if I had been at the meeting, I would have done what I could to see that it didn’t happen.”
    Tirov threw his drink in Stone’s face, momentarily blinding him, and swung with a wide left at his head.
    Stone barely had time to see it coming, but he took a step backward toward the pool, coming close to stepping into the water. Tirov’s momentum took him straight into the pool, making a huge splash.
    Stone looked up to see Billy Barnett moving toward him, followed closely by the two hotel security guards. He looked back toward Tirov, who was flailing in the water. Stone wondered if the man could swim. He saw a life ring with a length of rope hanging on a post a few feet away, and he retrieved it and tossed it to Tirov. He certainly wasn’t going in after him.
    â€œLet security take care of it,” he said to Billy, taking his arm and steering him back toward the party.
    â€œWe’ve got this, Mr. Barrington,” one of the guards said.
    â€œTake him out past the guesthouse and around to wherever he parked his car,” Stone said, handing the man the end of the rope. “If you think he’s too drunk, drive him home.”
    â€œYes, sir. We’ll take care of it.”
    Stone took a handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed at his face and clothes. It wasn’t bad enough to require a change.
    â€œOh,” he said, turning to the guards. “Tell the front gate not to admit him to the grounds again, on my authority, and tell the restaurant manager not to take any further reservations from him.”
    â€œYes, sir.”
    Stone and Billy returned to the party. Ben approached. “I saw that,” he said. “I’m going to bar the guy from the studio.”
    â€œLeo’s already taken care of that,” Stone replied, “and he won’t be welcome at the Arrington, either. Did you include any press for the party?”
    â€œA couple of film critics.”
    â€œThen they will already have phoned their papers. You’d better get studio publicity to make some calls, and if they can’t kill the story, at least be sure they have the facts straight.”
    â€œGood idea.” Ben reached for his cell.
    Stone grabbed a new drink from a passing waiter.
    â€œI’ve heard some nasty things about that guy,” Billy Barnett said. “You’d better watch yourself for a while.”
    â€œI don’t think he’ll be a problem. He’s going to come off badly in the press over his lost Centurion deal, and I think he’ll want to lie low for a while.”
    â€œThe rumor is, he’s connected to the Russian mob,” Billy said.
    â€œOh, God, not those people again,” Stone said, groaning.
    â€œDon’t go anywhere alone while you’re out here,” Billy said. “I can arrange for studio security to hang with you, until you’re ready to go back to New York.”
    â€œThanks, Billy, but I don’t think that’ll be necessary.”
    Stone went to find Gala.
    â€”
    B en put away his phone and approached Billy. “I heard that, Billy,” he said. “Good idea—put a couple of people on Stone, but not too closely. Keep them in the background.”
    â€œGot it,” Billy said.

7
    S tone woke the following morning as the butler brought the breakfast cart into his bedroom. He woke Gala gently, and they had the breakfast. Stone began to read the
New York Times
, and Gala started on the L.A. papers.
    â€œUh-oh,” she said.
    â€œWhat’s wrong?”
    â€œLast night’s incident made the papers, both the
Times
and the
Hollywood Reporter
.”
    â€œAre the pieces accurate?”
    â€œEntirely.”
    â€œWe can thank the Centurion press office for that.”
    â€œThe problem is, any factual account of last