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My voice is cool now I’m not rude, just matter of fact It’s just a way of th, out of reach and out of my business It’s a full-time job Actually, it’s several people’s full-time jobs I employ an entire staff of publicity people for this very reason

“Shall we?” I ask politely, holding outthat women adore about me

I’m an actor I can be whatever they want , whether I’m on-screen or off On-screen, I’ve been a serial killer, rapist, romantic, misunderstood, vampire and poet

Off-screen, the role I play the best is that of an asshole

The girl sesture took the sting out ofher to mind her own business

“Will you call ray Porsche

“Probably not,” I answer honestly as I close her door, still the gentleman Gentleentlemen are honest I’m almost always honest

“Seriously?” she stares at me as drop into the driver’s seat

“Seriously,” I nod “Not because I won’t want to, but because this isn’t the kind of life that would be good for you If you were linked to me in any way, the press would hunt you down, stalk you, photograph you, and pretty ood I won’t call you because I want to you protect you from that”

Lie

Okay, fine I’m not always honest

And I’entleman

I stare at the road in front of ine ofthe road

“OK Thatevery bit of my line of shit “Well then, can I call you?”

“That probably wouldn’t be a good idea either,” I answer bluntly “But it was nice being together tonight, wasn’t it? I had fun”

From my periphery, I see her shoulders slu But what the fuck did she expect? She handed me my coat and offered herself to -term relationship?

“Oh well,” she says with forced brightness “You’re right It was fun Can I at least have an autograph?”

“Of course,” I tell her “It would be my pleasure”

A few ri-La hotel where she works, I scribble my name on a piece of paper and hand it to her

“Thanks, Doe your mind, you knohere to find me”

I nod and she gets out I barely glance in her direction before I drive away, although I know that she’s standing on the sideatching me disappear into traffic They always do

Deep down, I should feel guilty I should feel bad And once in a while, every once in a blue moon, I do But then I stomp the shit out of that emotion and put it out of my mind

These girls throw themselves at me, not the other way around

I’ them what they want

It’s a public service, really

But none of them, not one, will ever see the real Dominic Kinkaide In fact, I’m not even sure that he exists anymore

Iout his existence in a barrage of women, kink and whiskey

As I drive towardHollywood Hills,it out, I see Amy Ashby’s name flash on the screen

I sigh, debating whether or not to answer it

Yes, she understands me… or at least, the part of me that is like her The part that has to shield itself froh I admire it because I always knohere she stands But soht, I’m just not in the mood for it

I answer the call anyway

“Why did you leave the gala so fast?” A “I wanted to ride ho me”

Aht, in an effort to raise money for autism He’s as different from Amy as he can be: kind, considerate and nors, he’s not in show business

I shake h she can’t even see ,” I answer, not irl “You could’ve left with me”

Lie A with a coat-check girl She likes to think she has standards