Zenith of Desire: The Hollywood Incubus

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Besides, they would likely be far too busy transitioning into ”sisters” and living their truth to have the time or energy to direct massive studio movies anyway!

Marvin took another sip of his juice, mentally running through the production schedule when a quiet, cautious voice beside his ear pulled him out of it.

”Mr. Meyers? You got a minute?”

Marvin turned. Matt Damon stood a few feet away, hands in his pockets, looking considerably less confident than he had when he’d first walked into the party.

Marvin glanced toward the ballroom entrance. ”Where’s Ben?”

”Gone.”

”That was quick.”

”I put him in a cab.” Matt rubbed a hand over his face. ”He wasn’t exactly in any condition to stay.”

Marvin studied him for a moment. Then he nodded toward a quiet booth along the wall.

”Come on.” Matt followed him.

They sat across from each other, the noise of the party carrying faintly from the ballroom.

Matt leaned forward, elbows on his knees. ”I wanted to apologize.”

”For Ben?”

”For both of us.” he said. ”I wanted to apologize.”

Marvin said nothing. ”He’s sorry. He knows he fucked up. He’d had way too much to drink and—”

Marvin raised an eyebrow.

Matt let out a breath. ”I should’ve stopped him.”

”Yes.”

Matt winced. ”I know.”

There was no point pretending otherwise.

”I saw where he was taking her. I knew what he was trying to do. I should’ve pulled him out of there before it got that far.”

Marvin said nothing.

Matt looked down at his hands. ”Instead, I left him alone with her.”

”Why?”

Matt hesitated. ”Because I thought I could keep it under control.”

Marvin almost laughed. ”That worked out well.”

”No.”

Matt gave him a tired look. ”It really didn’t.”

For the first time, Marvin saw something in Matt’s expression that wasn’t simply fear.

Regret. Not enough to erase what he’d done, but enough to make the apology worth hearing.

Matt continued. ”Ben drank too much. He gets stupid when he’s drunk.”

”I noticed.”

”He wasn’t thinking.”

”He was thinking quite clearly when he was talking about Harvey.”

Matt’s face changed. Just slightly. Marvin noticed.

”That’s what this was about, wasn’t it?”

Matt stared at him.

”Ben was trying to get Charlize to go along with Harvey’s little arrangement. He was trying to convince her to sleep with Harvey in exchange for a role. He had quite a bit to say about her chastity, too. Something about the cost of doing business.”

Matt went still.

Marvin watched him. ”Pretty articulate for a man who’d supposedly lost control of himself.”

For half a second, Matt didn’t know what to say.

’Had Marvin heard all of it?’ ’Maybe he’d only heard enough.’

He’d assumed Marvin had gone after Ben because he’d seen the assault. That was bad enough. But if the kid had heard what Ben was actually doing before he stepped in—

Matt pushed the thought aside.

He’d been around Hollywood long enough to know when panic was useful and when it wasn’t.

Matt swallowed. ”I didn’t know all the details.”

”You knew enough. We’re all grown-ups here. Let’s not pretend otherwise.”

”Yeah.” Matt looked away. ”Yeah, I did.”

Marvin leaned back. That answer told him more than another ten minutes of excuses would have.

Matt rubbed his jaw. ”I don’t expect you to forgive us.”

”Good.”

”I just don’t want this to follow Ben for the rest of his career.”

Marvin’s expression remained calm. ”You’re worried about his career?”

”I’m worried about both of us.”

That was more honest.

Matt looked at him again. ”We’ve spent years trying to get somewhere. One stupid night shouldn’t blow everything apart.”

Matt’s deferential attitude was impeccable. He didn’t treat Marvin like a boy who had just won a schoolyard fight. He treated Marvin like an adult of higher corporate and social status, without making any pathetic attempt to beg, cry, or placate him with false flattery.

It was... seemingly sincere.

’Nice acting!’

Marvin thought to himself. He effortlessly read the complex cocktail of terror, calculation, and desperate ambition swirling inside Matt’s body. Marvin smiled, a slow, curving of his lips.

Marvin studied him. ”You came back.”

Matt frowned. ”What?”

”You left with Ben. Then you came back.”

”I had to.”

”Why?”

Matt gave a humorless smile. ”Because hiding in a cab would’ve been easier.”

Marvin’s mouth twitched.

”But not smarter.”

”No.”

Matt shook his head. ”I figured if I disappeared, you’d assume I was just another asshole who was involved and ran when things got ugly.”

”And you don’t want me thinking that?”

”I’d rather you didn’t.”

”Why?” Matt looked him straight in the eye.

”Because I don’t want to be that guy.”

The answer was simple. Marvin believed him. Not completely. But enough.

Matt leaned forward again. ”This whole thing is on us. If there’s something we can do to make it right, we’ll do it. Whatever you want.”

There was no pleading in his voice. No attempt to tell Marvin how much respect he had for him. He didn’t insult either of them by pretending Ben hadn’t done exactly what he’d done.

Marvin noticed that.

Matt was scared. He was also thinking three steps ahead.

Interesting....”

”You already said that.”

”I mean it.”

”I know.”

Matt waited.

”If I wanted something from you, Matt, I’m not sure you’d be in any position to give it to me.”

Matt’s expression faltered.

Marvin continued, almost casually. ”So I don’t think there’s much you can do for me right now.”

Marvin let the silence sit between them for a few seconds.

Then he said, ”But tell me, what do you want?”

Matt blinked. ”I thought we were talking about what you wanted.”

”We are.” Marvin tilted his head. ”But you’re the one who came to me.”

Matt thought about it. ”I want this buried.”

”It won’t be.”

Matt sighed, leaning back, his shoulders slumping. This situation seemed to be a dead-end. He worried that he and Ben might now be permanently crushed under Marvin’s thumb, facing career-ending retaliation from Meyers Studios and its allies.

’Would Harvey even be willing to help us fix this PR nightmare?’ Matt thought.

It seemed doubtful, especially after the cowardly way Harvey had acted earlier, trying to save face with Marvin. Harvey was notoriously vindictive; he might blame Ben for causing the scene and losing Miramax face, simply cutting them both loose to protect his own brand. ”Right.”

”I didn’t say I’d make it worse.”

Matt looked up.

Marvin continued. ”Ben attacked me in front of half the industry. He embarrassed himself. That’s his problem.”

”And Charlize?”

”She doesn’t owe anyone an apology.”

Matt nodded slowly. ”Agreed.”

Marvin watched him. ”You want to help her?”

Matt hesitated. ”Yes.”

”Then start there.”

Matt frowned. ”What do you mean?”

”Don’t let Harvey convince you that what happened tonight was just business.”

Matt went quiet. That one landed.

Marvin leaned forward. ”Whatever happens to Ben is between Ben and Harvey. You still have a choice.”

Matt stared at him for several seconds. Then he nodded. ”Okay.”

Marvin sat back. ”And Matt?”

”Yeah?”

”If you ever find yourself in a room where a woman is being cornered like that again...”

Matt waited. ”Don’t stand outside and hope someone else walks in.”

Matt’s face tightened. ”I won’t.”

Marvin held his gaze.

This time, Matt didn’t look away. ”Good.”

Matt exhaled and leaned back.

For the first time since the fight, some of the tension finally left Matt’s shoulders. ”Does that mean we’re okay?”

”No.”

Matt gave a tired little smile. ”Yeah. Figured.” He pushed himself out of the booth. Matt stood up slowly, looking dejected and defeated. ”I’m sorry for bothering you with this, Mr. Meyers,” he said quietly, preparing to leave the booth and face the music alone.

He’d barely taken a step when Marvin spoke.

”Sit down.”

Matt stopped. He looked back.

Marvin hadn’t raised his voice. He didn’t need to.

Matt slowly returned to the booth and sat again, this time without being asked twice. ”All right.”

Marvin watched him for a moment. ”You came back for Ben.”

”He’s my friend.”

”Even after tonight?”

Matt let out a quiet breath through his nose. ”Especially after tonight.”

That earned the faintest smile. ”You’re loyal.”

”I try to be.”

”That’s useful.”

Matt’s eyes narrowed slightly. ”Useful for what?”

”Nothing tonight.”

Marvin leaned back. ”But that doesn’t mean I won’t need something from you later.”

Matt studied him. ”You mean a favor.”

”Maybe.”

”What kind?”

”When I need one, I’ll tell you.”

Matt considered that. ”And if I say no?”

Marvin’s smile barely moved. ”You won’t.”

There was no threat in the words. That made them worse.

Matt looked down at his hands, then back up. ”So you want me on call.”

”Something like that.”

Matt gave a quiet, humorless laugh. ”You really know how to make a guy feel good about himself.”

”I’ve been told I’m persuasive.”

”Yeah. I’ve noticed.”

Marvin’s smile widened. ”You’re smarter than Ben.”

Matt sighed. ”Don’t tell him I said that.”

”I won’t.”

For a moment, neither spoke.

The noise of the party drifted around the booth. Glasses clinked. Somebody laughed too loudly near the bar. The band had started playing again, as though the fight had already become just another story for people to tell over drinks.

Marvin’s expression changed. ”I don’t care about what happened with Ben.”

Matt looked up. ”You don’t?”

”No. He tried to hit you. He tried twice.”

Matt winced. ”Right.”

Marvin’s eyes stayed on him. ”I could have him buried professionally before sunrise. No calls. No meetings. No pictures. No studio wants him. No one returns his agent’s calls.”

Matt didn’t move.

”And that’s the nice version.”

A cold knot formed in his stomach. Marvin continued quietly. ”But I’m not going to do that.”

”Why?”

”Because he lost his temper. He got humiliated. He made a stupid decision. It was just a minor skirmish for me, and we handled it exactly like men, with fists. It’s over.”

Matt nodded slowly. ”That’s one way of putting it.”

”It’s over.”

Matt looked toward the ballroom. ”You’re sure?”

”For me.” That distinction wasn’t lost on him.

Marvin leaned forward. ”But you need to keep him from doing something like that again.”

”I will.”

”I’m serious, Matt.”

”So am I.”

Marvin studied his face. ”Good.”

Matt hesitated. ”Can I ask you something?”

”Go ahead.”

”Why let him walk away?”

Marvin’s expression remained calm. ”Because I don’t need to destroy everyone who annoys me.”

Matt gave him a skeptical look. ”Could’ve fooled me.”

Marvin laughed softly. ”You’ve got a point.”

Matt relaxed a little.

Then Marvin’s voice dropped. ”But understand something.”

Matt’s attention returned to him. ”Tonight was Ben being stupid. If he’d actually hurt me, things would have been different.”

Matt swallowed. ”How different?”

Marvin held his gaze. ”Different enough that you wouldn’t be sitting here.”

Matt went still.

Marvin let the silence sit between them. ”You don’t need to worry about my lawyers. You don’t need to worry about the police. And you don’t need to worry about me coming after Ben.”

Matt nodded. ”Okay.”

”I honestly don’t even understand what the hell he was trying to achieve tonight.”

Matt swallowed hard, unable to look away.

”Let’s just say, in the best-case scenario for Ben tonight, he was actually able to land that punch and hit me, or maybe even knock me out,” Marvin continued, his voice dripping with logic. ”Had he stopped to think for even a fraction of a second about the consequences of assaulting a Meyers in Hollywood? Not only would his acting career have been over by midnight, but he might not even be able to live a normal human life afterward.”

Marvin leaned closer, his voice dropping to a chilling murmur that made the hair on Matt’s arms stand up. ”Life is very, very cheap in this world, Matt. Give a few thousand dollars to a desperate, hungry man on the street, and he’ll be more than ready to point a gun at anyone you ask. Accidents happen every day to people who offend the wrong families. Are you understanding exactly what I am trying to say to you?”

Matt felt a drop of cold sweat trace down his spine. The threat wasn’t a boast; it was a cold, calculated promise of violence. ”I understand completely, Mr. Meyers,” Matt whispered, his voice trembling slightly.

”Good,” Marvin smiled, the terrifying mask vanishing instantly, replaced by a warm, kind expression. ”So you should worry about what happens when someone less patient than me decides he’s crossed the wrong person.”

Matt understood.

He’d spent enough time around Hollywood to know exactly what Marvin was talking about.

”You want me to keep him in line.”

****

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