Chapter 38: No Need!
Stepping out of his black Bentley and walking toward Tom Cruise's mansion, Duke noticed the road outside the Hearst Estate was lined with every kind of luxury car. Bentleys, Audis, and Cadillacs were merely entry-level here; there were enough limited-edition global supercars to drive any gearhead insane.
"Even though big-name stars compete," Naomi Watts said suddenly, clinging to his arm, "once they reach Tom Cruise's level, they rarely tear each other down in public. They still maintain at least a superficial relationship."
"Over there..." She gestured with her chin toward a Lexus parked up ahead. "That's Mel Gibson's ride. He's famously fond of Japanese cars and doesn't get along well with Tom, but he still came to this party for Nicole Kidman's sake, since they're both Australian."
Duke shrugged without a word, letting Naomi Watts continue whispering in his ear.
"During the Summer Season, Lethal Weapon 3 was completely suppressed by Speed. I heard Mel Gibson has a bit of an issue with you. He's got a nasty temper, so you'd better just ignore him."
"I don't waste my time with barbarians."
Hearing Duke's reply, Naomi covered her mouth and giggled. "So you can make a joke. You aren't that boring after all."
"Am I that rigid?" Duke had never considered himself that kind of person.
The two of them walked up to the mansion. Naomi handed over the invitation, took Duke's arm, and led him along the flagstone path. Following a waiter's directions, they bypassed the front lawn and headed toward the back garden.