“No problem. I can do that.”
Bethany has the neatest handwriting I’ve ever seen. Her lawyer won’t have any problem understanding what she wants. And if he needs clarification, he can always call her.
“Well, okay. If you insist. They’re on my desk in my office.” She smiles. “And thanks.”
* * *
Ryder
It’s pretty obvious that Paige wants to take care of the contract stuff for Bethany as soon as possible. Since I’d also like some time alone to figure out who’s pretending to represent me, I tell her to take the car and go. I’ll arrange for a ride later.
“Are you sure?” she asks.
“Positive. I know you’re going to worry about it otherwise, and the traffic’s not too bad right now.” Not that that’s saying much. It is L.A. after all.
“Okay. Thanks.” She goes on tiptoe and kisses me on the mouth. The spontaneous public display surprises me. She’s never done it before. Warmth curls in my belly. I hug her tightly, wanting to prolong the moment.
“Catch you later.” She gives me a quick smile and slides into the Mercedes.
I watch her leave, then pull out my phone when the car disappears from sight. The lawyer’s office has already responded.
Lex is on vacation. Will be back next week. If urgent, we can have one of his associates take a look, but it may take longer.
Of all the time to be on vacation, naturally it has to be today. The other people in his office aren’t as familiar with my situation…but I don’t feel like waiting.
Yes. Have somebody else get me the answer. It’s urgent.
I also text Mira, but she’s out of town as well for some emergency meeting with production people for one of her clients. I consider calling and asking her point blank, but something stops me. It’d be better to see her reaction in person when we talk about this. Can you swing by as soon as you’re back in town? I text.
Will do.
The sight of Bethany’s face won’t leave me. She looked awful, and I bet there were a lot more bruises and injuries underneath the hospital gown. The woman is admirably upbeat, but I wish she’d at least groused about how unfair it was that she’s hurt or something. That might’ve made me feel…
I narrow my eyes. Less guilty? The realization doesn’t make me particularly proud of myself.
If someone on my team caused Bethany’s accident—directly or indirectly—I have to take care of it. And without involving Paige. Keeping her in the dark is lying by omission, but the alternative is losing her.
And I can’t lose her. Not now.
Chapter Twenty
Paige
Even with the lighter than normal traffic, it takes a little over an hour to reach Bethany and Oliver’s house. My phone’s been buzzing nonstop in my purse, but I’ve been ignoring it. I never talk on the phone when I’m driving, not even for Ryder.
After I park the Mercedes in front of the house, I check the log. I have like a gazillion unread texts and over twenty missed calls.
All from a number I do not recognize.
I frown. My number isn’t exactly a state secret, not the way Ryder’s is, but it isn’t public either. Since there are way too many texts for me to read—most of them repeating Call me back. It’s really urgent!—I dial. There is a possibility that it’s some freak who managed to get a hold of my mobile info, but it could also be somebody who genuinely has pressing business…
It takes only two rings before the other party answers. “Thank god you called me back!”
Every cell in my body tenses. “Shaun?”
“I’ve tried to call you for days, but you wouldn’t answer.”
“I had your number blocked, obviously! Do you honestly think I want to talk to you?” Then something else occurs to me. “Are you stalking me? I’m pretty sure I’m not supposed to talk to you after what you pulled.”
“Okay, okay, don’t hang up!”
“Go to h—”
“Paige, I didn’t do it! I swear!”
Anger and something far uglier churn in my heart like a dark, stormy sea. “Riiight. A camera just set itself up in your closet and happened to start recording when we were having sex. Then the video conveniently uploaded itself to YouTube through your computer.”
“No, you don’t understand! Okay, I did the recording. I thought it would be…well, you know, hot to look at it later. Besides, I thought I looked good in it.”
“Oh, for god’s sake! How do you ever find hats to fit your head?” I can’t believe I dated this man, thinking he was the best I could do. Good lord. I’d rather sew up my lady parts than be with him ever again!