Roman-2(Lane Brothers, Book 5)(191)
“Well, he did and he has. He’s going to tell them about how you cheated on Thomas with him. You’re about to become a reviled woman. So, the way I look at it, you’re still in the game. My game. And that means a visit to the great British countryside, cucumber sandwiches and Aunt Mabel and it means me cancelling your flight home.”
“You can’t do that.”
“I already have.”
“I thought you were my friend, Pippa,” Sasha said. “And now you’re bribing me? You’re… you’re a bitch!”
“Thank you. That’s about the highest compliment someone like you could give someone like me. I’m a bitch who owns you. I hope you realize that you’re nothing without me.”
Sasha folded her arms. She wasn’t about to be manipulated into something she didn’t want to be a part of. And the best way to fight fire, was with fire…
“You think I’m nothing? What about everything I know? Isn’t that worth something? Because it wouldn’t it be pretty disastrous to your PR business if this whole thing got out. If people realized this was all a big charade.”
“This thing won’t get out.”
“It will if I call up Kelly right now. She’d just love to hear my side of the story.”
Pippa laughed. “A fall-proof plan, Sasha. Except for this…” She held up a piece of paper.
“What is that?” Sasha said frowning.
“It’s a gagging order.”
“A what?”
“A legally binding contract between one Miss Sasha Jones and my client, Mr. Thomas Lloyd, explaining that you agree to not discuss the details of your relationship with my client with any third party persons.”
“I didn’t sign that.”
“I’m afraid you did.” She showed the signed document to Sasha. There at the bottom, were both her and Thomas’s signatures, witnessed and signed off by Pippa herself.
“But how…?” Sasha said. Then she remembered the paper’s she’d been asked to sign for the Amore deal. Pippa must have slipped this document amongst them. “You tricked me.”
Thomas was fuming. “You tricked both of us.”
“Oh quit your wining, Thomas. You pay me to put your career first. I knew we couldn’t trust your flighty little skank girlfriend so I made sure we didn’t have to worry about it.”
Thomas pulled himself up to his full height. “Pippa, you’re fired.”
“What?” the English woman said, spitting out the word like it tasted bad. “You can’t fire me.”
“I sign your paychecks. That makes me your boss. So yes, I can fire you. You’re fired.”
Pippa raised a thin eyebrow. “If I were you, Thomas, I’d think very, very hard about what you’re doing.”
“I know what I’m doing,” Thomas said between his teeth. “What I’m doing is getting your toxic bullshit out of my life.”
Pippa stared at him for a moment. “You’ll be hearing from my lawyers,” she said, folding up the document and slipping it into her folder. “And good luck with this… whatever this thing is you’re doing. I give you a few weeks at most.” She stomped to the door and out of sight.
Sasha looked at Thomas. “You didn’t have to do that on my behalf.”
“Yes, I did. I’m sick of the games and the lies. I don’t want this to be a charade. I don’t want to lose you.” He turned and paced away. “I’m quitting.”
Sasha stood there stunned. “What? Thomas, you can’t…”
“I can. And I will. You’re more important to me, Sasha. I should never have gone behind your back like that. I should have been honest. It’s just…” he rubbed the back of his neck with his hand “It’s just that trust thing again. That paranoia. I didn’t think I could trust you because I thought you’d done something with Chris, so I didn’t treat you right. Can you forgive me?”
Sasha’s stomach plummeted. If they were ever going to make this work, she had to be honest. She had to tell Thomas about Chris. He was quitting acting for her. They couldn’t start a relationship together on a lie.
“Thomas, I need to tell you something.”
Thomas frowned. “I don’t like the sound of that.”
“Sit down.” She led him to the bed and they sat together on it. “It’s about Chris.”
Thomas’s face went pale. “You did sleep with him.”
She shook her head. “No. But we kissed. It was a moment of weakness. I thought we were over. I thought you’d leaked the sex tape and…”