Instead, Veronica Jones was heading straight for him. Logan recognized her the instant she entered his peripheral view. You’ve got to be kidding me, he thought. Veronica was smiling and waving to him as if he were her favorite person in the world. Well, she sure wasn’t his. If it wasn’t for her and her goddamn sex tape, maybe he’d have been able to believe that he could change, that he could be the man Callie needed him to be. Just the sight of her made his brain boil. If he had wanted a sign, here it was. His past was inescapable. Logan walked out onto the field toward Veronica, careful to keep her out of earshot of Callie and the old couple. “What do you want?” he asked.
“A number one album. And, I’m taking the steps to make sure I have it, but that’s not the question. I upheld my half of the deal. I waited until your bill passed. Now it’s time to have some fun. Come on, you love having fun.”
Logan gritted his teeth as he held back from shouting at Veronica. looked over at Callie who was laughing and helping Henry and Evelyn stomp down divots by the sideline. “I can assure you, what I love is so much more than having fun.”
“Honey,” Veronica said reaching out her hand and placing her index finger over Logan’s lips, “you’re so much better when you’re being bad. Can’t you see that?” Veronica smiled as she watched the look on Logan’s face. “I think this is an opportunity for you, one you’d be foolish to pass up.”
“How could that possible be true? I know exactly what I want, and it doesn’t involve you and your plans.”
Veronica slid her hand over Logan’s shoulder, and he involuntarily tensed at her touch. She squeezed his bicep. “So strong,” she said, “but you lack a different kind of strength.” She winked at him. “Trust me on that one. You’ve never worked for anything in your life. It’s part of your appeal.”#p#分页标题#e#
“I will do whatever it takes to make sure you leave her out of this,” Logan said. He pulled Veronica’s hand off of his arm and scowled at her. He didn’t know whether to feel angry or defeated. He knew Veronica was right. He didn’t deserve Callie. He hadn’t earned her love or affection or whatever it was they were calling their connection, and he wouldn’t be able to keep it.
Veronica leaned over and looked around Logan to get a better look at Callie. “That’s so cute. You really think that the two of you have a chance. I’ll give you one thing, she’s cute. Not beautiful. Not sexy, but cute. You never struck me as one to settle. Maybe her whole uptight Washington thing is the appeal. If that’s the case, just think of how things will be once you’re famous for your exploits. Think of all the stuck-up Washington types you could have tripping over themselves to try to tame you, to fix you. Why settle for this one when you can have all of them? And why do you care about your image all of a sudden?”
“I don’t. You can make everyone in the world hate me, for all I care, but leave her out of this.”
Veronica smiled. Usually her smile looked fake, rehearsed, thin, but this smile was genuine, spread wide across her face as she looked on at the mess she had made with complete pride. “Sounds like I have you sufficiently motivated.”
“Why do you even need me for this?” Logan asked. “You have a tape. I have no say. Do you want money, is that it? I can give you money.”
“I don’t want your money. I want my money. Unlike you, I don’t need the handout.”
Logan clenched his jaw. “Leave. Now, before I make a really dumb decision.”
Veronica reached out and patted his cheek. “Tut tut,” she said. “Down, boy. I don’t need you beating me up in front of all of these cameras. The whole thing works better if you play along and we build to our scandal. A few tabloid articles, a picture or two on TMZ, and we’ll have primed the pump for the video. I won’t be a sweet little thing anymore, and my record sales will skyrocket.”
“Again, I’m not seeing any benefit for me in this deal,” Logan said.
“Well, I guess it matters on what you want most. Do you want to play house with goldilocks over there, or do you want to save her from, how did you put it, public and professional disgrace?”
“Nikki, I’m warning you. Leave her out of this.”
“I hadn’t planned on screwing her over, but I think I’m going to enjoy that part the most,” Veronica said.
“Do you enjoy stabbing people in the back?” Logan asked.
Veronica grinned again. She reached down and started fiddling with Logan’s collar. “I enjoy twisting the knife,” she said. “She got in my way, and now I’m getting her out of it. Play ball, and maybe she survives the whole thing.”