I’m sad and angry for him that every person he’s ever cared about can’t wait to sell his secrets. But he went through girls like tissues for a while, so maybe it was fair.
Besides, if I mention how sick it is people do that to him, she’ll think I’m a hypocrite. But I had to play it up as bait.
If Roland Osprey knew why I’m really here, I wouldn’t have gotten the appointment.
I also wish people would leave Nick the hell alone. I don’t want to be followed like this once the baby comes, and if anyone photographs and harasses my kid for being related to the notorious Brandt Boys, I’ll go to jail for assault.
But I can’t say that either. It’ll just invite more prying.
“Lucky me,” I say.
Her face goes blank like she knows I didn’t find it funny.
“You can sit over there.” She points to a chair in the waiting room.
I suck on my lollipop and take a seat.
The assistant comes out before too long, and I follow her into an office that could put everyone named Brandt to shame.
Roland Osprey is...not what I expected.
He’s a tall, built whip of a man with blue lightning bolts for eyes and he has the handsome evil villain thing down pat. He sits in a high pitch-black leather throne on one side of a sprawling desk, and I take a shorter chair on the other side.
“So, you’ve brought me the tantalizing truth about Nicholas Brandt, Miss Halle?”
I swallow. “You publish so much negative crap about Nick. I wanted to give you another story.”
“Okay?”
“I’m his driver.”
“I know. Miss Literally Who. That’s what my content team named you,” he says, his voice like charred bourbon.
He’s just as intimidating as Nick and Ward.
This is already not going as expected.
“I’m both, yeah,” I say.
“Well then, let’s have it.” He nods but a sarcastic grin spreads across his face.
“My sister was arrested on drug charges that made no sense. She’d been clean for years, and she has no hobbies outside of taking care of her daughter. Nick threw every resource he had behind it. He hired an attorney, a teacher for her daughter, tracked down the actual drug dealer, and uncovered a warehouse drug site. He helped save a lot of lives here in Chicago. I...I never even asked him for help.” I sigh, gathering my thoughts. “Nick was just with me the day it all fell on my head. I know it’s not the kind of thing you cover, but I thought you should know. The drugs he had that day with Carmen Seraphina—I think they’re related to the mess we were untangling. I would’ve been there with him, but he wouldn’t let me stay. I had my young niece and he didn’t want us mixed up in legal trouble—or bad gossip.”
Roland studies me for a minute in a long silence that kind of scares me.
“You’re in love with him,” the mogul whips out.
“Wha—no!” I bark back. It’s just a lot harder to get over a bad breakup when you’re carrying around a constant reminder of your ex like—you know—his DNA.
Roland smiles. I can’t decide if it’s friendly or dangerous.
“Sweetheart, you’re entirely too red for me to be wrong. Don’t worry. I had no intention of chucking your hero to the lions—”
“You didn’t?”
Roland shakes his head. “Carmen Seraphina sent me an old, very brazen sexual encounter on a memory card. I can see why he didn’t want that published. I watched my driver run over the device and told Miss Seraphina the file was corrupted. I decided to go easy on Nicholas. My next exclusive is a bitter exposè on one broken woman’s obsession and the infamy of her falling star.”
My heart beats in my throat. I don’t know if I want to relax.
“Thank you?” It comes out like a question.
I’m giving Roland what I can to save Nick’s reputation, but I’m kind of relieved he may not even need it. I may have to raise this baby alone now, but I’ll do it without owing Nicholas Brandt a damn thing.
“What’s in the envelope?” Osprey asks, his eyes flicking to it.
“Evidence. Anything I could find to back up my story.”
“May I?” His hand falls on the envelope.
“Sure. Keep it.” I push my chair back and stand, ready to get the hell out of here.
“Miss Halle?” he calls, just as I’m heading for the door.
“Yes?”
“Between us, I’ve played my fair share of charity poker with Beatrice Brandt over the years. I don’t think I ever had the heart to ruin Nicholas Brandt unless he did something truly heinous.” Osprey winks at me. “However, now that he’s grown a conscience...there’s a chance you’ll see him lauded in The Tea rather than eviscerated. Thank you, again.”
I nod and then exit the sleek, too shadowy office, feeling like I’ve just escaped a castle complete with vampire.