A Hollywood Deal (Ryder & Paige 1)

“It’s Paige.” Not a ghost of smile passes over Mira’s face, not even to reassure me.

Nervous energy jitters over my nerve endings. “What about her?”

“I just got a text. Apparently there’s a sex tape of her and her ex.”

“A what?”

“A tape. Of sex,” Mira says, enunciating with care. “Showing Paige. And her ex.”

“How?” I ask almost stupidly. My brain can’t process what she’s saying. The individual words out of her mouth make perfect sense, but together? Paige isn’t the kind of girl who does stuff like that.

“‘How?’” Mira cocks an eyebrow. “Obviously they filmed themselves while having sex. Probably had the camera on a tripo—”

“I know that,” I snap at her. “I’m asking you how it leaked. Who did it?”

&nbs

p; “I don’t know yet. It’s ‘anonymous,’ although I have a shortlist of suspects.”

“Who?” My hands clench with the need to pummel someone.

“The most obvious one is Paige herself.”

“What? No.” I push myself off the desk and stand up. “No way.” My first instinct is to blame Anthony, but that doesn’t make sense either. He hasn’t been in town long enough. Besides, this is too weak a volley for what he vowed to do.

“Ryder, when a sex tape is released, it’s almost always the woman doing it for publicity.”

“What about her ex? Have you considered the idea that it might be revenge porn?”

“Of course I have. But if it was Shaun, he would’ve released it sooner. Like when she dumped him or something like that. Why sit on it until now? He didn’t know you were going to marry her.”

My mouth is dry, and an ugly cocktail of incredulity and fury courses through my veins. I draw in a lungful of air to calm myself. Losing my shit won’t do any good. “Maybe her ex did it for publicity.”

Mira makes a face. “It’s almost always the woman who gets the press. Men bragging about sex in public are a dime a dozen. Women? It’s titillating. Deliciously scandalous. I can name too many female celebrities who have zero talent but made themselves famous with a judicious use of sex tapes. They make people talk about the women for months if not years.”

I rub my face with a shaking hand. “We don’t even know if it’s real.” It could be some asshole trying to hurt me through her.

“I’m sure we can ask Paige.” Mira pauses. “Or have it authenticated somehow.”

“She doesn’t like the spotlight.”

“Don’t be so sure. She knows what fame can do for you. She’s seen it first-hand.”

“If Paige were doing it for publicity, she’d be talking to reporters, right? But she doesn’t have a single interview scheduled.” I know that much because Christopher is handling the press for both of us, and I made it clear to him that there would be none.

“Not true. She has an exclusive scheduled with Derek Madison from The Hollywood News.”

The revelation hits like someone dropped an anvil on me. Air rushes out of my lungs, and I feel faint. “Are you sure?” I stop and shake my head. Of course, she’s sure. Mira knows every secret in this town. “How?”

“It was arranged directly between the two of them.” Mira gives me a sympathetic look. I haven’t seen that expression on her face since Lauren died. “I know you chose her because you thought she’d be different. I thought that too, so I share the blame for not stopping you. But it’s only for a year. You have a good prenup in place. So count down to the day you can get rid of her and claim your grandfather’s painting. Meanwhile I’ll keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn’t do anything rash. She won’t get anything out of this except what’s in the prenup.”

“Shit.” I can’t take anymore. My entire body is numb with pain and a sense of betrayal.

I toss myself on the Barcalounger. I almost wish I could disappear right this moment. Fame is my biggest weapon…yet my biggest weakness.

Mira sighs. “I’ll take care of the party. It’s late anyway, so we can get rid of the few guests are still here.”

I nod tiredly, my eyes closed.