Now the name Reed on the contract from the investor for Bethany’s company is feeling less and less coincidental. What if it’s something more nefarious? After all, people I love are getting hurt…because of me.
“Paige? You okay?” Ryder asks, peering at my face.
“The driver who ran Bethany off the road. They caught her.”
“Her?” His voice is much too cautious.
“One of your stalker fans. A really dedicated one, who got arrested not too long ago for trying to get to you at a hospital.”
Both of his eyebrows rise, but not before his face turns white and his Adam’s apple bobs.
“Did you know?” I ask.
He shoves his hands into his pockets. “I wondered when I heard that Bethany was driving your Altima and that the ‘fan’ was out of jail.”
“Is that why you’ve been acting so odd the last two days?”
Two beats, then he says, “Partly, yes.”
“I see. I…wish you’d told me.”
“I wasn’t sure.”
I drop my head. “I hate this, Ryder. I really do.”
“Paige…”
“I let her borrow my car because hers was having trouble. No big deal, right? For most people, it’s not a big deal.”
“You’re right. It’s not a big deal.”
“But it became one.” Tears prickle my eyes. “I can’t even do something nice for my stepsister without getting her hurt, and all because I’m…” I stop to take a shuddering breath. “I don’t even know what I am to the public. People want to hate me, fine.” I slash the air with my hand. “If they want to make memes or write terrible things about me, you know, whatever. But they can’t…” I press my lips until they’re numb. “They can’t hurt my friends and family. It’s not fair.”
“Paige, they won’t. I won’t let them.”
He wraps his arms around me, and I absorb the warm comfort he’s offering. “Maybe we should go overseas,” I say, my words muffled. “I hate it that we’re running because of…them. But if people know we aren’t even in the country, they might leave my family alone.”
“Okay. So let’s go.”
I tilt my head so I can look at his gorgeous face. “Where were you thinking about?”
“Not Europe. Too much press there.” He frowns. “How about southeast Asia?”
“It sounds so far away.”
“Well, that’s the point, right? And it’s not that bad.”
My phone buzzes again in my hand. I look down, expecting Oliver again. But it’s Gary.
The trust is actually owned by Mira Brasson’s agency. I’m surprised you didn’t know…isn’t she Ryder’s agent? Maybe she’s managing it for Ryder.
I shake my head in disbelief. There is no way. Mira doesn’t manage Ryder’s money. He has a business manager, an investment advisor and an accountant and a bunch of other people for that, and they’ve done a spectacular job of multiplying his fortune. The only thing Mira manages is his showbiz career.
Then I remember how she told me she would hurt Renni if I didn’t behave. Nobody can be allowed to make Ryder look bad, and that includes his “fiancée.” Not only that, she made it clear she’s done it before to keep women in line.
I look at Ryder. It seems unbelievable that he would ever allow Mira to go that far to protect his image. But to somebody like him, image is everything, isn’t it? As grating as Mira can be at times, it’s hard to imagine her doing all this without his knowledge.
And if he knows, but does nothing, that makes him complicit…doesn’t it?