Unrivaled (Beautiful Idols 1)

“They’re safe.” His voice was tight, his expression guarded.

“So we know where everyone was except Ryan. Do you think Madison went to meet him?” Layla asked.

“Why would she do that after confessing she was afraid of him?” Aster felt dumb for jumping to the jerk’s defense, but the question had to be asked.

“Well, she didn’t actually say that, it was more implied. . . .” Tommy rubbed a hand over his jaw, looking increasingly discouraged, possibly second-guessing himself.

“Well, it makes sense considering Ryan’s disappearing act. He probably used Aster as an alibi, figuring she was too wasted to notice he’d left.” Layla looked at Aster and said, “No offense.”

Aster shrugged. Lately, there was no shortage of offensive slurs directed her way. Layla’s comment hardly qualified.

Tommy dug the heels of his boots into the earth and rested his arms on his knees. “Look, none of us have any answers. Only Madison knows where she went, and for the moment, she’s not talking. I’m still not convinced it’s as sinister as everyone says. I could be wrong about the car. I do

n’t even know where she lives. Maybe she found a spare key and decided to get out of town for a bit.”

Layla shook her head, completely undeterred. “Is there any way to determine what time Ryan left?”

Aster frowned. “The sheets were cold on his side, so feel free to draw your own conclusions.” She sounded tired. She was tired. At first confessing felt liberating, but now it was beginning to yield just the opposite. By not telling the cops about Ryan, she could be implicated.

“And the tape?” Layla asked, almost before Aster had finished. “Is Ryan in it?”

Aster shook her head. “Nope, just me. I’m the star of the whole sleazy show.”

“Is there a time and date stamp?”

Aster closed her eyes, wanting the whole thing to end. “It’s not like I watched it that closely. Besides, you act like I’m going to hand it over for evidence, and there’s no way that’s happening. The cops don’t even know I went home with Ryan, and I prefer to keep it that way.”

“Unless you have to tell them,” Layla coaxed.

“Not happening. You guys have no idea what this will do to my family. It’s bad enough they suspect I had sex outside of marriage. If they see that tape, they’ll completely disown me.”

“What if it could get you off the hook?” Layla was relentless, and Aster had just reached her limit.

“Look, I didn’t do it—okay? My only crime is sleeping with an asshole. No one sees the tape, and that’s final. To be honest, I’m starting to regret my decision to tell you!”

“Aster—” Tommy grasped for her hand, trying to comfort, but Aster was too upset and jerked out of his reach.

Layla, on the other hand, had a one-track mind. She was the least nurturing person Aster had ever met. “What did you do with the video?”

“Why, so you can steal it?” Aster rolled her eyes, started to gather her things. This had gone on long enough.

“No, so no one else can. I hope you don’t have it stashed in your room safe.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Aster rose to her feet. She was shaky, edgy, and deeply regretting her decision to meet.

“It means you live in a hotel. Which also means you’re not the only one with a key to your room.”

Aster shook her head, mumbled under her breath, so annoyed she wondered why she didn’t just leave. Why did she allow Layla to taunt her?

“Look, I know you and Ira share some kind of special bond. . . .”

“What the hell are you implying?” Aster’s eyes burned with anger, but what she really felt was fear. Did Layla know about the cash-stuffed envelopes Ira regularly slipped her? Just because she took them didn’t mean she wasn’t conflicted.

“Last I checked, you were the only one occupying one of his swanky penthouse apartments.”

Aster sighed. Who was she kidding? She wasn’t going anywhere. She sank back down beside Tommy.

“If we had to vote now, who would you finger as guilty?” Layla hunched her shoulders forward and tucked her blond hair behind her ears, revealing a pair of silver heart stud earrings that seemed wildly out of place. Aster would’ve expected skulls, daggers, or spikes. Must be some kind of ironic statement, she decided.