Cruel Fortune (Cruel 2)

I was surprised at how well he’d read us both in that moment. Amy had been raised in money, and she defied it all by dating artistic losers. I’d been raised poor, and no matter how much I spent time around wealthy people, it wasn’t me. Not to mention that I had no interest in living that Upper East Side life. Not then, when Penn had begged me to come back…and not now.

“Maybe,” I conceded. “And here I thought, you didn’t even like to talk about money. Isn’t that right? People with money don’t think about it. It just…is.”

“Well, aren’t you one of us now?”

I tightened my grip on my cup. “I am not one of you.”

“I mean that this book is paying you handsomely.”

“You and I both know that doesn’t make me like you. You have to be born into your part of society. And you generally need billions…or the right name.”

“That’s right,” he acknowledged. “A name sometimes can mean more than the money.”

I shrugged and leaned backward. That wasn’t my world. Character should mean more than name or money. But not for them. Not for someone like Katherine Van Pelt. Katherine, who had precipitated my downfall, all to try to get to Penn. All because her name meant something, yet she was penniless. She’d entered into an arranged marriage with Camden Percy, the most despicable person I’d ever met, and thought Penn was her way out. It was all so backward. If I didn’t hate her so much, I’d almost feel bad for her. Almost.

The pizza arrived then—thin crust, covered in toppings, and steaming. I took the time to eat and collect my thoughts. So far, this lunch hadn’t been that horrible. It could have been worse at least.

“So, Bet on It, huh?” Lewis asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Yep.”

“Are you ready for it to come out tomorrow?”

“Honestly?” I asked. “I’m really nervous.”

“You? But why? It’s gold.”

“Oh, don’t flatter me.”

I took another bite of pizza, so I didn’t have to look into those big brown eyes. I’d long wondered if Lewis had had something to do with the fact that I’d gotten the deal with Warren Publishing. Even though Hartfield had offered first and the entire thing had gone to auction with thirteen publishers, Warren had still won. It made me wonder. But I knew that I couldn’t ask him. I didn’t want to know. Not right before release day. I’d always wanted to believe I’d won this on my own merit despite years of rejection saying otherwise. I wasn’t sure my fragile heart could handle it if it was the other way around.

“I’m not flattering you, Natalie. I’ve read the book. It’s outstanding. Your prose is so sharp, so biting. The story…well, we both know how much of it is based on a true story. But it’s the way you weave it together and bring fact with fiction that really shines. It’s the in-between moments that make you pause and really think. I was captivated from page one until the very end. And not just because I’m a character in this story.”

My jaw fell open at his words. He’d actually read the book. I couldn’t believe it. I had known that Lewis enjoyed reading, but I hadn’t thought he’d pick mine up for anything more than morbid curiosity.

“Well, thank you.” A blush graced my cheeks. “I didn’t think you’d read it. I’m a little amazed anyone has read it.”

“You’ve had glowing reviews in all the major journals. Of course people are going to read it. And I’m glad they are. Clearly, you knew it was a story worth telling.”

“I started it when I was in the Hamptons,” I confessed. Though I had no idea why.

He ran his thumb across his bottom lip and leaned back. “That makes sense.”

“You’re not going to tell anyone else, are you?”

“You mean, Penn?”

I winced at the abrupt use of his name and all the pain that accompanied it. Yes, of course, I meant Penn. But truly, everyone. This was the real reason I’d chosen a pen name. I needed to fly under their radar.

He must have seen it in my expression because he sighed. “What would you like to be a secret? That you wrote the book? Or that it’s about the crew? Or that you’re here and I saw you and we had lunch?”

I nodded. “All of it.”

“Your secret is safe with me. I will not divulge that you are the great Olivia Davies.” He furrowed his brow. “Not even to Penn.”

“Thank you.”

“But…”

“Oh god,” I muttered.

He grinned devilishly at me. “I would like to see you again.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

The more time I spent with Lewis, the greater chance that someone else in his circle was going to find out. Even if he kept his promise that he wouldn’t tell anyone. Which seemed doubtful to me.