Page 102 of Nothing to No One

Rather than answer, she strode into the bedroom. Knowing Struan would follow, she didn’t close the door. On the money, when she turned on the spot, he was with her.

She shared her conclusion. “I have to go home.”

“Okay. I thought this was home.”

“I don’t mean the apartment.”

As he caught on to her meaning, sorrow built in her gut.

“Wishbone,” he murmured.

“Wishbone. It’ll be better for everyone.”

“Everyone who?” Her guy didn’t often lose his patience, but he was ragged then. “It’s happening all over again. This is him getting his way, bullying us into—”

“He’s not bullying us into anything or getting his way.” She went to snag his hand. “This isn’t over, I’m not leaving you, not saying goodbye. God, no. We’re together.” Smiling, she used her body to nudge his, hoping to scare that grim look from his face. “So don’t go sniffing around any Hollywood pussy while I’m at my mom’s.”

“Then why go now? We need to stand together, to be strong, to show them we’re serious.”

“If there’s one thing Roxie’s taught me, it’s that we shouldn’t care what the world out there thinks.” Catching his hands, she cupped them around the sides of her head. “This is for us. We make the decisions that best suit us.”

“Being away from you isn’t my choice. Damnit, B, we left that house. I walked away.”

“I know and I appreciate it. I know what you did for me, beau. But Magnus is right.”

“Don’t let him get in your head.”

“It’s difficult to be objective when it’s your family, when you care so much about your brother. Tell me honestly how this plays out. If I keep you away from him right now, before he’s settled in this new role, he’ll spiral, just like Magnus said. He’s out of rehab, teetering on the edge of sobriety, playing with what it means every day to suit his mood. Sway’s walked away. She had to; good for her. Thank God she’s free—”

“But I shouldn’t be?”

“You’re free and you have me,” she said, squeezing him tighter. “I am your future, what you have to look forward to without an expiry date. You don’t have to live with him; you live here, remember?” Though the show was leaving town the next day. “It’s not going back to Roman, just get this pilot out the way, maybe an episode or two of UO, line someone else up to take your place. Show Roman he can do this… then you back away and come be with me.”

For a few seconds, he considered her. “I want to argue with you,” he said, his features suggesting he was pissed off. “But, goddamnit, I know you’re right too. If I walk away now and he loses everything, for the rest of his life, he gets to blame it on me.”

Unfairly.

“He’s responsible for his own future, as you are yours.”

“I choose you, not him.”

And that she didn’t doubt. “Looking back, I realize now I agreed to this for all the wrong reasons,” she whispered. “It wasn’t conscious, but it was always about being close to you. We thought this crazy scheme could improve his image and do himsome favors, but it just distracted him and everyone else from what’s important.”

Struan sighed. “If he wants his career so bad, he has to put in the work. No more nights out and parties, dinners and dates and compromising positions. He wants to be known for his talent? It’s time he got back to the roots of that. Sometimes I can’t remember if he has any.”

And it just so happened, in this plan, she would be saved from spending more time with him. Perhaps by disappearing into the ether, the public would forget she’d ever been connected to Roman Lowe and wouldn’t care when she got with Struan. Unless he was planning a career on stage or screen, why would anyone notice they’d got together, or remember how they’d met?

Roxie would argue there was always someone watching, someone waiting to stir up shit. Reporters might dig, and they were the epitome of stirrers, without a doubt.

“What about Brooker?”

Yeah, that might take some finagling. “If I still have a job at Brooker, I haven’t heard from anyone there for a while. Mostly I’m just following Mieux around these days.”

“When you’re attached to one of the big names, I don’t think they ask you to punch a clock.”

“They might have work I can do remotely, or, you know, the people there don’t always stick with the same company or client long term. If my role atUndercover Opsisn’t working out, maybe they can reassign me. I don’t want to take advantage of anyone, but Roxie said she’d help, and I guarantee Brooker will listen to her.”

“She sizes people up fast. Don’t underestimate her.” Would anyone ever be so stupid? Roman, maybe. “It feels like I just got you and now you’re walking away.”

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