Page 77 of All the Drama from New York

His gaze skimmed over a couple of lines about Camille’s fashion work. All of that was public knowledge. But his heart skipped a beat as he took in the next paragraph.

Collins, who recently left his long time career as a barista, commenced working for the fashion designer heiress in June. He is rumored to have already moved into her luxury apartment…

This was deeply personal stuff. Details which only someone who actually knew him would have known.

“Who knew I started working for her in June?”

He ticked off the very short list. Bryce. Camille. Liam. He hadn’t even told his parents that he was working for Camille.

The first two people on his list of suspects were the last two people who’d ever talk to the press. The Royal family carefully guarded their privacy.

“Oh Liam, what have you done?”

He didn’t care that it was the middle of the night in Tahiti—Ryan needed answers. A croaky voice crackled down the line as Liam picked up the call. “Hey bro, its three am. Could you call me back a bit later?”

Ryan answered in a voice laced with deadly calm, “Who did you talk to about me going to work for Camille?”

“Oh shoot. Yeah. I meant to tell you. You remember Derick Stad fromBachelors on the Beach? He got in touch. Asked what you were doing these days. I mentioned your new job. I assumed since you’d worked with him on the show, that it would be ok.”

If Ryan could reach down the phone and across the thousands of miles to the tiny island in the South Pacific, he would have grabbed Liam by the throat and throttled his brother.

“You have no idea how far from ok that is, Liam. Once again you haven’t thought about things, and now you’ve thoroughly fucked with my life.”

There was a long silence on the other end of the line; and it took all of Ryan’s self-control not to fill that empty space with more wrath.

“I thought you’d be pleased. Derick mentioned something about him now being an executive producer for a special reunion show forBachelors on the Beach.”

His brother might well have the international globetrotting career, but he was far too naïve. His lack of understanding of how the people in showbusiness were always looking for anangle was at times breathtaking. If Liam had an ounce of self-preservation, he’d cut up his passport and stay in Tahiti.

“Did it ever occur to you that Derick could have simply called me himself? My number hasn’t changed in four years.”

Derick, along with the original showrunner, would have Ryan’s details. As would his old Hollywood agent, Lee. But no one had bothered to call him.

And now suddenly out of nowhere, he and Camille were all over social media and the press. It was too great a coincidence for it to be a coincidence. Which begged the question—what exactly were Derick Stad and the people fromBachelors on the Beachup to?

“Well?”

“I guess I didn’t think all that hard about why Derick was calling. But hey, no harm, no foul.”

If only it was that easy.

“Liam, social media has completely blown up over my connection with Camille Royal. And there was a really spiteful article in the New York press this morning, saying I’m her toyboy. Camille has worked her ass off for over four years, but all people will now see is a billionaire’s spoilt daughter who is apparently using me as her play thing. Her fuckboy.”

He was certain he could hear the penny finally drop for his brother, as Liam let out a whoosh of air. “Fuuuuckk. I’m so sorry man. I don’t know what else to say.”

Ryan’s gaze settled once more on the awful article which had been in the morning press. He’d read enough of the comments online to know that people were judging them. Him for having become nothing more than a ‘kept man’; and Camille for being— well— her crimes were many and terrible.

She was from a super-rich family. She was supremely talented. She was beautiful. But worst of all, according to a society which was far too quick to judge, she was a woman.

But she’s, my woman.

He didn’t have time to sit here and nurse his brother’s regrets. He had to go and find Camille.

“Look, let’s talk when you get back to the US. In the meantime, if anyone else calls and mentions me, could you kindly not say anything. Do you think you can do that for me?”

“Yeah, of course. I’m sorry, Ryan.”

“Speaking of coming home, when are you back? You’ve been gone for weeks.”

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