Page 32 of Counterfeit Connection

“No. It’s personal. I want you to completely hear me out before getting all judgy.”

“At this point, I make no promises, Kaitlyn.”

“You don’t have to be snippy.” I brace myself and then just let the word vomit fly. “Do you remember the moody Brit I was telling you about? The one from Elliot’s?” I don’t allow her a chance to respond. I just keep giving her all the words. “Well, Katarina and I went out with him and his friend. Things went really well for them so I went back to his hotel room to wait while they… you know… whatever they did. While I was there, he got a call from his father, who is a major a.s.s.hole, by the way, and long story short… he’s going to pay off my student loans if I pretend to be his girlfriend for a few months.”

It doesn’t take long before the bomb that is my sister explodes. “KAITLYN JOY LOGAN! HAVE YOU LOST YOUR F.U.C.K.I.N.G MIND?”

After she’s done screaming, I put the phone back up to my ear. “Kiss my nephew with that mouth?”

“I don’t want any of your sass right now. It sounds to me like you just said you’re pimping yourself out for money.”

“Rude. Just rude. One, sex work is real work. More power to them. It’s just not for me. You should know that, Gilly. And two, if you could have seen Griffin’s face…I don’t know him well, butI could see how ripped up he was by his father. I asked more questions and he gave me his story. He didn’t force me into any conclusions. I was going to do it because he needed help getting free. Not everyone has a superdad like we do.”

“Well, when you put it that way.” I can tell by her tone that she feels at least a little bad for being so judgmental so quickly. “I’m your big sister and hearing something as out of left field as this freaked me out a little.”

“I understand. He knows it’s an insane thing to do, and he’s the one who told me I should confide in someone I trust about it all. He wanted me to have an outlet so I didn’t feel trapped.”

“This is, without a doubt, the craziest thing I’ve ever heard, and I have so many more questions. What was it you wanted from Jason?”

“He still has access to all of his James Bond, 007 shit, right? Like I can give him a name and he can give me their entire life story, blood type, and the date they lost their virginity?”

“I mean… that’s a bit extreme, but between you and me… yes,” she whispers.

I exhale so deep I can hear the echo in the phone. “I hate what I'm asking, but I want to know all of those things going into this. I honestly don’t think I’ll find anything, but like Dad says, knowledge is power.”

“I want a sexual history too,” Gillian mumbles.

“Christ, Gillian. I’m not going to sleep with him.”

“Well, is he going to sleep with you?”

“No,” I grumble. “That’s not what this is. It’s one friend helping another.”

“I see. Maybe this friend should have a visit from an older sister and her potentially scary, former military man. A threat to shoot off protruding parts of his body might keep those parts in check.”

“Whoa, down, girl. How about I call you if there’s an issue? If I end up in troublethenyou can threaten him with bodily harm.”

She sighs heavily as I hear her opening drawers, obviously looking for a place to write information down since she can’t put it in her phone like a normal person in the twenty-first century.

“Fine. What’s his full name again?”

“Griffin Shaw. His father is Lachlan Shaw. He owns some real estate firm in the United Kingdom. Very successful, apparently. Successful enough to treat your only living son like it’s the fucking monarchy.”

“I know all too well how seriously the monarchy is taken. What do you want me to tell Jason when he asks why, because you know he will.”

I begin to massage my eyes with my fingers. I promised Griffin I’d only tell one person. I can’t control what happens from there. “Tell Jason what you feel he’ll need to know. I’d never ask you to lie to him, but I will ask you not to involve Daddy. I’ll tell him one day when this is all over. I just don’t think I could find any words that would satisfy him. Besides, I made a promise to Griffin I intend to keep.”

I can hear the latch of the door to the baby’s room as Gilly’s voice lowers. “Kaitlyn, I have to say it. I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t.” The pause between her words feels like the longest five seconds of my life. “You’re really extending yourself out there for someone you barely know. I have to wonder, is there more than you’re saying to me, let alone yourself?”

I let her words swirl around in my head. Why did I feel the need to jump in and save him, when I literally stomped my feet and scolded him for doing the same thing for me? Maybe this is my fucked-up way of apologizing for it.

All I know is, ever since the idea popped into my head, I’ve been nervous, terrified, but also… intrigued to find out how this is going to go. It’s like my heart is compelled to do this for him.Maybe that’s all there is to it. The shoe’s now on the other foot. Let’s hope I can walk.

Chapter 11

Kaitlyn

Maybe I got ahead of myself with this whole Griffin’s girlfriend thing because it’s been three days since our conversation in his hotel room, and he still hasn’t reached out to me.

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