Page 72 of Built to Last

“Or we could buy something new.” I know why he said it. I’m acting skittish, but I don’t want to. I want to be brave. Right now living together is as brave as I can be. “Something a little bigger. Maybe closer to the office.”

He draws me close. “It’ll be fun to look. Now let’s eat these beautiful croissants and then go talk to Ivy. It’s helpful to have a hacker friend who doesn’t have any real fear of prison.”

“Oh, that’s because she knows CeCe would just, like, buy the court and get her out,” I assure him. “See, it’s also nice to have an oligarch on our side.”

He chuckles and then sobers. His hand smooths back my hair. “I love you, Harper.”

I stare at him for a moment and then wrap my arms around him. “I love you, too.”

“We will get through this, and so will my brother,” Reid vows, holding me close.

I have to pray he’s right.

Chapter Twenty-Two

“I don’t know,” Anika says a few days later. “I think pretty much any press is good press. Right? That’s what they say.”

We’re standing in the ballroom at the close-of-day filming. Patrick is helping Tom get good shots of all the changes Reid and Jeremiah have made, putting the finishing touches on what is now a grand salon that connects all three brownstones.

“I hate the fuckers,” Luca says. “I want to know when we can get rid of them. Has Ivy found anything?”

Anika and Luca got back yesterday, and while they’re completely pleased with how the work is going, they don’t appreciate the photographers who’ve taken to hanging around.

“The last I heard she thinks it’s got something to do with a fashion line Britta started a year ago,” I explain. “I’ve been keeping her fueled with tacos and coffee.”

Reid grins as he sets down the stack of coffee table books on the big, gorgeous table that looks like he time traveled back to Versailles to get. This whole space has a palatial feel to it, but the individual homes themselves are much more modern and functional. There’s one with a Northern European style. One that’s mid-century modern, but with all the luxury touches that make it comfortable. And one that’s sleek and ready for a gamer, weirdly enough. Like there’s a massive game room, and the Internet connection is platinum. “Ivy is treating this like a CIA op. I worry they’ll recruit her. I don’t want to lose her. I now know who to go to when I want to destroy my enemies via laptop.”

“He can’t do it himself though,” I say to Ani. “He’s not actually very good with one.”

He shrugs and wraps an arm around my shoulder. “I find your sisters endlessly useful. One is a queen and the other is the queen of the Internet.” He looks to Anika and Luca, sobering. “Though I am sorry for the mess. I promise we’re going to figure this out before Britta’s interview.”

She called the night of her power play to inform Reid that she had an interview with a major entertainment news outlet set for next week, and it would air sometime soon after.

Luca frowns, arms crossing over his chest. “She’s truly doing this interview where she’s going to tell the world she’s pregnant and you’ve left her?”

Reid sighs, and I know how weary he is of this. “That’s her plan. She sent me the instructions on where the interview is taking place. If I join her, she’ll announce our engagement and life goes on. If I don’t, she’s going to trash my reputation. I should have been smart enough to tape her.”

I might have mentioned that a couple of times. “It doesn’t matter. We’re ready for the storm. I’m sorry it might upset production. I honestly think the guys outside right now are being paid by Britta herself. I worry what happens when the actual interview comes out. For you, though. Not for me. I’ve been practicing my sarcastic comebacks.”

Reid laughs. “She has. Every morning. She runs them by Aggie, and they select the best zingers.”

Luca’s head shakes. “You seem oddly calm about this.”

“I’m willing to deal with the fallout,” Reid admits. “But I am worried about my brother. Jeremiah is a part of this, too, and since I announced I’m staying here in New York with Harper, he’s been supportive but quiet.”

Patrick’s head came up the second he heard Jeremiah’s name. Those two have spent the last couple of days circling each other like wary sharks. I’m waiting to see if they pounce and what pouncing will mean for them. I happen to believe in a good pouncing. Just take my advice and cover up the cameras. I notice that Patrick stays close even though the director has moved on to another part of the room.

He’s still interested, but I worry once filming is done, he and Jeremiah won’t see each other again.

“Well, I’ve talked to him about redoing a couple of rooms at the palace,” Anika admits. “It might do him some good to get out of the States for a while.”

“Oh, I assure you the European press will be interested in the story,” Reid replies. “But we have some plans in place. I want to keep the focus on me. I’m the bad guy.”

“Hey,” I say, reminding him.

He chuckles. “We’re the evil couple. She says being a Disney villain is a life goal of hers. The point is, Harper and I feel like we can handle the heat, but I worry Britta’s going to push this further when she realizes we won’t break.”

Luca considers him for a moment. “I know we haven’t talked about the situation, but from what I’ve gathered she’s been holding something over your head for a long time. This should be your worst nightmare.”

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