Page 148 of Sugar

“I’m not going to ruin your Saturday night.”

“It’s fine.”

“No, it’s not. I hear the music. You’re at Gilded, aren’t you? You don’t need to rescue me from a party that I didn’t even invite you to.”

“It’s fine,” I repeated as we stood and headed for the exit. “I’ll be there as soon as I can. Just hang out. Let me be the bad guy.”

“This is pathetic.I’mpathetic. Poor little rich guy needs his lawyer to rescue him from a good time. Argggg.” Tripp inhaled sharply. “Forget I called. Seriously. Go enjoy your woman.”

There was a splash and then a few loud beeps to let me know the call failed.

“Is he okay?” Maddie asked as we started up the spiral staircase.

“He’s drunk. Probably high. And annoyed.”

“That’s not a good combination.”

“No, it’s not.”

Especially if he takes that irritation out on his guests, and they film it.

Once we were in the car, I rested my hand on Maddie’s thigh. I didn’t miss her tremble. “Sorry our night got messed up, guppy.”

“Don’t apologize,” she said with a soft, worried smile. “There will be other nights.”

A whole lifetime of them if I get my way.

As I drove, she swapped between checking my phone for more messages and scrolling the social media feeds for any hint that things had taken a viral turn. “Nothing yet.”

“Good. We’re almost there.” I turned into the partially obstructed entrance and followed the winding road up to his house in the hills.

He needs to be smarter about who he shares his address with.

That thought became a hundred times more pertinent when we reached the end of the driveway.

“This place looks like a glass display case made a wish to be a mansion,” Maddie said with a grimace.

She wasn’t wrong.

On a good day, the boxy mansion would probably earn a spread in some architectural magazine. The entirety of it wasan abundance of windows, functionless details, and meticulous landscaping.

Usually.

But it wasn’t a good day.

It was a fucking disaster.

Cars were parked all over the place—including one in the tall hedgerow that lined the property. There were deep divots in the grass from tires tearing through. Garbage, empty cups, and alcohol bottles were littered across the path and porch.

“It’s a miracle these gleaming windows are still standing,” I noted.

Right then, the front door shattered to leave only the frame still standing.

“Promise me you’ll use that power for good and not evil,” Maddie said.

“No promises.” I looked at her. I was tempted to tell her to lock herself in the car, but I didn’t want her out of my sight. Especially if some drunk asshole decided that my car looked like a good one to jack. “Stick with me. Once we find Tripp, work your magic to get some coffee into him.”

“My magic?”

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