Page 86 of The Payback Plan
He felt terrible, it was obvious, which only intensified the squall of feelings battering the inside of her brain. He wasn’t really to blame here. Sure, the payback plan wasn’t directly responsible for them being papped either – that was just the reality of Oliver’s life. But itwasindirectly responsible for the predicament they were now in because of the photos.
It had been the catalyst. Without it she wouldn’t be in this house with him. She wouldn’t have been on that beach with him. She wouldn’t be in those photos with him.
She wouldn’t have fallen in love with him.
Shit. Shit. Shit. Not now. God, please, don’t have this epiphany now. How she felt was irrelevant. She couldn’t live her life likethiswith the threat of the ugliness from her past being relived again and again every time some pap or TikTok creator posted something about her and Oliver.
Paige swallowed. ‘It’s not going to go away.’
‘It will.’ He gave her one of those genuinely empathetic smiles that might have been condescending has she not known him. She knew he was trying to convey that he was an authority on the subject and she just had to trust him. ‘I’ve been doing this for a lot of years and invariably interest fades if you don’t feed it any fresh meat.’
‘But it won’t be about you, Oliver.’ A sob rose in her throat, a wave of panic gripping her as all the ways this could blow out of control bombarded her brain. ‘It’ll be about me.’
He frowned now, looking genuinely confused this time.
‘God,Olly,’ she wailed. ‘The photos.Myphotos.’ She poked her chest as she blinked back a sudden well of tears. ‘How long do you think it’ll be before some bright young thing after a scoop, wanting to make a name for themself, finds the naked pictures and video of me?’
It dawned on him then. Paige watched it happen, realisation smoothing out his brow. ‘Jesus.’ He stalked towards her, halting just outside the zone of her personal space, shoving his hands in his back pockets as if he was trying to stop himself from pulling her into his arms. ‘I’m sorry.’ He shook his head. ‘I… didn’t think about that…’
‘Of course not,’ she muttered, swiping under her nose as it started to run.
It sounded bitter and angry and she was neither of those thingsathim. Or maybe just a little. At his celebrity. She was mostly just pissed at the situation all over again. If only she hadn’t let down her guard. If only she hadn’t agreed to this harebrained scheme.
‘You don’t have to, do you?’ she continued.
Now she sounded accusatory which was irrational but a veritable witch’s brew of emotions was broiling away in her stomach right now and none of them were rational.
‘Ican’t think of anything else. I haven’t been able to think of anything else for four bloody years.’
‘Paige.’ His voice was soft as he removed his hands from his pockets and reached out, sliding them onto her forearms that were still clutched around her middle, cinching like a steel hoop. He tugged gently and she held fast for only a moment before her resistance crumbled and she melted into his embrace.
And it felt so damn good in the circle of his arms, squeezing back the tears as he rocked slightly from side to side, his breath warm at her temple. He felt good, this man she loved. Solid and steadfast and real. A fledgling glow took root inside, yearning to burst free.
Worst. Timing. Ever.
‘I have plenty of money for a good lawyer I can?—’
‘No!’ Horrified, Paige pushed out of his embrace, taking a step back. She didn’t mean to bequiteso vehement in her rejection but,absolutelynot. She didn’t want the circle to be any wider than it was. She might not have a choice in it soon but while she did, she was keeping it small.
The way sheshouldhave kept herself.
Sniffling, Paige brushed past, heading for the table, her legs decidedly unsteady.Woulda. Coulda. Shoulda. If she let herself spiral into all the what-ifs, she’d miss her damn flight and, as Oliver had said, that was exceptionally fortuitous right now. She could fall apart on the plane. She did have eight hours to fill.
Determined to be businesslike, she stood behind the chair and opened the lid of her laptop. Quickly closing the tab on the screen displaying a close up of Oliver’s mouth locked on hers, she methodically set about opening the dozen other tabs minimised along the top, saving what was needed before closing them down.
‘I am so sorry about this,’ he said, from somewhere behind.
‘It’s not your fault,’ she dismissed, not looking up from her endeavour, numbness settling in her chest. ‘You’re right about not feeding them fresh meat.’ It was the only way shemightbe able to pull this off, if she disappeared from the picture completely – not just for a few days. Maybe the story would die down and thebuxom beach babewould forever remain a mystery. ‘I’ll just drop out of sight.’
‘That’s not what I meant.’
‘Go straight to my parents after New York. Or my sister’s. Hopefully they won’t dig too deep.’ That could be possible. Especially if there was something else to distract them. ‘Maybe you could go to London and be seen with a few different women.’
The idea pushed to the forefront of her brain and was out before it could be properly vetted. And it made perfect sense. But her fingers faltered on the mouse pad as the implications slid sharp as a stiletto between her ribs and twisted. Ithurt.To say nothing of how calculated it must sound but, in full pragmatist mode, no idea could be dismissed.
‘Paige.’
His voice sounded reproachful but, with her emotions already careening around like atoms in a collider, Paige didn’t really care what he thought right now. She’d brought this mess down on her own head andshewould fix it.
