Page 85 of Flirt
Kyle was only one out of four other boys who had lived with Mitchell at the same time as Asher. Even if they’d never considered telling their stories, money was a powerful motivator, and there would be no shortage of reporters and late-night personalities willing to pay for an exclusive. There was little an attorney could do to stop that, but they could make sure no one tried to blackmail Asher again.
“Okay.” Asher rubbed both hands over his face and sighed in defeat. “What else?”
~
It was all toomuch. No matter how Asher looked at it, his life was about to be turned upside down, and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do to stop it. He felt powerless, and he fucking hated it.
“We should tell anyone important before they hear it on the news.” Ducking his head, Cameron peeked up at him through his lashes, smiling in apology. “I know you don’t like to talk about it, but it’ll be worse if they don’t hear it from you.”
Asher thought about it for a moment, then nodded. “You’re right. We should talk to your family first.”
“They won’t think less of you. My mom might hunt down Kyle herself,” he added, humor flashing in his eyes. “It won’t change how they feel about you, though.”
It amazed Asher how Cameron had the ability to lay his fears to rest before he even knew they existed. He wanted to tell the Stones because he didn’t want any secrets or lies between Cameron and his family. Until Cameron had brought it to his attention, Asher hadn’t realized how worried he’d been about the way they’d react to the news, or what they’d think of him once they knew the truth.
“It’s the right thing to do.” Even if they despised him afterwards.
Cameron winced. “I have to tell Nico.”
There was an apology in Cameron’s voice, but Asher had expected it. “We were just starting to not hate each other, too.”
Letting go of Asher’s hand, Cameron sat back with a huff. “He doesn’t hate you. He just…”
“He’s protective. I get it.” He felt the same way about Luke. “We should get everyone together so I only have to tell this story once. Luke knows everything that happened back then, but it’s probably not a bad idea to give him a heads up on what’s happening now.”
“Agreed, but I think you need to have a private meeting with Becca.”
“Yeah, you’re right.” He should have thought of it. His agent would have a plan. Becca always had a plan. The sooner he talked to her, the sooner she could start damage control. “I’ll call her in the morning. Do you want to be there?”
“I wish I could, but I’m meeting with the attorneys from Braxton and Nash in the morning.” Cameron stared at him for a long time, lines marring his brow. “You seem really calm about all of this.”
“Do I?”
He didn’t feel calm. He felt like he was going to vibrate right out of his skin. Not only did he have a career to worry about, but when the world discovered he had been Ashley Derringer once upon a time, they’d eventually find his parents. He doubted Suzanne and Lawrence Derringerhad given much thought to him over the years, but if the media found them, he could only imagine the lies they’d concoct to protect their good standing in the community.
If money was involved, he’d probably have another tell-all book on his hands. He could already see it. They’d give it some stupid, clichéd title likeAsher from AshesorDaring Betrayal. To add insult to injury, it would probably be a bestseller, maybe even outsell his own books.
Cameron seemed to be waiting for something more, so he added, “I guess I feel better now that we have a plan.”As tenuous as it is. “Plus, there’s nothing I can do about it. Losing sleep over it isn’t going to change anything.”
Cameron didn’t say anything, but the tightening around his eyes and the pursing of his lips said he didn’t fully believe Asher’s words, either.
Standing, Asher offered his hand, pulling Cameron to his feet as well. “Come on, it’s getting late. There’s nothing more we can do tonight.”
“Yeah, you’re right.” He turned and started to reach for the leftovers, but Asher stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.
“I’ll take care of this.” The poor guy looked dead on his feet. “Jump in the shower. I’ll be to bed in a minute.”
Realizing he’d be sleeping with Cameron in his arms cleared some of his melancholy and put a smile on his face. He didn’t even want sex. Okay, healwayswanted sex, butmostly, he just wanted to hold on to Cameron and forget the rest of the world existed for a little while.
Stopping beside him, Cameron lifted his head for a kiss, humming softly when Asher complied. “Things will be better in the morning,” he whispered. “Everything always seems worse in the dark.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
“Drug trafficking, prostitution, moneylaundering, extortion, and racketeering. Quite a list of charges.” Cameron scanned the document on his desk. “I have a team ready to get to work on the accounting end.” Pushing the sheet of paper away, he leaned back in his chair and templed his fingers under his chin. “What exactly do you need from me?”
Usually, the details would be hashed out through email and fax, most of it handled by assistants and secretaries. Cameron liked to know who he was working with, though, and he wanted to know exactly what the job entailed. He’d built his company on the principles of honesty and integrity, and he wouldn’t risk his reputation for any amount of money.
“Ideally?” Ethan Nash unbuttoned the jacket of his expensive, tailored suit and rested his right ankle on his left knee. “We need the client list.”
