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“By morning, they’ll be broke,” Leo said, offering me a fist to bump.
“And won’t know up from down,” I agreed. “Ripe for the picking.”
“What do you want to do next?” He struggled to stay awake, pretending he wasn’t tired so I wouldn’t have to be alone. But I had noticed him beginning to wilt at least an hour ago.
“Let’s call it a night,” I said.
His brow furrowed. “You sure you’ll be all right?”
“Yes, I’m fine. Go to bed. But promise you’ll back me up when we talk to Papa about me being the one to swoop in and pick up the pieces of our devastated rival, okay?”
“Pick over the bones, you mean. But of course. You earned it, Ev. You’re going to do great up there.”
I forced a big smile because he expected me to be delighted about our complete and utter victory. And I should have been. This had been the most important thing to me, and now it seemed rather empty. It was all I had since Mikhail wasn’t going to fight for me. I’d prove to my father I could be a good leader and find satisfaction that way.
“Oh, Leo,” I called before he got out the door. He turned, ready to do anything for me. It was nice having a twin brother, someone who’d never let me down. “Let me use your phone, will you?”
“Sure,” he said, tossing it to me. “But don’t read my sexts with Natalia Obolensky. Trust me.”
“Gross,” I said, horrified. “Why would you even tell me you were doing such a thing?”
“Because I know you get curious, but believe me, you don’t want to know what disgusting things we say to each other.”
I picked up a pen and threw it at him. “Ugh, get out.”
He ducked the projectile and thumped his way out on his crutches, laughing. I scrolled through his contacts until I found Kristina, and my resolve wavered as my thumb hovered over the call button. I had to do this. We’d never kept secrets from each other, and I wouldn’t jeopardize our friendship for the world. She was as important to me as Leo was.
“Oh God,” I groaned, close to chickening out. Why was I doing this? Mikhail wouldn’t tell her if his life depended on it. My father certainly didn’t spend time gossiping with her, and Leo was loyal to the marrow.
My heart hurt, and I needed my best friend. Even if she hated me, I had to try to make her understand. And maybe, hopefully, she wouldn’t hate me. I pressed the button.
“Leo?” she answered tentatively. “What’s wrong? Is everyone okay?”
“It’s me,” I said. “I… lost my phone, so I had to use Leo’s.”
“Evelina!” she shrieked. “I was starting to get worried. I knew you were on a job, but you never go quiet this long.”
She kept talking in a rush—It seemed like she was in Hawaii. It was so good to hear her voice. “Hey, Kristina,” I finally interrupted. “I have to tell you something.”
She knew instantly that it was serious and told me to go ahead. She said she suspected something was wrong because why else would her father pay for an acting workshop and then send her to a swanky resort in Honolulu.
“It was me,” I admitted. “I had a price on my head. But they’re taken care of now, so you’ll probably be able to go home soon. And about your dad….”
She chattered about wanting to set him up with her agent, and my stomach was tied in knots. Of course, my having a hit put out on me didn’t faze her now that the threat was over. It was par for the course in our lives.
“Stop,” I broke in. “I can’t listen to you talk about setting your dad up with some accomplished talent agent.”
“Why not?”
This was it. I swallowed hard. “Because I’m in love with him.”
I held the phone away while she howled with laughter. When she realized I wasn’t joining in, she said, “What the fuck? Are you serious? Umm, that’s disgusting. I mean, I knew you had that little crush on him in eighth grade, but come on, that was ten years ago.”
How did she know when I’d guarded it so carefully? I bought him that stupid, expensive bottle of cologne for Christmas. Of course. “Please don’t hate me,” I begged. “My dad had him bring me to his Everglades place until the heat was off, and… some stuff happened.”
She was silent for so long that I checked to see if the call was dropped. Then she roared with anger. “Do not tell me that. This is a cruel joke, Ev. It has to be. It’s sick. He’s like your dad. Heismy dad. What now? Are you going to be my stepmom?”
She really sounded like she might throw up. Why was this so difficult for the people closest to me to accept? Was I such a monster for loving a wonderful man?
