True. Another reason for Tolyan to hurry.
“Is anyone going to be keeping score by then?” Elliot asks.
“Let’s worry about that later,” I say. Hopefully it won’t come to that…and it won’t, if I have my way. “What matters is taking care of this mess for now.”
“You okay?” Elliot asks.
No. I have a psycho stalker who sent me a vacuum-sealed puppy. Who knows what this news is going to do to him? “I’m fine. I just don’t like having this out there. I’ve got enough problems.”
He sighs, probably assuming I’m annoyed about potential fortune hunters and garden-variety stalkers.
“Okay, then problem solved for now,” Ryder says. “Elliot and I will deal with it; the rest of you sit tight.”
“If you screw things up, I’m going to break your pretty face,” Lucas growls.
“Fine. But when I fix the problem, you owe Paige an apology. She’s rather fond of my face.”
Lucas curses, but at least he’s not yelling anymore.
“When are you marrying Ava?” Elliot asks.
Ugh. Elliot can be so brilliant…and so stupid.
Lucas laughs maniacally. “After this shit? I’ll be lucky if she doesn’t spit in my face.”
I ask that we end the call soon afterward since I don’t want my brothers fighting. It’s time to unite and form a strong front against the world like we always do when we have a common enemy.
Half an hour later, my phone beeps. It’s a text from Tolyan.
Your brother’s not as foolhardy as I thought. The text has a screenshot attached to it.
It’s Elliot on Twitter and Facebook: Wow. Do I look like the type who gets married just to get a painting?
Not bad. He isn’t lying, but people will start to doubt the tabloid article simply because of his reputation.
Over the next several days, Ryder’s on TV, casually mentioning how much he adores his wife and how much he worries that malicious gossip may affect her “delicate condition.” He’s so convincing, the audience on the talk shows laps up everything. I swear, he could claim horseshit really came from cows and people would believe him.
So far so good. Andy’s been staying away as well, probably because Dorothy took my warning seriously. Still…
She and her husband won’t outlive their son.
Will he then go on a horrible rampage? Dorothy and Chuck have been keeping him in check, ensuring he doesn’t attack women or do anything to break the deal those two and I have.
Tolyan offered to end the problem—which I’m certain will involve Andy’s…disappearance—but I just can’t agree to his method. I can’t bring myself to look the other way, which is all that Tolyan asks. “Think of it like squashing a cockroach,” he said…but people—even people like Andy—aren’t bugs.
Still…
Once the business with the portraits is finished, I’ll have to find a more permanent solution to Andy Brown.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Dominic
“Her assistant says she’s busy until next year.” Brian’s voice over the phone is professional as usual, but tinged with frustration. He hates failure and loathes disappointing me.
“I see.”
“Do you want me to see if you can get an appointment in January?”