“Hallie ‘Hallion’ Thorne’s head on a platter.” She licked her lips, her eyes boring into mine with manic intensity. “I want to know everything about President Thorne’s wild child. All the dirty deets. The interesting secrets. Why she’s alone here? Why she dropped out of college? What it’s like in her big, lonely mansion?”
I thought about Hallie’s dyslexia. Sexual abuse. Fucked-up family life and insecurities. The Thornes were hiding so much. Instead of giving her the support she needed, in case of making her an advocate, lifting her up to the position she deserved, they tucked her away, then were surprised when she became bitter and uncooperative.
“Who do you work for?” I asked.
“Yellow Vault.”
Yellow Vaultwas one of the worst tabloids out there. Their headlines rarely had anything to do with reality. Whenever I passed by a stack of the wasted paper in a bodega or kiosk while grabbing a coffee, I wondered who was soulless and corrupt enough to come up with these headlines.
PRINCE FREDERIK’S SEX DWARF EATEN BY GIRAFFE.
THE POPE’S DEADLY PARTY BINGE.
PREGNANT BY THE SAME MAN! CAN THESE TWO ACTRESSES SURVIVE THE SHAME?
“Let me get this straight.” I leaned against the bar. “You think I’ll break my NDA and ruin my good name for a chance to earn ten percent of my annual salary and the opportunity to tit-fuck a pair of plastic jugs?”
Anna pushed my fresh drink toward me along the bar, her face impassive. “I think you’re interested. I’ve made it this far with you, haven’t I? Drink up.”
Amused that she thought such an obvious ploy could work on me, I smirked. “If I have another drink, so should you.”
“Deal.” She ordered shots. “And back to our conversation—I don’t know why you’re contemplating taking my offer, but I can tell you are. Might not be the money. And the sex is definitely just a small perk. But whatever’s making you want to go for it—listen to that voice. You’re nothing in the Thorne operation. Just another service provider. And this article will be risk-free, I guarantee. You’ll be an anonymous source. I can sign whatever your lawyer sends my way.”
If Hallie found out I’d sold her secrets, I wouldn’t have to keep away. She’d make sure she had nothing to do with me all on her own. The idea wasn’t completely bad.
Anna and I downed more shots.
She put her hand on my shoulder, letting out a little excited gasp. “Wow. Someone’s been working out.”
“There are rules if you want to have sex,” I said, ignoring her observation. “Non-negotiable, just like my terms for this deal.”
“Let’s hear ’em out.”
She waved to the bartender, ordering more shots.
That’s when I realized I knew Anna.
Up close and personal.
And that she recognized me, too.
Three hours later, I tripped out of a taxi, stumbling my way to Hallie’s front door. I couldn’t take the car. I couldn’t evenwalkto the car. What I could do was recognize I’d made a terrible mistake, and that I was going to regret it.
After two unsuccessful attempts to punch the security code at the door later, the massive piece of wood swung open on its own accord. Max stood on the other side, looking sleepy, still in his day clothes.
What time was it? I glanced down at my watch. Four in the morning. Great.
“Everything okay, boss?” Max asked, stepping sideways to allow me entrance. I zigzagged to the kitchen, the room around me spinning. I didn’t drink much. At least, notthatmuch. Which led me to believe the ever-resourceful Anna had spiked one of my shots after she’d realized I recognized her, probably while I was busy checking my phone for texts from a certain Hallion.
I pulled a cabinet open, took out a glass, and poured myself tap water, gulping it in one go.
“Fine. Get the fuck out of here.”
“You sure?” Max shifted in his spot, barefoot. “You don’t look like…hmm…”
“Like what?” I demanded.
“Like you’re in a state to protect someone else.”