“I called you, tried to warn you before you went onstage, but it was too late.” Harper’s voice is mournful. “I saw the pictures right before the interview started. I was worried Reggie would pull something like this.”
“I heard my phone buzzing, but there was no time…” I expel a sharp breath. “He saw an opportunity and didn’t hesitate to use it to his advantage. Can you imagine the ratings boost we just gave him?”
“Cutthroat, but effective.” Harper scowls.
We walk to the SUV and pile inside — Grayson and me in the back, Harper and Masters up front. No one says a word as we pull out of the underground garage onto the street. I’ve never been more grateful for tinted windows; there are at least thirty paparazzi gathered on the curb, hoping for a shot of me and Grayson as we emerge.
I duck my head down as the world explodes in a mob-scene of camera flashes and screams. They’re pounding on the glass windows, rocking the car back and forth in their ferocity. Masters pumps the brakes to avoid running several of them over as they lean onto the hood of the car, snapping their shutters crazily.
KAT, IS IT TRUE?
ARE YOU PREGNANT?
DO YOU PLAN TO KEEP THE BABY?
GRAYSON, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE NEWS?
I grit my teeth and try to tune them out, ducking low to hide my face. Masters slams his palm against the horn, blasting an ear-splitting warning into the air. The paparazzi have only seconds to leap out of the way as he guns the engine and we leave the horde behind.
We careen through the streets at twice the legal speed. The world feels muted in the absence of raining fists and bellowed accusations. Only when the SUV has slowed to a normal pace am I certain we’re in the clear. I sit up in my seat and look around. We’re in an unfamiliar part of the city — somewhere off the grid of Hollywood’s glamour and glitz, packed with rows of dingy warehouses and nondescript cars. A relieved gasp slips out from between my lips.
We’ve lost them.
Belatedly, I realize my hand is still wrapped around Grayson’s. I start to extract it, but his fingers suddenly twist and tighten on mine, trapping them.
My eyes meet his — dazzling green, swimming with ghosts.
He finally finds words. Or,word.
“Kat.”
My brows lift.
“Is it true?” He grits out the question through clenched teeth. “Tell me it’s not true.”
I gulp for air. “I… I…”
He releases my hand with a rough jerk.
“God, this is a fucking nightmare.” His eyes are wild with fear and anger. “I can’t believe this. I cannotfuckingbelieve this is happening to me again.”
I anticipated that he’d react poorly, but I wasn’t expecting this level of rage. Granted, it might’ve gone better if I’d had the chance to drop the baby-bomb myself, rather than him hearing it from a sleazy talkshow host, but he still doesn’t have to be such an asshole about it.
He scoffs bitterly. “I just went through this with Helena and now… Again! Twice! It’s un-fucking-believable.”
Anger sweeps through me. “Convenient how you seem to assign the blame exclusively to me and Helena… because apparently the choice not to use protection isn’t at allyourfault?”
“So, it’s true then.” He looks at me, mouth flattening. “Great. Fucking great.”
“First of all, even if I am pregnant, I never said it was yours.”
“Of course it’s mine.” He scoffs bitterly, as if the idea of me being with someone else is totally ludicrous to him. “Who else would it belong to?”
How typical of Grayson Dunn — expecting my loyalty while offering none of his own.
My teeth clench so tight, I’m giving myself a headache. “Grayson—”
He cuts me off. “You’re not planning to keep it, though. You have to get rid of it. At least tell me you recognize that.”