“Which are?”
“Apparently America thinks I’m a dickhead. Thirty percent too muchdickhead, according to the focus groups. So I have to get to the end, but… I have to lose. And guarantee a deserving underdog wins. Initially I was thinking Erika, but then Cinderella appeared at the ball.”
“So Iwasyour puppet the whole time.”
“No, you were my priority. And at the risk of reenactingShe’s All That, I had no idea you’d be so pretty when you took your glasses off.”
“Then why the bribery stunt?” I demanded. “Why have Camdon and Royce vote us in?”
He inhaled, bracing himself. “You weren’t actually supposed to go in. Imogen would have stuck by those twats no matter what, and her loyalty would have sunk you both. I needed to prove they’d screw her over at the first opportunity.” He wasn’t wrong. No one could have convinced Imogen to cross them. “Royce was always my target.”
“But if Royce had been voted in, what would have stopped him from picking us?”
“He knew I’d give Zara the tape. He was supposed to throw the Trial regardless, except Imogen blasted his nose before he got the chance—and more power to her,” he answered. “My only mistake was not anticipating Greta’s asinine attempt at proving a point.”
“You didn’t have a deal with Greta too?”
“There was never a legit deal. It was a sting operation, and I just needed dirt on Camdon and Royce to control them.”
“Right, your beloved tape recorder.”
“Which ironically I can’t even find now,” he muttered.
“But why lie about Aspen?” I demanded. “Why tell us about the scheme at all?”
His face fell, revealing a glimmer of the man behind the machine. “Jiamin.”
“What does she have to…” Then I got there. “You already knew she wanted to go in.”
“I overheard her asking Troy what would happen to Aspen and Greta if we both left,” he admitted. “I thought saying the bribery ring wasAspen’s idea would intimidate everyone from voting for him and Jiamin.”
“But when I told you her plan, you went ballistic.”
“I didnotknow she wanted to get pregnant,” he said carefully, as if each word were a thorn. “When I realized that was why she was back, my inner gremlin broke free. I was hurt… that she hadn’t told me herself, that she’d weaponized it.”
I scowled, beyond frustrated. “Why not just explain to Jiamin about the hosting deal?”
“Itried. She sent my notes back unopened, and once her big coup was in motion, she had cameras all over her, which fucks me, because I signed an NDA about Ecklund. So, do I leave, destroying every professional connection I have to provide for the woman I love, or do I go to her in a few weeks and apologize? Tell me, oh wise one, what would you have done?”
“I would have told my friend the truth so he could help me.”
“Not exactly used to that luxury.”
We stood in silence, all the cards on the table. Or were they? How could I be sure this wasn’t one more charade to win back my trust, only to cut my throat when most advantageous?
“You really messed up,” I said at last.
“You’re still in the game though. So is Imogen. Shawn. Melange.”
“Erika might not have been.”
“I sincerely never thought she’d go anywhere, but she’s still tied to Fortune,” he answered, voice neutral. “Whoisa threat to you.”
“And what if this is some story you’re feeding me to knock Fortune out for you later?”
“Then why was I willing to eliminate him myself the one time you were immune?” PB kept his eyes on me. “Doesn’t matter what I say, does it? You won’t trust me anymore.”
“Probably not, no.” Why did I feel so hurt? Even if I ignored it, I always knew who PB was. Hadn’t I already met a version of this man? Hadn’t I beenmarriedto him?
