No, I’m not sure. It doesn’t sound like something Warren would do. I think, but then whoever it was, was almost certainly motivated by the smears that the Crane family paid for.
"What do you want me to say?"
"Say no!" He throws his hands up. "Say you’d never do that and your family wouldn’t do that. Maybe acknowledge that while you've been fucking me, you’ve also been trying to ruin my life."
I step toward him. “I haven’t forced you to do anything. You didn’t want me to fuck you, all you had to do was not turn up, but you did. Every single time. You can’t expect me to take the blame for that.”
I’ve got him with that one. Finally, an argument I can win. I haven’t forced him into any of this. That’s one thing he definitely can’t hold over me. No one made him turn up to any of the hotel rooms. That was his own choice.
The look of disdain he gives me would be enough to curdle milk. “So I have sex with you and that means it’s okay to trash me in public.”
I feel my own temper flare. “Now, who’s being a hypocrite? I cancelled three fundraisers to be here. I’ve lied to my entire family about where I am. If anyone finds out I spent a week alone with you—"
"What?" Jamie cuts in. "What happens, Carter? You get some bad press? Your family has to spin it? Poor you."
"It would destroy any chance I have at—"
"At what? Following in your father’s footsteps?" His voice has gone venomous. "Maybe that's not such a tragedy."
"You don't know anything about my family."
"I know more than you do, apparently.”
"We should probably not—" I start.
"Not what? Talk about it?" Jamie shakes his head. "Yeah. Maybe we shouldn’t. Look what happens when we do."
He walks to the window, arms wrapped around himself, and stares out at the darkening forest. His shoulders are tense. His reflection in the glass looks hollow. Suddenly, I see his shoulders sag.
"Is that a threat?" he asks quietly.
"What?"
"You said if anyone finds out. About us. Is that a threat? You'll tell people we're sleeping together to discredit me?" He turns from the window, and his face has gone pale. "It’ll play right into the story your people have been building? Everyone will think I was so cock-drunk on you that I made it all up for revenge.”
"Jesus, Jamie. No." I'm genuinely appalled. "I would never—"
"Wouldn't you?" He takes a step toward me. "But that’s exactly your current playbook."
"That's not why I brought you here."
"Then why did you? What's the risk to you, exactly?" His voice is rising. "Because from here, it looks like you have all the power in this situation, and I have none."
"You want to play with the big boys," I hear myself say, and I hate the words even as they leave my mouth. "Did you really think there wouldn't be pushback?"
Jamie stares at me. His expression shutters closed.
"Wow," he says quietly. "Okay." He picks up his glass of water from the coffee table and drains what's left of it. Sets it down with too much force. "I should pack."
"The heat isn't fully over—"
"I’ll manage."
He walks past me toward the bedroom. I don't stop him.
I stand in the living room and listen to drawers opening and closing. The soft thud of clothes being shoved into a bag. My hands are shaking.
The fire pops. Outside, the wind howls.
