The urge to flee plagues me, but there isn’t a corner of this earth I could escape my misery.
This time, I have no choice but to face it head on.
ChapterThirty-Eight
JAYDEN
My phone rings incessantly. Congratulations on my ‘engagement’ pour in from every corner of the globe from what feels like every person I’ve ever met in my life, bar one, of course.
‘Those sneaky bastards. I can’t believe they leaked that story, just when Declan had sorted the visa application.’ Kim paces the kitchen, furious at the injustice of it all. ‘They just seem to be one step ahead. What are they going to do next?’
The buzzer sounds from the front gate and Kim practically runs to the security camera at the front door. ‘The reinforcements have arrived,’ she announces.
I join her at the door as she pushes the button allowing them access. We watch together as Gareth’s Tesla crunches up the driveway. Declan’s in the passenger seat. The pair of them crash out of the car and stalk into the house.
My friends’ arrival causes an embarrassing lump of emotion to form in my throat.
Gareth slaps my back. ‘We’ll figure this out. Don’t worry. Everybody knows anything in TMZ is only shitty speculation, anyway.’
My teeth worry at the inside of my cheek. ‘It’s just breathing oxygen into an already flaming fire, though. I’d hate for Chloe to think there was ever more to the situation. I need her to know I only ever had platonic feelings towards Lula. That I was only trying to help a friend.’
‘I’m putting copies of the private prenup which states the exact nature of your and Lula’s relationship, and the visa application in a OneDrive file for Chloe’s eyes only. They prove your intention’s are purely to help Lula with the green card,’ Declan says. ‘The immigration interview’s been cancelled and Lula’s student visa’s being fast-tracked as we speak,’
Kim’s tongue clicks against the roof of her mouth. ‘Guys, I hate to tell you this, but you know what bomb they’re likely to drop next, yeah? They’ve just told the world you’re planning to marry Lula. What’s the next worst thing they could do?’
‘Drag Chloe into it,’ I groan.
‘Exactly. Did Colton know you were sleeping with her?’ Kim asks.
Clearly, given his arrival at Slane Castle. She was the entire reason he came. To ruin things between us. An image of us laughing and running towards the limo, hand-in-hand, flashes through my brain. ‘Yeah, he did.’
‘Then prepare yourself for that to be tomorrow’s headline, unless we can find some leverage to persuade the Johnsons to stop.’
‘I was this fucking close, Kim.’ I pinch my finger and thumb an inch apart. ‘This close to saving everyone.’ Even myself. ‘I just couldn’t pull it off.’ My voice cracks, my throat dry.
‘You can still do it, Jayden. We’ll help convince Chloe you weren’t going to go through with the marriage once you started dating her.’
Declan steps forwards. ‘We can make this right, Jayden, but not while the Johnsons are rolling around like a couple of loose grenades. Although, as luck would have it, Senator Johnson has dug his dirty dick in some very tight holes.’ Declan smirks.
Gareth steps forwards, thumbing his chest proudly. ‘I’ve got something.’ His sandy-coloured eyebrows wiggle like a cartoon character. It’s apt seeing as he’s one of the biggest characters I know. ‘Think Monica Lewinsky and Bill Clinton. Kurt Johnson’s daughter isn’t the only one with a flair for home videography. He looks pretty good on the big screen, you know, if you’re into the silver fox trope,’ Gareth chuckles wryly. ‘Caught with his trousers down with his secretary.’
‘What a cliché. I thought he might have been a little more original.’ Kim plants her glossy lips on Gareth’s parted mouth with a smack. ‘When this gets out, his political career is dead.’
‘What about planting a couple of wraps of meth in his car?’ Declan suggests. ‘What goes around comes around. I’d love to see the LAPD taking a guy like that down in cuffs.’
I shudder. I’ve seen enough cuffs for a lifetime. ‘As entertaining as it would be, I think the tape is probably enough at this stage.’
‘Dang it.’ Kim’s fist drops, but she’s grinning.
Finally, we have a plan, thanks to the amazing people around me.
I pull Gareth into a man hug. He slaps my back.
Adrenaline sparks in my veins, reigniting that relentless drive I’ve had since I was a kid. The one I saw in Chloe. The one that pushes us to succeed, no matter what it takes.
As if I’m going to be defeated by a couple of LA has-beens.
‘Arrange a meeting. Immediately.’
