I toss my phone onto the bed, unable to read anymore.
Asher wraps his arms around me from behind. “We’ll take care of this. But in the meantime, let’s try to enjoy the weekend.”
I huff out a breath and tug at the ends of my hair.
“It’s hard to enjoy anything when it feels like everyone who’s ever known me is lying about me to trashy tabloid magazines.”
Asher lets out a long sigh and leans down to rest his chin on my shoulder.
“I know it’s hard to hear, but this is a natural part of being in the public eye. The public wants to build you up and set you ona pedestal, but they also want to tear you down and watch that pedestal crumble beneath your feet. I don’t know why that is, but I see it with every single person in the public eye. No one is immune. You’ve had lots of good press since you were photographed with my mom, so it’s only natural that it shifts, and people’s claws start to come out.”
“Yeah, I noticed. I had to stop reading the comments. Did you know that my smile is so fucking annoying? And my hair is hideous. And lots of people are totally sure I’m just a fake-ass bitch gold digger.”
He kisses my neck. “I don’t know those things. What I do know is that you’re beautiful, and intelligent, and too good for me.” He pinches my sides, and I yelp in surprise. “And fucking hell, I want you to recreate that dance for me in our bedroom. I practically blew a load in my pants like a goddamn teenager when I watched it.”
I groan. “But it apparently makes me a stripper.”
“We’ll do what we can to mitigate it, but things like this blow over. And I just count myself all the more lucky.”
“Why is that?”
“Because I know you’renota stripper,” he leans down, and I turn my head to see a wicked smile on his face, “but now I know you can move like one. And I am fully expecting my own private lap dances from now on.”
I snort.
His hands tighten around my waist.
“And what do I get in return to be your private stripper, Mr. Langford?”
“At this point, whatever the fuck you want.”
I let out a dry laugh. “I guess it’s a good thing you’re paying me a lot of money to live in this insane spotlight.”
“It is good. Plus, as I said, it will blow over quickly. I’ve made sure of it.”
“You’ve made sure of it?”
“I have my lawyers on it already. But I took it a step further and put Sterling on it as well.”
I turn around to face him.
“Sterling? What can he do?”
“Don’t forget that he’s an incredibly talented hacker. I’ve given him the go ahead to fuck up the tabloids’ businesses from the inside. He’s hacking into their systems as we speak. They won’t know it was us of course, but they will get a taste of my wrath. And my lawyers will hit whatever is left.”
“If this was an option, why didn’t you do this in the past?”
“I have done it here and there, with larger stories or threats, but I have never given Sterling full license. I kept his skills on a leash because I didn’t want to draw attention to Langford Holdings, but after everything that happened with Kyle, RTZ, and Katrina, I’ve decided I’m done letting tabloids always have the upper hand. I always try to be ethical, but I’m growing moreflexiblein certain areas, and so I cut Sterling’s leash.”
“Will it work?”
“If Sterling and I have our way, it will.”
“You’re terrifying when you want to be, Mr. Langford.”
He pulls me back into an embrace. “Only to those who wrong me or mine.”
“Are you worried about what people will say tonight? What they’ll think?”
