“Fair enough.” My smile feels tight across my face. “Drink? I should warn you”—I retreat toward the kitchen, grateful for the excuse to put furniture between us—“my options are limited to…”
I open the fridge and face my barren food desert—a half-empty Tampico jug and three beers huddled together like the last survivors of the apocalypse. A single slice of American cheese curls at the edges like it’s trying to escape the Tupperware container that I’ve been afraid to open since Forrest moved out. I sigh.
“If you’re feeling nutritious, I have orange juice, or beer if you prefer?”
Sage peers around me at the fridge’s sad offerings. Her expression somehow manages to convey disgust without moving a single muscle. “You’re calling Tampico, orange juice? And nutritious?”
“It has vitamin C.”
“It has corn syrup and delusion.” She straightens. “Water, please.”
“Excellent choice.” I grab a glass from the cabinet—the only one without a chip. “Would you like tap, or tap?”
Her smile is tight-lipped. “Surprise me.”
I fill the glass and hand it to her. She accepts it like I’m offering her a biohazard sample, holding it with two fingers as far from her silk blouse as possible.
We move to the living room. I drop onto my couch—the one that sags in the middle like a defeated sigh—while Sage perches on the very edge of the armchair across from me, knees pressed together, posture immaculate. She looks like a woman who’s never touched a piece of furniture that cost less than four figures.
“How can I help you?” I ask. “And also, how did you find me, stalker?”
Sage doesn’t answer. Instead, her eyes narrow to slits, and I watch her entire demeanor shift from “reluctantly tolerating this situation” to “about to verbally eviscerate you.”
“Let’s talk about you first,” she says.
“Okay, what exactly do you want to know about me?”
Her eyes grow wide. “Oh, I already know everything about you, Taio,” she says in almost a hiss.
“What the fuck does that mean?” I return her scowl.
“It means this adorable little accidental meet-cute story that Charlie concocted to protect you for some unapparent reason? I’m. Not. Buying. It. So I did some research. And I dug up every single piece of dirt you and your family were trying to bury. A prior prince of New York, his family worth tens of millions, and then poof.” Sage claps her hands together. “Turns out your wealth was stolen, your dad’s a felon, your mom ditched her married name and moved out of the country, leaving you here to live like…” She gestures around my sad apartment. “This.”
“Careful,” I warn.
“Oh, I get it. I believe all the articles that said you and your mom were none the wiser. Honestly, Taio—it was a shitty situation and I’m sorry. But no way being an escort is paying all those legal fees. No way you have enough to pull yourself out of bankruptcy. Seems like all your problems could be solved by blackmailing…oh, I don’t know—a pop star arguably worth nine figures?”
“Blackmail?” I balk. “What the hell?”
Sage uncrosses her arms and leans forward, her index finger directed at my head. “I already know who you are, Taio. Now, I need to know what you want. What you’replanning.”
Each word lands like a punch. I feel my jaw tighten, but she’s not done.
“Let me be clear—Charlie Riley is not my daughter, but she might as well be. Because I am the mama bear that will rip you to shreds if you try to hurt our girl. She’s innocent. Not just of this bubbling scandal, but Charlieis innocent.She’s probably the only young twenty-some in the industry who isn’t snorting lines or shooting up on ketamine. She doesn’t party or sleep around. She cares deeply about her craft, legacy, family, and all of the people she loves. You’re hand-plucking the petals of the most beautiful, delicate flower.” Sage lowers her gaze, swaying her head side to side, suddenly overcome by emotion. “She’s been through enough. Pick someone else. Anyone else. Someone more resilient. She’s not prepared to play your stupid games and win your stupid prizes.”
“You done?” My nostrils flare as I try to control my ragged breathing.
“Not yet,” Sage continues, her voice dropping to something even more vile. “If you come after her reputation, we’ll come after yours. And we’re so much better at it, let me assure you of that. I will destroy you. Not threaten. Not warn.Destroy. There won’t be enough left of your reputation to fill a thimble. We’ll come after you for extortion, harassment, trespassing, whatever it takes to throw you in a cell right next to your father.”
I’m on my feet before I realize I’ve moved. “Get out.”
Sage blinks. It’s the first time I’ve seen her look surprised.
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me.” I point to the door. “We’re done. Meager as it may be, this is my home. You’re not going to walk into my ownhome and insult me like this with your false threats and blatant lies. Tell Charlie, despite the unfathomably unpleasant company she keeps, our pact still stands. Her secrets are safe with me. Now, get out.”
“What secrets?” Sage asks, the sharp edges suddenly gone from her voice.
