Page 110 of Theirs to Corrupt

I’m horrified.

There are at least two dozen snapshots. Almost all of them include me. Some include me and Link. Others have Pax in them as well.

There are plenty that show our reception, and everyone is identified by name.

Rafe and Hope Sterling. Lorenzo and Zara Carrington. Matteo Moretti.

I lower my phone.

Not long ago, I had judged Link for having a picture with a mobster.

And now here I am.

The magazine used to be my favorite. After this I’m not sure I’ll ever want to look at it again.

“Can I get your autograph?” Natalie asks as I drop my phone into my purse.

Thankfully, as I know, there will be another breaking story in twenty minutes, and that will knock us much deeper in the feed.

At least I hope so. Pray so.

But plenty of people have already seen the scoop. With the way word spreads, no doubt the whole world knows about our relationship.

“You look totally radiant in all of them. I don’t know how you did it. My smile would have frozen to my face halfway through the evening.”

“And you think mine didn’t?” Even though my insides are reeling, I keep my words light.

“I’m so happy for you and the way your life has worked out. It couldn’t be more perfect.”

I uncap my water bottle and take a sip, trying to steady my thoughts.

At one time, I believed in happiness, but that’s when my parents were alive and I was heading to college with my whole life ahead of me.

“Feel free to invite me to every one of your parties.”

“You’re on the guest list.” As if I have any say over that.

“Almost everyone stayed until the very end of the reception,” she tells me. “Quite a party. We danced forever.”

Since it will do me no good to agonize over the fact I’ve just had my face plastered all over the internet, I shove aside my embarrassment to focus on what Natalie is saying. “David seems really nice.”

“He’s wonderful.” She picks up her truffle and takes another nibble. “And he kept me up half the night after we got back.”

My men had done the same, and the memory is enough to make it feel as if someone has turned on the heater.

“Guessing your evening was pretty awesome too.”

I tighten my grip on the water bottle.

“So you went from being a virgin to taking two guys in the same night?”

“Yeah…” I search for words and can’t seem to find them. Then suddenly I can’t help myself. “They’re so different.”

Her eyebrows are drawn together in great concentration. “I can’t imagine.”

“But you are trying to do exactly that, aren’t you?” I tease.

“Guilty.” She gives a delicious little shiver. “Who can blame me? I mean you’ve got yourself two delicious husbands.”

---