Page 165 of The Sinner's Sanctuary

Technically only two hours, but it feels like longer because I’ve been drinking.

As I’m contemplating which card to play in answer to “The reason Russia dropped a nuke,” Larry, who’s always got his phone out, suddenly picks it up and taps the screen. “Oh myGod.”

“What?” Jeremy asks, leaning over to look. “Who is that?”

Larry continues to stare at the phone, aghast.

“All the good bits are blurred out.”

“That’s not the point, hon. Oh, lord, my brain needs a good flossing.” Larry taps the screen again and appears to be reading.

“Anyone wanna let us in on the latest hot topic?” Olivier asks, sounding thoroughly annoyed.

Just then, Jeremy gasps. “A Republican?”

My head snaps up. “What are you watching?”

“A conservative Republican senator’sgay sex tape,” Jeremy says.

I’m gonna throw up.

Drew’s voice booms from the other side of the table. “Which senator?”

“Ours. Lawther. Greg or?—”

“Graham,” I supply.

Drew gets to the phone first, but I’m reaching for it, too—the instinct to protect Silas overtaking us both. But the look we share is grim even as Larry objects to being separated from his emotional support phone. It doesn’t matter who at this table knows. The video is out there. And what a fucking coincidence.

Sounds like Gibson went through with asking for the annulment.

“I’m gonna be sick,” I say, crossing the enormous penthouse to the bathroom.

Drew follows me with his hand on my back. “You okay?”

“I knew about that video.”

“How?”

“Gibson.”

He comes into the bathroom with me, leaves the door open, wets a washcloth, and puts it on the back of my neck. “Close your mouth and breathe through your nose.”

I do, and it tamps down my gag reflex. “How’d you do that?” I ask.

“My sister’s a nurse. She’s a bitch, but I’ve picked up some tricks. Wanna tell me what’s going on?”

I tell him everything I know, from the way I found out that day at the Downside Lounge to the talk I had with Silas, to the fact that Gibson’s planning to end his marriage, and Marianne has access to the video. I even manage to squeeze in something about Avery, who he knows of through Elodie and Olivier.

“You think if you called, you could get Silas over here?” Drew asks. “He doesn’t usually answer when I call.”

Before I can respond, Elodie’s hanging by an arm in the doorway. “Your boyfriend’s here,” she sing-songs.

I put my hand on my chest. “I’m gonna have a fucking heart attack.”

“I’ll try Silas,” Drew says. “Go talk to Gibson.”

“If you can’t get him?—”

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