Page 24 of Overexposed

“What happened?” Seven asked, looking between the two of us like we’d both just grown tails and started dancing the macarena. “How do you two know each other? Didn’t Gem bring this bitch home with him?”

I shook my head. “Nope, I did. You want a coffee before you go, Snow? Hah, that rhymed.” Chuckling to myself, I headed for the kitchen and silently prayed she would follow.

To my relief, she was either still concussed enough or simply confused enough to do just that and leave Seven pacing around like a bear with a sore head while I fired up the Italian espresso machine that sat in pride of place on the marble countertop.

“Wait, hold up,” Seven called out, following us a moment later. “What do you meanyoubrought her home? Gem?—”

“How do you take your coffee, Snow?” I asked the leggy brunette as she leaned her hip against the island. I wasn’t in the mood to walk Seven through all the events he’d missed, so it seemed easier to ignore him entirely.

She pursed her lush pink lips, and gave Seven a long side-eye before replying. “Black, please. No sugar.”

I nodded thoughtfully, prepping the hopper with fresh beans. “Coming up. Want it in a takeout cup so you can complete your sneak out before Gem wakes up?” I shot her a teasing wink and was rewarded with a pretty blush.

“She’s not going anywhere until she signs the fucking NDA!” Seven roared, slapping the contract down on the island counter. We had dozens of them and used them like fucking toilet paper. Literally everyone in our lives has been required to sign one.

I rolled my eyes, yawning again. “Obviously. Snow, sweetheart, I know Sev is being a boorish idiot, but surely you understand the need for our privacy.”

Her expression blanched a little and her eyes softened. “Yeah…I do. But I’m not signing that. Sorry, Olivier, I really do appreciate your help last night—Dillon could have killed me if you didn’t intervene—but signing that does nothing for me. Thanks but no thanks.”

Conversation had to pause a moment while I ground fresh coffee into the group head, the burrs loudly whirring and making it impossible to be heard. Then when it finished, I gave the total babe a curious look.

“I don’t get it. Why won’t you sign it anyway? Unless you were planning on sharing all the intimate details of your night in our house withPeople Magazinefor some ludicrous payout?” I snickered at my joke, but no one else did. In fact, the pretty girl shifted her weight from foot to foot and smoothed her hand over her hair in a clear sign that she was uncomfortable.

Seven, on the other hand, smirked like a Cheshire Cat. “Funny you should say that, Ollie. I guess you don’t know what your stray cat does for a living, then?”

She rolled her eyes, giving Seven a sneer. “Don’t be so fucking dramatic, Harrison. I have no intention of selling my story toPeople.”

I frowned, sure I was missing some vital piece of information. “What do you do for a living, Snow? Aren’t you a waitress?” Because the skirt and blouse were identical to the cater waiters who’d been working the party last night. I had assumed…

She gritted her teeth, glaring absolute daggers at Seven. “I’m a photographer.”

Sev scoffed. “She’s paparazzi. And she’s the one who sold those pics of Gem, knowing full fucking well that it was Gem and labeled them as me.”

My jaw must have hit the floor. Then I mentally replayed the events of the night before…how I’d heard the commotion and seen the asshole assaulting her from across the street. I hadn’t thought my actions through—thanks, alcohol—and acted on instinct to protect her. But if she was a pap…

“Did you set that up?” I exclaimed, horrified. “What the fuck would have happened if I didn’t step in to save you? That guy wasn’t faking!”

Outrage flooded her gorgeous face. “Don’t be ridiculous! For one thing, I don’tset shit up, and I sure as goddamn fuck wouldn’t let my psycho abusive ex beat the crap out of me in the miniscule hope a celebrity would step in to save me.”

“Wait, what the fuck?” Seven asked, scrubbing a hand over his face. “I’m missing some details.”

“So that’s why you won’t sign?” I demanded, folding my arms over my chest. “Sev, you better check her camera roll before you give that phone back. She might have nudes of Gem that she plans to peddle as you.”

The pretty, little liar threw her hands up in exasperation. “I’m not a fucking pervert! Jesus, you two are carrying on like I’m some sort of?—”

The loud chime of our doorbell interrupted whatever weak defense she was about to offer up, and I glared at Seven to goanswer it. He huffed a frustrated sound, then crossed to the video intercom on the wall to check who was on our doorstep.

“Jerry,” he announced, pressing the button to allow him entry. “Maybe he can offer better incentive for this bottom-feeding scum to sign the fucking NDA.”

Snow’s lip curled in disdain. “I doubt it. And unless you wanna find yourself facing charges of extortion and imprisonment, I suggest you make your peace with the fact that I willnotsignshit.”

“Ollie!” our manager bellowed from the foyer, sounding fucking irate. “Ollie! Get your happy ass down here and explain what thefuckyou were thinking!”

Seven looked to me with genuine curiosity, but I cringed. Now that I knew Snow was paparazzi andnotjust an innocent waitress…I’d bet my favorite boxer shorts her punch-happy ex was also in the sleaze-media game.

“In here, Jerry!” I called back, already cursing the moment I decided to play white knight and save Gem’s damsel in distress. Damn it all to hell.

Our manager strode through with brisk steps, his suit as immaculate as always despite the steam coming out his ears when he glared at me. “You fucking idiot!” he spat, throwing a glossy magazine down on the counter, then frowning at Snow. “Who is this?”

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