Page 98 of Faking It

I take her hand, relieved when she doesn’t pull away as we exit the set. She proves that it was only for putting up appearances when she shakes from my grip the second that we get outside. She marches ahead, her heels clicking on the concrete, the beat matching my racing heart. Why does it feel like I’m about to lose her?

We get in her side of the trailer. She whips around as the door closes behind me, muttering, “I’m usually a poor judge of character, but you…” she points at me, shaking her head. “You’ve proved how terrible I really am.”

Alarm bells go off in my head. “What do you mean by that?”

“All this time, we’ve been going back and forth about who’s feeding ANON this information. You pointed out that it was someone in the camp, and you were right.”

I cross my arms on my chest, waiting, hoping she’s not making the assumption I suspect.

“It’s you.”

Oh, fucking hell.

I throw my head back with a laugh that’s as dry as outside. “Are you for real?”

“Look at me. Does it seem like I’m joking?” she asks seriously.

“ANON posted crazy shit about me, or have you forgotten?” I ask incredulously.

“It would be hard for someone to prove you’re the mole if you’ve been sending info that could harm your character.”

She’s dead convinced, and it’s pissing me off. “Ana, that’s total bullshit. No one in their right mind would do something like that. Why the hell would I fuck myself over?”

“Maybe you’re trying to piss someone off. Like your daddy, for instance. Yeah,” she nods vigorously, clearly thinking she’d hit the nail on the head. “I was wrong about you. You’re nothing but a spoiled, entitled asshole, who’s doing shit for Daddy’s attention. Wrecking lives because you want him to love you back.”

I gape at her. Who the hell is this woman standing in front of me? This is not the person I’m falling for. Ana Kent wouldn’t hit below the belt like that.

“Look.” I raise my hands, backing off. “I don’t know what’s going on with you, and before I say some shit I’ll regret, I’m going to walk away.”

My hand is on the doorknob when I see the tears pooling in her eyes. “Do you want to know how I’m positive that you’re the mole?”

I release the knob. “I’m not the mole, Ana—”

“You leaked that information about the time I spent in prison. No one else knew but you,” she interrupts. “Luckily for me, Micah got the scoop before ANON posted it. Tori paid to make it go away.”

My brain short-circuits from information overload. I have so many fucking questions and statements, I don’t know where to start.

“Have a seat, Ana. This is going to take some time.” I secure the lock on the door.

“I don’t want to sit.”

“Please. Your feet will be sore if you stand in those heels much longer.”

Ana huffs when she realizes my point. She stomps over to the small couch and plops down.

“Let’s dissect this,” I begin, drawing the makeup chair and sitting in front of her. “Someone leaked the information about your past to ANON—”

“Not someone. You. I told no one else what happened, Gideon. Not even Tori. So, don’t even try to deny it. If you’re not the mole, then you told them? You betrayed my trust. Admit it.”

I lean forward, leveling my gaze with hers. “Believe me, I told no one.”

“Then how did they find out?”she shrieks, her eyes filling with tears again.

Now here is where things get tricky. Defending myself means coming clean about something I’d done, something she would not appreciate. Either way, I’m left holding the short end of the stick.

“Your mother leaked that information. Not me.”

For a moment, Ana stares at me blankly, her mouth wide open. It slams shut as she shakes her head at me. “You’re fucking something else.” She leans down and yanks off her heels. “I can’t believe I was wrong about you.”

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