Page 44 of Two Sticky Nuts

I get ready to turn on the waterworks. I walk over and sit next to him, ensuring I don’t block the camera stuck to the knob on my funky ’90s Kmart floor lamp.

“Logan, I-I don’t know what to do. Your brother was filming me the entire time for some documentary.”

“What?” He raises a dark brow.

I nod. “He had a camera on his shirt button.” Unlike the high-tech, state-of-the-art stuff I have. “There was a cameraman in the tree across the street, too. He even had fake police come to my house and fake arrest him.”

Logan stares for a long moment and then laughs with a booming voice.

“What’s so damned funny?”

“He’s done some crazy things before, but this really takes the cake.”

“Logan, your brother came inside my home and recorded me without permission. He pretended to like me. Then he did a bunch of really messed-up things to me like steal money and trash my car.”

“Which I paid you back for.”

I knew Logan would do this. I mean—I knewCarterwould do this: tell me there’s no real harm done.

“I’m filing charges, Logan. I spoke to a lawyer, and he recommends a restraining order, too. After that, I’m taking Carter to court to stop him from ever releasing any of that footage. Plus, I’ll be seeking a few million in damages.”

Logan bobs his head, rubbing his jaw. He’s playing the role of concerned brother well. “Look, Mila, I understand why you’re so upset. I really do. But give me a chance to speak with Carter.” He places a hand on my lap, sending unwelcome tingles through my leg and up, up, up.

I resist scooting away. He can’t know that I’m onto him.

“Didn’t you two get into a fistfight the last time you saw him?” I ask. “So how’re you possibly going to convince Carter to make things right?”How are you going to make things right?The answer is, he’s not. I’m taking matters into my own hands.

“If I tell Carter he’s facing possible arrest, he might be more amenable to scrapping the project and handing over all of the footage to you.”

“Not good enough.”

“What do you want from him?” he asks.

“Money,” I say. “Compensation for messing with my heart, invading my privacy, and humiliating me.”

“Did you really like Carter?” he asks, his voice filled with doubt.

Wouldn’t he like to know? “I enjoyed his company enough to see him again and allow him to stay at my house.” Plus, I was ready to go all in on sex with some kink. I took off my clothes and covered parts of my body in whipped cream.Oh shit. Maybe he recorded that.

“You okay?” Logan asks. “You look a little red.”

“Yep. Good.”

He bobs his head. “And are you okay with letting me speak with Carter first before you call the police?”

If Sofie’s right, Logan is going to call me in a few days and say Carter wants to meet. Logan won’t be there, of course. Then Carter is going to lie and say how sorry he is, but he’ll try to talk me into allowing his project to move forward.

“I guess,” I say.

Logan stares down at me with those sultry blue eyes. I try to see past his looks, but it’s not easy. Crazy or not, he is a beautiful guy.

I really wish he were real.But Logan is just a character invented by a madman.

“I’m sorry my brother did this to you.” He brushes a lock of hair from my face and tucks it behind my ear.

“It’s not your fault,” I lie.

“I know, but that doesn’t change how I feel.” He pauses, eyes locked on mine. “You’re a good woman, Mila.”

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