Page 104 of Insatiable Park Avenue Prince

“Of course. Listen,” I said, leaning back against my door and staring at my big, empty bed. “What are you doing right now?”

“Uh, well, I just got rid of my neighbor and was about to throw something in the oven for dinner. Then I was going to sit on my couch and reminisce about the most amazing weekend I’ve ever had.”

“Hmm, that doesn’t sound half bad. But you know what would be better?”

“What’s that?”

“If you did all of that but over here, on my couch.”

“You aren’t sick of me? We just spent the weekend together.”

I knew I should probably want some space, and that it was somewhat reckless to have him come over when we were doing everything we could to wipe speculation over our relationship from the internet. But it wasn’tusI was trying to erase, and the one thing I knew above all else was that I missed him.

“Kelly?”

“Hmm?”

“Please come and spend the night with me.”

He hummed in my ear, and I swear it felt as though he were right there next to me. “How am I ever supposed to say no to you again?”

“You’re not, which is why you’re going to say yes to this too. I’m going to have Scotty pick you up and bring you here. He’ll drop you at the private entrance and they’ll let you up.”

Kelly said nothing for a moment, then, “Are you sure?”

“About what?”

“My coming there? Maybe I should give you some—”

“If you say space, things are going to get ugly real fucking fast.”

“I don’t think that’s physically possible for you. But okay, send Scotty. I’ll be waiting.”

A LITTLE OVER half an hour had passed since I’d called Kelly, and my condo now felt as though it had a revolving door. One by one my friends had come and gone, some of them sympathizing over my situation, some offering a new identity and a one-way trip out of town—thanks, East—but luckily, the other person who had shown up was West’s miracle guy, Harry.

He was awkward and somewhat disheveled. I had no idea where West had found this kid. All I knew was that he had a shiny new backpack with reflectors on the zippers where he kept his laptop, and really, that was all I needed to know.

I showed him through to my kitchen island and offered him a drink, and after those very few words were spoken, he pulled up a seat and got to work.

“Where’d you find this guy again?” Preston asked as West kicked up his feet on my coffee table.

Sporting a shirt and socks now, West looked more awake than he had when I first called, and the charming smile he aimed Preston’s way said his brain was now fully functioning too.

“I tracked him down to help get intel on Golden Boy.”

I tossed a pillow at him. “You did not.”

“Did too. I mean, I wasn’t gonna go in unarmed so JT could shoot me down. So Harry got me some info, and, well, the rest is history.”

“I thought he just helped you get rid of your video of shame.”

West eyed me, his blue ones sparking with mischief. “Myvideo of shame? You’re one to talk, ‘mystery man.’”

“You know what I mean.”

“Yeah, yeah, well, he got rid of that too. Smart guy, that Harry. Gotta keep him close.”

“Uh huh.” Preston chuckled. “Because you knew you’d need him to get you out of trouble again at some point.”

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