Page 53 of Come Here and Kiss Me

“I don’t know who sent it or why, but at first, it was used to try to get Ronan fired.”

“What?”

“That’s why we lied about it,” I explain.

“Oh my God. That’s why the sudden engagement.” She puts the pieces together. “You were just lying so he wouldn’t get in trouble for sleeping with a student?”

“Something like that. There’s also a morality clause and sex in a public place is… well, it’s definitely on the list of ‘don’t do that.’”

I take a steadying breath and continue, “But then it was sent to our friends and now leaked to the press.”

“And both times, I think that was intended to hurt me, not him.”

“But who would do that?” she questions, and I can see the wheels turning in her mind. She’s probably compiling the long-ass list of people who either hate me, hate my father, or simply would find it entertaining to see the public fallout of a notorious socialite.

She sits back in the chair in front of me, taking another sip from her glass, and I do the same. Except I down my drink like she just did hers, and she refills it before we continue.

“Promise me you won’t tell anyone.”

She responds without hesitating. “I promise.”

“Did you watch the video?”

“I mean… you look great. Those yoga classes really paid off. And your tits looked amazing. Seriously, you’ve never looked better.”

If I wasn’t so emotionally drained, I might actually laugh. I bury my head in my lap. “Oh God. That’s not what I’m worried about.”

“I know. I was just trying to reassure you. It’s very ’90s celebrity sex tape of you, and look how well that turned out for them.”

I shake my head. I know she’s only trying to make me feel better.But all I can think is that this video will destroy my life. I start to tell her about my theory regarding my trust, but she cuts me off.

“Isn’t it kind of weird that the video was cropped, and he’s hardly in it? Like… it’s a little weird.”

My stomach sinks, and I say, “I know.”

“Do you think…?” I start to ask her if she thinks Ro could have been involved in it at all, but she shuts the thought down immediately.

“Don’t be so pessimistic. It’s not in your nature. You need to manifest good things. Here.” She grabs one of her rocks off the table. She’s always been a little hippie-dippie. “Hold this.”

“Aspen, your crystals aren’t going to save me right now.”

“Hold it anyway.”

I chuckle despite myself.

I do as I’m told and hold the smooth pink crystal as hard as I can, like it will magically make this all disappear.

“How much longer does your engagement go on?”

“I’m not sure.” I deeply sigh. “Ronan didn’t say.” I almost add that I never did see or sign the contract, but I keep that part to myself.

We stare at one another for a couple more seconds when all of a sudden, there’s a knock on her door.I look down at the rock like it magically brought someone here.Please be a fairy godmother who tells me I have some rich uncle I’ve never heard of who passed and left everything to me.

Aspen looks up with a questioning expression.

“You expecting someone?”

She shakes her head and leaves to answer it. When she comes back, I’d be knocked on my ass if I wasn’t already sitting.

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