Page 81 of Beauty & Chaos

“I’m not running,” she predictably responds.

Bingo.

I know exactly how to manipulate people, and playing Brook like a fiddle is why she is here.

Not falling in damn love.

Leo Taylor’s time has come, and he’s not taking Brook down with him. I’ll make sure of that. It won’t make me a saint, but once all this chaos is over, I’ll ensure her reputation is intact and then walk away.

That is what loving someone is truly about.

After lying to her, it’s the least she deserves from me.

“So what’s the plan?” I ask, settling back in my seat.

“I’ll share his letter on the show and leak it to fellow podcasters the night before. His bully tactics will go viral—because of him, not me—and it won’t be seen as anything more than a sign of guilt. Mostly.”

I nod, encouraging her to continue.

“Those who love him will start talking. Those who don’t will make horrible memes. You know the drill.”

I do.

Good, because another story will come along in forty-eight hours, and if this one doesn’t keep escalating, it will be forgotten. His little media stunt could backfire on him.

“What if I come on your show as an anonymous source?”

Brook blinks.

“You’d do that?”

“Yes, anonymously.” I shrug, forcing back my own shock at what I just offered. “I’d call in. It’s important I’m not identified. That includes your team.”

She studies me for a long moment.

“Understandable,” she says, lifting her wineglass. “Let me think about it.”

Brook is starting to question everything. I may have gone too far, too quickly. One minute I won’t give her any details, the next I’m offering to do a tell-all. Unfortunately, time is not on our side.

Technically, nothing I’ve said is a lie. If you break it down. I do know Terrance. I don’t know where he is. We were never introduced. I’ve been careful, maybe to justify it to myself. Or maybe I don’t want to lie to her.

I’ve just left off information that she could connect the dots and work out who I truly am.

Thing is, I am not that broken little boy anymore.

“If it helps and protects you, then I’ll do it,” I add, and her expression softens.

I grab the server’s attention.

“Yes, sir,” he says when he reaches the table.

“We’ll take dessert in our room.”

“Of course, we’ll have it delivered in the next fifteen minutes.”

“Thank you.” My gaze returns to Brook, who has lifted her brows.

“Will we?”