Page 152 of Sugar

I didn’t have the same authoritative voice as Easton, but I was willing to be the bad guy in his place. “He said party’s?—”

My words didn’t trail off. They cut off abruptly when Tripp moved, and I saw who was sitting on the floor in front of the low table.

Not just sitting there.

Sitting therewithan expansive selection of pharmaceuticals spread in front of him.

“Maddie?” Josh scrambled to sweep the bottles, baggies, and cash into his tattered backpack.

“Eh, eh, watch it,” Chase fucking Majors said when the white powder strayed from the tidy line. He ducked down to snort it up before any more was lost. He came up, squeezing and wiggling his nose as he went, and his glazed eyes landed on me. “Hey, I know you. Still with the old dude?”

“Get out,” I ordered.

Unsurprisingly, he wasn’t intimidated by me as he gave an annoying laugh. “I’m a guest here. You’re the help. No, you’re not even that. You’re fucking the help.”

“Fuck you,” Tripp shot back. It wasn’t the cleverest response, but it was more than I would be capable of right then. He looked at the other people in the room. “Fuck all of you. Now get the hellout of my house before I make sure none of you work on a movie with me again.”

“Who fucking cares?” Chase asked.

But apparently, they did because everyone except for Chase and Josh hauled ass from the room with mumbled apologies.

“Whatever.” Chase stood and staggered. “This party sucked anyway.”

And now he’s taking his ball and going home like a spoiled jerk.

“Let’s go, Josh.”

Worse than his ball.

“Gimme a minute,” Josh said as he rushed toward me. Gripping my arm, he backed us a few steps from the two bickering actors.

“I wouldn’t touch her if you want to keep that hand,” Tripp called.

Josh snatched it back, proving he wasn’t a complete dumbass.

Just ninety-nine percent dumbass.

“Chase Majors is the diva you work for?” I asked.

He didn’t bother to answer. His voice was a fervent plea. “You can’t tell Greer about this. I’m trying to get her back, and if she finds out?—”

It wasn’t the smart thing to do, but I couldn’t help it.

I started laughing.

“I’m serious, Maddie.Please.”

“You’re insane if you think I would keep this from her.”

“I get that she’s your girl, and you’re protective. But I’m good for her. You know that. Who else would put up with her neurotic bullshit?”

“Do you think this is helping?”

“Am I wrong?” he shot back. Not giving me the chance to list all the many ways he was ridiculously—and stupidly—incorrect, he kept spewing flimsy justifications. “I’m just looking out for my future with her. Pretty soon, I’ll be able to provide her with a good life. But not if you blow this up.”

“If you think that’s what Greer wants or needs, you don’t know her at all. She would tell you to shove your money up your ass if she were here, so I’m doing it in her place.”

He hesitated for a second, but when I turned to walk away, he rushed out, “It’s in your best interest to keep this between us, too.”