Page 39 of The Girlfriend Card (Vegas Sin #4)

Victor. Leo’s best friend. The one he was always hanging out with, always spending all his free time with. Back then, I loathed myself for being jealous of Victor, but I couldn’t help it; I always felt like Leo would rather hang out with his best friend than me.

“Of course I remember Victor,” I mumbled. The pieces of the puzzle were quickly falling into place, but I still didn’t want to believe it.

“Yeah … Vic was more than a friend, Tavi.”

“That whole time ?”

He nodded, whispering, “Sorry.”

The floodgates of buried emotions from our teenage days burst open within me.

Insecurities about my self-worth, the lingering doubts about Leo’s faithfulness—it all resurfaced with a vengeance.

Before I knew it, my hand connected with Leo’s cheek in a sharp slap, the sting reverberating through the room.

“You should’ve told me,” I said, my voice quivering with anger and hurt. “You didn’t have to lie to my face! Do you have any idea how much pain you caused me? I knew something wasn’t right, and you were gaslighting me that entire time by pretending everything was fine.”

“Okay, yeah, I deserve that.” Leo winced, his hand soothing his reddening cheek.

“But to be fair, Tavi, you simply don’t know how hard it is for a confused teenage boy to come to grips with his sexuality.

Especially when his entire family is putting all these expectations on him to marry his beautiful girlfriend. ”

I took a deep breath, my anger subsiding slightly as his words sank in. It was easy to be angry, but I had to remember that Leo was a victim in this situation, too. It didn’t excuse his actions, no, but it helped to understand them from a new perspective.

I let out a guilty sigh.

“You’re right,” I said, my voice softer now. “I’m sorry, Leo. I shouldn’t have slapped you. That was wrong.”

He shrugged it off. “Meh, it’s okay. I’ve had that slap coming for some time now.”

“We were both caught in a horrible situation. Neither of us asked for this.”

“Just born into it,” he said with a chuckle.

“So … my dad caught you with Victor?” I asked, my curiosity piqued despite the turbulent emotions inside me.

“Boy, did he,” he said with a chuckle.

“How?”

Leo took a deep breath before answering.

“It was the summer between junior and senior year. You were throwing a pool party for all your friends,” he began, a hitch in his voice.

“Victor and I managed to slip away together. We snuck into the staff quarters, found an empty room, and had a little moment to ourselves—or so we thought.”

“What happened? Did someone walk in on you?”

“No … no one walked in on us. We did our thing and came back to the party like nothing happened and no one was any wiser.”

“Then how’d you get caught?”

“The estate’s security cameras showed Victor and I entering the staff quarters together. After that, Sal kept a closer eye on me.”

“So when did you know you were caught?”

“A couple months later, when your dad sat me down for a talk.”

“But why’d he wait so long?”

“Because your dad likes to gather evidence. Build a case. He waits for the right moment to make his move.”

“Which was?”

“Well, once he had compromising material on me and Victor, of course. From that day forward, whatever Sal wanted from me, you better believe, Sal’s gonna get.”

“That’s sickening ,” I said. “He’s manipulating you by holding a personal secret over your head.”

“On one hand? Yeah, I guess it is kinda fucked up. On the other hand?” He shrugged. “Maybe it’s not so bad.”

“How can you even say that?!”

“Your dad has a lot of money and he’s incredibly generous with it. So what if he has you under his thumb? If you just stop fighting him and go along with what he wants, he’ll make sure you’re taken care of. It’s really not so bad.”

“Right. As long as you do exactly what he wants.” I tutted. “That’s blackmail, Leo.”

“Yeah, maybe.”

“No, not maybe. That is the literal definition of blackmail.”

“Fine. Call it whatever you want, but that’s how money and power work at the highest levels of society. Everyone does it, Tavi. Everyone.”

“Sure. Whatever you say.” I rolled my eyes. “So Dad has this compromising material on you. And what does he want from you, exactly?”

“He only wants me to follow in my dad’s political footsteps, so I’ll be ready to run for President myself when I’m eligible.”

I couldn’t help it. I burst out with laughter. “President? You? ”

“And ideally, with you by my side,” Leo said, offering a sly grin. “Your dad wants to make you the First Lady, Tavi.”

“Then it probably wasn’t the smartest idea to plant a story about me cheating on you, was it? A rotten cheater isn’t exactly First Lady material.”

“I wouldn’t worry about it.” Leo dismissed my concerns with a wave of his hand.

“Did you notice that none of those pictures in that article showed any kind of intimate relationship? We do have pictures of you and Dakota holding hands and kissing, for example, but those weren’t used. Can you guess why?”

“So you can deny it,” I murmured.

“Bingo. All we have to do is issue a denial that you and Dakota are friends and nothing more. The story is discredited, buried, and completely forgotten about in a matter of days.”

“As long as I go along with Dad’s plan, right?”

“Well, yes,” he said matter-of-factly.

“So predictable.” I shook my head with a cynical laugh. “And I’m sorry, but I’m still having a hard time seeing you as a future President, by the way.”

“I won’t be eligible to run until I’m thirty-five, of course,” he replied. “But eight years of experience under my dad’s administration will go a long way towards building connections and gaining experience. During that time, I’ll also run for congress and start building my own political profile.”

I couldn’t stop laughing. “Do you have any idea how crazy this sounds? This is absolutely insane. You’re insane if you think you can just plot the future out like that.”

“Okay, Tavi,” Leo said with a shrug. He clearly didn’t think it was all that crazy. “It doesn’t really matter what you think of it. You only have to decide how you want this to proceed.”

That’s when it struck me: none of this would be necessary if they didn’t need me. I started to smile, feeling my power.

“You’re smiling,” Leo observed. “What are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking, it sure seems like I hold all the power here. So in actuality, you guys have to do what I want, if you want me to play along.”

Leo snickered, his eyebrow arching in amusement. “How do you figure that?”

“Because Dad still needs us to be married for his crazy fucking plan to succeed.”

“Eh …” Leo showed his teeth in a grimace. “I wouldn’t be so sure. Sal has every outcome war-gamed. There’s really no way he can lose here.”

“Oh yeah?” I folded my arms indignantly. “So what happens if I refuse to play along? What if, instead of denying the affair, I come out and say the rumors are absolutely true? That Dakota and I are a couple?”

“Do you know your dad’s motto for public relations? ‘Let no crisis go to waste.’”

“And what does that mean?”

“It means that Sal is well aware of the rumors surrounding the Capuano family’s alleged ties to the mafia. And we’ve been increasingly worried how those rumors will affect a Lancaster’s electability if everyone thinks my family has ties to criminal activity.”

I nodded as it slowly dawned on me. “So, the story about me and Dakota was planted to make it look like the families are divided, or something?”

“Exactly.” Leo clapped his hands, happy I’d figured it out.

“You and I split up because you’re cheating on me—and it’s a big, juicy story that’s trending on social media for weeks and weeks.

On a deeper level, our public breakup is symbolic of the ‘split’ between the Lancasters and the Capuanos.

While your dad will continue to fund the campaign, moving forward, he will distance himself from the campaign, and all money will be donated entirely through a series of PACs, making his involvement virtually untraceable. Problem solved.”

Whatever rush of power I felt a moment ago had slipped through my fingers and vanished in the blink of an eye.

“It seems like that’s the desired outcome,” I murmured.

“That’s because it’s the expected one.”

I sighed, feeling totally powerless. It was beyond disheartening to realize that I was being used as a pawn in my dad’s elaborate game of manipulation and image control.

“So why would you tell me all this?” I asked. “Why would you betray my dad by coming clean to me?”

“Betray?” He chuckled. “You still don’t get it? Nothing happens without Sal’s approval.”

“He … wanted you to tell me?”

“Indeed.” Leo stood and picked up his phone from the coffee table, where it had laid. He flipped it over, the screen glowing, revealing that his phone was on the entire time.

“Were you recording me this whole time?” I asked, stunned.

“You were on FaceTime. Here. Say hi,” he said, and passed me the phone.

Reluctantly, I took the phone, my hand trembling. My father smiled at me, a chilling mix of warmth and calculated intent, sending a chilling tingle down my spine. Seeing him only intensified the feeling of being trapped.

“Hello, princess,” he said, waving at me.

“What the hell is wrong with you, Dad?” I growled, my anger simmering.

“Listen, I’m really sorry things had to unfold this way, sweetheart,” he said, his expression feigning sympathy. “But it was really the only way.”

“That’s bullshit. Total bullshit. All you’ve done is lie and manipulate me.”

“I’m sorry for that. But to tell you the truth, Ottavia? I’m actually glad we’ve gotten everything out in the open. Now we can move forward with transparency, and a more honest understanding of each other. All of us—you, me, and Leo, too.”

I scoffed, a bitterness lacing my words. “Oh, wow, I’m so thrilled to be in this circle of honesty and trust. Because you’re both so incredibly honest and trustworthy.”

“I know you’re mad, princess—”

“ Mad doesn’t even begin to describe what I’m feeling. You planted a scandal about your own daughter in the media and made me look like a spoiled, cheating whore. And why? To help with your crazed ambitions? What were you even thinking?!”

He sighed. “I know, right now, it’s overwhelming. But trust me—in time, it will pass, and you’ll see it wasn’t a big deal at all. And we can make that story go away even faster, if you want. Trust me, the public has the memory of a gnat. ”

“Right. As long as I do what you say. Because that’s how you control people.”

“Look, I understand you’re upset. I would be, too, in your shoes. Which is why I want us to start over.”

“Start over?!” I laughed, appalled.

He nodded. “Ottavia, sweetheart, I’m willing to forgive and forget everything that has happened. You’ll still get your trust fund. I only ask one thing.”

“What,” I said flatly, even though I already knew what he was asking for.

“That you get on board with the original plan; you agree to marry Leo. Of course, you’ll have to stop seeing Dakota immediately.”

A surge of defiance rose within me. I straightened my spine and met Dad’s gaze.

“I won’t do it,” I declared. “I won’t be a pawn in your game. I won’t marry Leo. This is my life, and I will live it how I choose.”

He sighed with disappointment. “And your trust fund?”

“Don’t need it,” I said. “I’m not obsessed with money like you are. I’ve been working all summer long, and you know what? I love it. I don’t need tons of money to be happy. I see that now.”

“You think working a minimum wage restaurant job over the summer makes you part of the working class?” He let out an arrogant chuckle.

“It’s easy to think you’re above the need for money when you still have a fortune to your name, and when you’re living with your millionaire boyfriend.

You’re still so sheltered from reality, princess, you don’t even realize how privileged you are. ”

His words hit their target. I felt small and stupid and like a clueless, entitled bitch.

Dad continued. “And when Dakota cheats on you—not if, but when —leaving you with nothing but a job at a restaurant, you’ll finally understand how important money is.”

“He’d never cheat on me,” I murmured.

“Hm.” Dad didn’t sound convinced. “The thing about Dakota is—and I know you like him, sweetheart—but the boy really is no good. His career has been a disappointment, and he has only himself to blame. And he’s a chronic liar.

If he’d been honest with me from the beginning, none of this would’ve happened.

But look at the mess his web of lies has made for this family.

You think you can trust someone like that? Really?”

“That’s rich, coming from you,” I murmured.

Frustration welled inside me. I was sick of listening to this crap.

“I don’t care what you say. You’re wrong about Dakota.

He actually cares for me. He doesn’t lie to my fucking face or cheat on me or gaslight me constantly just so he can control me. I’m not leaving him.”

“Well, you’ve left me with no choice, then,” Dad said with a sigh. “I didn’t want to do this, princess, but I think there’s something you need to see. Leo?”

On cue, Leo handed me a tablet. A video was queued up, showing two people frozen in a still frame. One of the people was Dakota. I didn’t recognize the other—but she was young and attractive, and from their smiles, it was evident they were engaged in a conversation.

“If you want to learn the truth about Dakota, you’ll press play,” Dad said.

Part of me wanted to toss the tablet back to Leo and outright refuse whatever twisted narrative my father was trying to weave.

But there was another part of me—the part that was so accustomed to being betrayed and lied to—that couldn’t help but stare at the frozen image of the screen.

The way Dakota and that pretty girl looked at each other, like they shared a connection, sparked a jealous curiosity within me, a yearning to uncover the truth—no matter how much it might hurt.

I hesitated, my finger hovering over the play button.

Trust Dakota! one part of me said. He hasn’t given you any reason to doubt him!

But I couldn’t ignore the nagging doubt that clawed at the back of my mind.

I should at least know what he’s like when I’m not around … shouldn’t I? Before I leave my life behind?

With a nervous churning in my stomach, I tapped the play button.