I look back once to make sure Kylie did what I said. She watches me over her shoulder but moves toward the bathroom. God, I hate leaving her alone like this. Her eyes are huge and dark-rimmed in a face gone pale with worry. She’s terrified for Diana and now I have to thrust her into this horror situation.

Fuck you, Jonas.

Thank god I saw the white van before Bob and Jeri were parked and on their way. Before the spotlight hits Kylie and ruins her life even more. How did they find me? What if they saw Kylie and can identify her?

I charge outside and run for my car. But I’m not quick enough.

Bob springs out of the van and flicks his light on. I hate that light almost as much as I hate Jonas Knightly. Lurch is on Bob’s heels.

Liesa emerges from a taxi. She clicks to me in two-inch heeled sandals, the silky fabric of flowing pants swirling around her legs, her breasts free under the thin fabric of a halter top. When she sees me, she starts running, a sort of tippy-toe skip in her heels. “Zach! Oh, thank god!”

What is this game? How does she know I’m here? I hold my arms out to her and she bounds into them, wrapping her arms around my neck and reaching up to kiss me. I play to the camera and kiss her long, but sweetly.

She snuggles into me. “When I got the call I came as quickly as I could.” She jumps back and studies me up and down. “You look fine. Are you hurt at all?”

I search her face, trying to read the signals she gives me. I open my mouth, fighting to say something, anything that will protect Kylie’s identity.

Liesa gingerly touches a spot on the side of my head. “I can see the lump. Does it hurt much? I’ll bet it’s making it hard for you to think.”

I tangle my fingers with hers and bring her hand down. “I’m okay. Just….”

With her back to the camera, she gives me a stink eye worse than my sister Alicia ever could. Then she pours on sweetness. “I’m so sorry I didn’t let you in. And it’s so weird I thought you’d been in an accident earlier and you hadn’t been. And then, I sent you away upset and that’s when it happened. It’s like I willed it or something.”

Okay. I’d had an accident. I hope like hell Bob doesn’t turn his camera on my pristine Mercedes. “You didn’t cause it. I was upset, sure. But it’s my fault for not paying attention.”

“You poor thing,” she purrs, stroking my cheek. I hate that.

So. Fucking. Much.

She whips out her phone and punches speed dial. “The cab will be here in a minute. I’m taking you home and we’ll put ice on that lump.”

She coos and picks at me, planting baby kisses on my face, telling me how much I mean to her. For my part, I do what I’ve been doing for a couple of months. I act. I pretend what she says and does means something to me. I don’t twist away from her or cringe, as I want to. Every touch reminds me that she’s not Kylie.

The taxi arrives and she helps me in, then slides beside me and closes the door. As soon as we leave the spotlight, she taps the driver on the shoulder. “Go up here about a mile, then do a U-turn and bring us back.” To me, she says, “You need to get your car and get the hell out of here.”

“Thanks for all of that back there.”

She turns eyes full of fury onto me. “Go fuck yourself! Oh wait. You don’t need to fuck yourself with Kylie around, do you?”

Shit. How did she find out already? “What?”

She flounces back in the seat. “Don’t act so innocent. I smelled her on you.”

Protect Kylie.

“You’re imagining it because you saw her at Blue Heron the other night.”

Her lip turns up in disgust. “You’re so full of shit. I know that smell. It’s that body wash she uses. I took a shower when I was there, remember?”

I start to protest again, wanting desperately to leave Kylie out of this part of my life.

She holds up her hand. “It’s all over you. How stupid do you think I am? You had that look in your eyes. That freshly fucked face.”

The driver does his U-turn and we head back toward the hospital.

“I didn’t—.”

Liesa is madder than I’ve ever seen her on the show. This is honest temper. “I didn’t peg you for a typical asshole who lets his dick think for him.”

“Kylie is—”

“Would you just shut the fuck up? You can’t just cheat on me. You can’t let Jonas get his claws into anyone else, especially Kylie.”

So, this isn’t jealousy.

Liesa is angry because she’s afraid I’m going to get caught.

Lying isn’t something that comes naturally to me, but I’ll do anything to protect Kylie. “I don’t have a thing with Kylie.”

We pull into the parking lot of the hospital.

She lets out a huff. “You sure as hell better not. Ever again. Jonas is three steps ahead of you. That little stunt in the Blue Heron, your whole deer-in-the-headlights thing could have been a disaster.”

I think my best defense is to play stupid. “I don’t know what you mean.”

This is not one of her hysterical fits on TV. She roils with intensity deep down, not a shrieking hissy performance. “What you pulled earlier, missing our date? You might as well give Jonas her address and social security number. And now this!” She waved her hand toward the hospital.

I growl at her, not wanting to concede a point. “Look, Kylie’s friend is in bad shape. She couldn’t get in touch with Blake and she needed someone to help her. I’ll be more careful.”

“Oh, no. There’s not going to be anything to be careful about. You’re not going to see Kylie, period.”

I can’t accept that. “She’s my friend and right now she needs me.”

She leans close to me. “I can’t control the narrative if there’s someone else involved. Too many moving parts. Jonas won’t let Kylie just be a friend and you know it.”

“I think you’re overreacting.” She’s not but I can’t just abandon Kylie. Not after this afternoon. Not now that she needs me.

She narrows her eyes at me. “You can’t be this stupid. Jonas knows more than you think.”

“How?”

The driver stops in front of the ER.

“Mistakes happen. Like tonight. Kylie texted Blake and left him voicemails. He played one out loud. OUT-fucking-LOUD! I’m surrounded by idiots.”

I stare at her, not fully getting her point.

“How long do you suppose it took Jeri to roust Tom when she heard Kylie say, Zach brought me to the hospital?”

I stop on something she said. “Blake was with you?”

She tilts her head. “Yeah. He’s my friend. The only real friend I have, as it turns out. Since I can’t trust you, I guess.”

This almost feels like a real lover’s spat. “Why do you get to have friends, but I don’t?”

“Because I’m Liesa Temple.” I can’t tell if she’s mad or sad. “Anyway, it was a mistake. Blake forgot the house is monitored and he checked his voicemail. And now we’re busted.”

I need her to go back. “Your house is monitored?”

“Of course.” She nods, her forehead wrinkled in thought. “Yours might be, too, although I kind of doubt Niles would allow it. Mother encourages it in our house.”

I want to tell her to eat shit, but I’m starting to understand how she’s been living and how much I don’t know about this whole thing. “Okay. I screwed up. Tell me how to fix it.”

“You can’t.” She rubs the bridge of her nose like a business executive planning delicate negotiations. “Go home. Tomorrow I’ll make you take me shopping. I’m going to fight with a sales clerk at a designer boutique because she won’t call the designer and tell him I demand a shorter skirt or some shit like that.”

Great.

Shopping spree tantrum.

My favorite thing.

My face must show my lack of enthusiasm. She lowers her voice. “I’m sorry, I really am—but it’s you and me against the world for the unforeseeable future.” She sounds about as excited at the prospect as I feel.

I climb out of the taxi and start for the hospital door. Liesa rolls down her car window and demands, “Where are you going?”

I point toward the ER.

“To Kylie?” Her door swings open and she jumps out. “Jesus—you are stupid. Have heard anything I’ve said to you over the past ten minutes?”

I don’t respond.

“Where is she?”

We lock eyes in silent combat. Again, she reminds me of Alicia, only much tougher. Kylie could use a friend and maybe Liesa can help her. “Bathroom off the waiting room.”

She stomps off and calls over her shoulder. “Pay the taxi.”