I trust you.

The words rush through me, warm and satisfying—and scary enough that I force them aside. This isn’t about me. It’s about her. It’s about Del. It’s about finding an agent or a manager or a partner—someone who can share the burden with Jezebel until Del’s ready to take it over herself.

And that’s exactly what I tell her.

“And my point’s still the same,” she says. “I don’t have to get naked with them, but I still have to trust them. And after what happened with Simpson…”

She trails off with a shrug, then shifts on the bed so that she’s propped up on her knees. “But you, sir, are taking my problem far too seriously. I’ll work it out. And in the meantime, we need to get going.”

She nods at the clock, and I curse softly. I’d completely lost track of time. We need to be back at the hotel in just under half an hour. “You’re a bad influence on me,” I say.

“The feeling’s entirely mutual.”

Fortunately, my condo is only a few blocks from the Starfire, and soon enough I’m handing the valet my keys and ushering Jez into the elevator with fifteen minutes to spare.

She uses her key to access the floor, and moments later we walk hand-in-hand into her suite—only to find Kerrie sitting at the table, looking directly at us.

Her brows rise, and I see a smug little smile flicker before being replaced by her poker face.

“You’re early,” I say, releasing Jez’s hand. “Where’s Del?”

“Remind me never to be a movie star,” she says. “Your schedule totally isn’t your own.”

“Kerrie…”

“She’s on the set. Connor took her. Said you could relieve him when you got back.”

“The set?” Jez says.

“The producers called while we were in the steam room. I guess they wanted to get started early or something.” She takes a gulp from her water bottle and looks at me. “Can you take me home before you go? I’ve got plans tonight and no car.”

“Sure. Grab your stuff.” I turn to Jez as Kerrie starts to shove magazines and a pair of flip flops into a tote bag. “You?”

She shakes her head. “I need to sort through a few things here and make a couple of calls to LA.” She reaches for my hand, glances at Kerrie, then pulls it back. “I’ll see you later, though. When you bring Del home.”

“Yes, you will,” I say. I step closer, then lower my voice so that only Jez can hear. “You can fire me again tonight.”

“Deal.”

“I’m ready,” Kerrie says.

“Hang on. I want to grab a water bottle.” My phone chimes as I head for the fridge in the small kitchen area. I pull it out and set it on the counter, looking at the lock screen notification as I open a bottle of water and take a long swallow.

J from 2Nite has messaged you: Back in town. Let’s try again tonight?

I’m about to dismiss it when Kerrie calls for me to bring her a bottle, too. I grab one from the fridge, and head back toward the door, then toss the bottle to my sister. “All set?”

“Let’s go.”

I wave to Jez, resisting the urge to kiss her goodbye. Not because it would be unprofessional, but because I’d never hear the end of it from my sister.

My sacrifice doesn’t pay off, however, because the first thing Kerrie says when we get in my Range Rover is, “You like her.”

“Of course I do. She’s nice. Smart. Competent.”

“That’s not what I mean, and you know it. You’re falling for her.”

“No, I’m not,” I lie, because I don’t want to get into it with my sister right now.

“It’s okay if you are.”

“Kerrie…”

“I’m just saying that would be good, that’s all. I mean, I know that whole thing with Margie messed you up, but I worry about you. Mom and Dad worry, too. They’re just never going to tell you. Or if they do, they’ll wait until Thanksgiving and Christmas.”

Our parents retired to Nevada five years ago, and while we stay in touch, the phone calls tend to be pretty bare bones. But my parents are more than happy to meddle when we’re together in person for the holidays.

I keep my hands on the wheel and my eyes on the road. “Like I said, I’m fine.”

“Maybe. But one of these days you’re going to have to realize that only Margie was the asshole and not the entire female population. I mean, some of us are actually loyal, you know? And I love you, is all.”

I sigh. “I love you, too.” I hesitate, and for a moment I consider telling her everything and letting her help me parse out this mess of emotions that’s tangled in my head.

But then her phone rings, and the moment is lost.

“Hey,” she says. “What’s up?” A pause, then, “Sure, I’ll tell him. Bye.”

“What’s up?”

“You left your phone at the hotel. Jez called Connor so you wouldn’t worry when you couldn’t find it.”

“Oh, good. Thanks.”

“And apparently Lisa tried to reach you,” she adds. “When your phone and the office line went to voice mail, she called Connor. She’s in town and wants to meet you for dinner. She told Connor she has news. And he said he’ll cover for you on the set.”

“News.” I frown slightly, considering, but I don’t have any ideas. “I was just telling Jez about her. She was asking about our work.”

“You told her about Lisa and the stalker? Did you tell her what happened?”

I understand the surprise in her voice; I don’t often share that I killed a man. “I told her.”

“Like I said,” she says smugly. “You’re falling for her.”

This time, I don’t bother to deny it.

I use Kerrie’s phone to call Lisa back, then drop my sister off before going home to change. All of that takes about an hour, but I still manage to arrive right on the dot to meet Lisa. She’s already seated, and she stands up and flings her arms around me as I approach the four-top near the front of the restaurant.

“I’m so glad you could come. I know it’s horribly short notice, but I’m only in town today. We came in to see Daddy.”

“How’s your father doing?” I ask. I haven’t spoken to her father in months. All I know is that he’s living in Salado now, a small town about forty-five minutes outside of Austin.

“Great,” she says. “He’s been doing a lot of renovation work, so business is picking up. He uses your recommendation on the website I made for him.”

“Good. That’s what it was for.” I take a sip of my water, then notice the bottle of champagne chilling in a nearby bucket. “Are we celebrating?”

She nods, looking like she’s about to overflow with her news. “But you have to wait until—oh! Derek!”

I turn and see a tall, curly-haired man scanning the restaurant. He smiles and hurries toward us, then kisses Lisa’s cheek. And, I notice with approval, he doesn’t flinch at all when he kisses her right on the jagged scar, a souvenir of her attack.

“This is Derek, my fiancé.”

“Lisa, that’s wonderful. Congratulations to you both. Derek, a pleasure.” I extend my hand, pleased to find that he has a nice, strong grip.

“Sweetheart, Mom just called me back. I’m going to step out so that I can catch her, and I’ll let you ask Pierce. Okay?”

She nods, and he shakes my hand again. “I apologize, but my mother retired to Taiwan, and getting in touch with her can be tricky. I’ll be back soon.”

Lisa waits until he’s out of earshot, and then says, “I know this is a little weird, but will you be our best man?”

I sit back in my seat, shocked and flattered. “Lisa, are you sure? Is Derek?”

She nods. “I wouldn’t be here to get married if it wasn’t for you. And Derek’s best friend is a girl, so she’s going to be my maid of honor. Would you? The wedding’s in June.”

“Of course. I’m honored.”

She leans back with obvious relief. “Oh, thank goodness. Daddy will be so excited. How about you? Is there anyone you’re seeing?”

“Actually,” I begin, “there’s a woman I—”

“Pierce.”

Lisa and I look over at the same time, and while she looks completely confused by the angry woman stalking toward us, I have a sudden flash of comprehension.

My phone. My goddamned phone.

“Is this J?” Jez asks. Her arms are crossed over her chest as she nods toward Lisa, but her furious stare never veers off me. “Is this the woman you left me to come fuck? How the hell could you? I thought we—Dammit.”

Lisa’s eyes are wide, and I think she’s about to ask me what’s going on. Instead, her gaze shifts and she calls out, “Derek!”

“I couldn’t get the call back to Mom to go through,” he says, hurrying forward. He frowns, looking at Jez. “What’s going on?”

“Sit down,” I say to Jez as Derek takes the seat opposite to where she’s standing.

Her eyes flash with defiance. And then, when she looks at Derek, they flash with confusion.

“This is Lisa,” I say gently, indicating her and Derek in turn. “And this is Derek. Her fiancé.”

“Oh.” All the color drains from her. “Oh, God. I’m so sorry. I—I need—”

She doesn’t bother finishing the sentence. Just turns and heads toward the exit.

“Excuse me,” I say to the couple. “I need to clear up a little misunderstanding.”

I hurry after her, finally catching up to her on the sidewalk outside of the restaurant.

“I’m sorry,” she says. “I’m sorry and I’m mortified and I really wish you’d go back inside so that I can feel like an idiot all by myself.”

“You don’t need to feel like an idiot.”

She lifts a brow, and I laugh. “Okay, maybe you do. Because you are an idiot if you think that five seconds after I leave you, I’d go to some anonymous girl on the other end of a hook-up app.”

After fumbling in her purse, she pulls out my phone and hands it to me. “I went to pick it up, and a message flashed on the lock screen.”

“I would have deleted it,” I said. “Not even answered it.”

“I’m so stupid.”

I take her hands. “Come inside. We have an empty place. Join us for dinner.”

“Why didn’t you tell me you had dinner plans? You said you were going to the set.”

I explain about the call, and she frowns. “The universe is conspiring against me.”

“Or it’s conspiring to get you to dinner with me. Seriously. Join us.”

But she can’t be convinced. “No, really. I just need to be alone.”

“All right.” I mentally run through tomorrow’s schedule. “Cayden’s on deck tomorrow. He’s taking Del to the studio for that Sunday morning talk show, and then to the set. I’ll come by, too, and we can talk.”

“That’s okay. Tomorrow’s an early afternoon shoot. I’ll just see you on the set.”

I pause, taking in the bigger meaning of those words: She doesn’t want me coming over.

“Jez,” I say, feeling an unwelcome rush of panic. “You understand that tonight was just dinner with a friend. Right?”

She nods. “I know. I do. And I’m not upset about that.”

“Then what?”

But she doesn’t say, and I’m left with a hole in my stomach and the feeling that I’ve lost something, with no idea how to get it back.