This was a goddamn nightmare.

Sutton had put on the performance of her life all evening, but he could still see the heartbreak lingering in those green and gold eyes as she smiled and laughed at all the right times. All those assholes with fat pockets were instantly taken with her. Then again, with her vixen looks and sugar-sweet personality, who wouldn’t be?

He’d lost count of how many times he’d tried to get a private word. Unfortunately, there were just too many people he had to schmooze to find the time.

After her initial escape, he’d managed to eventually track her down, and she’d diligently remained by his side for the rest of the night, but he felt the tension rolling off her in waves and crashing against him. Every time he touched her, she locked up, and it was all his goddamn fault.

She said she was in love with him.

It should have been the happiest moment of his fucking life, and it would have been if he hadn’t been keeping an enormous secret from her for the past couple of weeks. The moment those words left her pretty lips, his heart had nearly burst from his chest. Then he remembered, and the guilt set in like a nasty infection.

He had to tell her the truth. And once that was done with, hopefully she’d forgive him so he could tell her how goddamn much he loved her. She was it for him. She was the only thing he needed to survive. And he couldn’t lose her.

The two of them had been engaged in conversation with a powerful Hollywood couple for the past few minutes, and Sutton was charming the hell out of them, convincing them to donate more without them even realizing, when a voice he hadn’t expected to hear called his name.

“Cam, honey! I’ve missed you!”

Ryan came out of nowhere, hopping up and wrapping her arms around his neck, effectively ending the conversation he’d been having without so much as batting an eye.

From the corner of his eye, he saw Sutton’s shoulders go rigid as the rest of her locked tight at the sight of another woman literally throwing herself at him.

Putting his hands to Ryan’s waist, he gently pushed her back and stood tall. “Ryan. This is a surprise. I didn’t know you planned to attend this year.”

The white dress she was wearing was cut all the way down to her belly button, and the slit up the thigh came dangerously close to showing more than it should.

He knew her well enough to know she occasionally showed some skin, but this amount was shocking, even to him. It wasn’t like her to be so damn obvious about it, and he couldn’t help but wonder what brought that on. But there were currently too many other things for him to worry about that took precedence over Ryan’s formal attire.

“And miss something you’ve worked so hard on? No way. I know how important this event is to you. Every year you work yourself to the bone. I’ve told you a hundred times, you take on too much, sweetie.” Something almost malicious glinted in her eyes as she turned to Sutton. “Hi, I’m Ryan Starr. Camden and I go way back.”

“Uh….” It took her a few seconds to get her bearings, but once she did, she reached out to shake Ryan’s hand. “Sutton Briar. It’s very nice to meet a friend of Camden’s.”

Camden hooked his arm around Sutton’s shoulder so he could yank her away from Ryan and into him. “Baby, this is my friend Ryan. She’s the one I was telling you about that I went to meet in LA a few weeks ago. Ryan, this is my girlfriend, Sutton.” Both women stared at each other silently. “So, Ry, are you here alone tonight? I could introduce you around—”

“Oh, no.” She waved him off. “That’s not necessary. My date should be here any second. Oh, there he is!”

And just like that, the bottom fell out from beneath Camden’s feet.

Ryan’s date was none other than Oliver Maxwell.

* * *

Sutton

I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. This had to be some kind of sick, twisted dream. You know, like the ones where you’re standing in front of your class butt naked. But no matter how many times I pinched myself, I just couldn’t wake up.

My father, in the flesh, was standing right in front of me, his arm hooked around the woman I’d thought was a man for the past several weeks.

“Cam, you remember Olly,” Ryan continued. “After you guys hit it off so well in LA, he found out I was coming here and insisted on tagging along.”

My head shot in Camden’s direction. “Y-you two know each other?” I asked, my voice having gone small as I felt all the blood drain from my face.

“Yes, they met to discuss Camden coming on to produce the soundtrack for Olly’s new movie. The two became fast friends.”

I’d been wrong earlier. I hadn’t died inside when I discovered Camden didn’t love me, because if I had, I wouldn’t have been in such agony right then.

“Oh, I’m being rude,” Ryan said on a fake pout. “Sutton, let me introduce you to Oliver Maxwell. Olly, this is Camden’s date, Sutton.”

“Girlfriend.” I let out a startled jump at the growl in Camden’s voice. “She’s not my date, she’s my girlfriend.”

“Oh, yes, of course.” She waved him off like it was nothing. Meanwhile, I was suffocating.

I couldn’t breathe. There was no air in this goddamn room. “I-I’m sorry. I have… I have to use the, um… I just need to run to the restroom. Excuse me.”

“Sutton—”

Camden tried to catch me, but I was already on the move, rushing across the room as fast as my heels would carry me. I needed to get the fuck away from them before I burst into tears in front of a man who never deserved to see them.

* * *

Camden

“The fuck are you two playin’ at?” Camden snarled, moving in close to Ryan so none of the other guests could hear.

Ryan’s eyes went wide in feigned shock. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. We just wanted to come show our support.”

“Like fuck you did!” he snapped, drawing the attention of the other people around him.

To his credit, Oliver looked just as shocked as Cam did. “I had no idea this was happening,” the man said, his face like thunder as he turned on Ryan. “When Ryan invited me, all she said was that it was a charity event. She said nothing of it being hosted by you.” His eyes went back to Camden. “I’ll be the first to admit I’m an asshole, son, but I’m not that big of an asshole. I might not have a relationship with Sutton, but I’d never purposefully do anything to cause her pain.”

“Olly, please. Just let me—”

When Oliver turned back, his demeanor was so cold Camden had to suppress a shiver of his own. “There isn’t a thing you have to say that I want to hear. I suggest you hire a company to come in and pack your shit before you get back to LA, ’cause you aren’t stepping a goddamn foot inside my house. Whatever you thought was going on between us is done. And so is your career.”

“What?” she gasped.

“You’re out. I’m making calls as soon as I leave here and finding new backing for the movie. Then I’m reaching out to every contact I have, which you know good and fuckin’ well, that list is infinite. By the time I’m done, you’ll be lucky to work at a porn studio run out of a goddamn warehouse. Sweetheart, you fucked with the wrong man.”

Before Ryan could speak, Oliver’s attention went back to Camden. “I apologize for ruining your night and upsetting Sutton.”

“I appreciate that, but I think you understand that, after what just happened, I won’t be able to work with you on your film.”

He gave Camden a nod. “I can’t say I’m not disappointed, but I understand. I’m leaving before there’s any further damage. Please give her my apologies.”

And with that, he turned and headed out of the ballroom, leaving Ryan alone without a buffer between her and Camden’s wrath.

“You stupid. Fucking. Bitch,” he seethed. “What the fuck were you thinking?”

“I was thinking you were making a huge mistake!” she cried. “I was thinking I needed to help you before you did something stupid, like fall in love with her!”

“Too late, Ryan!”

She made a sound like she was in physical pain, but he didn’t give a shit about hurting her, or the fact that more and more people were starting to catch on to the drama unfolding. “You can’t mean that. Cam, she’s all wrong for you! She can’t give you what you need, but I can!”

“You’re fuckin’ kidding me, right?”

“No.” She reached for his face, but he caught her wrists before she could touch him. “If you gave me a chance, I know you could love me too. You just never gave me a chance, Cam!”

Letting her go, he took a step closer, getting in her face as he growled, “Get this through your head, ’cause I’m not gonna say this twice. You were nothin’ more than a fuck. I had fun with you while it lasted, but I never looked at you as anything other than a willing snatch. And now I can’t even stand the fuckin’ sight of you. If I ever see you or hear that Sutton’s seen you, I’ll destroy what little goddamn life you have left once Maxwell’s done with you. Now get the fuck out.”

“Camden, brother.” Tears had started streaming down Ryan’s face, but he didn’t care. He was done with her. Turning his back on her, he faced a stern-looking Declan. “Everything okay here?”

“Not even fuckin’ close. I need to find Sutton.”

“Tate’s with her. Saw her runnin’ to the restroom and followed after. Maybe you should give ’em a minute.”

“I’m not waiting. I need to talk to her now.”